5 recipes for the October diet

October: we are now going towards the cold season and it is time to change nutrition, inserting all the good autumn foods. Here's how in 5 recipes.

Cream of pumpkin

Pumpkin soup is a very light, simple and quick recipe ; one of those dishes perfect for autumn dinners, when you want to pamper yourself with a hot dish, without weighing yourself down.

Ingredients for 4 people :

> a kilo of pumpkin,

> a golden onion,

> extra virgin olive oil,

> salt, pepper and water,

> toasted bread and pumpkin seeds.

Preparation : in a large bowl put the diced pumpkin, an onion cut into strips, oil, salt and a drop of water. Do not overdo it with water because the pumpkin is already rich and the preparation should not be very soupy. When cooked, blend with an immersion blender, add pepper and a dash of extra virgin olive oil and serve with toasted bread. To enrich the dish with some toasted pumpkin seeds to add at the last moment.

Pasta with cauliflower

The cauliflower returns to peep on our tables in October and will accompany us throughout the autumn and until the end of winter. Pasta with cauliflower is a very simple and healthy dish .

Ingredients for 4 people :

> a medium cauliflower,

> 320 grams of short pasta,

> salt,

> extra virgin olive oil,

> Parmesan cheese.

Preparation : wash the cauliflower and cut it into florets. Bring the salted water to the boil and cook the cauliflower for 20/30 minutes. When the cauliflower is almost cooked, pour the pasta and cook. Drain water and cauliflower together, sauté in a saucepan and season with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of Parmesan. Those who prefer to avoid cheese can finish the dish with a sprinkling of black pepper and / or breadcrumbs.

How rich are autumn foods

Focaccia with mushrooms

Mushrooms are the main ingredient of October, enrich and give an unmistakable fragrance to each dish.

Ingredients for 4 people :

> 500 grams of durum wheat flour,

> half a bun of yeast,

> a teaspoon of sugar,

> a lace of salt,

> extra virgin olive oil,

> about 250 ml of water (for the dough),

> mixed mushrooms,

> garlic, salt, extra virgin olive oil (for the filling)

Preparation : melt the yeast in a glass of warm water with a teaspoon of sugar. Add to the flour and knead by hand or in the planetary mixer, adding the rest of the water.

The amount of water is indicative because a lot also depends on how much the flour absorbs. A little oil and a pinch of salt should also be added to the dough. Get a dough, cover it and let it rise for at least a couple of hours. The slower the leavening is, the lighter and more digestible the dough will be.

Prepare the filling by stirring a variable quantity in the pan (depending on how rich the filling is desired) of mixed mushrooms with a clove of garlic and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Cook over low heat, with the lid on, adding very little water. Season with salt and pepper and leave to cool.

Brush a little oil on the bottom of a focaccia pan, spread the dough with your hands and season with the mushrooms. Add a little more oil and bake at 180 degrees for about 20 minutes.

The focaccia with mushrooms is also excellent red, that is with tomato sauce at the base, or with cheese, adding, that is, to the filling, some small pieces of mozzarella or scamorza .

Quinoa salad with pomegranate

Pomegranate is a concentrate of antioxidants. Lately it has become fashionable and is found a little all year, especially in the bar, in the form of juice.

However, the best months to benefit from its properties are October and November, let's take advantage of it!

Ingredients for 4 people :

> 320 grams of quinoa,

> the grains of a pomegranate,

> 250 grams of shelled walnuts,

> a red Tropea onion,

> a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil,

> salt and a few mint leaves.

Preparation : wash the quinoa beans well under running water to remove any saponin residue, a bitter substance present on the surface of this food. Boil the quinoa in salted water for about 10 minutes or, in any case, following the instructions on the package.

Usually, about 200 ml of water are needed for every 100 grams of quinoa. When the water has completely absorbed, turn off the stove and let it cool. Meanwhile, shell the pomegranate, cut the Tropea onion into very thin strips and shell the walnuts. Pour the quinoa into a large bowl and add the pomegranate seeds, onion and walnuts. Season with salt and oil and add a few mint leaves.

Pie with quince puree and chocolate

The quince is one of the most unjustly forgotten fruits of autumn; a perfect ingredient to prepare a good October breakfast cake.

Ingredients :

> 4 quinces,

> 80 grams of brown sugar plus two tablespoons

> 100 grams of extra dark chocolate,

> 50 grams of butter or vegetable margarine,

> 3 eggs,

> 200 grams of 00 flour,

> a cinnamon stick,

> a sachet of vanilla yeast.

Preparation : clean and cut the quince and cook them in a little water to which you will have added two tablespoons of wholemeal cane sugar and a cinnamon stick. When they are cooked, keep a few slices aside and blend the rest together with a small part of the cooking water. Melt the butter or margarine with dark chocolate in a bain-marie. Meanwhile, work in the planetary, or with the mixer, the eggs with the sugar and the quince puree.

Slowly add the melted chocolate with the butter and then the flour. The mixture must be rather soft; if it is not, add some water from the quince cooking. Finish with baking powder and pour the mixture into a buttered and floured mold, preferably with a hinge.

Garnish the surface with the slices of quince kept aside and bake at 180 degrees for about 40 minutes. If desired, add a couple of tablespoons of sugar to the surface of the cake, always before putting it in the oven, to obtain a sweet crunchy crust.