It’s three weeks from the Autumnal Equinox, but Fall is most definitely in the air. (Let’s be honest, it starts in August in Norway). Something about Fall feels different this year, though. I think it’s the excessive amount of rain we’ve had for two months. Red warnings on the map, flooding, mud slides - it’s been a lot of rain.

This newsletter is inspired by my love of seasons and especially, the beautiful exhale of one season shifting to the next. It’s a subject that I love - nature being my muse. Yet, I’d like to take off my rose-tinted glasses as I write about cozy fall traditions and acknowledge the environmental cost of business as usual on people and the planet. My hope is that these seasonal posts inspire ways to slow down, reuse & reduce, and give careful consideration towards where to spend our money. So grab a cup of tea, and cozy on up gentle reader.

in the kitchen

MOM’S APPLESAUCE CAKE

Fall means apples and all signs point to a bumper crop this year. I’d like to share one of my Mom’s favorite recipes. One that she’d make often growing up - applesauce cake. This is a sweet and delicately spiced cake to be enjoyed with a cup of tea or shared with a neighbor. Mom would use homemade applesauce from local apples from the Charlevoix Apple Fest, because that woman understood that supporting local farmers tastes sweeter. But, this recipe would also taste lovely by switching out the applesauce simply for apples, zucchini, or basically anything that Bear Creek Organic Farm market sells. Because creativity is a form of resistance, after all.

1/2 to 3/4 c. sugar (or sugar substitute) 1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 c. butter or coconut oil 1/2 tsp. cloves

1 c. applesauce or apples 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 1/2 c. flour 1 c. raisins (optional)

1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Cream the butter & sugar.

2. Mix the flour & baking soda and add to the creamed butter-sugar mixture, making sure not to overmix.

3. Add the remaining ingredients.

4. Put in a greased 8-inch pan & bake for 45 minutes at 350° F. Serve with whipped cream lightly sweetened with maple syrup. (My fav. maple syrup sources: American Spoon, Vermont Maple Syrup, & Harwood Gold - Grade B all the way, thank you former life living in Vermont)

PUMPKINS!

This next bit in particular is for the lovely Norwegians who are reading. Each year Halloween seems to be getting bigger and bigger here and as an American I wanted to share the things we love most about Halloween: Traditions! The food, the family-crafting, and the homemade costume-creativity is what we love and remember from childhood. Let’s focus on pumpkin carving and specifically, what to do with all of the stuff inside of the pumpkin. If you’ve ever thought that is a lot of mess and feels wasteful to throw away- we’ve got you covered.

1. What to do with the stringy, gooey guts (minus the seeds):

   • Add to veggie soup stock for added flavor + vitamins A & C (strain before using)

   • Puree and use in baking breads, muffins, and oatmeal

   • Make pumpkin juice (boil water and pour over the guts, mash with a fork, strain, and add to smoothies)

   • Make a body scrub (blend the guts with sugar & honey or used coffee grounds & honey)

   • Make pumpkin protein snacks

   • Make healthy pumpkin dog treats

2. What to do with the seeds:

   • Roast them! (remove and wash the seeds in a colander, boil in salted water for 10 minutes, then toss in coconut oil and roast on a sheet pan until browned or crispy at 200° C) Try adding different spices to jazz them up. (cumin-garlic-salt-pepper) (parmesan-garlic-salt ) (chili-paprika-salt-pepper) (cinnamon-honey-cardamon)

inside

an earthy palette + landscapes inspired by movement

Getting Outside

Foraging!

A great excuse to pack a bag with your thermos of coffee, a few pumpkin muffins and head in to the woods. Find out what’s available for the picking in your area, including urban areas: Falling Fruit.org