Fall is by far is my favourite season of the year. In college, it was the time that all the leaves changed colour which made my campus one of the brightest, and might I say, crunchiest places in the world. Back home in Delhi, it signals a significant change in temperatures especially in the morning and night. Also! Signals the start of balcony /terrace / outdoor dinners— something that my family loves and does oh so well. With the festive season ramping up in India and the rise in cases of the flu, I thought of capitalising on making sure you’re eating the yummiest and healthiest meals that this season has to offer! Here are seven that I think you will love. Have a look!

Red pepper casserole

Spanish Red Pepper Casserole is the best breakfast recipe ever! Think of this as a simpler, yummier, and a lot more flavorful shakshuka. I made this red pepper roasted spicy puree with caramelised onions, soaked in wholewheat bread and slow-baked until the puree cooks completely and then garnished with three oven fried eggs. It was amazing with whole garlic and roasted red poblano peppers. Each bite had a complex and diverse flavor based on what elements of the dish you ate and the eat was unique because unlike regular green chilies that hit the front of your mouth, this had a very latent expression which came after the sweetness of the red peppers and onions had already been introduced.

Quinoa Oatmeal Granola

A super easy recipe that requires a 10-minute prep and an hour of roasting under a glaze of either honey or maple syrup. My recipe is vegan and uses coconut oil which can be switched out for veggie oil with the same amount. Quinoa is my favorite grain but I would use amaranth, oats, or millet to get that perfect mix of protein, carb, and fat. Serve with a nice serving of yogurt or milk.

Bacon Wrapped Maple Grissinis

Sweet and savoury bacon is all that I live for during this season of change. This beautifully easy grissini brings out the best of both worlds!

Pumpkin Carrot Soup

I always thought of blended food as too much of a compromise. If you map the popular cultural trends around liquid meals, they moved from things you ate when you were unwell to being an elixir of nutrients. Liquid meals are healthy and do not have to be tasty because they pack “health.” You give up something you cherish for something that is intrinsically good for you— a compromise that just did not sound appealing. I wanted to make this pumpkin soup primarily because of its beautiful colour. As much as I love brown food, eating something that is pure ochre was quite exciting to me. Vegan Pumpkin Soup in a coconut milk base and toasted coconut flakes on top.

Thai Red Curry

This delicious curry is sweet at first and spicy upon spreading over your mouth. The ingredients are easy to find (or better yet, replace with things that you find around you). The color isn’t as striking as restaurant bought curries because you rely on the color of the fresh chilies. If you still want that color, add a bit of tomato puree or dried red chilies!

Adult Macaroni and Cheese

The third grade was the last time I had Kraft Mac and Cheese. Even in college, while people around me lived on that crap, I stayed away from that tasteless mass of carbs. I did, however, try homemade Macaroni. Mac and Cheese is a part of the American way of life and is something every family has made for generations. This recipe comes from that exploration of flavours and textures. People use two to three different kinds of cheese, bacon, mustard powder, nutmeg, and a classic béchamel sauce. I used a bunch of different ingredients, some borrowed (nutmeg béchamel) and some new (gouda, seashell pasta instead of the boring old elbow, and turmeric instead of American Cheddar to get that yellow color). Check out the recipe. I promise that if you make it, it would be anything but not flavourful!

Simple Yeasted Donuts

These simple yeasted donuts are hard to make no doubt but they are totally worth the effort because of the diversity of things you can do with both the yeasted dough and the creme patté. So, find 5 hours of the weekend that you can donate, and just make these. It’s a much-needed therapy.