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- Welcome back my munchies,
and welcome to the channel if you're new.
I'm Alyssia and I'm so glad you're here.
I have got some fall recipes to share with you today
and it is all inspired by a trip I took recently
to visit Sunsweet's prune orchards.
Some of you know that I've worked with Sunsweet
for a few years now and I am so grateful for that.
To be honest, my mind was blown during this visit.
I knew that a prune was a plum,
but for some reason I just didn't expect it
to be what it was.
The plums on these trees are so ripe and beautiful
and you won't find them in stores because this variety
of plum is perfect for drying,
which is why they're dried and sold as prunes
rather than fresh plums.
A lot of people don't realize
that prunes are in fact plums.
So I wanna sort of de-mystify them
because they are truly a special fruit
that everyone needs to be taking advantage of.
Prunes are especially good for bone health
thanks to the potassium, magnesium,
and vitamin K.
And research suggests that eating five to six prunes
each day may help to prevent bone loss.
Prunes are also great for digestion
thanks to the three grams of fiber per 100 calorie serving.
And it's easier than you might think
to add to both savory and sweet dishes.
I am going to share some with you today,
but first, I have to show you want I saw during my visit.
In March, I had the opportunity to go up to Yuba City
where Sunsweet's headquarters and orchards are
and see the bloom.
I got to see these plum trees covered in flowers,
each of which have the potential to become a plum.
It was beautiful and so eye-opening.
I had no idea that that's how it began.
This fall, I went back to see those bloomed flowers
that had now grown into plums.
I got to visit one of the orchards
run by a farmer named Phil, he was amazing,
as was his grandson Justin.
They both had so much passion for their farm.
Phil said that he and his three brothers all own
and ran the farms together
and it was so inspiring to see how much they cared about
Sunsweet, their families, and their plums.
I loved eating these plums right off the tree.
They are bright yellow inside like a peach
and they're sweet and delicious.
They don't last very long fresh though,
which is partially why they're sold dry.
I got to see these huge tree shakers
get all the of the plums off the trees
and sort the twigs and leafs from the fruit.
The entire harvest for all of the farms
takes place in only three weeks of the year.
Everyone is working so hard.
The plums get added to bins which are then taken
to a drying facility
and I got to check one of those out too.
Seriously, I felt like a kid in a candy store.
I used to love watching those shows when I was a little kid
about how stuff is made,
and this was like that but in real life.
Seeing the tree go from the bloom to the harvest,
getting the plums off the trees,
and then getting to witness the 18 hour drying process
at the facility was fascinating.
Once they're dry,
they're sorted and then brought back to Sunsweet's
main facility to pit and package the prunes,
or, turn them into juice.
Their special pitting process is what makes Sunsweet prunes
look so perfect.
I didn't understand why Sunsweet prunes
always looked so much prettier than other varieties,
until I was able to witness this facility
and the pitting process
because it turns them into the perfect little button shape.
Seriously, so much love goes into every single prune.
And it shows in the employees and farmers.
Everyone is so kind and really seems so proud
to work for Sunsweet.
I see why!
I hope you enjoyed that little taste
of what I was so lucky to experience
and now I wanna share some fall recipes
inspired by that visit.
Prunes are a perfect complement to fall and winter recipes.
So how about a full course meal?
Let's start with my dried fruit and fennel cornbread.
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I start by combining almond flour, cornmeal,
baking powder, and salt in one bowl.
Separately, I mix the wet ingredients.
Almond milk, applesauce, eggs, and honey.
Then I can add the dry to the wet.
To kick this corn bread up a notch for fall,
I stir in some Sunsweet diced prunes,
aka, dried plums,
and then some dried cherries or cranberries
and I crushed up some fennel seeds a bit
to let more of that flavor out.
I decided to bake them as mini muffins.
This is how my mom did it growing up,
so it's really nostalgic for me,
but you could do large muffins or a loaf if preferred.
Into the oven it goes until lightly brown
and a toothpick comes out clean.
Whoa!
I love this recipe.
