We’re here. It’s officially fall.
Give me all of the cardamom, maple, sage, squash and pumpkin.
Bring on the apples, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and sweet potatoes.
It’s personally my favorite time of the year.
And it’s time to turn the oven back on.
I’m excited to make quick breads, casseroles and endless veggies.
I’m ready for oversized sweatshirts and tailgates. Candles and cat cuddles. Apple cider everything. Alll of the soup.
But with the change in season I also crave slowness.
I struggle with the fact that the world moves at a million miles a minutes and I am somehow expected to keep up.
If i’m being honest, all I want to do is sit and watch the leaves change color.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the difference between a job and a career lately, and more broadly, about the difference between building a life and constantly trying to improve one.
When I sit down to write this, I try to think of something I’ve learned or something I did well in the past week.
Sometimes I feel like a fraud.
But lately, meal planning, grocery shopping, and the actual act of cooking dinner are all feeling, dare I say… easy?
Not effortless or perfectly planned.
Just easier.
I feel like I’ve finally fallen into a rhythm with what the heck to make for dinner.
And that’s truly all I’m really after this fall.
Rhythm instead of rush.
So naturally. I have a list of things I want to cook.
This Week’s Snackagories
I don’t really know how else to describe this next month other than: I want everything to taste like fall.
I’ve been craving chana masala, so that will be a dinner this week. And it’s the perfect time of year for something warm and deeply spiced.
My first soup of the season was a creamy chicken pot pie soup made with chicken stock and coconut milk. It honestly came out pretty bland, but it was still a nice way to ease back into soup season.
I also want to make tomato soup this week. And then, presumably, every squash recipe known to mankind.
🥣 Savory Dip / Spread
Sweet Potato Black Bean Hummus
This is a fall spin on one of my fav dips. It’s creamy, savory, a little smoky, and exactly the right flavor for my fridge right now. I’m looking forward to eating it with some fresh heirloom tomatoes.
Ingredients
Roasted or baked sweet potato
Black beans, drained and rinsed
Tahini
Fresh lime juice
Olive oil
Cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt
Blend in a food processor until smooth and creamy, adding water as needed to reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust lime, spices and salt.
🍞 Grab + Go Pantry Snack
Cardamom Chai Protein Bars
Cardamom immediately takes me back to Copenhagen, and I’m leaning hard into that cozy, spiced flavor this month.
These are essentially my classic no-bake protein bars with a fall-ish twist and they come in clutch before a workout, alongside breakfast, or when the 3pm hunger hits.
Ingredients
Rolled oats
Vanilla protein powder
Creamy almond butter
Maple syrup
Chia seeds
Vanilla bean
Cinnamon
Cardamom
Ground ginger, nutmeg, salt
Mix everything in a food processor or high speed blender until a sticky dough forms. Press firmly into a parchment-paper lined loaf pan or small square container, chill for at least 30mins, then slice into bars.
Niknack Tip: Don’t overcomplicate grab and go snacks. If you find yourself eating a protein bar from the gas station every single day, that’s fine, you’re eating. The best bar is the bar you actually enjoy eating.
🥕 Fresh Produce
Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini and Walnuts
If you need proof that veggies don’t have to be complicated, this is it.
Roast cauliflower florets until deeply browned and crispy, then finish with creamy tahini and toasted walnuts. I may experiment with almonds this week too.
Ingredients
Head of Cauliflower, cut into florets
Avocado oil
Cumin, salt + pepper
Cumin, smoked paprika
Tahini
Chopped walnuts
Niknack Tip: Roast more veggies than you think you need. They’re just as good cold or reheated, and having them ready makes throwing lunch or dinner together significantly easier.
🍫 Sweet Tooth Snack
No Bake Pistachio Date Truffles
These are bite sited chocolatey, nutty delights that fall somewhere between a truffle and an energy ball.
Ingredients
Medjool dates
Cacao powder
Vanilla bean paste
Pistachios, finely chopped
Flaky sea salt
Pulse the dates, cacao, vanilla and 1/2 cup of pistachios in a food processor until a sticky mixture forms. Roll into bite sized balls and coat with the rest of your pistachios.
Seasonal Tip: Add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom to make these even more fall-coded.
🍗 Bulk Protein Source
Herby Pork Tenderloin
Fall = pork chops and applesauce. Amiright?!
I love a sheet-pan pork tenderloin with apples and onions because it feels like the kind of dinner that should require much more effort than it actually does.
Fresh sage, rosemary and thyme make the kitchen smell like fall, while the apples get caramelized and sweet alongside the pork.
Ingredients
Pork tenderloin
Honey crisp apples, diced
White onion, diced
Sage, rosemary + thyme
Honey
Avocado Oil
Salt + Pepper
Niknack Tip: Slice the pork after it rests and keep the components separate. Add it to grain bowls, salads, roasted veg plates, or turn it into a completely different dinner [aka pork and squash mac and cheese] later in the week.
I’m Feeling Re-inspired
I am feeling re-inspired to share.
My weekly dinner rotations. Snacky lunch plates. The random things I’m making. The recipes that work and the ones that don’t.
I want to make food content again because I actually want to talk about food content again.
But there is a part of me that really, really hates Instagram.
I don’t love the feeling of taking an experience I genuinely enjoyed and immediately repacking / putting a bow on it and turning it into something that performs well enough to justify sharing.
Life isn’t always picturesque, sometimes I want to take a picture because the light was pretty.
Sometimes I want to talk about the hard-ish, which is what I try to do here.
Sometimes I want to sit on the couch and eat dinner without thinking about whether it could be a reel.
I could go down a real rant here.
For now, I’m just trying to find the balance.
I’m sharing because I want to share, and participating in things I want to participate in.
Next week, I’ll trying to let the leaves change color without trying to make content about it ;)
Thanks for reading this weeks SubSnack <3
Until next time,
Niknack
