Where we are, in the temperate Mid-Atlantic region of the US, I’ve noticed that the long pants are coming back. Stacy pulled out boots and cardigans from the back of the closet. I almost put on a sweater the other morning. The hooks outside the preschool classroom are beginning to be populated by coats.
Yep, it looks like winter is coming.
But all is not lost! We do gain something in the autumn: cold weather recipes. You know what I’m talking about, right? All of a sudden everyone starts using winter squash, like butternut, acorn, and pumpkin. People pull out the slow cooker or the dutch oven and start braising their meats. Nuts and seeds get roasted, the grill goes away, and people return from the farm to the grocery store. The spices change from fresh herbs to ground seeds.
So in these autumn months I do like to reflect on seasonality. You know, the idea that you ought to eat local food in season. Generally, people don’t do that much of that in this modern era, what with broccoli and tomatoes on the shelf all year long. But those of us that like to focus on eating whole foods try as best we can. So, I’m going to share with you a few recipes that will help you ring in the cold months!
The classic food of winter, the bright orange squash known as the pumpkin. We love them in everything, but especially in desserts.
Behold! The world famous Pumpkin Puck and it’s autoimmune cousin the Banana Pumpkin Puck! These will make a perfect replacement for the pumpkin pie holiday staple. Our Cinnamon Ginger Frosting is a delicious addition for a Hallow’s Eve treat!
That frosting goes good sandwiched between two Snickerdoodle Cookies for a Whoopie Pie too!
But what if you want to preserve your pumpkin goodness for a later day? Then perhaps you ought to make some Pumpkin Butter! Pumpkin butter is a delicious treat that we put on lots of foods, but especially pancakes.
Speaking of which, how about some Pumpkin Bacon Pancakes?
We invented a special drink one year that we loved and drank until we got sick of it. Why not catch the Pumpkin Cider Latte fever yourself this year?
And finally, one of our greatest accomplishments? Recreating creamy Pumpkin Bread Pudding with a little help from Elana!
What about those other staples of winter time? Butternut squash, acorn squash and Brussels sprouts are a delicious addition to your menu!
For butternut squash, why not try our Butternut Squash Puree for breakfast? It’s a great way to start your morning with some delicious vegetables.
Acorn squash is a veggie I’ve only recently started experimenting with. I like to make soup out of it or simply roast it. But why not try this recipe from Health-Bent for Roasted Balsamic Acorn Squash?
As for Stacy’s favorite, the humble Brussels sprout, you must simply roast them, like we describe in Eat Like a Dinosaur. Or for an alternative, why not cook them with bacon?
As for your proteins, the best cold weather trick is to put a cheap cut of meat in the crockpot or the Dutch oven and keep it in there until it melts. We rarely use our crockpot, but for those of you that do there’s even a new book, Paleo Slow Cooking by Chrissy Gower, on this subject!
But we’ve also done a few like this as well. If you like oven roasting, like us, why not try our Caramelized Broth Brisket with Beef Jam recipe? It’s delicious and makes a nice onion jam to spread on top!
Next, pull out your canned tomato sauce and cook an Eye of Round for a super simply meal!
How about some pork? Our Pork Roast crisps on the outside, slices nicely, and will warm you up on a cold evening.
For a breakfast protein and healing bone broth, our Egg Drop Soup is a kid favorite.
Finally, how about the classic comfort dish, the cottage pie, which we reinvented as the Organ Meat Pie? Chris Kresser and Cave Girl Eats would be so proud!
And the last thing we ought to consider is how to plan that big sugar-laden holiday you’re probably fretting this month. You know the very non-paleo holidays of which we speak?
For Halloween, we talked about planning a candy-free night and did a round up of Halloween recipes.
For Thanksgiving, we’ve shared our menu plan and recapped how it went.
And for Christmas, why not check out what we did last year?
I know you might be scared Winter is Coming. But, the good news is… winter squash and braised meats are a whole lot easier to tackle than the walking dead and Lannister family.