It is savory with a hint of sweetness,
tender, crumbly, and cakey like a corn bread should be,
and that dried fruit adds a nice sweet tang
that complements the dried fennel perfectly for fall.
And, it's gluten free.
Next up, a harvest crunch salad.
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This one is all about fall flavors
and fun textures.
I start with washed and chopped kale,
and I prefer to visage the kale with a bit of oil
and sprinkle it with salt if I'm eating it raw
so that it's softer in texture
and gentler in flavor.
If you are not a kale fan, this might sway you.
It definitely helped me.
Then I add the other salad ingredients.
I made some puffed quinoa to give it a crunch
rather than croutons, neat!
I simply heat a deep pot over medium high heat,
let it get warm, and then to test
to make sure it's hot enough,
I add a sprinkle of quinoa.
If it pops within a second or two, it's ready.
Then I can drizzle oil
and add enough quinoa to cover the bottom of the pot
in a single layer.
I recommend doing this in batches
and not overcrowding the pan.
Shake the pan until the popping slows so it doesn't burn.
It's just 15 to 30 seconds and it's done.
Side note, you can skip the oil,
but it gets crispier if you use it.
Add it right into the salad.
Also going into my salad is green and red apple,
chopped celery, canned mandarins,
Sunsweet diced prunes, chopped and toasted pecans,
and some goat cheese.
Feta would also be awesome here.
I toss that to combine.
Feel free to add a squeeze of lemon juice
if you aren't serving this right away
to keep the apple crisp and from browning.
I wait to add the dressing until serving.
I made a delicious raspberry poppy seed dressing.
All it is, is raspberries, olive oil, apple cider vinegar,
white wine vinegar, coconut sugar, onion powder,
dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt blended together.
Then, I stir in the poppy seeds.
It is so gorgeous and it tastes even better.
Sweet and tangy and super fresh.
This salad has it going on in texture and flavor.
So much crunchy goodness from the quinoa,
apples, celery, and nuts,
and a lovely balance of sweetness and tang.
Okay, the main entree of this meal is a sweet
and savory stuffed acorn squash.
You aren't going to believe how easy it is!
I start by scouring around the squash
and then cutting it open and scooping out the seeds
so you can have a bowl.
You could totally save those seeds for toasting if you want.
Add to a baking sheet lined with parchment,
brush the flesh of the squash with oil,
and sprinkle with salt.
They get placed face down on a baking sheet
and roast until fork tender.
The time will depend on the size of your squash.
(playful pop music)
Make the filling in the meantime.
In a skillet over medium heat,
I add a drizzle of oil along with some onion and mushrooms.
After a couple of minutes,
I add mild Italian sausage
and cook until it's no longer pink,
around five to seven minutes.
Then I add garlic, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme,
onion powder, and some spinach,
allowing to cook one to two minutes
until that spinach is wilted.
I don't let the cooking go too long once I add fresh herbs
so they maintain their flavor.
At this point, I can stir in my Amaz!n prunes
that I chopped myself.
Season to taste.
I usually find the sausage has enough salt on its own
for this dish, but it will depend on the kind you use,
so make sure that you taste it.
I can fill those lovely squash halves with the filling,
and I have to top it off with some cheese.
I used a mix of mozzarella and Parmesan.
You can totally skip it, but I love some melty cheese
on top of a stuff squash or a casserole style dish.
Broil it quickly, just until melted,
and I sprinkled mine with some red pepper flakes.
Beautiful!
This tastes like fall in a bite.
The fresh rosemary and thyme
with the turkey sausage remind me
of the holidays on their own.
Add in the sweet squash and tangy prunes,
and I have got one satisfying meal.
All together, this menu is perfect for fall.
And isn't it cool to know where those prunes came from?
Mother nature is amazing!
I hope you enjoyed these recipes
and that you can give them a try.
Let me know what else you would like to see this season
in the comments below.
Thank you to Sunsweet for inviting me to the bloom
and the harvest.
And thanks to Phil, my new farmer friend,
for letting me eat so many plums off of his trees,
it was such a treat.
I will be back next week with a brand new episode
and remember, it's all a matter of Mind Over Munch.