Usually around mid-to-late August, I can’t help but think about Fall.
Don’t get me wrong, I love summer and cherish every second of it (and yes our summer in Canada can be counted by the second!), but my mind wanders to thoughts of Fall around this time.
Crisp, bright, crunchy, and cool fall.
Pumpkin.
Comfy sweaters.
The smell of fireplaces and those final uses of the BBQ.
Raking leaves until the blisters on my fingers hurt so bad, I must come inside.
Ok, so maybe fall isn’t all it is cracked up to be. I just can’t decide if I am on Team Summer or Team Fall right now.
Tonight’s recipes are a clear reflection of my indecisiveness toward the seasons.
First, I decided I would make a summer bean salad so delicious and easy, I’d feel like I was sitting on the beach at some posh women’s yoga retreat. My body was also in post-vacation shock, so anything longer than 10 minutes to prepare was simply out of the question.
Second, I decided I would honour my Fall cravings with a beautiful Maple Butter Baked Pepper Squash so warm and fuzzy I’d feel like I was cuddled up in front of a bonfire wearing a big hooded sweatshirt.
This meal is for those days when you are town between your love for summer and your yearnings for Fall.
Easy & Delicious Summer Bean Salad
Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups cooked black beans
- 1.5 cups cooked kidney beans
- 1/2 large green pepper, diced
- 1 large patty pan squash, diced
- 1/4 red onion, diced
- 1 corn on the cob, corn removed
- 2-3 tbsp sunflower seeds
- Easy Bean Salad Vinaigrette (3 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp sunflower oil, 1 tbsp pure maple syrup, 1/4 tsp Himalayan sea salt, 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper)
- 1/4-1/2 tsp Dried parsley
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Dice vegetables and throw all ingredients except the vinaigrette and sunflower seeds into a large bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl prepare the Easy Bean Salad Vinaigrette. Pour the vinaigrette over the diced vegetables and bean mixture and mix well until coated. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and parsley and additional sea salt and pepper if necessary. Serves 4-5.
Summery: Check; Delicious: Check; Easy: Check, check, check.
This tastes incredible, not to mention it is healthy and filled with protein, healthy fats, and fibre.
Simple food is delicious food.
To satisfy my Fall cravings, I served it with a baked Courge Pepper Squash.
Maple Butter Roasted Courge Pepper Squash
Ingredients:
- 1 Courge Pepper Squash, split in half & seeds removed
- 2 tbsp Earth Balance
- 1-1.5 tbsp Pure maple syrup
- Pinch sea salt
- 1 tsp Sucanat (or brown sugar)
Directions: Place about 2-3 inches of water in a large & deep casserole dish. Take prepped squash (sliced in half and seeds removed) and place cut side down into the water. Bake at 425F for about 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and cool for about 10 minutes. Flip squash and immediately place Earth Balance, Sucanat, maple Syrup, and sea salt over top of both halves. Serve immediately. Serves 2.
The squash tastes like a warm, sweet embrace on a chilly night.
Or maybe I am just weird like that.
Either way you have to try this. Quite possibly the best tasting squash I have ever had! Buttery, sweet, and slightly crunchy from the Sucanat. Ohhhhh me oh my.
Ok, now it’s your turn: Team Summer or Team Fall? Also, what are your favourite Fall recipes or foods?
Oh I am getting all excited just thinking about it!
I’m Team Fall!
I LOVE pumpkin and can’t wait for it to finally become available again because I’ve been craving it ALL SUMMER.
Being from the Midwest, there’s always the glorious changing of the leaves that is always looked forward to and is so photogenic.
The only downside is that Fall gives way too fast to Winter. Snow a month or so before the winter solstice is just not okay. Snow should be reserved for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Eve. Those are the ONLY acceptable days to have snow on the ground.
I live in Phoenix, so I’m am for sure Team Fall! The summers here start to wear on you after a while, but fall (our version is probably summer weather to many), is fantastic!
I love summer because the tomatoes don’t taste like soaked cardboard and because eggplant are amazing, but fall brings in squash and pumpkin and I’ve been known to roast a kabocha, slice it like a pie and snack on it all day long with some almond butter and cinnamon.
