The abundant selections at area farmers markets may be winding down, but fall in Northeast Ohio still offers plenty of options for fresh, locally grown produce. Northeast Ohio blogger Karen Nochimowski, of Momma Chef, offers the following kid-friendly seasonal recipes that are delicious, yet quick and easy to prepare.
Butternut Squash Soup
This soup is a fall favorite in my house — and this is hands-down the best butternut squash soup you will ever taste! Not to mention how unbelievably easy it is to prepare. I use cream cheese to give the soup a rich texture. But if you want to make it dairy-free, you can put in ½ cup of your favorite milk substitute and the soup will still be delish!
- 32 oz. cubed butternut squash
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 box (32 oz.) vegetable broth
- 1 chopped onion
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 8 oz. low-fat cream cheese
1. In a large saucepan, sauté the onion in olive oil over medium heat for 3 minutes.
2. Add cubed butternut squash, mix and cook another 2 minutes.
3. Add the vegetable broth and 8 oz. water.
4. Cover partially and cook over medium heat for 25 minutes until butternut squash very tender.
5. Puree soup, cream cheese and brown sugar in a blender, food processor or soup emersion in batches until smooth.
— I get my cubed butternut squash from Costco. It comes in a 32 oz. container.
— When serving, I like to sprinkle the soup with cinnamon and chopped pecans.
Apple Crumble
My oldest son gets all the credit for this dessert. After a wonderful autumn day of apple picking, he asked for a yummy apple dessert. Together we assembled some ingredients, and this family favorite dessert was born. Honestly, it is worth making just for the delicious aroma to fill your home. I also make this dish often to bring to friends. It’s best served with a scoop of ice cream, regular or dairy-free. Even if you’re not a fan of dairy-free versions, the apple cobbler is so delicious that you won’t even notice the difference in the ice cream.
- 6 Granny Smith apples cut into 2-inch squares (peeling apples is optional)
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon
- ½ cup avocado oil or melted coconut oil (or you can use any vegetable oil)
1 Preheat oven to 375°F.
2 Mix oats, sugar, flour, cinnamon and oil in a bowl.
3 Spray 13×9 glass baking dish with nonstick spray.
4 Add sliced apples to bottom of the dish.
5 Sprinkle topping from the bowl over the apples.
6 Bake for 25 minutes.
— I save the time and do not peel the apples.
— This is best served with vanilla ice cream (dairy-free also is a good option).