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Fall in Love with 3 Fall Recipes That Are Light and Delicious

The first day of fall is this Friday, so it’s time to fall in love again with fall foods. Cookbook author and dietitian Michelle Dudash is here to dish on the best foods to eat this season!

  1. Go seasonal with your salad

As tomatoes fall out of season, switch to fall fruits, like juicy, sweet grapes or thinly sliced apples for crunch. Add a sprinkle of goat cheese and sprinkle with Wonderful Pistachios.

Swap croutons with pistachios. Those croutons on your salad aren’t doing you any favors, since they’re just refined carbs. I work with Wonderful Pistachios and their no-shells variety is one of my salad staples, since they’re so versatile in recipes and go great with fall flavors! They contain plant-based protein and fiber and those better-for-you unsaturated fats.

Pistachios are one of the lowest fat snack nuts giving you 49 nuts per 1-ounce serving. They come in a re-sealable bag, too.

Drizzle salads with this POM Vinaigrette.

What’s great about using POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate juice is that it’s made by pressing the whole fruit, giving you antioxidants from the rind, pith, and arils. Each 8-ounce bottle contains two whole pomegranates and offers 600 mg potassium-more than a banana!

Has a slightly sweet, slightly tart taste, making it great for drinking or in recipes like this delicious dressing.

  1. Super easy sweet potato fries side dish.

Just a few simple ingredients: sweet potatoes, oil, salt, and pepper.

You can mix things up by sprinkling with fresh rosemary, chile powder and cumin, or smoked paprika.

1 medium sweet potato has 4 g fiber, just 105 calories, more than a whole day’s worth of vitamin A!

Personally, I like to dip them in just a dab of mayonnaise, and there are some healthier ones out there now. Or make a spicy ketchup.To prepare: coat fries with oil, salt, and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees convection for about 30 minutes, turning the fries after 20 minutes.

  1. Enjoy a chocolate dessert with oranges and no added sugar

Valencia oranges are in season year round, and we’ll start seeing mandarins in October. Oranges and chocolate are an awesome pairing for the chillier months! Pistachios also pair perfectly with chocolate, making them great for sprinkling on top and adding crunch.Vegan Dark Chocolate and Pistachio Layered Pudding

Say “yes” to chocolate !The chocolatey “pudding” includes banana for just enough sweetness, naturally. By layering it in champagne or juice glasses with pistachios, it becomes a dessert or snack with bonus benefits. Occasionally stir in extra mandarin zest for an intriguing taste twist.Ingredients

2  large fully ripened Hass avocados, pitted, peeled, and cubed

3/4 cup mashed fully ripened banana

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup maple syrup (optional, if the bananas aren’t fully sweet and ripe)

1 1/2 teaspoons grated Wonderful Halos mandarin (or orange) zest, plus more for the garnish

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Pinch of ground cinnamon

1/2 cup Wonderful Pistachios Lightly Salted ShelledDirections

  1. Add the avocados, banana, cocoa powder, maple syrup, orange zest, vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon to a food processor. Cover and puree on high speed until velvety smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. (Hint: Ideally, transfer to a container, cover, and chill for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to mingle.) Makes 2 cups “pudding.”
  2. Layer as desired the chocolate “pudding” and pistachios into four champagne flutes or small juice glasses. (Hint: Use a pastry bag, if possible.) Sprinkle with zest and serve.

To learn more, visit www.michelledudash.com.