With the weather getting cooler and the days getting shorter, you could use some easy, comforting ideas to shake away seasonal depression. When you think of autumn, you typically think of hot sandwiches and cozy soups. Here are a few of my favorite recipes to celebrate autumn and embrace the chill of the season.Â
I discovered this recipe a couple of years ago from Delish and it’s been a staple in my autumn meal routine since! It’s easy and has the comforting feel of a soup without being too runny! It’s also easy to prep in advance and have days worth of leftovers! Get ready to have about a week of leftovers!
This is another recipe that I discovered a few years ago when I was given leeks and I had no idea what to do with them. This soup is creamy and is amazing the next day to reheat with a little bit of parmesan on top!Â
Pastina:Â
This dish was a classic at my Italian grandmother’s house. Growing up, I didn’t love it, but now I miss it! It’s nostalgic and comforting to warm you up during this autumn and winter. Here is a recipe that I found that is similar to what I remember my grandmother’s to be like.
Spaghetti and Meatballs:Â
This could be the Italian American of me, but when I think of comfort, there is nothing more comforting to me than pasta. Spaghetti with meatballs has always been a comfort food of mine. I make it quite frequently and I always portion the rest for dinners for the next few days after. My personal tips on the perfect spaghetti and meatballs is to make sure that you are adding salt to the pasta water! If you think you added enough salt, add some more! I have noticed that it helps to flavor the pasta to make it delicious on its own. Another tip is to cook the pasta until al dente for the perfect texture. Al dente is usually around 8-10 minutes depending on the pasta shape. The recipe is easy because all you need is spaghetti, sauce, and meatballs of your choosing. I like to throw my meatballs in the oven while I’m cooking the pasta. I like to finish it off with shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan to make it more comforting to me as a cheese lover.Â
You can’t always think of dinner of course, here are some of my favorite autumn breakfast recipes!Â
I always seem to have bananas browning in my kitchen, instead of throwing them away, make these delicious muffins instead! They are simple and they take about 15-20 minutes to make! You can make them during your meal prep and have them for several days while you are running to make it to school or work on time!Â
When you think of autumn, you think of pumpkins! To keep with this theme, I found this easy recipe from The Nature Nurturer that caught my eye. This baked oatmeal could be an easy way to meal prep breakfast for the week. You could bake it and then cut them into squares for easy on-the-go breakfast for those late mornings.Â
I hope this helps to give you some ideas for meals to celebrate the leaves changing and comfort that autumn brings.Â