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| Autumn in Valdez |
Autumn is a tumultuous and unpredictable season on Alaska’s coast. October started out inauspiciously this year with drenching rain that brought down most of our fall leaves. I wore a trench coat, umbrella, and rain boots every day that week. When the rain let up during the second week of the month, cottonwoods across town and willow thickets covering the mountain slopes were bare. But, the dissolving clouds revealed a blue sky and shimmery white rim of snow on the ridges. In the mornings, I ran under a bright moon with planets and stars hanging over the mountains as the eastern horizon glowed yellow-orange. It was dark enough to need a headlamp and cold enough to need a headband and gloves, but warm enough to get by with summer weight tights and a light jacket. I was like a steam engine, puffing along down the street. The scent of jelly donuts baking at Safeway filled the chill air. Cottonwood leaves rasped when stirred.
The turn of seasons makes me hungry for comfort food – creamy, chewy, warm – and during the first half of October I put together this list to share. All of these are easy to prepare, healthful, colorful, and delicious. I hope you find comfort in them.
Hearty Red Cabbage Salad (with farro, feta, and pumpkin seeds)
This salad packs well for lunch, even when made the night before, and is suitable for a light dinner. The following quantities are intended for a single serving.
Dressing (store in a separate container is packing for lunch):
1 T capers
1 T balsamic vinegar
2 T jarred roasted red bell pepper - chopped
French tarragon (dried leaves)
Salt
Salad:
3-4 fresh basil leaves - torn
Fresh fennel sprigs - chopped
½ cup cooked and chilled farro
2 cups red cabbage - chopped
½ zucchini – chopped
¼ c crumbled feta
¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
Light Red Cabbage Salad (with fried tofu and sesame-orange dressing)
Toss this salad together for a light standalone lunch or serve with broiled salmon. This is intended to be a single serving.
2 slices extra firm non-silken tofu
1 T cornstarch
2 t sesame oil
1 cup butter lettuce, torn
1 cup red cabbage - chopped
1 T Sunflower seeds
Dressing: Shake together 1 t sesame oil, 1 t orange juice and 1 t soy sauce
Prepare the tofu by draining, slicing, then pressing between paper towels until quite dry. Heat the oil in a very hot skillet. Meanwhile, gently toss the tofu in cornstarch. When the oil is sizzling, lay tofu in single layer in the oil and fry until brown and crispy. Remove and drain.
Prepare the salad by tossing together lettuce, cabbage, sunflower seeds and dressing. Top with tofu.
Braised Fennel & Potatoes
This recipe is from Huffington Post and is a delicious, creamy healthful lunch or dinner. Serve with sweet juicy slices of navel orange. I substituted 2% milk for the half and half and reduced the quantities to 1/3 of ingredients shown to make one serving.
Pear-Apple Cranberry Compote with Polenta
The combination of warm creamy polenta and sweet tart fruit compote is quintessential fall comfort food. Serve for breakfast or brunch. This makes one serving.
1 ripe pear – peeled, cored, and cubed
1 apple – peeled, cored, and cubed
2 T raisins
1/3 cup dry polenta (such as Bob’s Red Mill)
1 cup liquid (remaining liquid from cooking compote + enough water to equal 1 cup)
Maple or brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg to taste
First, prepare the compote. In a small pan combine the pear, apple, raisins, sugar and spices with a small amount of water – start with 1 T and add more if the fruit begins to stick to the bottom. Cook over medium heat until very soft and saucy. Pour compote into your serving bowl, reserving liquid in the pan. Let cool while you prepare the polenta.
Add enough water to the reserved cooking liquid to make 1 cup. Add polenta and cook over medium low heat until creamy. Add more water if needed to achieve your desired consistency. Scoop into the serving bowl and enjoy alongside the compote.
Spaghetti Squash with Gorgonzola and Date
Spaghetti squash forms a wonderful soft yet substantial base for many toppings. This combination is a delightful sweet-savory meal that packs a mild bite from the Gorgonzola. Pre-cook the squash to make preparation very fast. This is a single serving. Try enjoying with a cup of hot natural apple cider!
1 t olive oil
½ large shallot – thinly sliced
2 cups pre-cooked spaghetti squash
¼ cup crumbled gorgonzola
1 date – chopped finely
Sea salt & pepper
Heat the olive oil in a small cast iron skillet over medium heat. When hot, toss in shallot slices and saute until translucent and brown. In the meantime, toss together squash threads, Gorgonzola and chopped date. Heat squash mixture in microwave oven until warm and cheese is melted. Add shallots. Mix gently but well with sea salt and pepper.
Warm Mushroom & Egg Bowl
Start the morning with a tangy and satisfying bowl of healthy ingredients.
1 large egg – boiled and peeled
3.5 oz portabella mushroom slices (approximately 1 cap)
1 – 2 T cooking wine
¼ - ½ cup sliced onion (to taste)
Medium avocado – chopped
1 T stone ground mustard
1 T Greek yogurt
Sea salt & pepper
Heat a dry cast iron skillet until very hot. Lay mushrooms in a single layer on the hot surface and cook until browned Рabout 4 minutes. Turn once to brown the reverse side. Add cooking wine Рit will evaporate and absorb into the mushrooms immediately. Chop and set aside. Add a smidge of oil, turn down the heat, and saut̩ onions until brown and sweet.
Chop egg and avocado and toss with mushrooms. Combine yogurt, mustard, salt and pepper into a dressing and then toss the entire bowl to mix well.
Lentil Soup
The quantities of ingredients shown below make plenty of soup to store and freeze for future meals. Serve with vegan gluten free Banana Almond-Flour Muffins at Recipe.
4 T olive oil
20 oz pre-cut butternut squash
4 cups chopped carrots
1 large onion
1 ½ cup dry red lentils, rinsed
8 c water
1 t veggie bullion
2 T chili powder
1 T spanish paprika
1 t cumin
½ t mace
Salt
Chard - optional
Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add onions and cook until soft. Add spices and bullion. Mix and cook for about 1 minute. Add remaining vegetables and cook for another minute or two. Add water and lentils. Bring to boil and then reduce heat and cook for 25 – 30 minutes until all ingredients are soft. Cool and then process in a blender until smooth. Add chard when reheating is you wish!