What are the healthiest autumn recipes? There is no single answer, as a healthy diet depends on the overall balance of what we eat and how each ingredient is prepared. However, cooking with seasonal produce and prioritising vegetables, mushrooms, nuts and other fresh ingredients is a great way to enjoy a varied and nutritious diet.

Choosing seasonal foods also encourages more responsible consumption and allows us to enjoy ingredients at their best.

At ARTIEM, we have selected four easy and delicious autumn recipes so you can make the most of some of the season's most characteristic ingredients.

What are the healthiest autumn foods?

The arrival of autumn changes our shopping baskets and invites us to cook with different ingredients. Among the foods most closely associated with the season are mushrooms, pumpkin, chestnuts and a wide variety of vegetables.

Mushrooms are an extremely versatile ingredient and provide fibre, vitamins, minerals and protein. Their distinctive flavour makes them ideal for use in rice dishes, stews, creams, stir-fries or as an accompaniment to other foods.

Pumpkin, meanwhile, stands out for its texture and slightly sweet flavour. It is an incredibly versatile vegetable that can be roasted, used in soups and purées, or incorporated into a wide range of dishes.

Chestnuts are one of the foods most strongly associated with autumn. Unlike most other nuts, they contain a relatively high proportion of carbohydrates and provide fibre and minerals such as potassium. Roasted, boiled or incorporated into sweet recipes, they are a perfect ingredient for this time of year.

We can also find vegetables such as spinach, chard, broccoli and asparagus, which can be used to prepare light, flavourful dishes.

The best way to enjoy all these ingredients is to incorporate them into a varied diet and combine them with different food groups.

4 healthy and easy autumn recipes

Roasted pumpkin with honey and feta cheese

Pumpkin is one of the great stars of autumn cooking. Roasting it in the oven brings out its flavour and allows it to be combined with ingredients that create an interesting sweet-and-savoury contrast.

Ingredients

• 600 g pumpkin

• 3 tablespoons honey

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• Feta cheese

• Sesame seeds

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds and cut it into cubes.

2. Place the cubes on a baking tray and drizzle with a little olive oil.

3. Bake for around 20 minutes at 200°C in a preheated oven.

4. Remove the tray, sprinkle the pumpkin with sesame seeds and bake for a further 10 minutes, until tender.

5. Mix the honey with the balsamic vinegar and drizzle the mixture over the pumpkin.

6. Add the feta cheese, cut into small cubes, and finish with a little pepper.

The result is a simple dish that can be served as a starter, side dish or as part of a light meal.

Wild mushroom risotto

Mushrooms are another essential ingredient in autumn cooking. In this recipe, wild mushrooms take centre stage in a classic Italian dish: risotto.

Ingredients

• Risotto rice

• Porcini mushrooms or other seasonal mushrooms

• Onion

• Meat or vegetable stock

• White wine

• Butter

• Parmesan cheese

• Olive oil

• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Clean the mushrooms and cut them into pieces.

2. Peel and finely chop the onion and sauté it in a pan with a little olive oil.

3. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes.

4. Add the rice and stir to combine it with the other ingredients.

5. Pour in a little white wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate.

6. Gradually add the stock, stirring continuously and adding more as the rice absorbs the liquid.

7. Once the rice is cooked, remove from the heat and add a little butter and grated Parmesan.

8. Stir well until creamy and serve immediately.

The secret to a good risotto is to add the stock gradually and keep stirring throughout the cooking process.

Steamed asparagus with poached egg

If you are looking for a simple, light and quick autumn recipe, asparagus with a poached egg is an excellent choice.

Ingredients

• 200 g asparagus

• 1 egg per person

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Lemon

• Parsley

• Pepper

• Salt

Method

1. Wash the asparagus and remove the tougher ends.

2. Bring some water to the boil in a saucepan and place a steamer basket on top.

3. Add the asparagus, cover and steam for a few minutes until tender but still slightly firm.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the poached egg in a saucepan of water.

5. Arrange the asparagus on a plate and place the egg on top.

6. Season with olive oil, a few drops of lemon juice, pepper and parsley.

A simple recipe that shows that cooking with seasonal produce does not require complicated techniques.

Chocolate and chestnut cream dessert

Chestnuts also have a special place in autumn baking. This dessert combines their distinctive flavour with dark chocolate to create a comforting treat that is perfect for cooler days.

To prepare the chestnut cream:

1. Make a small cut in each chestnut.

2. Boil them in water for around 7–8 minutes.

3. Drain and peel them.

4. Boil them again for a few minutes and blend until you obtain a smooth purée.

5. Prepare a syrup with sugar, water and vanilla.

6. Add the chestnut purée and cook over a low heat for around 10–15 minutes, stirring until the mixture thickens.

To prepare the individual desserts:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.

2. Separate the whites and yolks of two eggs.

3. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form.

4. Melt 50 g of butter and 50 g of dark chocolate in a bain-marie.

5. Beat the egg yolks with sugar until smooth.

6. Add 100 g of chestnut cream and 15 g of cornflour.

7. Stir in the melted chocolate and butter.

8. Gently fold in the whipped egg whites using a spatula.

9. Divide the mixture between small moulds and bake for around 20 minutes.

An autumn dessert in which chestnuts take centre stage alongside the universally loved flavour of chocolate.

Why cook with seasonal produce?

Choosing seasonal produce has both culinary and environmental benefits. Foods are generally harvested at their optimal stage of ripeness, allowing us to discover the flavours that are characteristic of each time of year.

Prioritising local and seasonal products can also help reduce the distances travelled by some foods and support producers in the surrounding area.

Ultimately, cooking with seasonal produce is a simple way to vary our diet and discover the ingredients that each season has to offer.

If you would like to continue discovering the flavours of the Balearic Islands, you can also explore our recipe book featuring 7 traditional recipes from Menorca, with ideas inspired by the island's cuisine and a way of understanding gastronomy rooted in local produce and sustainability.

Seasonal cuisine at ARTIEM

At ARTIEM, we see gastronomy as an essential part of the travel experience. That is why we are committed to local produce, seasonal ingredients and local suppliers, incorporating the flavours of each destination into our cuisine.

At our hotels, you can discover different ways of experiencing this gastronomic philosophy, from dishes inspired by the local produce of Menorca to cuisine rooted in the flavours of Asturias.

At ARTIEM Capri, in Mahón, you can start the day with freshly squeezed juices and a selection of dishes prepared for a relaxed breakfast.

At The Green at ARTIEM Madrid, the gastronomic offering combines freshness and convenience, with salads, snacks, drinks, coffee and tea available throughout the day.

And at ARTIEM Asturias, the cuisine draws on local produce to combine tradition and creativity. Its organic vegetable garden supplies fresh vegetables and herbs to a gastronomic offering closely connected to the surrounding region.

Because enjoying seasonal produce is not only about cooking at home. It is also about discovering a destination through its flavours, supporting local produce and enjoying cuisine that is more closely connected to each season.

Ready to bring the flavours of autumn to your kitchen?