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The weather is finally cooling down and leaves are starting to change. The fall season is in full swing! During these months, try adding cranberries and pumpkin to your diet. Both offer high antioxidant power, which may reduce your risk of many chronic diseases. Adding different spices is a great way to help boost the flavor of your recipes and provide extra nutrition. Some great fall spices to keep on hand are cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and garlic. Nuts are also a great way to add some good nutrition and crunch to your recipes.

Walnuts are one of the most studied nuts for their role in cancer prevention. Some of the nutritional benefits of walnuts are the amount of protein, fiber, healthy fats, iron and calcium. Fall super seeds are a perfect addition to many fall recipes. Whether your roast seeds or buy them, seeds are packed with great nutritional benefits and a fall favorite for many recipes. Try something new by adding either sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, fennel seeds, chia seeds or sesame seeds to your diet. Check out these quick, easy and nutritious fall recipes which include fall spices, nuts, seeds and produce.

Fall Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

• Canola oil spray
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup 100 percent apple juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly coat an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with canola oil spray and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, flaxseed, sugar, baking soda and salt and set aside. In another bowl, lightly beat eggs. Then mix in pumpkin, canola oil, applesauce, apple juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and dried cranberries. Finally add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing until all the ingredients are incorporated into batter. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes, cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan and continue cooling on rack.

Fall Snack Mix: Tasty Garlic Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

• Canola oil spray
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds (scooped whole from the pumpkin then washed and dried and pre-toasted for 30 minutes in a 300-degree oven; or prepackaged from the grocery store)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly coat baking sheet with canola oil spray. Either pre-toast whole seeds from pumpkin or spread packaged seeds on pan in one layer and toast in oven for 10 minutes. In the meantime, in medium bowl, combine garlic powder and cumin. Thoroughly mix in Worcestershire sauce and water. Remove toasted seeds from the oven. Once seeds are cool, add to bowl with sauce along with walnuts. Toss to coat evenly. Place seeds and nuts on baking sheet in one layer. Bake about 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove from oven, let cool and enjoy! Mixture can be stored in a tightly covered container.

Fall Spiced Ginger and Turmeric Hot Cider

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh sweet apple cider
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh turmeric
• 1½-inch by 1/2-inch strip lemon peel, white part included

Instructions:
In small saucepan, combine cider, ginger, turmeric and lemon peel. Over medium-high heat, heat until ring of bubbles are visible around edge of pan. Approximately 3 minutes. Cover pan and set aside to steep for 5 minutes. Pour hot-spiced cider through fine strainer and serve immediately.

All the recipes were inspired by the American Institute for Cancer Research. Check out more recipes like these at AICR.org.

Recipes prepared by Allie Farley, M.S., R.D., L.D., registered dietitian at VCU Health. Visit Allie's blog on Diet and Nutrition for more recipes and information about the role that diet plays in cancer.

Written by: Massey Communications Office