Celebrate fall with Apple Stuffed Pumpkins — crisp apples, syrup, granola, and cinnamon baked in a pie pumpkin. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for added sweetness!

Two great harvest-time foods bake together for a comforting fall dessert. Buy the smallest mini-pumpkins you can find (about the size of a grapefruit), or substitute small sweet dumpling squash. Pumpkins become lush, edible bowls for apple pie filling, sweetened lightly with maple syrup. For a sweet finish, top with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Total Time: 1 hour; 20 minutes active | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 mini-pumpkins
• 4 large apples, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 cup granola
• Ice cream or whipped cream

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly oil a pan large enough to hold the pumpkins upright.
• Slice the off tops of the pumpkins, creating little caps to put on top of the pumpkins once they’re filled. Scoop out the seeds and pulp and discard. Place the pumpkins in the prepared pan.
• In a medium bowl, mix the apples, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and granola. Stuff the apple filing into the hollowed-out pumpkins. If they are not completely full, top off with a bit of extra granola.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the pumpkins are tender when pierced with a knife.
• Cool slightly on a rack before serving with ice cream or whipped cream. Top with reserved pumpkin caps.

Serving Suggestion

• Serve for dessert after any autumn meal that needs a fun finish!

Nutritional Information

370 calories, 2 g. fat, 0 mg. cholesterol, 250 mg. sodium, 85 g. carbohydrate, 14 g. fiber, 8 g. protein 

Total Time: 50 minutes; 20 minutes active | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 6 large carrots
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon finely-chopped fresh ginger
• Zest from 1 large orange
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preparation

• Heat the oven to 400°F. Slice the carrots lengthwise into thin planks, then stack and slice into sticks, about 1/4 by 1/4 inches or thinner. Place the carrot strips on a sheet pan with a rim and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the ginger, and half of the zest. Add coarse salt and toss to coat. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring after 15. The carrots are done when they are tender when pierced with a knife and lightly browned on the edges. Cooking time will vary according to thickness.
• While the carrots cook, mix the remaining olive oil, orange zest, parsley and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. To serve, toss carrots with the olive oil mixture.

Serving Suggestion

• Serve on top of or alongside cooked salmon fillets for a main dish, or place leftover cold soba noodles in a bowl, add the carrot “noodles” and drizzle with Thai peanut sauce.

Tips & Notes

• Buy the widest carrots you can find for this dish, because they will be easiest to slice.
• If your co-op sells a spiralized carrot “noodle,” or even spiralized squash, you can use it for this recipe; reduce the roasting time if you’re using summer squash “noodles.”

Nutritional Information

170 calories, 11 g. fat, 0 mg. cholesterol, 370 mg. sodium, 20 g. carbohydrate, 7 g. fiber, 2 g. protein

Cooling off on a hot day with a creamy fudgesicle is a joy of summer. Popsicle molds come in all kinds of shapes, and if you don’t want to buy a set, you can use three-ounce paper cups and your own wooden sticks. Make sure to clear a spot in the freezer so they have room to set level.

Total Time: 30 minutes (plus freezing time); 10 minutes active

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can coconut milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation

• Whisk all the ingredients in a small pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. When thickened and bubbling, after about 4 minutes, remove from heat and let cool. Pour the cooled mixture into molds and freeze for an hour or more before putting in the sticks.
• Freeze overnight and transfer the pops to a freezer bag when firm.

Serving Suggestion

Want to avoid a mess when serving these to little ones? Make a small hole in the middle of a cupcake/muffin liner and slide the popsicle stick through the hole. The liner will catch all the drips.

Nutritional Information

90 calories, 5 g. fat, 0 mg. cholesterol, 15 mg. sodium, 10 g. carbohydrate, 0 g. fiber, 0 g. protein

A pineapple juice marinade tenderizes the steak and adds a dash of sweetness to these easy and delicious beef and pineapple skewers.

Total Time: 4.5–24 hours with marinating time; 30 minutes active

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 2 lbs. boneless round steak, cut in long, 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 small pineapple
• Skewers for grilling

Preparation

• In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, pineapple juice, vegetable and sesame oil, garlic, and ginger; whisk to mix. Add the beef slices and pineapple cubes and toss to coat.
• To grill, remove the beef and pineapple from the marinade. Start skewering by piercing one end of a beef strip, then skewer a pineapple cube and wrap the beef around it.
• Place the skewers on a tray or sheet pan.
• Preheat the grill to medium heat. Just before grilling, pour a little oil in a cup, then use tongs to dunk a wadded paper towel in the oil and swab the grill grate.
• Place the skewers on the grill and cook for about 3 minutes per side or until beef is cooked to your liking. Serve hot.

Serving Suggestion

Serve these skewers with a side of rice, a green leaf salad or grilled veggies, like onions, yellow squash, and zucchini.

Nutritional Information

320 calories, 20 g. fat, 95 mg. cholesterol, 190 mg. sodium, 4 g. carbohydrate, 0 g. fiber, 31 g. protein

Total Time: 25 minutes  Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

• 4 cups lightly packed arugula
• 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh parsley leaves
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 pound whole wheat penne pasta

Preparation

• Process the arugula, parsley, garlic, Parmesan and peas in a food processor until they form a smooth paste, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl twice. Add the lemon juice, salt and olive oil and process, scraping down as needed, to make a smooth, creamy pesto. Place the pesto in a bowl, and stir in the lemon zest.
• Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and toss with the pesto. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese, and freshly-ground black pepper to taste.

Serving Suggestion

Spread this light, fresh pesto on a prepared pizza crust and top with goat cheese before baking or broiling, and cut in small triangles for a seasonal appetizer. Add halved cherry tomatoes and snips of fresh herbs or garlic scapes if you like.

Nutritional Information

340 calories, 10 g. fat, 5 mg. cholesterol, 290 mg. sodium, 290 g. carbohydrate, 9 g. fiber, 13 g. protein