It’s easy to tell Fall has arrived when everything becomes pumpkin-flavored. But, pumpkin never rang in Fall for me. More than pumpkin spice and apple pie, the often overlooked flavors of persimmon and goguma (Korean sweet potato) always signaled the changing of seasons to my taste buds. This fruit and vegetable reach their peak deliciousness during the later months of the year. Not only are persimmon and goguma delicious as they are, but they are the perfect ingredients to create a satisfying snack or meal. Here are some of my favorite fall snacks using these underrated flavors, so make sure to try these out before it’s too late!
Persimmon
Ripe persimmons have a sweetness that feels almost elegant. It doesn’t have a hint of tartness, like apples, but rather, a smooth sweetness I never fully enjoyed until I got older. This fruit is absolutely delectable on its own. A no-cook method to enjoy overripe persimmons is to freeze them and eat them as a sorbet! This icy treat is perfectly sweet and satisfying just like any other sorbet.
Another fun way to utilize persimmons is as a filing. It would be a great addition to spice up your oatmeal into a festive dish or, instead of utilizing apples, which are the conventional fruit, try making this persimmon “pie” for a perfect fall snack!
Persimmon “Pie”
Ingredients
Instructions
Dice up the persimmon. Place the butter into a pan at medium heat. Once melted, add in persimmon, cinnamon and honey. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the moisture from the persimmon has evaporated.
Prepare the bread by decrusting it and flattening it out. Place the persimmon filling in the center of the bread, fold over, and seal the ends of the bread.
Place a little more butter in the pan to toast the pies. Toast until golden brown. Enjoy!
Goguma (Sweet potato)
Goguma, or Korean sweet potato, in Fall is definitely something to look forward to. They become so sweet and golden that I feel like I could eat them for days on end. There are many ways to cook them: steam, bake, air fry, even microwave! My favorite way to prepare them is to cut the goguma up into large chunks and air fry them at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Air frying these large chunks helps create a moist inside that’s encased by a slightly crunchy, slightly chewy exterior.
To go beyond the simple sweet potato, here’s another way to elevate your goguma into a delicious fall snack or even a quick, simple, and healthy meal:
Simply gather your cooked goguma, preferred nut butter of choice, and cinnamon. Cut your goguma in half and slather on as much nut butter (my favorite is crunchy peanut butter) to your heart’s desire. After that, sprinkle cinnamon on top, and you’ve got yourself a quick and hearty treat. You could also drizzle honey or other nuts to further elevate this!
You can also try this quick snack idea if you’re in the mood for something to transform goguma to a bread-like treat!
Goguma “Bread”
Ingredients
Instructions
Separate your egg and place the egg whites in one bowl and the egg yolk in another with the goguma.
Whisk the egg whites until frothy. This will take about 5 minutes.
Mash the goguma with the egg yolk and combine with the egg whites.
Microwave for about 3 minutes. Enjoy your soft, fluffy goguma u0022breadu0022!
Before winter comes and our taste buds switch to all things peppermint and eggnog, make sure to treat yourself with the fall flavors of persimmon and goguma!