Falling Back to Cooking

Even though I've refused to put my sleeveless dresses and short skirts away, I have to admit that summer has ended. My summer was filled with laid-back meals I cobbled together from fresh-from-the-farmers'-markets produce. A typical meal would be sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, cannellini beans tossed with olive oil, and watermelon for dessert...or grilled veggie and tofu skewers. They were simple and delicious, and I rarely cooked.

It's hard to say good-bye to summer, but I've welcomed fall (my favorite season) by getting back into cooking. This week I made some oldies but goodies:

• Unfried Fried Rice, Steamed Broccoli, and Hoisin Mustard Tofu
• Curried Chickpeas and Greens
• Bowls of Brown Rice, Chickpeas, Butternut Squash, Sauteed Red Onions, and Caesar Chavez Dressing from Appetite for Reduction (pictured above)

I nearly forgot how much I love cooking and how delicious a healthy, nutritious, homemade meal can be. I'll wear cardigans over my summer dresses and tights under my skirts because I can't bear to part with my summer clothes just yet, but I'm happy to get back into cooking and experimenting with some new recipes using seasonal produce (Vegetarian Times has had some great ones I want to try.)

Anyone have a great fall recipe they want to share?