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Before October begins, let’s take a look at EatingWell‘s most visited recipes from September. From highly-rated summer staples like zesty pasta and avocado toast to new comforting fall favorites like spiced overnight oats, there’s a seasonal dish here that you’re sure to find delicious. Recipes like our Carrot Cake Overnight Oats and Creamy Lemon & Spinach Pasta Bake are healthy, flavorful and worth making over and over.
Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
Carrot cake for breakfast? We say yes! These carrot cake overnight oats taste just like the classic dessert—complete with a frosting-like layer—but with far less added sugar. We like layering some of the frosting in between layers of oats, but you can just dollop it all on top if you prefer.
Creamy Lemon & Spinach Pasta Bake
This creamy and comforting vegetarian pasta bake is perfect when you want a pasta dinner that is light, bright and flavorful. This easy pasta bake is packed with spinach. Feel free to swap the spinach out for another green like kale if you have it on hand. Just be sure to remove the tough stems and chop it into smaller pieces before cooking. Depending on your green, you may have to cook it a little bit longer so it’s nice and tender before baking.
Apple Pie-Inspired Overnight Oats
There’s no better way to usher in fall than apple pie-inspired overnight oats in the morning. Prep and store this easy breakfast ahead of time to have on hand for busy work and school mornings. You can substitute any nondairy milk for the reduced-fat milk, or try kefir if you want your oats extra tangy.
Lemon-Blueberry Oatmeal Bars
These lemon-blueberry oatmeal bars taste like a hearty bowl of oatmeal that you can hold in your hands. Each square is bursting with fresh blueberries and infused with lemon zest. Once you get the hang of this easy breakfast, try them with raspberries or blackberries or swap out the almonds for toasted pecans or walnuts for a different spin.
Spaghetti & Spinach with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
To achieve flavor quickly in this sun-dried tomato pasta recipe, we use the oil from sun-dried tomatoes to create the base of the cream sauce. Meanwhile, the residual heat of the pasta wilts the spinach in record time for a fast weeknight dinner.
The Last Avocado Toast Recipe You’ll Ever Need
This is the easiest—and the last—avocado toast recipe you’ll ever need to know. Memorize the recipe, then use it as a jumping off point for your favorite avocado toast riffs. Put an egg on it, top it with tuna salad or crown it with fluffy alfalfa sprouts for a healthy and satisfying meal. You can mix up the toppings too—we love Japanese furikake or everything bagel seasoning.
Sweet-and-Sour Chicken Bowls
Bone-in chicken thighs are pan-seared before being basted with sticky-sweet sauce and slow-cooked to fork-tender perfection. Sear the chicken thighs in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan and hindering browning. Though we swoon over the superiorly moist meat, the real magic lies within the sauce, which masters the balance of savory and sweet. For a burst of freshness, we add a simple cabbage slaw that rounds out the meal with a satisfying crunch. To get an extra dose of veggies, pair it with sugar snap or snow peas.
No-Bake Lemon-Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Here we make a no-bake cheesecake with a simple pressed graham cracker crust and a cream cheese and strained yogurt filling that sets as it chills. Blueberries tossed in store-bought lemon curd add sweetness and tang. This easy cheesecake works well with any berry. If you’re using strawberries, slice or quarter them and let them drain a bit before adding them to the cheesecake.
Sautéed Mushrooms with Balsamic & Parmesan
Tender cremini mushrooms soak up the tart-sweet flavor of balsamic vinegar, while nutty Parmesan cheese adds a savory note. This easy technique works well with other mushrooms too, like oyster mushrooms or shiitakes, so feel free to mix it up. Serve this big-flavored side alongside grilled steak, or make it a main dish by serving the mushrooms topped with a poached egg and a slice of grilled bread.
