Issue 77: Flavorful Fall Favorites

Roasted Pumpkin and Fall Vegetables
Yield:  Approximately 6 servings

Ingredients
One 3 lb. sugar pie pumpkin 
1 tablespoon each olive oil and melted butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 large carrots, sliced
4 small red potatoes, halved and sliced
1 apple, halved, cored and cut in 12 slices
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped, or 1/4 tsp dried
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

Directions
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. and have a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch pan ready. Cut top of pumpkin about 2 inches below stem and scrape out seeds and pulp with a spoon. Mix oil and butter in a small cup and lightly brush some inside pumpkin, then sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the sea salt. Place cut side down at one side of the pan and pile carrots, potatoes, apple, onion and garlic at other end of pan—and drizzle with remaining oil mixture, then sprinkle with the remaining salt, the thyme and pepper. Toss to coat, then spread out.

Roast 30 minutes, turning vegetables over once.  Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F., turn pumpkin over and continue roasting 15 minutes--turning vegetables once more, until vegetables and pumpkin are tender. Fill pumpkin with vegetables and cut in wedges to serve.

Kale and Yams
Yield:  Approximately 4 servings

Ingredients
1 large bunch kale, 4 cups chopped, pressed firm
4 cups Garnet yam, rinsed well, chopped
2 cups red cabbage, chopped
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ cups onion, chopped
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sea salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon hot red pepper, minced
¼ teaspoon curry powder

Directions
Rinse and drain kale well. Steam kale and yams. (Kale should still be colorful and yams should still have some firmness.) While kale and yams are steaming, place oil in a large sauté pan and heat on medium high. Add red cabbage, onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder, and hot red pepper, cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently and adding small amounts of water if necessary to prevent sticking. Season with sea salt and soy sauce.

Place these cooked ingredients in a large mixing bowl; add kale and yams and gently mix well.  Serve.

Cranberry Ambrosia     
Yield: 2 ½ cups

Ingredients
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
Slightly less than ¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
5 medium oranges, peeled and cut into small sections

Directions
Combine cranberries, honey and ginger in a small saucepan. Cover and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional three minutes, or until cranberry skins pop, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in orange rind. Cool 15 minutes. Stir in orange sections. Chill 8 hours.

Source:  Nicki Rubin