Leaf Peeping Season + Harvest Recipes

Early October is “leaf peeping season” here in northern New England. Just after the equinox, the trees mark the seasonal shift with a stunning crescendo of autumnal colours as the leaves change from green to gold, orange + red.

Leaf peeping is the thing to do this time of year. Go for a drive, visit farms + farmers’ markets, go apple picking or wander in the woods to simply witness the wonders of Mother Nature + her awe-inspiring colour palette. Maine is one of the most magical places to visit for fall colours + leaf peeping.

The array of fruits + vegetables at the farmers’ markets is just as inspiring as the leaves, with the full bounty of harvest season on display. Early autumn cooking captures some of that seasonal abundance + the lasting sweetness of summer.

Bring home what looks good, then use simple preparations + flexible ingredient swaps to turn your market finds into meals.

Some Harvest Season Recipes + Cooking Ideas for you!
These early autumn recipe ideas make the most of the last peaches, plums, tomatoes + zucchini, alongside apples + leafy greens. Prepare breakfast ahead, turn vegetables into a curry-spiced scramble, roast a simple sheet-pan dinner + bake fruit to enjoy throughout the day.

Chilled Peachy Overnight Oats

Chilled peachy overnight oats make an easy breakfast, dessert or light bite, bringing the lasting sweetness of summer into a preparation you can make ahead. As the season changes, grated apple or apple sauce makes a lovely autumn variation.

How can you prepare overnight oats with seasonal fruit in advance?

Mix oats with your chosen liquid + leave them in the fridge overnight to soften. Add seasonal fruit to suit your taste: mash it, stir in a purée or chop it finely + mix it through. Taste + adjust, then portion into mason jars or small containers for an easy meal during a busy day.

Grated apple brings natural sweetness + fibre, especially when combined with oats, chia seeds or Super Seed Mix. Sweet apples may give you all the sweetness you need, without adding a sweetener. Apple sauce is lovely to mix in too.

Our Botanical Kitchen Muesli forms an excellent base. It is a foundational recipe with multiple uses, from muesli to granola, cookies, bread + overnight oats, to name just a few.

Chef Tips + Ingredient Swaps

Choose your liquid: milks, plant-based creams or even your favourite smoothie. Use dairy or homemade plant-based milk, or replace some of the liquid with kefir or yoghurt. Try cashew cream or cashew milk for a creamy texture + light flavour, or mix in vanilla tofu cream for added protein.

Thickness + creaminess will vary, so add water to adjust to the texture you enjoy. You can also mix your favourite smoothie blend with the muesli; adjust the amount to suit your portion + leave room for the oats and seeds to absorb the liquid. Our Raspberry, Apple & Oat Smoothie offers another way to enjoy fruit + oats.

Change the fruit. Swap peaches for nectarines, plums, apricots, mango, kiwi or grated apple. Apple sauce, fruit compote, purée or mashed fruit all work well.

Vary the seeds + nuts. Use chia seeds or Super Seed Mix, then add flaked almonds, chopped walnuts, pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts or cacao nibs for texture.

Curried Tofu, Zucchini & Kale Scramble

A quick + flavourful vegetable scramble with garlic-braised zucchini + kale and curry-spiced crumbled tofu. It is a useful way to enjoy the last summer zucchini alongside leafy greens, with plenty of options for adapting to your farmers’ market finds.

What is the best way to crumble tofu for a vegetable scramble?

Use a fork to crumble tofu into small, uneven pieces. This gives it a scramble-like texture that folds easily through cooked vegetables + carries the flavour of herbs and spices.

Cook the vegetables to suit their texture, then fold through the curry-spiced tofu. This approach also makes good use of smaller amounts of vegetables left in the fridge.

Chef Tips + Ingredient Swaps

Swap or add vegetables. Try squash, sweet potato, mushrooms, carrot, broccoli, peas, corn or edamame. Cut firmer vegetables into smaller pieces + cook them before adding quicker-cooking ingredients.

Change the greens. Replace kale with spinach, Swiss chard, braising greens or bok choy. Adjust cooking times to suit the leaves + stems you are using.

Add fresh herbs. Parsley, coriander, basil, dill + chives bring different layers of flavour. Use what you have growing or what looks fresh at the market.

Change the protein. Tempeh, cooked beans, chickpeas or peas can replace tofu. Their textures vary, giving you several different meals from the same vegetable base.

Thyme Roasted Chicken, Cherry Tomatoes & Zucchini

An easy sheet-pan dinner of bone-in chicken breast roasted on a bed of cherry tomatoes, garlic + yellow zucchini. This oil-free, one-pan preparation lets the oven do the work, bringing together the last flavours of summer in a warming early autumn meal.

How can you make a simple autumn sheet-pan dinner?

Roast your chosen protein on a bed of vegetables, using garlic + herbs to bring the ingredients together. Cherry tomatoes release their juices as they cook, creating a flavourful base for the zucchini + thyme-roasted chicken.

A whole, unsplit chicken breast has both breast halves together, with the bone + skin intact. Roast it as one piece, then remove the bone + slice to serve.

Chef Tips + Ingredient Swaps

Change the protein. Turkey or fish can replace chicken, but cooking times will vary. Add quicker-cooking fish later so it does not overcook while the vegetables soften.

Swap zucchini or add vegetables. Sweet peppers, aubergine, summer squash + patty pan squash work well. Dice potatoes or sweet potatoes small, or give them a head start in the oven.

Add beans. Stir drained + rinsed chickpeas or black beans into the tomatoes + zucchini to add another layer of texture and make the vegetable base more substantial.

Build the meal around what you have. Serve with steamed greens, rice, quinoa, cooked black lentils or Sage & Rosemary Roasted Potatoes. For a fresh, crunchy contrast, try a Green Bean & Vegetable Salad or Kohlrabi, Cabbage & Flat Green Bean Slaw Salad.

Free Recipe
Roasted Peaches, Plums and Blueberries

An easy sheet-pan fruit bake that is just as fabulous for dessert as it is for breakfast or a mid-afternoon snack. Make a batch to enjoy warm from the oven, then chill the rest for an easy fruit bowl or topping.

This is a great recipe for peaches + plums that are not very sweet, turning them into a warming dessert that feels indulgent yet is simple + fruity.

What can you do with peaches + plums that are not very sweet?

Roast them. Cooking softens the fruit + brings its flavours together, making less-sweet peaches and plums useful for a warm fruit bowl, breakfast topping or simple dessert.

Spread the cut fruit on a sheet pan + scatter generously with frozen blueberries. The blueberries release their juices as they roast, creating a gorgeous sauce. Add a touch of maple syrup + a splash of vanilla before roasting if you like.

Serve warm or chilled, on its own or with yoghurt, cashew or tofu creme, toasted nuts or Pumpkin-Spiced Tahini Granola. Spoon leftovers over overnight oats to bring two easy preparations together.

Get the free Roasted Peaches, Plums and Blueberries recipe.

Make Seasonal Cooking Work for Your Everyday Life

A few flexible preparations can make a farmers’ market visit go further. Prepare oats ahead, turn vegetables into a scramble, let the oven cook a simple dinner + roast fruit to enjoy in different ways.

Cook with what is available, adapt to what you already have + choose the combinations you enjoy. It is a practical way to reduce waste, make meals easier + bring the colours of the harvest season into your kitchen.

By Karina Hines, functional nutrition practitioner, food as medicine chef + founder of Botanical Kitchen.