Autumn Cooking - Late Mabon Feast

I am back from my honeymoon in Maine. My wife and I had a wonderful time, and enjoyed our stay in one of my favorite places on earth... but now we are back and getting back into reality.
Anyway, Mabon came and went while we were on our honeymoon, and I didn't really do much to celebrate the day, so I vowed to celebrate when I came home and that is what I did today.

While we were on our honeymoon, my wife and I went Apple Picking, and we brought home a bag of apples to enjoy... I have been eating several apples a day... (They are sooooo goood!!!!)
Anyway, I woke up this morning with the urge to bake something with some of the apples, so I decided to surprise my wife with freshly baked Apple Crisp for breakfast!

Apple Crisp (Gluten Free, Vegan, Refined Sugar Free)

Filling:

• 6 Medium Apples (cored and sliced) (I used McIntosh because those are my favorite)
• 2 Tsp Lemon Juice
• 2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 Tsp Nutmeg
• 1/4 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 5 Tsp Pure Maple Syrup

1. Preheat Oven to 375 Degrees F.
2. Spray a Square Baking dish with Non-stick Cooking Spray.
3. Toss apples with lemon juice and place into baking dish.
4. Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and maple syrup over the apples and stir to coat well.

 Topping:

• 1/2 Cup Gluten Free Oats (I used Bob's Red Mill)
• 1/2 Cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
• 2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 Tsp Nutmeg
• 1/4 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 5 Tsp Pure Maple Syrup
• 1 Packet Stevia
• 1 Tbsp Vegan Butter Spread (I used Smart Balance. You can use semi solid Coconut Oil i f you prefer)

1. In a medium bowl mix the flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and stevia.
2. Drizzle in the maple syrup and stir well to combine.
3. Cut in the butter spread one tsp at a time until it becomes a crumbly topping.
4. Sprinkle topping over the apples and bake for 30-40 minutes.
5. Serve warm.

YUM! It was delicious.

While the apple crisp was baking I prepared a whole chicken and put it in the crock pot to roast. I added cracked pepper, pink salt, and garlic, and set the crock pot for 7 hours. MMM, by this tine the house was smelling like Fall with the Cinnamon Apples and the Garlic Chicken... YUM YUM YUM.

Later in the day I went grocery shopping and picked up a Sugar Pumpkin, and with the help of my wife we chopped it up and peeled the skin, and I popped the cubed pumpkin in the oven with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

While the pumpkin was roasting I sorted through the guts and put the seeds aside to roast (My wife has been begging me to make pumpkin seeds lately, so I was going to surprise her with them when she got home from work.)

When the pumpkin was done we enjoyed a delicious dinner of Roast Chicken and Pumpkin, as well as Green Beans (I was going to roast Brussels Sprouts, but I didn't have enough time). And Apple Crisp for dessert.











I placed the chicken carcass back into the crock pot with the leftover meat and juices, and I added 5 cups of water, celery, carrots, bay leaf, and some herbs, and I am cooking that on low overnight to make chicken stock (later to become chicken/vegetable soup).


While my wife was at work I tossed the pumpkin seeds with some cooking spray and some salt, and I roasted them at 400 Degrees until they were brown and crispy. YUM!

Then, while I was trying to figure out what to bring for my work lunch tomorrow, I decided to make Pumpkin Soup with some of the leftover roasted pumpkin. I tossed 2 cups of pumpkin into the blender with some of the chicken stock and some unsweetened almond milk, and I also added minced garlic, cracked pepper, pink salt, onion powder, celery salt, and celery flakes. I blended it until smooth and creamy and now I have a delicious soup to enjoy at work tomorrow along with some crispy pumpkin seeds and a fresh apple.

What a glorious day. I hope you all had a wonderful Mabon, and I hope my cooking has given you all some ideas for delicious Fall meals.
Blessed Be!

My little helper 'Sage' loves being in the kitchen with me when I cook. No matter where he is in the house, once I start cooking he comes and lays on the floor behind me. He likes to follow me around the house when I clean too. :)