Fall Recipes to Reduce Overwhelm & Relieve Worry

Do you struggle to get things done because your mind is always racing with what-if’s and worries?

 

Is healthy-eating just one more to-do you’re not getting to because you’re feeling so overwhelmed?

 

If you answered those questions with a big “YES, THAT’S ME!” then you’ve come to the right place! I’ve got four fall recipes for you to reduce overwhelm and relieve worry! 

Stress and anxiety have been running rampant this year, and it’s important to do what you can to improve your mental health. And for many of you finding yourself here, one of the reasons you may still be struggling with these issues is because you haven’t set healthy foundations in your nutrition.

Coping with stress and anxiety needs an integrative approach, and powering up your diet will help you find relief!

What if I told you that instead of feeling constantly overwhelmed and struggling with a racing mind of worry, you could feel calmer, reinvigorated, and have a more peaceful mind?

How would it feel to trust more in life’s perfection and to be more present in your day-to-day life?

And what if it was all possible by simply making sustainable changes to your diet?

Well let me tell you, IT IS POSSIBLE!

I’ve written before how there are certain nutrients shown to improve the body’s coping mechanisms when dealing with stress and anxiety symptoms. If you haven’t read those posts, you should check them out here and here.

But as we’ve now arrived in the Fall season, I’ve rounded up four seasonal recipes for you that include nutrients to help you reduce anxiety and stress while strengthening your immune system as your body prepares for the Winter ahead.

By adding these recipes to your weekly meal plan, you will begin to feel more calm, more peaceful, and more reinvigorated in your life!

 

Roasted Butternut Squash Harvest Bowl

 

Loaded with worry-relieving nutrients like 10 grams of fiber, 6mg of iron, .4mg of vitamin B6, and 126 mg of magnesium, this fall harvest bowl supports your immune system with Vitamins A, C, & K too!

Organic Ingredients (two servings):

• 2 cups Butternut Squash (diced into cubes)
• 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)
• 1/3 cup Quinoa (uncooked)
• 2/3 cup Water
• 4 cups Kale Leaves (finely chopped)
• 1 1/2 tsps Balsamic Vinegar
•  Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)
• 1/4 cup Pumpkin Seeds
• 1/4 cup Dried Unsweetened Cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 420ºF (216ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the butternut squash in half the olive oil and spread across the sheet. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned.
2. Combine the quinoa and water in a sauce pan. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid and let simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until all water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
3. Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add kale and sauté until wilted (about 3 to 5 minutes). Turn off the heat.
4. Add the quinoa, roasted butternut squash and balsamic vinegar to the skillet then toss until well mixed. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
5. Divide into bowls and top with pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries. Enjoy!

Notes:

• No Butternut Squash: Use sweet potato, carrots, or beets instead.
• Save Time: Use frozen butternut squash.
• Leftovers: Keeps well in the fridge up to 3 – 4 days.
• Extra Flavor: Toss the butternut squash in cinnamon before roasting.

 

Roasted Veggie & Quinoa Bowl

 

This nutrient powerhouse checks all the boxes for alleviating worry and overwhelm! With a whopping 12 grams of fiber, 6 mg iron, 0.6 mg vitamin B6, and 149 mg magnesium, you’ll be alleviating anxiety one bite at a time! And since this fall recipe has lots of Vitamin A & C included, you’ll be nourishing your immune system too.

Organic Ingredients (3 servings):

• 2 cups Broccoli (chopped into florets)
• 2 Sweet Potato (medium, cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1 cup Chickpeas (cooked)
• 1/4 cup Lemon Juice (divided)
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
• 2/3 cup Quinoa (uncooked)
• 1 1/2 cups Organic Vegetable Broth
• 2 tbsps Tahini
• 2 tbsps Water (warm)
• 1 1/2 tbsps Maple Syrup
• 1 tbsp Pumpkin Seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Transfer the chopped broccoli, sweet potatoes and chickpeas to the the prepared baking sheet. Season the vegetables with half of the lemon juice, Italian seasoning and sea salt. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until vegetables are very tender and chickpeas are crispy.
3. While the vegetables are roasting, add the quinoa and broth to a medium pot with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil, cover with lid and reduce heat to low. Cook until the liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. While the quinoa is cooking, combine the tahini, warm water, maple syrup and remaining lemon juice in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Season with additional salt if needed.
5. To assemble, divide the quinoa and roasted vegetables between bowls. Drizzle with tahini sauce and top with pumpkin seeds (optional). Enjoy!

Notes:

• Leftovers: Store in the fridge for up to four days.
• No Quinoa: Use rice or cauliflower rice instead.
• No Broth: Use water instead.
• Cooked Chickpeas: Use cooked chickpeas from the can to save time.
• More Flavor: Roast the vegetables in oil. Add salt, pepper and garlic to the dressing.

