This post is sponsored by Oregon Berries – who I really, really love.

Coming at you from one month post-wedding + marriage + honeymoon, all of which have been magical and so special. It’s only fitting that this time of transition and change is also during a season of change – fall.

Fall, which I like to think of as my spirit season, is truly my favorite time of year. I love everything about the seasonal shift – from updating my wardrobe to chunkier sweaters and pulling out my raincoat, to changing leaves, cooler temperatures, and different produce hitting the farmer’s market and grocery store. Plus, I love how my cravings and diet changes dramatically as the temperature starts to shift, it shows how truly intuitive our bodies really are.

Those squash cravings? So, so real right now!

Fall is also considered vata season in Ayruveda medicine. Ayru-what? Ayruveda is the ancient system of Indian medicine developed thousands of years ago and is considered to be the science of life (Ayur = life, Veda = science or knowledge). Ayruveda, like functional medicine, looks at the body as a whole and focuses on how the mind and body are inseparable. Some principles of Ayruveda include living in balance with your dosha (or body constitution – you can find yours by taking an online quiz or visiting with a practitioner), eating the rainbow and eating to balance your unique dosha makeup, honoring sleep, supporting the mind through meditation, and strengthening your digestive fire.

Now, I’m certainly not an expert at Ayruveda, but I am incredibly intrigued by the science and practices of this medical system. Namely, eating with the seasons to keep constitutions (doshas) in balance. Enter: vata season.

Fall is thought to be vata season because it is characterized by the same principles as the vata dosha: dry, cold, light, and clear. To keep vata energy balanced and grounded during this time of year (which is thought to promote creativity and energy), eat a vata-pacifying diet rich in herbs and spices, warming food, and grounding vegetables. According to Ayruvedic medicine, support vata season energy by:

-Eating foods that are warming and cooked – like these sweet potatoes! Limit raw fruits, vegetables, and raw foods, especially raw salads. I still advocate for salads at every time of year – just make sure to add in cooked grains, roasted vegetables, sautéed vegetables, and plenty of healthy fats. Some of my favorite warming salad ingredients this time of year include roasted winter squash, beets, and sweet potatoes, as well as sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes, fennel, onion, and garlic.
-Drink warming liquids and avoid cold water. Drink lukewarm water and herbal teas, like cinnamon and ginger tea. I love enjoying homemade golden milk lattes during this time of year.
-According to Deepak Chopra, “eat more of the sweet, sour, and salty tastes and less of the bitter, astringent, and pungent ones. Avocados, bananas, mangoes, peaches, lemons, pumpkins, carrots, beets, asparagus, quinoa, rice, mung beans, almonds, sesame seeds, and ghee are a few excellent Vata-pacifying foods.”

So, with all of that – hello Roasted Berry and Apple Stuffed Sweet Potatoes – the most perfect breakfast, lunch, or even dinner during vata season. I love this grounding recipe because it’s incredibly warming, simple, and so nourishing during cooler autumn months. Oregon blackberries taste incredible roasted alongside of crisp apples and sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg. Because berries are heading out of season (you’re very lucky if you still have them available!), look for bags of frozen berries at your local market. Frozen blackberries, raspberries, or marionberries would all work wonderfully in this recipe. When roasted, berries taste incredibly rich and sweet and are complimented by the tart crispness of roasted apple. Once you’ve had roasted berries and apples together, you’ll want to add them to evvvvverything! If there’s extra, you can spoon them on oatmeal, yogurt, or just eat them up! :)

That delicious roasted combination of spices and fruit goodness is lovingly dolloped inside of roasted sweet potatoes, a nutrient-dense and a rich source of fiber and antioxidants, too. The cute little sweet pots are all topped off with cinnamon tahini drizzle, a sprinkle of granola, and a handful of pecans or walnuts, if desired. It’s an incredible way to support vata season energy, plus it tastes amazing too!

Roasted Berry and Apple Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Serves 2

1 large garnet yam, cut in half lengthwise
1 cup frozen Oregon blackberries
1 large crisp apple, skin peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp. coconut oil or vanilla ghee
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Toppings:
1/4 cup coconut flakes
A few handfuls of granola
1/4 cup pecans or walnuts
Cinnamon tahini drizzle: 4 Tbsp tahini + 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line two baking trays with parchment paper.

Add sliced sweet potatoes (cut side down) to one baking tray. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until soft and tender.

Add frozen berries and sliced apple to other lined tray. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg and drizzle with melted coconut oil or ghee. Roast for 25 minutes, or until apples are tender and berries have burst. Remove from oven.

Prepare sweet potatoes: Flip sweet potatoes over and use a fork to carefully mash the inside of flesh. Top each sweet potato with roasted apples and berries, toppings of choice, and a drizzle of cinnamon tahini. To make the cinnamon tahini drizzle, simply whisk the two ingredients together. If the tahini is too thick, add in a splash of water. Enjoy!