Not on my (pumpkin) patch

Halloween this week and all things spooky, scary and sinister will creep onto the streets for trick or treating. It's an occasion for dressing up and having fun. The garden and house can be decked with spiders and cobwebs, witches and cauldrons, monsters and bats.

Pumpkins can be found in greengrocers and supermarkets, gardens and pumpkins fields. They are reasonably cheap and can be carved and displayed with a tea light inside to ward off bad spirits.

The best thing about pumpkins is actually the flesh and the seeds. It can be used in various recipes but my favourite at this time of year is soup.

- Chop the pumpkin into chunks, drizzle with oil and roast in the oven with onion, garlic and chilli

- Place in the liquidiser with vegetable stock and blitz

- Serve the soup with a soupçon of:-

- cream

- coconut milk

- olive oil

- toasted pumpkin seeds 

- fried sage leaves 

- dried chilli flakes

- nutmeg

- croutons

Pimp up your pumpkin!

Baby steps

I've touched upon it before. The fact that livestock production uses a third of the world's fresh water and that their emissions produce greenhouse gases. That, along with providing animal food, the land used to raise them and the transportation issues. Every time I read an article with these statistics it just blows my mind. Why? Why are we doing this to our planet? 

As vegetarians we probably do our "bit" but a bit could be bettered. Sustainability is the buzz word at the moment and we must all take responsibility for our actions to ensure the health of our environment.

Eating a plant-based diet which includes vegetables, fruit, nuts and legumes is one answer. Sourcing these things locally, seasonally and sustainably is another. We also need to be mindful; eating smaller portions, shopping only for what we can use and avoiding food waste.

It isn't easy. I eat bananas but there is no way I can grow them or buy from local producers. I can buy Fairtrade and only buy what I can use. Small actions which can make a difference if we all do something. 

Recently I was encouraged to go back to having milk delivered. True, it is more expensive than the supermarket but at least I know it is produced locally so I am supporting local dairy farmers and not having it transported across the country. Also it is four days fresher than supermarket milk and it actually does taste nicer.

So let's jump on the sustainability trend and milk it for all it's worth!

Not mushroom for improvement

I've now become addicted to looking up the food significance of days in the calendar. Today, in the USA, it is National Mushroom Day. Mushrooms tend to have the Marmite effect, ie you love-em or hate-em. I am in the first group 'tho' don't like what I call funny mushrooms! Give me a button, chestnut or portobello but I'll pass on the rest. 

Many people find them a good replacement for meat because of the sheet meatiness of them. They are certainly filling and satisfying but I find some too slippery and slimy.

They are a good source of Protein, Vitamin D and Potassium.

I like them in omelettes, risottos, soup and cooked parmigiana style. 

However, you can't beat the simplicity of mushrooms on toast. My favourite method is to sauté them in butter, garlic and thyme, season with pepper and serve on toasted soda bread, topped with a poached egg. Divine.

Just got to hope you have a fun-guy joining you for brunch!

Celebration

Yes, today I have cause for celebration as my Blog has reached Ten Thousand reads! I am not on Facebook, Instagram or any other social media so somehow my little blog has grown all by itself. I love writing it each week and am very proud. Thanks to all of you, whoever and wherever you are.

Coincidentally it is also National Cake Week (2nd - 8th October) so, as if I needed an excuse, I have baked a cake. Embracing the fruits of Autumn I made Mary Berry's very best apple dessert cake. I forgot to add my 10,000 candles but they would have toasted the flaked almonds a tad too much anyway.

The cake was delicious but if that doesn't give you a sweet enough hit, it is National (USA) Fluffernutter Day (see Blog 27/8/17).

Super Sunday

You may have missed it but today has been World Vegetarian Day and October is Vegetarian Awareness Month. The idea is to get five people in your life to take the Veg Pledge and give up meat and fish during October (and hopefully they'll never look back).

I kickstarted my day with brunch; sharing avocado on toast and home made 5 beans on toast in a cafe (Cake Stories) in Jesmond, Newcastle. Nutritious and delicious.

In America it is National Pumpkin Spice Day as well so I just had to have a Pumpkin Spice Latte and slice of Pumpkin cake.

It's been a win-win day. Embracing Autumn in all its glory.