For a slideshow of the benefits of these fall foods, click here.
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Stir in cranberries; make a well in center of mixture.
3. Combine milk, butter, rind, vanilla, and egg; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.
4. Bake at 400° for 18 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pan immediately; place on a wire rack.
Total Calorie Count: 174 per serving.
1. Heat oven to 300° F. Remove the seeds from the pumpkins. Discard the pulp.
2. Spread the seeds (no need to rinse them) evenly on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until dried, about 1 hour.
3. Toss the seeds, olive oil, celery salt, and cumin in a large skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, until the seeds are lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.
Total Calorie Count: 152 per serving.
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membrane. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a baking sheet; bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until tender. Cool. Peel squash. Mash pulp. Set aside 2 cups pulp, reserving remaining pulp for another use.
3. Combine 2 cups squash pulp, milk, and next 4 ingredients (milk through egg white) in a food processor; process until smooth. Pour into a 1-quart soufflé dish coated with cooking spray. Place soufflé dish in a 9-inch square baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 375° for 40 minutes or until puffy and set.
4. While squash is baking, bring 2 quarts water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in an 8-quart stockpot or Dutch oven. Add Swiss chard; cover and cook 8 minutes. Drain well; toss with butter.
Serve immediately.
Total Calorie Count: 138 per serving.
1. Sauté ham and onion in hot oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes or until onion is tender and ham is lightly browned.
2. Stir in sweet potatoes and sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute.
3. Stir in edamame and next 3 ingredients. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in salt and pepper
Calorie Count: 192 per serving.
1. Place almonds in a single layer in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring occasionally until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and reserve 1/4 cup almond for garnishing. In a food processor or blender, combine spinach and basil until finely chopped.
3. Add remaining ingredients except reserved almonds, linguini and tomatoes. Blend just until smooth.
4. Pour sauce over linguini and toss to coat. Top with tomatoes and reserved slivered almonds. Serve hot or cold.
Calorie Count: 380 per serving.
*Recipes provided by Cooking Light
*Nutritional information provided by the World’s Healthiest Foods Organization.
