4 Homemade Fall Comfort Foods with a Healthy Kick

With fall (finally) in full swing, the one thing better than apple picking and cozy turtle necks is the aroma of cinnamon coming from the kitchen. Nothing says "fall comfort foods" better than a few recipes that will surely spice up your mood and give you that heart-warming feeling of fall.

Almond Butter Baked Sweet Potato

• Prep Time:5 mins
• Cook Time:55 mins
• Total Time:1 hr
• Servings:1
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 small sweet potato
• 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon almond butter

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 400°F, then gently wash excess dirt off sweet potato and pat dry.

  

• Step 2

  Using a fork, poke holes in the sweet potato, then wrap it in aluminum foil and place on a small baking sheet. Place the tray in the center of the oven and bake for 55 minutes.

  

• Step 3

  Unwrap the foil and gently cut into the center of the potato. If the knife cuts through smoothly, then hats off to you, as you have officially baked the easiest sweet potato in the world. If it still seems a bit firm, bake it for another 4-6 minutes.

  

• Step 4

  Cut your potato in half and mash it up with a fork to desired consistency. Spoon on some plain Greek yogurt, a drizzle of almond butter and a sprinkle of granola – bon appétit!

  

Maple Pecan Granola

• Prep Time:10 mins
• Cook Time:1 hr 25 mins
• Total Time:1 hr 35 mins
• Servings:4
• Hard

Ingredients

• 3 cups old fashion oats
• 2 cups roughly chopped pecans
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup maple syrup or maple agave
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Step 1

  Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set oven to 275°F.

  

• Step 2

  In a large mixing bowl, combine rolled oats, pecans and cinnamon. Set aside.

  

• Step 3

  In a medium mixing bowl, combine melted coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract.

  

• Step 4

  Blend wet ingredients into dry. Using a wooden spoon, or your hands, mix throughly to ensure each dry ingredient fuses with the wet ingredients. Press granola into the pan in one even layer.

  

• Step 5

  Bake for 1 hour. Rotate the pan, increase oven temperature to 300°F and bake for an additional 25 minutes.

  

• Step 6

  Remove from oven. The granola will be soft to the touch and harden as it cools. Allow the granola to cool completely in the pan before transferring to a storage container. This will ensure for delicious, crunchy clusters.

  

5-Ingredient Flourless Pumpkin Bread

• Prep Time:5 mins
• Cook Time:30 mins
• Total Time:35 mins
• Servings:10
• Medium

Ingredients

• 2 cups old fashion or quick cooking oats
• 15 ounce pumpkin puree can
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 9x5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

  

• Step 2

  Using a blender, combine all ingredients until smooth. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

  

• Step 3

  Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. #SpoonTip: If the top of the loaf is browned, but the center is not baked all the way through, simply cover the top with foil and let the loaf continue to bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

  

• Step 4

  Let loaf cool completely in loaf pan. Store bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

  

4-Ingredient Banana Oat Pancakes

• Prep Time:5 mins
• Cook Time:7 mins
• Total Time:12 mins
• Servings:5
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup quick-oats
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• Step 1

  Mash banana in a medium sized bowl with a fork, until almost all chunks are gone. Crack your eggs into the mashed banana and beat thoroughly with a fork or a whisk.

  

• Step 2

  Add oats to a blender and blend until they resemble a fine powder – there's your flour.

  

• Step 3

  Mix in oats until they are coated in the egg/banana mixture and add the cinnamon to create a soupy texture.

  

• Step 4

  Heat a nonstick skillet to medium heat and melt coconut oil (or butter) until slightly sizzling, then spoon about a 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet.

  

• Step 5

  Cook one side for about 1 1/2 minutes, or until golden-brown, then the other side for about 1 minute. Serve and enjoy with your choice of topping.