 

Butternut Squash & Apple Breakfast Hash

 

Containing 7 grams of fiber and 2mg of Iron, this breakfast hash will start your day keeping worry at bay! It includes lots of Vitamins A, C & K, so it’ll be working to keep your immune system strong this season too.

Organic Ingredients (2 servings):

• 2 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 cups Butternut Squash (peeled, chopped into 1 cm cubes)
• 1/2 cup Red Onion (chopped)
• 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 Apple (small, finely chopped)
• 2 cups Kale Leaves (chopped)
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the butternut squash and onion and cook, stirring often, for 10 to 12 minutes until the squash is tender. Season with salt.
2. Add the apple and kale leaves and continue to cook until the kale wilts down and the apple is warmed through and just tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon and stir to combine. Season with additional salt if needed.
3. Divide between plates and enjoy!

Notes:

• Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to five days.
• Serving Size: One serving is approximately 1 cup.
• More Protein: Serve with an egg or add in cooked sausage, chicken, bacon, lentils or tofu.
• No Red Onion: Use a yellow or sweet onion instead.
• Apple: This recipe was created and tested using Spartan apples. Experiment to find your favorite!
• Consistency: Chop the butternut squash and apples into similar size cubes to ensure even cooking.

 

Roasted Sweet Potato & Brussels Sprouts Salad

 

I’ve saved my personal favorite recipes to reduce overwhelm and relieve worry for last!

Containing a stunning 16 grams of fiber and 8mg of Iron, this salad will calm you down and help your patience. And the immune supporting Vitamins A & K, along with a healthy dose of Zinc, will supercharge your immune system!

Organic Ingredients (4 servings):

• 2 Sweet Potato (medium. sliced into 1 inch cubes)
• 4 cups Brussels Sprouts (washed and halved)
• 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)
• 1/4 cup Tahini
• 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
• 1/4 cup Water (warm)
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper (less if you don’t like it spicy)
• 1/8 tsp Sea Salt
• 2 cups Lentils (cooked, drained and rinsed)
• 8 cups Baby Spinach (chopped)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF (218ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine the diced sweet potato and Brussels sprouts in a bowl. Add olive oil and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Toss well then spread across the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until both vegetables are cooked through and starting to brown.
3. While the vegetables roast, combine the tahini, maple syrup, water, cayenne pepper and sea salt in a jar. Seal with a lid and shake well to mix. Set aside.
4. Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven and place back in the mixing bowl. Add in the lentils. Mix well.
5. Divide spinach between bowls. Top with lentils and roasted vegetable mix. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing. Enjoy!

Notes:

• No Brussels Sprouts: Use broccoli instead.
• No Lentils: Use your choice of protein. Chickpeas, grilled chicken or ground meat work well.

 

Use These Recipes to Reduce Overwhelm and Relieve Worry

 

One of the best things you can do for yourself if you experience anxiety (and the overwhelm, excessive worry, and racing thoughts that come with it!) is to focus on what you can control. (You can read more about that here.)

With that in mind, focusing on what you’re putting into your body is essential for anxiety relief!

Upgrading your diet to be more nutrient-dense improves your body’s biochemistry and supports your journey to keep anxiety symptoms at bay. The more you can commit to a healthier diet, and the longer you can stick with it, the better off you’ll be at rebuilding the nutrient stores in your body to help keep you healthy, happy, and calm.

So get started by using one of these recipes to reduce overwhelm and relieve worry by including them in your meal plan for the week. From there, build upon your meal creation each week by adding in another nutrient-dense recipe or two.

Over time, you’ll build up your diet to be nourishing for your goals, and you’ll have set a healthy foundation for anxiety relief!

If you’d like a copy of these fall recipes to download and refer to from anywhere, you can do so by clicking here so you have them handy in the days to come!

As always, if you need extra support implementing any of these strategies, please contact me! I’m always here to support you on your journey to feeling calmer, more tranquil and more trusting in life’s perfection. (Seriously, even if you just want to talk about what a custom strategy for your healing journey could look like, get on my calendar and let’s talk about it!)

Remember, you are worthy and deserving of peace, tranquility, strength, love, health, and wholeness.

You’ve got this. I believe in YOU!

 

Much Love,

Susan Renee

 

P.S.  Hungry for more recipes to help you on the path to natural anxiety relief?  Join my newsletter! It’s loaded with exclusive recipes & meal plans, plus tons of inspiration and anxiety-relieving tips so you can find natural anxiety relief. I hope you’ll join me as I lead our tribe of peaceful warriors dedicated to finding natural anxiety relief!

 

If you liked this article, you may also like:

 
From Worrier to Warrior: A Journey To Anxiety Relief

Simple Steps to Relieve Anxiety with Your Diet

How Diet Contributes to Fatigue & Anxiety

How to Live in the Now and Become Present