Summer is definitively over, and now we find ourselves squarely in the throes of fall. It’s time to trade in our swimsuits for sweatshirts and swap out our grills for slow cookers. To help you warm up to the cooler temps, I’ve put together some of fall favorites. Most are easy meals you can get on the table in about an hour, and the one that isn’t is a slow cooker recipe where the crockpot does the heavy lifting for you. If you’d like to save yourself some time during the week, take an hour on the weekend to prep the veggies for the Pasta e Fagioli soup and the stuffed squash recipe below. A bit of weekend prep makes eating healthy so much easier and faster during the week. So get something tasty going in the kitchen, then cozy up with a good book while dinner bubbles away. It’s time to slow down and savor both our meals and the people we share them with. Here’s to comfort food, fall color, and pumpkin spice everything!
Meal Plan for October Week 2
1 One-Pan Paprika Chicken with Potatoes and Tomatoes: This fast and simple one-pan dinner is the perfect way to ease into your work week. Since the chicken and veggies cook together, you’ve already got your side dish covered. A simple Caesar salad would be nice served alongside if you’d like some fresh greens. 2 Slow Cooker Mexican Pulled Pork: Taco Tuesday never looked so good! Make the rub the night before, coat the pork, then wrap it in cellophane. The next morning unwrap, sear, and toss it in the slow cooker before you leave for work! Serve it with Cilantro Lime Rice on the side. 3 Best Ever Sloppy Joes: Sloppy joe sandwiches are fun, easy meal to make mid-week when you’d rather spend more time hanging out at the table than at the stove. Toss together a simple side salad while the hamburger mix simmers, and you’re ready to eat. 4 Pasta e Fagioli: This is such a quick and easy soup (especially if you chop the vegetables ahead!), and so satisfying on a chilly fall evening. The leftovers make a great lunch. You don’t really need another starch or more vegetables with this soup, but you could certainly round out the meal with some focaccia or garlic bread for the table. 5 Vegan Stuffed Squash with Rice and Veggies: This is a hearty vegetable-based meal sure to please omnivores and vegetarians alike! I don’t usually serve this with anything else – the stuffed squashes are huge and ends up feeling like plenty of food all on its own.
