8 Great Fall Recipes for Weight Loss
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Healthy eating can be difficult at any time of the year. But as the weather cools and the holiday season approaches, fall is often an especially tough time to stay on track.
Even with the help of supplements from Supplement Relief to support good health and weight loss, the lure of comfort foods is real. And nothing makes us want to dive head-first into a bowl of creamy pasta more than cold, gray weather.
Luckily, there are plenty of healthy yet hearty dishes that are perfect for fall. Keep reading for some of our favorite fall recipes.
1. Lentil Stew
A hearty stew is perfect for warming you up when the weather starts to cool. But to save on calories, leave out the meat and load your stew up on lentils instead. With around 12 grams of protein and 32 percent of your daily fiber recommendation per half cup, lentils make this dish filling and packed with goodness.
To make this recipe, start by warming olive oil in a large saucepan, then add a chopped onion and a little chopped garlic. After a few minutes of simmering, it's time to add your chopped veggies. These can be fall favorites such as sweet potato, carrot, and butternut squash, although any vegetables from your healthy grocery shopping list will do. Red peppers also work well, as do eggplant and zucchini.
Whichever veggies you use, you'll need about a cup of each. Before throwing these into the pot, add another two teaspoons of olive oil then leave this to cook for around seven minutes.
Meanwhile, mix up a jug of vegetable stock and peel and chop two medium-sized potatoes. When you're ready, pour the stock over the veggies, making sure to cover everything but no more. Then, add the potatoes and a dash of soy sauce for a flavor boost before covering the pot and leaving it all to simmer for 20 minutes or so.
When the vegetables are nice and soft, drain and rinse a large jar of cooked lentils and add these to the mix. Cook for a further five minutes, then serve.
2. Roast Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
Recipes with chicken might not immediately make you think of fall, but add a bed of caramelized sweet potatoes and red onions and now we're talking! For extra veggies, serve this dish with one of your favorite salads for the holidays, or try this balsamic Waldorf salad recipe instead.
First, preheat your oven to 450°F and slotting a large baking sheet in the lower third of the oven to preheat. Then, combine thyme, wholegrain mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and spread the mixture all over two pounds of skinless chicken thighs.
Prepare your veggies by peeling and cutting up three medium sweet potatoes into small chunks and cutting up a red onion into wedges. Toss the sweet potatoes and onion in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper then spread the vegetables across the baking sheet. Place the chicken on top of the veggies then put everything into the oven for around 40 minutes.
3. Turkey Chili
Turkey is more than just one of the main meals for Thanksgiving, it's also a lean, protein-packed alternative to beef. And, chili is perfect for fall as the spicy hit helps boost your metabolism and your immune system too.
To make this turkey mince version, warm olive oil in a pot and add a chopped onion, three minced garlic cloves, and a chopped red pepper. After five minutes or so, add in a pound of extra-lean ground turkey and cook it through until it's no longer pink.
Now it's time to add your spices - chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, and a pinch of salt. Next, stir a can of diced tomatoes into the mix, as well as a cup of chicken broth, two cans of red kidney beans, and a can of sweetcorn.
After bringing everything to a boil, simmer your chili for 30-45 minutes then add seasonings as necessary. Top with avocado, cilantro, and low-fat sour cream and serve with brown rice or quinoa.
4. Protein Hot Chocolate
While this vanilla spice drink is a great way to add some fall flavor to your protein powder, how about a warming cup of protein hot chocolate?
First, you'll need to make the hot chocolate powder. For this, you'll need a cup of your chosen chocolate protein powder, half a cup of granulated sweetener, and quarter of a cup of cocoa powder.
Stir these ingredients in a bowl then add seven teaspoons of your hot chocolate mix to a cup. Pour in around quarter of a cup of boiling water and stir. Then, top up your warming drink with more boiling water or warmed milk of your choice, stir, and enjoy!
