Harvest Monday: October 13, 2014 (Happy Thanksgiving Canada!)

What better use for a fall harvest than for a Thanksgiving Day celebration!  Well, I think most of us have dinner on Sunday as it's most convenient for people who are traveling.  So yesterday, I used some of my recent harvest to make this pasta with sausage, pumpkin, sage and kale (the last two from my garden).

 I also harvested some parsley, thyme, rosemary and a wee little broccoli - the last I have of it.  Although it is too late to expect side shoots, I have left the broccoli in the garden in the hopes that the deer will nibble it rather than the cabbage planted right next to it.
 
And I managed to fit in a bit of cleanup work over the holiday weekend such as weeding the tomato garden.  I dug up some potatoes from a volunteer plant - I'm surprised I didn't dig up more as I thought I had a few volunteers in that garden.

And that's it.  Pop by Daphne's Dandelions for a view of what other folks are harvesting this weekend!

Pumpkin and Maple Granola

I had a terrible year for growing pumpkins ... 6 plants with not a single pumpkin to show for my efforts.  So I picked up a couple at a market just south of Manotick.  Two pie pumpkins, 4-5 pounds each, for only $3.50!  For both!   It's a great time to get out and about to roadside stands or even just a table at the end of someone's driveway. 

I made some pies a couple of weeks ago with one of them.  Not my best effort so I won't bother to post the recipe.  But I have lots of other pumpkin recipes that I've been planning.   Starting with this granola ...

Dry Ingredients:

4 cuts large flake oats
2 cups mixed nuts, chopped*
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp wheat germ

* I used a mix of cashews, almonds, pecans and pistachios



Wet ingredients:
2 egg whites, beaten (fluffy, not stiff)
1 Tbsp neutral oil (I used grapeseed)
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Beat the egg whites in a second large bowl then add remaining wet ingredients.  Whisk together.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir so that everything is well coated.

Spread into an even layer on a cookie sheet for 30-40 minutes at 300 degrees F.  Stir 2-3 times during cooking.

Allow to cool.  Add 1/2 cup unsalted, roasted pumpkin seeds and 1 cup dried cranberries.   Makes about 2 litres. This will last for months in the freezer (I freeze it in mason jars).

Harvest Monday: October 6, 2014

Super slow this week, but still hanging in with a few items.  Looking forward to seeing what others are harvesting around the globe this week ... check out Daphne's Dandelions for more details!

This parsley and broccoli were my only harvest.  Most of my time is spent preparing the gardens for next year.