I guess I’d have to stick to fall because I just love my squash and tubers (parsnip fries anyone?).
That squash looks like heaven! Ohhhhhh I can’t wait for the excuse to eat squash ALL the time! ;)
Team fall all the way. Fall here in Japan is like early September weather in Canada. I’d take Canadian fall too. I long to be cold. My fall food is kabocha squash. In oatmeal, pumpkin pie, roasted, simmered – any way really. Can’t forget apple cider too.
Oh, you are really making my mouth water with that bean salad!!!!
Angela! You are reading my mind — down where I live, leaves are already falling off the trees. There’s a slight crisp-ness in the air. I can SMELL autumn coming. It’s my favorite season . . . and I’m so happy we’re running our marathon in early October this year because — due to all our training for Philly last year, we missed October weekends, which are the best for pumpkin pie baking, apple picking, and jumping in leaves. Anyway, glad someone else is pining away for fall.
<3
I love fall!!! I’m more of a cool-weather person (but not cold-weather!!). I like wearing sweaters and taking a walk when the air is crisp. Also, fall veggies are the best! :D
I am Team Fall — I love the sweater/sweatshirt days, drinking hot tea or hot cocoa, crisp mornings, the leaves changing color, etc. I love everything about fall!
Here in MN we have such humid summers that I don’t care for summer much — I like the in between seasons: Fall and Spring.
I love bean salads, so this is right up my alley!
I’m right with you on the feelings between late summer and fall. Here in northern CA, we’ve not had a very hot summer and I can definitely feel fall in the air big time and I just love that feeling. I love summer but fall is for sure my favorite season. Cheers!
I’m a summer girl for sure. Fall and Winter both are romantic, but I feel like that never truly happens you know? The cold just makes everything miserable.
I’m a fall person and I love my pumpkin pie and butternut squash!
I always start thinking about fall this time of year too….mostly because it’s blazing hot now and October is my favorite month. Can I move somewhere where it’s October all of the time? Pumpkins, and apples, leaves, mountains, hiking, football, and crisp air. I cannot wait!!! Everything you made looks wonderful and definitely inspires some fall feelings!
Now THAT is my kind of squash! Definitely planning on making that in the very near future. I have been reading your blog forever, and just HAD to comment today because that recipe is too fabulous not to.
I am definitely a fall-food kind of person. Summer recipes always seem to be lighter and cooler, and I prefer heavier, warmer foods.
You sound EXACTLY like me re: Summer & Fall. I love both seasons, but Fall is really where it’s at for me. Yes, Summer has MANY things going for it, but in my mind, you just can’t beat the weather, ambiance, festivities, and overall “vibe” of autumn. This is definitely the time of year where I feel torn about letting go of Summer, while at the same time looking forward to Fall.
Your recipes look delicious! Love the mix of Summer & Fall. ;)
Hi! I’m new to your blog. Great post! I just had to comment on it because I’ve been thinking about fall for the past two weeks. I want it to come so bad! I currently reside in Texas and it’s been 100+ for most of the month. Fall here doesn’t begin until late November (if that’s what you want to call it). Being from the Midwest, that doesn’t go over very well with me. And you even made squash (a favorite of mine) and it made me want fall even more! *Sigh* :=)
Despite the fact that summer started in, like, March this year, it’s going by too quickly! I’m sooo not ready for fall and winter right now!! A fall favourite is soup: roast parsnip, carrots, sweet potato, and squash in oil… Saute leeks in a big pot, add the roasted veggies, stock, and spices. So delicious!!
Does team Fammer count!! lol
My favorite Fammer meal would be a cool gazpacho soup! It’s a cold fall-ish soup thats perfect in the summer months. But, I’m all about sweet potatoes and butternut squash in the fall…
I’m a fall girl all the way. The activities (like hiking), the food (pumpkin anything!), the weather, and knowing the holidays are close. Love it all!
Okay, I’m ready now. Seeing that squash just got me all excited for fall! ;)