🍂 Autumn Meal Prep: Squash & Tofu Soup, Sweet Potato Muffins & Carrot Cake Tahini Bites

As the seasons shift and the cooler months set in, our bodies naturally crave warmth, grounding foods, and steady energy - even more so when trying to conceive. Autumn is the perfect time to lean into vibrant root vegetables, hearty soups, and nutrient-dense snacks that balance comfort with nourishment.

This week, I’ve pulled together three recipes that tick all the boxes:  protein-rich, high in fibre, and easy to batch-prep. They’re designed to keep your energy stable, your digestion happy, and your immune system supported as we step into the colder months.

🥣 Creamy Squash & Tofu Soup (6 portions)

Nutrition per portion: 15g protein, 10g fibre

This soup is creamy, warming, and gently spiced - perfect for lunch prep or a cosy dinner. The combination of squash, carrot, and warming spices creates a naturally sweet base, while tofu and bone broth boosts the protein content to make it satisfying and blood sugar–balancing. Using bone broth also supports gut health, immunity, and joint health with collagen and minerals.

Ingredients:

• 2 Small Squash (Quartered, seeds removed)

• 2 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 1 Onion (small, chopped)

• 2 Carrot (diced)

• Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)

• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp Madras Curry Powder

• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg

• 500ml Bone Broth - I use Freja

• 500ml water

• 450g Tofu (crumbled) 

  
  

Method:

• Cut your squash into quarters, drizzle in olive oil and roast for 35-40 mins until softened.

• Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Cook the onion, carrot, salt, pepper, cinnamon, curry powder, and nutmeg for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Add the squash (skin on), broth, water & bring to a simmer and cook until all the veggies are tender.

• Add the tofu. Use an immersion blender or high-speed blender to blend the soup until smooth, or your desired consistency is reached. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. Enjoy!

  
  

Key benefits:

• Squash - a fertility antioxidant, rich in beta-carotene (vitamin A precursor) for skin, immunity, and eye health.

• Tofu - plant-based protein and calcium to support muscle repair and bone health.

• Bone broth - gut-nourishing, high protein and mineral-rich base.

• Spices (cinnamon, curry powder, nutmeg) - support circulation, warmth, and blood sugar balance.

  
  

🧁 Sweet Potato Oat Muffins (12 muffins)

Nutrition per muffin: 10g protein, 7g fibre

These muffins are a wholesome option for breakfast on-the-go, an afternoon snack, or even a pre/post workout bite. Add Greek yoghurt and nut butter for extra protein. The sweet potato adds natural sweetness, fibre, and vitamin C, while oats and flax provide slow-release energy and support digestion. Pumpkin seeds (or seed cycling blends) bring a mineral-rich crunch with zinc, magnesium, and iron.

Ingredients:

• 250g Sweet Potato - I used Pack’d - JEN25 saves you 25% off your first £40 order

• 2 Eggs

• 3 tbsp (60g) Maple Syrup

• 1 tsp All Spice

• 1 tsp Cinnamon

• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

• 1 tsp Baking Powder

• 250ml or 1 cup Milk - I used Yeo Valley organic

• 200g Jumbo Organic Oats

• 30g Ground Flax Seed

• 30g Pumpkin Seeds

• Or 60g phase 1 Seed Cycle seeds (use code JENWALPOLE for 20% off)

  
  

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 190ºC. Prepare a muffin tray.

• In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, oats, maple syrup, spices, seeds, vanilla, baking powder, sweet potato and milk until smooth. into the pumpkin mixture.

• Add to muffin trays (or you can use one large lined oven dish).

• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the centre feels set and the edges are slightly golden.

Key benefits:

• Sweet potato - a great source of complex carbs and beta-carotene, supporting steady energy release.

• Oats - high in soluble fibre (beta-glucans) to support gut health and cholesterol regulation.

• Flaxseed - rich in omega-3s and phytoestrogens, helpful for hormone balance.

• Pumpkin seeds - packed with magnesium and zinc for energy and immune function.

  
  

🥕 Carrot Cake Tahini Bites (makes ~12)

Nutrition: 6g protein, 4g fibre per 2 bites

These no-bake bites taste indulgent but are full of functional ingredients. Tahini provides healthy fats, calcium, and protein, while carrots and oats contribute fibre and micronutrients. Perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up, they stabilise energy without the crash you’d get from a sugary snack.

Ingredients:

• 120g Oats

• 150g Tahini (runny)

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 Carrot (medium, peeled, grated)

• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

• 1 tsp Ground Ginger

• Sea Salt

• 25g Unsweetened Shredded Coconut for coating

  
  

Method:

• Grate your carrot.

• Add the oats to a food processor and blend until it reaches a flour-like consistency.

• Add the tahini, honey, grated carrot, vanilla, ginger, and salt and blend until combined and the mixture holds together.

• Use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon to scoop out the mixture and roll it into balls in your hands. Repeat until all of the mixture is used.

• Roll each ball in coconut until evenly coated.

• Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes if desired and enjoy right away!

  
  

Key benefits:

• Tahini - high in calcium, iron, and heart-healthy fats.

• Carrots - antioxidant-rich, supporting vision and immune health.

• Oats - provide steady energy release and gut-loving fibre.

• Ginger - anti-inflammatory and digestive-supportive.

  
  

Meal Prep Tip ✨

Make all three recipes on a Sunday and you’ll have:

• Soup for lunches (freezer-friendly too).

• Muffins for quick grab-and-go breakfasts.

• Bites for nourishing snacks that keep your energy steady.

  
  

This trio gives you a balance of protein, fibre, healthy fats, and complex carbs - the foundations of blood sugar balance and long-lasting energy through autumn.