9 plant-packed autumn recipes to keep you thriving as the seasons change

With the days getting shorter and colder, these plant-packed recipes – featuring autumnal fruit, veg and plenty of plant protein in the form of hearty beans and nutritious nuts – can help stave off seasonal sniffles.

By eating a diversity of plants, not only will you nourish your gut microbiome, you'll also reap the rewards with more energy and even a positive effect on your mood – something most of us appreciate at this time of year. Aim for 30 different plants each week and you'll be well on your way to feeling your best. Choose from our plant-packed breakfasts, snacks, main meals and sweet treats to keep you thriving all autumn long.

Discover 30 gut-friendly ways to sneak in extra plant foods to hit your weekly target, then read about how to eat 30 plant foods a week, the best ways to celebrate autumn and try our healthy autumn recipes.

Plant-packed recipes for autumn

Healthy granola

Make our healthy granola, then combine it with yogurt, chia pudding, pumpkin seed butter and a fruit compote to make a delicious, high-protein breakfast bowl for autumn. We also added dried cranberries into the granola for extra festive flavour.

Blackberry crumble baked oats

For a seasonal, plant-packed twist, cut up two apples and sprinkle with cinnamon. Simmer with 250ml milk of your choice until the apple pieces have softened. Add them to your baked oats with some chopped toasted pecans and mix. Make your crumble topping with 2 tbsp oats, a pinch of mixed spice, a sprinkle of brown sugar and a splash of milk to hold it together. Dot over the top of your baked oats and bake until golden.

Pumpkin seed butter on rye

You won't believe how easy it is to make your own pumpkin seed butter with just three ingredients. Load onto toasted wholewheat bread for an extra point, and add fruit, seeds and nuts to easily boost your plant points.

Cumin-roasted carrots and bulgur salad with sticky spiced walnuts and feta

Use a mixture of grains to increase the plant points of this dish. For a fully plant-based version, we used vegan feta, but you could also use marinated tofu for an additional plant point.

Squash, sage and feta filo cigars

For an extra plant point, we mixed in some sweet potato with the butternut squash when roasting. Make sure to use both white and black sesame seeds for two plant points, and if you're fully plant-based, swap in vegan feta and maple syrup instead of honey.

Pumpkin pesto tart

F0r a vegan twist, we used vegan soft cheese made from nuts (an extra plant point), as well as vegan chilli pesto, and swapped parmesan for nutritional yeast. You could also sprinkle more nuts and seeds on top.

Butternut squash pasta

For a plant-based twist on this butternut squash mac and cheese, we've swapped the béchamel and cheese for butter beans blended with mustard and nutritional yeast. We also added a couple of handfuls of kale in with the pasta for the last couple of minutes of cooking. Use wholewheat pasta for extra plant points, as well as a sourdough or wholemeal breadcrumb topping with a sprinkle of smoked paprika, dried mixed herbs and chopped walnuts for crunch.

Pumpkin cups

We've put an autumnal spin on peanut butter cups with a filling made from tinned pumpkin purée, mixed spice, vanilla extract and agave nectar. Spoon into dark chocolate cases then top with pumpkin seeds for an extra plant point.

Apple and pear crisps

We used pears as well as apples to easily boost the plant points, plus it adds variety of flavour. Serve with melted dark chocolate and your favourite nut butter for dunking. You could also sprinkle the chocolate-dipped side with sunflower or pumpkin seeds for more crunch and nutrients.