Seasonal Recipes for Fall

4 easy and appetizing ways to cook Texas' best fall foods

Erin O'Leary Stewart curried fall soup autumn salad

Combine the spicy freshness of cilantro with seasonal produce, like sweet potatoes, beets, and cauliflower, for a warm autumn salad.

Courtesy of Erin O'Leary Stewart

Editor's note: Erin O’Leary Stewart is the co-owner of Define Body & Mind, a boutique-style wellness concept in Austin. O’Leary teaches on the importance of using natural, seasonal ingredients aimed toward healing to build a balanced and grounded lifestyle.

With fall underway and cooler temperatures rolling in, what’s available locally has shifted to fresh autumnal produce. What you put in your body is of paramount importance, and eating whole foods that are delicious, sustainable, local, and seasonal is vital to your overall health and wellbeing.

I like to educate people on wholesome nourishment to promote sustainable health based around seasonal eating practices. Seasonal eating allows us to live in tune with our environment and nature’s rhythm, which in turn keeps us centered and functioning to our full potential.

There is a reason why root vegetables only grow in the fall and winter months. We should eat grounding, warming, and hearty foods during colder times of the year. Hydrating foods — zucchini, peaches, and corn — keep us light, airy, and cool during the hottest times of the year.

Foods in season taste better and provide more nutrients. Fresh, locally harvested foods have their full flavors intact and bring variety to your meals throughout the year. Below are seasonal recipes featuring my favorite fruits and vegetables to eat during the fall.

Carrots and sweet potatoes
There is nothing easier than making one of my blender curry soups with carrots and sweet potatoes. These ingredients add immune system and digestion boosting elements to your average fall soup.

Curried fall soup
Serves 2

Ingredients
2 cups chopped sweet potatoes, peeled and steamed
1 cup Define Foods Glow juice
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. light coconut milk
Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions
Place all ingredients in a blender on high until fully blended. Place in a saucepan until heated through. Divide into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of coconut milk and fresh cilantro.

Pears
This is a perfect little appetizer or soup companion with a warm and fuzzy feel-good finish. With just a touch of honey, a crunch from walnuts, and a pinch of red pepper flakes, it all comes together for a complete one-bite satisfaction.

Skillet tartine
Serves 2

Ingredients
4 slices of good fresh bread or 1/2 baguette, sliced in half length-wise
4 small pears, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 fennel bulb, sliced 1/4-inch thick (reserve fronds for garnish)
Olive oil
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. salt
1-2 tbsp. whole grain Dijon mustard
3-4 tbsp. good local honey
1 handful walnuts, toasted and chopped
Flaky sea salt, like Maldon

Directions
Set oven to broil. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet with a pinch of red pepper flakes on the stove. Add the fennel slices with a pinch of salt and saute until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Next, add half of the pears to the same pan with another pinch of salt, drizzle of olive oil, and honey, and saute a few minutes until cooked through. Set aside.

Brush the slices of bread with olive oil and place on a baking sheet under the broiler for about one minute, or until toasted.

To assemble, spread a little mustard on each piece of toast. Top with a few slices of fresh pear, followed by some cooked pear and then the fennel. Top with walnuts and drizzle with honey. Garnish with a good pinch of flaky sea salt and fennel fronds.

Persimmons
This moist spice cake is the perfect fall weather breakfast or afternoon treat. With its honey taste from the persimmon, this cake only uses a little low glycemic coconut or maple sugar to allow for a subtle and satisfying sweetness.

Tea cake
Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients
2 cups spelt flour (or other flour of choice)
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 cup persimmon puree*
1 cup canola oil
1 1/3 cups maple or coconut sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and fit loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the persimmon puree, oil, and sugar until well combined. Add in the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Gradually add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold in the walnuts, stirring until combined. Do not over mix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Let cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

*To make persimmon puree, remove the skin and seeds from about 5 to 6 ripe persimmons and puree in a food processor until smooth.

Beets and cauliflower
This next recipe is a great way to enjoy a salad during the cooler months and the easiest way to incorporate your favorite fall vegetables. Satisfying and full of flavor and interesting textures, this salad comes together in minutes with a little bit of prep ahead of time. Feel free to swap out with the veggies you prefer or find fresh at your local farmers market.

Warm autumn salad with pistachio cilantro dressing
Serves 4

Ingredients
3-4 carrots, peeled and cut on a bias
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 large shallot, cut into wedges
2-3 beets, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
4-5 sprigs thyme
4-5 sage leaves, chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
2-3 ounces hearty greens, like arugula or spinach
2 ounces Define Foods Balance granola

For pistachio cilantro dressing
1 bunch cilantro
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup raw pistachios
Sea salt and black pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the carrots, cauliflower, and shallots on a rimmed baking sheet and the sweet potatoes and beets on another. Drizzle both with olive oil, maple syrup, and fresh herbs and sprinkle with red pepper flakes, sea salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes until tender but crisp.

To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Add sea salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, toss the warm roasted root vegetables with the greens and place on a platter. Drizzle the cilantro dressing over the top, and sprinkle with Define Foods Balance granola as desired.

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All recipes courtesy of Erin O’Leary Stewart.

