As summer blends into autumn and brings with it cooler weather, these easy fall recipes are the perfect way to warm up with the arrival of fall fruits and pumpkins.
Roasted pumpkin seeds are a terrific, healthy snack anyone can make after carving their Halloween pumpkins. Pumpkin seeds are rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and polyunsaturated fats. They are also an excellent or good source of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, manganese and copper. Season with your favorite savory spices, or toss them in cinnamon sugar for a sweet treat.
Boiling the pumpkin seeds in salted water prior to roasting is optional. Boiling helps the salt permeate the seeds from the insides of the shells and helps them cook more evenly. If you choose to boil, just be sure to dry them thoroughly before roasting.
ROASTED SAVORY SPICED PUMPKIN SEEDS
(Makes about 6 servings)
- 1 ½ cups raw, unsalted in-shell pumpkin seeds (from 1 large pumpkin)
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, melted organic unrefined coconut oil or melted unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Scoop out the flesh and seeds from the pumpkin. Rinse the seeds in a colander under running water, swishing with your hands to remove any large pieces of stringy flesh. Optional step – boil the seeds in salted water for 10 minutes. Drain and then spread seeds over a clean dish towel and blot with a second dish towel.
Allow seeds to air-dry at room temperature for a couple of hours or overnight. Alternatively, you can spread the seeds over a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet and dry in an oven at 170 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the dried pumpkin seeds to a medium bowl; drizzle with the oil and toss to coat. Add paprika, garlic powder, salt, cumin and cayenne pepper and toss to coat.
Spread seeds into a single layer over the prepared baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp and golden. Taste, then add more seasoning if desired. Allow seeds to cool completely at room temperature. Serve and enjoy, or store leftovers in an airtight container for up to one week.
Note: For Roasted Sweet Spiced Pumpkin Seeds, toss pumpkin seeds with 1½ tablespoons melted coconut oil or melted butter, then coat with 1½ to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Bake as directed above.
Apple season is in full swing, and this Maple Apple Crisp is a tried-and-true autumn dessert that properly welcomes the transition from warm to cool weather. It’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup and features a crunchy oat-pecan topping. It’s a better-for-you, gluten-free apple crisp that rivals any classic recipe!
As a reminder, don’t skip the apple cider! Not only does it intensify the apple flavor, but it also keeps the filling nice and saucy, once baked.
MAPLE APPLE CRISP

(Makes 8 servings)
FILLING
- 2 ½ pounds organic assorted sweet-tart apples, such as Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Pink Lady and/or Fuji
- ¼ to ⅓ cup pure maple syrup (use more or less, depending on the sweetness of your apples)
- ¼ cup apple cider or apple juice
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
TOPPING
- ¾ cup gluten-free old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts (or almonds)
- ⅓ cup almond flour, almond meal or oat flour
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or melted organic unrefined coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Position the oven rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously spray a deep 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
FOR FILLING: Peel, core and slice apples into ¼-inch pieces (you should have close to 8 cups total). Place apples, maple syrup, apple cider, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl; stir until combined. Sprinkle with cornstarch; toss to coat. Pour the apple mixture into the prepared baking dish.
FOR TOPPING: Combine oats, pecans, almond flour, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl; stir in butter and syrup until combined. Sprinkle over the apples.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the apples are tender. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Enjoy these perennial favorites during this season of warm colors, colder mornings and bountiful harvests from the field and orchard!
Chris Garboski managed the HQ test kitchen at Nestle and produced more than a thousand recipes in her 25 years with the company. Her proudest accomplishment has been raising triplets.