Lemon-Blueberry Overnight Oats
These lemon-blueberry overnight oats are layered with creamy oats and a sweet blueberry syrup, with a garnish of fresh blueberries and lemon zest to bring the flavors together. Frozen blueberries work well too, but to get the right texture for the syrup you will need to use 2¼ cups frozen blueberries, 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons maple syrup and 1½ tablespoons lemon juice.
Kale & Chickpea Grain Bowls
This veggie-heavy bowl is loaded with crunch and color, thanks to crispy carrots and chickpeas, fresh kale and a vibrant avocado dressing. It also delivers more than 50% of your daily dose of fiber, key for weight loss, energy and healthy digestion. Bulgur, also called cracked wheat, is a quick-cooking whole grain. These bowls would be excellent make-ahead lunches. Pack the avocado mixture separately, adding a little water to thin it as needed.
Tres Leches-Inspired Overnight Oats
Tres leches, which is Spanish for “three milks,” gets its name from the three types of milk that are used to soak the classic cake: whole milk, evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk. Here, we use those milks to hydrate oats, creating a creamy, satisfying breakfast. A sprinkle of cinnamon adds a nice touch of spice, while sliced strawberries provide a pop of color. Tres leches cake is usually topped with whipped cream—if you want to re-create that creaminess, try topping these oats with some plain yogurt for a breakfast-friendly twist.
Slow-Cooker Bean, Kale & Barley Soup
Beans and kale are packed into each bite of this hearty slow-cooker soup. Barley adds a chewiness to provide texture, while dried mushrooms lend an earthiness and depth. Finishing with acidic lemon juice brightens the flavors.
Our Roasted Red Pepper & Spinach Egg Bites Are 10 Times Better Than Starbucks’
This egg bites recipe is inspired by Starbucks’ popular grab-and-go breakfast, with each bite filled with veggies surrounded by a light and creamy egg custard. Once you get the hang of making these, try switching up the veggies and cheese. You can also add grated garlic, chopped fresh herbs or even a few dashes of hot sauce to give them a little kick.
Weight-Loss Cabbage Soup
Loaded with cabbage, carrots, bell pepper and tomato, this healthy cabbage soup recipe packs in lots of flavor and is ultra-satisfying. This easy recipe makes a big batch for lunch or dinner all week.
High-Protein Lemon-Blueberry Muffins
These lemon-blueberry muffins are so good, you’ll think they came straight from a bakery. A sprinkle of sugar creates a nice crunch on the outside, while strained yogurt ensures the muffins stay moist on the inside. The yogurt also provides a boost of satisfying protein, making these muffins perfect for breakfast or snack time. If using frozen blueberries, there’s no need to thaw them beforehand. They will add a purple hue to the batter, but it won’t affect the delicious end result.
Balsamic & Cabbage
This quick and easy balsamic cabbage is a savory side with just a hint of sweetness from balsamic vinegar. It pairs well with roasted pork, chicken or steak. Savoy cabbage or napa cabbage can stand in for the green cabbage. Swap the green cabbage for purple cabbage and try white balsamic vinegar for a colorful twist.
Creamy Sausage & Cheese Tortellini Soup
This cheese tortellini soup is a quick meal to throw together on a weeknight, and a crowd-pleaser if you have company. If you like soup with a kick, opt for hot Italian sausage. Tortellini, like any pasta, will soak up the broth as it sits, so if you’re making it ahead of time, cook the tortellini separately and add it just before serving.
Cucumber Sandwich
This creamy, crunchy cucumber sandwich recipe strikes a lovely balance between decadent and light. The cream cheese-yogurt spread complements the crisp refreshing cucumber, while the hearty flavor and texture of the whole-wheat bread hold everything together.
Pumpkin Spice Energy Balls Are the Perfect Fall Snack
These pumpkin pie spice energy balls are everything you could want in a snack: classic pumpkin spice flavor with a satisfyingly chewy texture with bits of crunch from seeds and nuts throughout. It’s worth seeking out cashew or almond butter to make these—they have a more neutral flavor that lets the spices and pumpkin shine, but any nut butter will work.