Combine the spicy freshness of cilantro with seasonal produce, like sweet potatoes, beets, and cauliflower, for a warm autumn salad.

Courtesy of Erin O'Leary Stewart

Combine the spicy freshness of cilantro with seasonal produce, like sweet potatoes, beets, and cauliflower, for a warm autumn salad.

Eco Warrior News

Dallas restaurants doing amazing little things for the environment

Southwest Airlines

Cute bamboo cup from Southwest Airlines

One unfortunate legacy left by the pandemic has been a huge increase in the use of plastics — setting back progress that was being made pre-pandemic.

Plastics are bad. They harm everything they touch: the environment, health, food security, and economies. But they're convenient, subsidized, and in some cases necessary.

Before the pandemic, a growing awareness had started to snowball regarding the negative impact of plastics, particularly plastic straws and single-use plastic containers — and it was significant enough to make the plastics industry very nervous.

"In the two years leading up to the pandemic, the public backlash against plastic was a major concern for industry leaders," says a story about plastics and the pandemic in The Guardian. "As a corporate executive remarked during an industry event early in 2019: 'We need to get the image of plastic in oceans out of the public’s mind. Otherwise, we could lose our social license to operate.'"

But then the pandemic came along, igniting mass hysteria about contagion, and suddenly, bans on single-use plastics that had been in the works were reversed in countries around the world: North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

“Overnight, plastics went from public enemy No. 1 to consumers asking for everything to have as much packaging as possible and to be single use," said one gleeful analyst for Shell Oil, who are a major plastics player.

The urgency of the plastics situation remains invisible to most people, lined up at the drive-thru for their coffee or Chick-Fil-A, piling up nearly 250 pounds of plastic waste every year. (That's what the average American amasses — more than any other country.)

But there are brave, pro-environment efforts being made by Dallas companies and organizations, big and small.

La Casita Bakeshop cup Revolutionary compostable cup at La Casita Bakeshop.Facebook

Dallas efforts
The Dallas restaurants and organizations listed below have taken steps to fight waste, even though it costs them money.

Plastic Free Lunch Day is November 22
Dallas ISD’s Food and Child Nutrition Services will participate in Plastic Free Lunch Day on November 22, to help reduce the amount of single-use plastic in school cafeterias.

Plastic Free Lunch Day was started by middle school students in Brooklyn. The initiative was such a success that it was adopted by all New York City public schools in 2022. The concept has since spread to public schools across the country — including Dallas ISD, which was the first in Texas to participate, when it joined up in 2022.

It creates an opportunity to educate students and the community on ways to positively impact the environment, including skipping plastic. Dallas school cafeterias will replace the plastic items they regularly use during lunch with biodegradable alternatives. (Plastic cutlery, cups, and straws will be available upon request for the crybabies.)

Southwest Airlines bamboo cup
Southwest Airlines Co., the Dallas-based airline, has introduced a new bamboo cup for inflight cold beverages, and a wood stir stick in place of a plastic stick. The airline expects the new items to reduce its inflight single-use plastics by more than 1.5 million pounds annually.

In July 2024, Southwest transitioned to a paper overwrap for its napkins made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled materials — fully eliminating plastic from this service item. The airline is making an effort to eliminate single-use plastics from inflight service by 2030.

La Casita Bakeshop compostable cups
La Casita Bakeshop, the award-winning bakery and cafe operation, recently debuted fabulous new cups that are 100 percent compostable, soil- and marine-biodegradable, breaking down naturally after 90 days. and are made from natural materials.

"We are always trying to find ways to be more environmentally friendly and this is a big way we can," they said in their post announcing the new cups. "We just want to be proud of our paper trail and being a restaurant it's hard to do that."

Smoothie King biodegrable cups
Smoothie King, the Dallas-based smoothie chain, previously used styrofoam cups, but began testing a biodegradable cup in 2019. They now offer it as the default choice. They're using Vio Foam, specially made cups that biodegrade 92 percent in four years. They'll still accommodate whiny selfish customers who insist on getting a plastic cup instead, but their Vio foam cup not only helps the environment, it also keeps their smoothies cold a little longer.

Kate Weiser Recycle Box Program
Kate Weiser, the Dallas chocolatier, sells its gorgeous eye-catching bon-bons in a variety of boxes, from 4 pieces all the way up to 35 pieces. (OK, they'll sell them individually, too, but who goes to a chocolate shop and buys a single chocolate?) They have a program where you can bring your empty box to the store and get a refill and get 5 percent off. (Weiser amusingly calls it a "secret hack.")

Dude Sweet Chocolate freezer packaging
Dude Sweet Chocolate, the Oak Cliff chocolatier, has a next-level campaign in which they will accept cold-ship packaging you've received in the mail and re-use it. Say, for example, that you ordered an 8-pack of ice cream pints from Double Rainbow in San Francisco, and it arrived in a box with freezer packs and a foil liner. You can drop that packaging off at Dude Sweet's factory location at 1340 Inwood Rd., and they'll re-use it in one way or another when they're doing shipments of their chocolate.

Note: Whether you're putting it in the blue bin or the gray bin, your plastic is not being recycled. The best course when it comes to plastic, especially single-use plastic, is to not use it at all.

sustainability