Favorite Autumn Recipes

Today I'm re-sharing a few favorite autumn recipes from my blog. Most of these recipes, and photos, go all the way back to 2014, and carry with them not just flavor, but family history, stories, and love. And in this season especially, I'm reminded that gathering around the table with those we love is a gift as rich as the foods we share.

May your table be filled with the blessings of love, comfort, and warmth always,

Kim

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Pumpkin Crumble Cake

Sweet Potato Fries with Spicy Mayo Sauce

Vegan Pesto

Hello, and welcome back to my blog.

It's been a busy Spring here at my desert home in Nevada with family visiting, planning for my youngest son's upcoming wedding, and also making plans for my return home to Alaska. But I wanted to pop into my blog and share my recipe for Vegan Pesto before Summertime begins.

I love the flavor of traditional pesto on pasta or as a pizza sauce, but after adopting a vegan diet in 2019, I began purchasing a store-bought vegan pesto. The store-bought vegan pesto was tasty and convenient, but I really wanted to come up with my own homemade recipe. So after a little trial and error, I discovered the Follow Your Heart brand of vegan parmesan. I simply replaced the dairy parmesan with the Follow Your Heart Parmesan in a basic pesto recipe, and I think the results turned out pretty good.

Let me know what you think in the comments, and have a very happy Summer.

Vegan Pesto

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup packed fresh basil, destemmed

1/2 cup pine nuts

2 Tbsp. Follow Your Heart Vegan Parmesan

3 cloves garlic

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. olive oil

Instructions:

1. Destem basil and place in food processor along with pine nuts, vegan parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, and salt.
2. With motor running, slowly add olive oil until mixed. Stop to scrape down sides of blender, if necessary. 
3. Serve immediately on pasta or pizza, or store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

A healthy basil plant from the grocery store.

Summer Days, and Kelp Salsa

It's so good to be back home in Alaska, surrounded by the beauty and peace of nature.

Last fall, when my husband and I closed up our home and went to Nevada for the winter, I froze my wild berries and sourdough starter.  Then when we returned this year, we had plenty of berries for breakfast smoothies and our favorite berry desserts, and sourdough starter for fresh bread.  I reactivate my frozen sourdough starter by feeding the thawed starter with a 1/2 cup of warm water, and 1 cup of flour.

Earlier this summer, our youngest son and his lovely girlfriend visited us for a week.  And even though we were all under coronavirus travel quarantine restrictions, we had a great time together, and it was such a treat to have them here!

One of the projects we all worked on together was harvesting kelp from our skiff, and canning kelp salsa.  Kelp Salsa is a unique summertime recipe, and a favorite of Southeast Alaska.  My recipe is adapted from the book; Common Edible Seaweeds in the Gulf of Alaska, by Dolly Garza.

Kelp Salsa

Makes about 13-14 pints

Ingredients:

8 cups bull kelp, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
9 ribs celery, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
15 cloves garlic, chopped
2/28oz. cans Diced Tomatoes
2/15oz. cans Tomato Sauce
6oz. can Tomato Paste
6oz. can Chopped Jalapenos
2 cups vinegar
6 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
5oz. btl. Habanero Pepper Sauce (optional)

Helpful Tools:

Canning Funnel

Jar Lifter

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients together in a large pot.
2. Bring to a boil, then simmer for one to two hours.
3. Spoon into half-pint or pint sterilized jars, leaving 1/2" headroom.
4. Screw on lids, and boil in hot water bath for 20 minutes.
5. Remove jars from hot water, and cool for 12-24 hours.
6. Check lids to make sure they are sealed.

Kitchen/Harvesting Note:  Avoid kelp with white splotches, they are past their prime; and do not collect floating kelp.

~~~

His house was perfect, whether you liked food, or sleep, or work, or story-telling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking, best, or a pleasant mixture of them all.
~ J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit

Sweet Potato Fries with Spicy Mayo Sauce

I love the flavors of sweet potato fries paired with a spicy mayo sauce, especially in autumn.  This sauce, and the fries taste especially good with barbecued king salmon.  Makes a great snack too.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Fries with Spicy Mayo Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Sweet Potato Fries

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into sticks

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Spicy Mayo Sauce

2 Tbsp. Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (or more - to taste)

1/2 cup mayonnaise or vegan Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, stir the sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, chili powder, and pepper to coat.
3. Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake in oven for about 20 minutes (depending on size of fries), turning over halfway through cooking time.  Fries are done when they are soft when pierced with a fork.
4. Allow fries to sit for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with more salt.
5. Mix the mayonnaise with the Sriracha, and serve in a separate bowl, with fries.

Pizza Sauce

Just like anything else, homemade tastes so much better than store bought.  This pizza sauce is simple to make, and tastes great on whole wheat pizza crust.
Enjoy!

Pizza Sauce

for 1 Pizza

Ingredients:

8 oz. tomato sauce

1 tsp. dry oregano spice
1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/8 tsp. pepper

Mix all ingredients together.

Spicy Hummus

Spicy Hummus is my all-time favorite vegan dip or veggie sandwich spread.  Blend in a little water to desired consistency and enjoy.

Spicy Hummus
Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans, drained

1 large garlic clove, chopped

3 rounded Tbsp. tahini paste (ground sesame paste)

Juice of 1 small lemon

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor, and blend into a thick spread.
2. Serve with crackers, veggies, or as a spread in a veggie sandwich.

Hot Peanut Sauce

When we lived in Juneau many years ago, The Fiddlehead was one of my favorite restaurants. This recipe is adapted from their popular (and my favorite) cookbook, The Fiddlehead Cookbook.
We enjoy this hot and spicy sauce mixed with whole wheat spaghetti pasta, but it can also be added to stir fried vegetables, chicken, or pork.

Hot Peanut Sauce
Makes 1 cup

Ingredients:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 Tbsp. soy sauce, or tamari
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
3-4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. green onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. Mongolian fire oil
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions:

1. With an electric mixer, whip together peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, green onions, hot oil, and cilantro, until creamy.
2. Stir sauce into cooked noodles, and serve.
3.  Or transfer to a small, covered container; and store for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Guacamole

This is a very simple recipe for guacamole. I used to make it with a half cup of sour cream so it would spread further, but nowadays I leave out the sour cream for a healthier version.
 But either way you make it, it's delicious, and simple to make.

Guacamole

Ingredients:

2 or 3 ripe Hass avocados

garlic powder, to taste
sea salt, to taste

splash of lime juice (about 1 tbsp.)

Instructions:

1. Cut avocados in half lengthwise and remove pits.
2. Scoop avocado into bowl, and mash.
3. Add garlic powder and sea salt to taste, while mixing together.  
4. Stir in a splash of lime juice to preserve its color.
5. Cover and chill, if not serving immediately.