• Bananas, peanut butter, chia seeds and/or ground flaxseeds
• Apples, walnuts, raisins, hemp seeds, and cinnamon
• Peaches and/or fresh berries and raw almonds
• Pears, almonds, nutmeg, and cardamom

This morning I mixed up rolled oats, pears, whole raw almonds, fresh grated nutmeg, cardamom, brown sugar, and a splash of vanilla soymilk. This bowl of steamy goodness and a perfect cup of French-pressed coffee started my cold day off right!

To make rolled oats quickly, combine 1/2 cup oats and 1 cup of water or milk and microwave for 90 seconds or until it reaches your desired thickness. Watch it closely to make sure that it doesn't boil over (especially if you use milk)!

Confused about what kind of oats to buy (steel cut, rolled, quick, etc.)? Check out this post for more info.

• Pot of pinto beans with brown rice and avocado
• Vegetable soup with "Harvest Grains Blend" (grain and bean combo from Trader Joe's)
• Whole wheat pasta tossed with chard, sundried tomatoes, white beans, and a creamy pesto sauce (cashew-based)
• Pita pizzas with cashew ricotta (there it is again- love it!) and steamed green beans
• Veggie burgers and chipotle sweet potato oven fries
• Stir fried bok choy and turnip greens with tofu, wild rice, shiitake mushrooms, and toasted pecans
• Roasted turnips, carrots, and sweet potatoes with farro, tempeh, pecans, and shiitake mushrooms (this is a repeat- it was SO GOOD last week)
• Potato leek soup with white beans added for protein
• Breakfast dishes: Apple cinnamon crockpot oats and persimmon apple breakfast crisp

*A tip: Portion out leftover dinner meals into single-serving reheat containers and refrigerate or freeze for easy grab-and-go lunches.

I love these containers: link

I will share a few recipes from this list as I cook these meals. Today, I'll share a super fast split pea soup recipe that I made last week.

Did you know...? Split peas area fantastic food- they don't require pre-soaking and they are loaded with iron, fiber, and protein!
Simple Split Pea Soup
1 1/2 cups split peas (green, yellow, or a mix), sorted and rinsed
6-8 cups of water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1-3 tsp liquid smoke (to taste, optional)
Sea salt (about 1 Tbsp) and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot and add the onions and carrots. Saute until the onions are lightly browned.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer, partially covered, for about an hour. Serve the soup topped with homemade croutons.

To make croutons, I chopped up the heals of a few loaves of bread that were lingering in my fridge for just such an occasion. I tossed them with olive oil, salt, fresh chopped parsley, and minced garlic and baked them at 300 degrees until they were crunchy (about 25 minutes, turning once or twice).

• Split pea soup with added veggies and warm bread
• Baked penne with cashew ricotta and sauteed green beans
• Butternut squash and leek gratin (also with cashew ricotta...I'm hooked!)
• Roasted root veggies with tempeh and farro

Farro is a hearty grain that lends itself well to combining with all kinds of foods. It will make a great vehicle for my roasted veggies this week and leftovers reheat well for a healthy and filling breakfast (just add a little milk of choice and top with fruit, nuts, seeds, etc.). One serving of farro contains 5 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and 10% of the RDA for iron.

To cook: soak the farro in cool water for at least an hour. Bring fresh water to a boil and add farro (1 cup of water for every 1/2 cup of farro) and simmer, partially covered, for 25-30 minutes (or until all liquid is absorbed).

What are some of your favorite fall meals?

How to open a pomegranate
Step 1: Score the pomegranate into four sections. Be sure to cut through the skin.
Step 2: Pull the pomegranate apart into four sections.
Step 3. Hold the sections, one at a time, upside down in hand over a large bowl. Hit the pomegranate section with the back of a wooden spoon (pretty firmly) to knock the arils (seeds or pips) out. A word of advice: this can be messy so be prepared with a dish towel and don't wear your favorite white sweater!

For a little extra help, Martha Stewart demonstrates this technique here.