Cinnamon, dried ginger, dried nutmeg, allspice berries and ground cloves for Pumpkin Spice Mix

The next few several weeks are going to be all about pumpkins and squash varieties, as we gather the rest of the harvest and march through Hallowe’en, All Saints Day, Thanksgiving Day in America (the Canadians have already celebrated!), and all the pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin bread that is enjoyed as part of the festivities or in spite of them.

Here in Finland, there’s no Pumpkin Spice Mix to be found on the shelves, so I made my own.  It’s as simple as mixing up a few spices in a jar, adding a label so you know what it is, and then your off and ready to start all those Fall baking projects you’ve been waiting for.  The only thing to take note of here is that all of your spices should be as fresh as possible.  You can grind them yourself, as I do with nutmeg and dried ginger, or buy the fresh from a trusted source.  Either way, your only a few minutes away from a jar of the spice whose scent epitomizes this season.

Pumpkin Spice Mix

1/3 cup ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1.5 teaspoons ground cloves
1.5 teaspoons ground all spice.

Pour all the spices into a jar, cover with a tight lid, and shake to combine.

Makes just over 1/3 cup or 1 dl.

Celeriac, Cabbage & Carrot Coleslaw

It seems I can’t get enough of cabbage-based salads these days.  I’ve been moving into the realm of coleslaw – that humble, almost homely looking salad with an addicting tangy flavor and a satisfying crunch – a salad that seems to pair well with a variety of main course options from pulled pork to roast chicken to barbecue ribs or hamburgers.  Or you can skip the meat all together and add  toasted nuts to make a light main course.  Or pile it onto your soft tacos for an extra zing and crunch.

I always use cabbage when I make coleslaw, and usually carrot, and then I sling in a few other items that happen to be in the fridge to add an extra flavor profile.  Sometimes I grate apple or pear – both which offer a delicious sweetness.  This time, though, I grated up a quarter of a huge celeriac root to add to the mix.

Giant Celeriac

While the texture of this salad comes from the vegetables, the dressing is what will make or break a good coleslaw.  The dressing can be made creamy with the addition of mayonnaise or a thick, plain yogurt; I prefer yogurt because, well, I just don’t like the flavor of mayonnaise very much and yogurt adds and extra tang that I love.  Or, you can leave out the creaminess altogether and pull the flavors of the vegetables together with a vinaigrette, which is what I’ve done here.  

As we move into late Fall, leaving the fresh, soft salad greens behind, we are left with a variety of winter cabbages and root vegetables.  Cabbages come in such a huge variety of options, and since I look to cook with what is is season, I am looking forward to working through and experimenting with as many as I can.  I had my week of Savoy cabbage, and now am finishing of the last of the white cabbage with this salad.  Next I can move on to Brussel Sprouts, Caraflex (suppilokaali), a little more Kale, some Napa Cabbage (Kiinankaali) or Bok Choy for some Asian soups and stir fries, red cabbage for that glorious color, and pair it with any variety of cauliflower and root vegetables.

Change up the flavor by adding different herbs and by using different vinegars.  Add yogurt, or not.  Use mustard, or leave it out.  Add garlic or sriracha or ground cayenne pepper for a welcome kick.

Oh yes, this is good stuff right here. Make it your own, or start with this one.

Both smooth and crunchy, this coleslaw is easy to eat

Celeriac, Cabbage & Carrot Coleslaw

1.  In a medium bowl combine:
1/4 celeriac (celery root; juuriselleri)
2 cups / 5 dl shredded white cabbage
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
3 green / spring onions (kevätsipuli)

2.  In a small jar with a lid, combine together and whisk well:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon liquid honey
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

3.  Pour the dressing over the salad greens and mix with your hands so all of the vegetables are well coated.  Allow the salad to marinate for 20-30 minutes before serving

Optional but highly recommended:  sprinkle toasted walnuts over the top.

Serves 4 as side dish or 2 as a main course

Carrot & Goat Cheese Soup

Is there anything better than a big, warm bowl of soup on a cold Fall day?  Not in my book, especially if the soup calls for just 7 easy ingredients and can be made in about 20 minutes.  And that’s if you chop it.  For the absolute fastest cooking time, grate the ingredients before adding them to the pot and they’ll cook in a flash.  If you’d rather chop them to a rough dice, that’s fine too; the cooking time will be slightly longer.   Use soft goat cheese for this recipe.  It’ll melt into the carrot and potato and make for a really smooth, creamy texture.  The potato thickens the soup and adds substance.

Go on, get outside!

I love that this meal comes together so quickly.  Even on the busiest, craziest of days, you can still get this one going as soon as you get in the front door, and let it simmer while you get a few other things done, and then sit down for a satisfying, warm, flavorful meal.  Or, pack it into a thermos, grab a few slices of bread, and bring it on one last hike in the beautiful Autumn woods.

Carrot & Goat Cheese Soup

3 tablespoons oil
1 yellow onion, diced
4-5 large carrots, peeled & grated
1 medium potato, peeled & grated
4 cups / 1 liter water (to make this faster, add hot or boiling water; otherwise cold is fine)
1 teaspoon salt; more to taste if needed
1 – 200 g container of soft goat cheese
chives, optional

In a medium-sized heavy bottom pot, heat the oil and then add the diced onion.  Cook until the onion is soft and translucent; about 5 minutes.  While the onion cooks, bring 4 cups/1 liter of water to a boil.

Add the carrots, potato and water to the pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and allow to cook until the vegetables are soft: 10 – 15 minutes depending on how you cut them.  Turn off the heat and, using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth (alternatively you can pour the hot soup into a blender or food processor and blend it there).  Add the goat cheese and salt and stir until the goat cheese has melted and is fully incorporated into the soup.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Garnish with chives, if desired.  Serve with bread and maybe a small side salad.

Serves 4.