Pumpkin and Black Bean Chili

INGREDIENTS

1 medium pumpkin (can substitute other orange-fleshed squashes, like butternut), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

3 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

3/4 cup olive oil

2 bell peppers, chopped into 2-inch pieces

1 large onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups broth

2 10-ounce cans diced tomatoes, with liquid

2 16-ounce cans black beans, drained
2 jalapeño peppers, minced

2 cups corn, fresh or frozen

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cumin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Balsamic vinegar, to taste

Chopped green onions, to serve

Shredded cheddar cheese, to serve

Sour cream, to serve

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, sautéing until fragrant, about three minutes. Add garlic, pumpkin,  and carrot. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes.

Add the broth, diced tomatoes, bell pepper, beans, corn, and jalapeños, then stir in the chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, and lemon juice. Bring the mixture up to a simmer, then reduce the heat, cover, and cook for at least 1 hour, or until the pumpkin and carrot are tender. The longer it cooks, the more the flavours blend, so give it time if you can. 

Before serving, taste and season with salt and pepper and a dash of balsamic vinegar. Serve hot with chopped green onions, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream.

Gluten-Free Apple Dutch Pancake

Adapted from Serious Eats

INGREDIENTS

Note: If you don't have oat or brown rice flour, you can sub in a different combination of your favourite gluten-free flours. The total flour amount should equal 2/3 cup, but some gluten-free flour combinations absorb more liquid than others. If you use a different flour, start with the recommended four tablespoons of milk when you're making the batter and ff the batter seems thick, add more milk, one tablespoon at a time. Batter should be thin. If you're not gluten-free, feel free to make this with wheat flour!

For the batter:
1/3 cup gluten-free oat flour
1/3 cup gluten-free brown rice flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
4 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the filling:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter
1 large green apple, peeled, cored, and sliced

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 °F. In a medium bowl, whisk together oat flour, brown rice flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a separate small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. The batter should be thin. Let batter stand for ten minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and set aside. Melt butter in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle sugar mixture over melted butter, stirring with a wooden spoon to combine. Cook until sugar begins to melt, then reduce the heat to medium-low and carefully place apple slices in a circular pattern in the pan. Cook until sugar mixture begins to bubble up around apple slices, about three minutes. Turn off heat.

Slowly pour batter evenly into the pan and transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Bake until pancake puffs and is golden brown, about fifteen minutes.

Slice pancake into wedges and serve warm as the perfect fall breakfast or dessert.

Warm White Bean Salad with Wilted Onions

Serves Eight

INGREDIENTS

6 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions, finely sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 410g (14oz) tins of cannellini beans
generous squeeze of lemon
1 tbsp parsley, very finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying-pan over medium-high heat and add onion. Sauté until onion is soft but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the beans and 2 more tablespoons of the oil. Add salt and pepper and let the beans heat through. Add lemon and the parsley. Taste to adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining tablespoon of oil.

Harvest Cake

Adapted from Roost

INGREDIENTS

3 cups almond flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup apple butter or applesauce
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup chopped apple

DIRECTIONS

This harvest-flavoured hearty cake is gluten-free and sugar-free and still total delicious!

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9inch cake pan.

In a bowl combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients. Pour wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir to incorporate. Pour into prepared cake pan and cook in oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Serve with whipped cream and apple butter or topping of your choice.