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What to cook in October: Big warming batches to come home to

After a day spent outdoors, there's nothing better than lots of lentils, pots of sauce, and all the apples.

After a day spent outdoors, there's nothing better than lots of lentils, pots of sauce, and all the apples

CBC Life ·
(Credit, left: Dennis The Prescott; middle: right: Christian Lacroix; right: Betty Binon)

The way we see it, October is the month to spend time outdoors because it won't be long before we need to bundle up a whole lot more to do so. So in anticipation of the hours we'll spend enjoying brisk walks or jogs; taking in the foliage; picking apples from orchards; cozying up to bonfires; or just hanging out in the park with a Thermos of something seasonal, we've rounded up some recipes that are perfect to come home to. And by that we mean: bring on the warm, seasonal batch cooks!

This month, we recommend meals that you cook once and enjoy for a few days: big batches of proteins, grains and legumes, with sauces to pair as you please, along with soups and stews, casseroles, tray bakes and warming bowls. A little extra work upfront will leave you with satisfying leftovers to reheat when you come in from the fresh air — and help you out if you're continuing to find your back-to-school-and-work groove. Plus, some of autumn's main yields (bushels of apples, all the gourds) are ideal for cooking up in batches. In-season produce like squash, broccoli and root vegetables make for energizing sustenance too. 

The dishes below can be scaled up as needed if you want an even bigger batch for the week. And we haven't forgotten about dessert. You'll spot some recipes that incorporate apples, pears, pumpkins and butternut squash, and will hold up for a couple of days after baking… if they last that long. 

Root Vegetable Stew with Rosemary Garlic Baguette

Overhead shot of a red dutch oven with a root vegetable stew on a wooden surface. 2 bowls of the stew and a plate with sliced bread sit next to the dutch oven.
(Photo credit: Dennis The Prescott)

Delicata Squash and Italian Sausage Bake

Overhead shot of a sheet pan on a dark grey surface. Slices of roasted delicata squash, onion, pieces of sausage and roasted rapini are on the pan.
(Photography by Betty Binon)

Hot or Cold Beet-Fennel Soup 

(Photography by Ellen Silverman)

Brown Rice, Chicken and Butternut Squash Salad with Roasted Garlic Tahini Dressing

(Photography by Gabriel Cabrera)

Sweet Potato, Coconut and Ginger Soup

Overhead shot of bowls of creamy orange soup with a small toast on top of one.
(The Goods)

Roasted Broccoli Cheddar Soup and Cheese Toasts 

Lentil Shepherd's Pie 

Khorak Bademjoon — Eggplant Stew 

Overhead shot of Khorak Bademjoon (Eggplant Stew) on a white serving dish, with small bowls of limu omani (dried Persian lime) and mint leaves next to it.
(Photography by Betty Binon)

Grandma Gretzky's Great Perogies 

Closeup on a plate of perogies with a spoon with sour cream resting on the side.
(Source: Klorofil Publishing)

Parsnip and Heirloom Carrot Tart 

Vegan Potato, Leek & Artichoke Chowder

A ladle removing some creamy potato chowder from a light blue dutch oven sitting on a stovetop.
(Photography by Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews)

No-Fry Eggplant Parmesan

overhead shot of a white baking dish with eggplant parmesan in it. it's on a wooden table. a slice is missing from the dish and is sitting on a white plate behind the baking dish.
(Credit: Allison Day)

Miso Soup with Root Vegetables 

Closeup on someone ladling miso soup with root vegetables from a silver pot into two white bowls.
(Credit: Meg Tanaka and Zenta Tanaka)

Sweet Potato Macaroni and Cheese

Dal aur Sabzi: Lentils with Roasted Carrots and Kale 

Overhead shot of a green plate of Dal aur Sabzi, Lentils with Roasted Carrots and Kale on a white lace tablecloth. A yellow plate of basmati rice sits next to it.
(Photo: Shayma Owaise Saadat)

Turkey Roast with Cranberries

(Credit: Christian Lacroix)

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

A skillet with sweet potato gnocchi topped with sage leaves.
(CBC Life)

Half a Pear Crumble

(Credit: Hungry Gap Productions Ltd.)

Apple Cheddar Pie 

Overhead shot of an apple pie on a dark grey kitchen towel. The pie crust on top of the pie is shaped like leaves.
(Photography by Marcella DiLonardo)

Classic Pumpkin Pie 

Overhead shot of a pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream on a wooden table. A slice of the pie is sitting on a black plate.
(Photography by Betty Binon)

Cranberry Apple Candied Ginger Pie 

Side-by-side overhead shots of an unbaked pie and an image of it after it's baked. The pie crust design is a partridge sitting in a pear tree.
(Photography by David Bagosy)

Butternut Squash Pie with Oat Crust

Overhead shot of a pie sitting on a wooden cutting board on a white surface. The pie is topped with whipped cream. A slice of it is on a white plate in the bottom right corner.
(Photography by Rachel Conners)

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