5. Tuna Pasta Bake
With a few swaps, this hearty dish is a lot more diet-friendly than you might have imagined. Plus, it packs in plenty of healthy omega-3 fatty acids to give you a much-needed mood boost this fall.
First, you'll need to cook a pack of pasta. While you can use regular penne, there are many different types of pasta these days, including chickpea pasta and lentil pasta. As well as being low-carb, these provide extra protein for a more filling, nutritious dish.
While the pasta is cooking, preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an ovenproof baking dish. Then, warm olive oil in a pot and add a chopped onion. When the onion is ready, mix in three cans of tuna, a cup of low-fat unsweetened Greek yogurt, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Then add your cooked pasta to the mix, stir well, and transfer everything to the baking dish before topping with a cup of low-fat cheese and baking for 15 minutes.
6. Tuscan Bean Soup
Healthy, wholesome foods perfect for the fall weather don't come much better than a steaming bowl of soup. What's more, this Italian dish is suitable for vegans and vegetarians, but still hearty enough for meat-eaters to feel satisfied.
Start by warming olive oil in a pot and adding a chopped red onion. Then, add two chopped sticks of celery, a chopped carrot, and a clove of grated garlic. Leave the soffritto to cook for five minutes then add a can of chopped tomatoes, a tablespoon of tomato puree, and 20 oz of vegetable broth.
Season the soup with a little salt and pepper then bring it to the boil and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. The next step is to take half of the soup mixture and blend it before adding it back into the pot. This half-chunky, half-blended texture ensures the soup is smooth but still filling.
Now, it's time to add in the beans. Since this recipe is Italian, it calls for a can of borlotti beans (also known as cranberry beans) and a can of cannellini beans. But if you can't find these, two cans of any beans will do.
Finally, simmer the soup for five to 10 minutes then add a cup of pastina and cook for a further five minutes before serving.
7. Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Look for a healthy fall breakfast recipe that's tasty enough to coax you out of bed on a cold morning? We got you!
To make this healthier, breakfast-appropriate spin on apple pie, you'll need to cook your apples ahead of time. To do so, peel and slice around 2lbs of apples then add these to a zip-top plastic bag along with half a cup of brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Next, cook your apple mixture with two teaspoons of water over a medium heat until the apples are tender.
With your cooked apples ready to go, all you need to do in the morning is cook your oats as you like them then spoon the spiced apples on top!
8. Kale, Butternut Squash, and Spiced Pecan Salad
Salads might not be that enticing when the weather's cold outside but a warm salad packed with hearty veg makes the perfect accompaniment for everything from fall recipes with chicken to meals for Thanksgiving.
And, if never know what salads for the holidays to serve, this healthy and oh-so flavorsome salad is here to save you!
First up, preheat your oven to 350°F then prepare two cups of peeled and chopped butternut squash. Spread the butternut squash over a lined baking tray, spray with olive oil, and bake for around 45 minutes.
While this is cooking, mix together an egg white, salt, quarter of a cup of coconut sugar, paprika, cinnamon, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Add two cups of raw, unsalted pecans to the bowl and stir.
With the pecans coated, spread them into a single layer on a lined baking sheet and bake them for 25 minutes, making sure to flip them halfway through.
Next up, it's time to make the dressing. For this, whisk a teaspoon of horseradish sauce, two tablespoons of lemon juice, and a teaspoon of honey together. Drizzle in three tablespoons of walnut oil, season, then mix.
Finally, add two bunches of cut kale leaves, the butternut squash, pecans, and dressing to a large bowl, toss, and serve!
Delicious Fall Recipes for Weight Loss
Healthy food doesn't have to mean boring salads and green juices. As these fall recipes show, there are many ways to incorporate vegetables and other nutritious whole foods into your cold-weather cooking repertoire without sacrificing flavor.
In fact, we're sure that no one would ever guess these delicious recipes are also diet-friendly!
For more information, feel free to contact us today!
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