Give Your Home A Fall Makeover

CHARMING OR ALARMING?

by Soha Darwish

Blogger, Food Writer & Menu Consultant, Member of UK Guild of Food Writers Diploma in Food Journalism - London, UK

It’s difficult to rave about autumn’s colours and beauty while many of us have mixed feelings about this peculiar season, the official end of summer and return to school/work season - nothing to celebrate or be thrilled about in this perspective. This reality somehow overshadows the beauty that lies within the picturesque colour scheme that leaves us in awe every year. Ranging from fiery orange, mustardy yellow to woody brown. It’s like you’re at a crossroads, either you focus on the sad fact that these lovely plants’ life has come to an end, or think of how their life ended gracefully marking the beginning of re-growth for new vibrant shoots and leaves. It is all in the mind-set, the most powerful element in our life. Choose life over death, challenge over fear; inner peace over anxiety. Celebrate autumn with its glory and powerful message - nothing stays forever, enjoy the moment and seek beauty.

So, what is autumn food and its key ingredients? Typically, it includes root vegetables in general, whole grains, legumes in addition to artichokes, pumpkin, and squashes. I will try here to use as many of these ingredients as I can, turning them to wholesome delicious dishes with autumn classic colours - that will boost our comfort levels and love us back!

Artichoke, Peas & Mushroom Orzo Salad

SERVES 4 A 100% original salad packed with autumn ingredients, it has everything exciting about a good salad: freshness, zingy-ness and an incredible load of nutrients. Just thinking about it makes my taste buds sing -I will proudly add it to my beloved salad collection.

SHOPPING BASKET: 1 ½ cup orzo pasta, cooked – 4 artichokes – 1 cup frozen peas – 5 mushrooms, sliced – rocket leaves- pine nuts - 2 handfuls fresh dill, chopped.

DRESSING: ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil – Juice of 1 lemon – ½ tsp Dijon mustard – ½ garlic clove, minced - salt & pepper.

STEPS: 1. Cut the artichokes into thin wedges, then boil for few minutes until cooked. Strain and rub with lemon and set aside. 2. In a bowl of boiling water, add the frozen peas for 3 mins until soft, then strain and set aside. 3. Boil the orzo pasta in salted water as per pack instructions, then strain and set aside. 4. Sauté the mushroom slices in a bit of olive oil or grill them then slice. 5. In a large salad bowl, mix all ingredients together then drizzle the dressing. Enjoy with grilled meat or fish – Tuck in!

A fiery and delicious super bowl packed with autumn’s goodness. I chose to have it here with quinoa, but you can serve it with rice or noodles. Also, you can go for a vegan version, or have it with chicken or beef.

SHOPPING BASKET: 3 tbsp Red Thai Curry paste - 2 tbsp veg. oil - 1 can coconut milk - 500g prawns - 200g mushrooms - 1 large courgette - a medium wedge of butternut squash - 3 handfuls of kale - 1 small onion, chopped – 1 handful coriander - 1 chunk of fresh ginger - 1 tsp garlic, minced - Soya sauce - salt & pepper.

STEPS: 1. Peel the prawns and devein, keep the heads and shells aside. 2. Using a vegetable peeler, turn the courgette and squash into flat noodles (zoodles). 3. Cut mushrooms into quarters. 4. In a deep casserole, heat the oil and add the curry paste, stir for 30 secs then add chopped onions & garlic. 5. Sauté onions until translucent, then add the prawns’ heads and shells. Cover with water and simmer for 10 mins. 6. Remove shells and heads, then stir in coconut milk and simmer for 2 mins. 7. Add in the mushrooms, kale, and thin ginger sticks. Simmer for another 5 mins. Add 2 dashes of Soya sauce. 8. Lower the heat and stir in the peeled prawns. 9. When prawns turn pink, stir in the vegetable zoodles and a handful of fresh coriander leaves. Turn off the heat. Serve with cooked quinoa.

SERVES 2

Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Red Thai Prawns Curry with Squash & Kale

SERVES 8

I just couldn’t pass on the king of autumn ingredients - Pumpkin. I shared a lot of pumpkin recipes before in soups and salads. This time I wanted to see it in a refreshing yet soothing dessert. Weather can still be warm around this time of the year, and a Nigella Lawson inspired pumpkin cheesecake is just perfect and thrilling! SHOPPING BASKET: ½ pack of Digestive biscuit – ½ cup melted butter – ½ tsp cinnamon – 500g pumpkin puree (readymade or roasted in the oven then pureed) – 2 large packs (300g) cream cheese – 1 cup sugar – 4 eggs – 1 cup heavy cream, whipped – juice of ½ a lemon.

STEPS: 1. Start with the base, blitz the Digestive biscuits together with the cinnamon in the food processor until sandy texture. Mix with melted butter, then spread evenly into the bottom of a springform tin pan. Leave in the fridge until you make the filling. 2. In a blender, mix the rest of the ingredients altogether until smooth consistency. 3. Wrap the outside of baking dish with cling film several times, then with strong foil as a last layer to seal the edges and bottom. 4. Pour the filling in the springform tin over the chilled biscuit base, then place in a deep roasting pan filled halfway with water – creating a ‘Bain Marie’. 5. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 for almost 2 hours maybe less until filling is set with only a small wobble. Take the springform out of the ‘Bain Marie’, remove the foil and leave to cool down before leaving it in the fridge overnight. 6. Serve the next day, you can decorate with cream florets or nothing at all - the colour is just glorious on its own!