Sweet & Spicy Eggplant-Pumpkin Spread

1. eggplant

2. onion

3. garlic

4. pumpkin

5. red pepper

5. tomato

6. currants 

roast 1-5. saute 6 & 7.

+ lemon juice, red wine vinegar, basil, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, honey or turbinado or agave nectar (optional)

throw everything in a food processor with olive oil to taste; add 1 tablespoon water at a time to desired consistency.

spread on anything, or just eat with your hands, it's that good

Autumnomia

Lasagna for the people.

1. pumpkin

2. onion

3. garlic

4. shiitake (or other) mushrooms

5. spinach (or arugula, if you self-identify as an elitist)

6. silken tofu

7. tomatoes (canned works fine, preferably whole) + sauce or paste

8. lasagna noodles

halve and seed 1, roast, also roast the seeds (season to taste, I recommend a little nutmeg here)

cook the noodles (unless you have those magical bake-only ones), rinse in cold water, coat in olive oil

separately, make a killer tomato sauce (basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme... recipe upon request)

separately, saute 2 until caramelized, add 3 and 4 (each sliced thin), then 5

combine 1 (roasted) and 6 in a food processor + salt and pepper to taste

layer: noodle - tofu/pumpkin mix - saute - seeds - sauce (repeat, ending with noodle and light sauce on top)

bake for a while

Magenta, Raw

a very versatile (and easily modified) slaw

1. red cabbage

2. beets (peeled)

3. carrots (also peeled)

4. onion (you guessed it)

5. garlic (yup, these too)

6. cilantro (chopped)

7. sliced almonds or sesame seeds

8. currants or dried cranberries

shred 1-5 in a food processor, add 6-8

+ miso paste, ginger, olive and/or sesame oil, lemon juice, rice wine or cider vinegar, tamari, honey (optional)

mix well; if possible, let sit at 115' for a few hours, refrigerate

raw serving suggestions: over sprouted grain (quinoa, spelt, etc), or over a bed of leafy greens

non-raw serving suggestions: mixed with cold asian noodles, over cornbread, on a sandwich

Avocado-Shiitake Puttanesca

1. garlic
2. shiitake mushroom
3. kalamata olive
4. capers
5. avocado
6. tomato
7. fresh basil or cilantro

saute 1 (sliced)-2 (also sliced), then add 3 (minced) and 4.
smash avocado with olive oil + lemon juice
coat penne, rigatoni, or ziti with avocado mix, add saute ingredients + basil/cilantro
garnish with diced tomato

Color, Counter-Raj

autumnal midwest meets vaguely south asian cuisine

1. spaghetti squash

2. kale

3. onion

4. garlic

5. red pepper

bake 1

blanch 2

saute 3-5

add 1 (strung out), then 2 (pressed dry) to saute 

+cumin

+ lemon juice

serve over basmati rice (cooked with bay leaves)

garnish with tomato chutney and roasted squash seed (seasoned with cumin + coriander)

Cuban Revolution

1. plantain (yellow to brown, sliced at a diagonal, <1/4 inch thick)

2. shallot

3. red pepper

4. chile pepper

5. garlic

6. black beans

7. corn

saute 1-5, until plantains begin to brown and shallot starts to caramelize

add 6, with some liquid, and 7

+ cumin, oregano

simmer for a while

serve with fresh bread or over rice

+hot sauce to taste