A fall-time feast with some seasonal classics

It's finally October, which means it's officially the season of Pumpkin Spice Lattes and oversized sweaters. That also means it's time for hearty soups, scrumptious baked goods, and pumpkin everything. I decided to do some searching for easy and delicious recipes that are sure to quench your autumn appetite. Whether you're looking for something to give you a burst of energy, warm you up on a chilly day, or simply satisfy your sweet tooth, SCO has got you covered.

Edamame Quinoa and Chopped Apple Salad
This quinoa salad is bursting with texture, flavor and color. The apples give it some sweetness and crunch, and the healthy mix of quinoa, edamame, carrots, and celery make it a guilt free treat. I substituted white quinoa for red, and it still tasted great.
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked red quinoa, completely cooled
1 cup cooked, shelled, edamame
1 celery rib, sliced (about ½ cup)
â…" cup sliced green onions
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 apple such as Envy, Gala, Granny Smith, diced
1 avocado, diced
â…" cup sliced almonds

Citrus Vinaigrette:
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Procedure:
In a large bowl, toss all ingredients with vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
Citrus Vinaigrette:
Whisk ingredients together until combined.

Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Garlic"
The sweet and soothing flavor of butternut squash with the irresistible addition of roasted garlic make this soup the perfect combination of ingredients. It's soup-er easy to make, and it fills you up without weighing you down.
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash, halved and seeded
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
4 large cloves of roasted garlic
1 cup warm chicken stock

Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Season the squash with salt and pepper and tuck 2 sprigs of thyme into each cavity. Place, cut side down, on the baking sheet and roast until fork-tender, about 40 minutes.
When the squash is cool enough to handle, discard the thyme; peel the squash and coarsely chop. Combine the squash, garlic, and 1/2 cup of the chicken stock in a food processor and puree until smooth.
Add the remaining stock gradually until the mixture forms a very loose puree. Season the soup with salt and pepper.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
This pumpkin bread can be served with a glass of milk as a dessert, with a cup of coffee for breakfast, or simply warmed up for a snack. I used both chocolate chips and nuts to give it some extra flavor.
Serving size: 2 loaves

Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable oil
2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups (or one 15-ounce can) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
2/3 cup water
3 1/3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, optional
coarse white sugar for sprinkling on top, optional

Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pans (if you're making the plain version of the bread); two 9" x 5" loaf pans (if you're adding chocolate chips and nuts); or one of each, if you're making one plain loaf, and one loaf with chips and nuts.
In a large bowl, beat together the oil, sugar, eggs, pumpkin, and water.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and vanilla, stirring to combine.
Mix in the chips and nuts, if you're using them. To make one loaf with chips/nuts, one loaf without, divide the batter in half. Leave one half plain, and add 3/4 cup chips and 1/2 cup nuts to the other half.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pans. Sprinkle the tops of the loaves with coarse sparkling sugar, if desired.
Bake the bread for 60 to 80 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean; and that same tester inserted about 1/2" into the top of the loaf doesn't encounter any totally unbaked batter.
Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a rack. When it's completely cool, wrap it well in plastic wrap, and store it overnight before serving.