‘Tis the season for the annual, “What does a locavore eat in the winter?” post. Quite a long list of things, actually.
We have our root cellared veggies: squash, sweet potatoes, and potatoes. Then we have our canned tomatoes and tomato sauces, along with a small quantity of canned green beans. Frozen garden goods include carrots, summer squash, eggplant, sweet (and hot!) peppers, beets, Swiss chard, kale, and sun dried tomatoes. Oh, and let’s not forget the fresh carrots (from the low tunnels) and leeks (just out in the open) that we’re still harvesting!
We’ve supplemented our fresh and preserved produce with cruciferous veggies from farmers’ market: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and some delicious Brussels’ sprouts. Those items are on their way out though, so pickings will be a bit slim until spring.
We supplement the local food with onions and some store-bought frozen veggies, including peas and corn.
So, those are the raw ingredients in my kitchen. Here are some recent creations:
- Vegetable upside-down cake with our carrots, peppers, herbs, and garlic; local cauliflower; and frozen peas and corn
- Farinata with carmelized onions and a side of roasted winter squash
- Black bean soup with our sweet potatoes and peppers
- Baked potatoes with tempeh and sides of canned green beans and roasted beets
- Split pea soup with our carrots and potatoes
- Masaman curry with local cauliflower, our carrots and potatoes, and frozen peas
As I mentioned yesterday, I’ll be attending a vegetarian potluck tonight. The theme is “colors of the rainbow.” I’ll be making a winter squash dish or a roasted sweet potato dish — or perhaps both. Any way you slice it, my color will be orange!
Her Green Life 
I’m at the point where all I have left from the garden is pumpkin. Lots and lots of pumpkin! Seriously, there’s a huge box in the basement plus 5 pounds of frozen puree from the year before! I’m in desperate need of pumpkin recipes so I’d LOVE to hear what you’re doing with all of yours! 🙂
I would just recommend cooking a pumpkin (or several, depending on size), pureeing it, and then using it throughout the week. If you’re an oatmeal eater, you can add 1/3 cup or so to a big bowl of oatmeal, along with pumpkin pie spices and chopped nuts. I also enjoy adding a cup or so of puree to most any broths/gravies/soups — even if you’re not specifically making pumpkin/squash soup, the addition can really boost the flavor and richness of a dish.
This recipe adds pumpkin puree to a veggie burger (I know you can’t do parsley, but maybe with a substitution . . .). I’ve also been experimenting with using squash puree in various casserole type dishes, combos of rice, wild rice, thinned almond or cashew butter, 3-4 cups pureed squash, sauteed veggies, and lentils or beans, combined in a casserole dish and baked.
I love pumpkin bread, and I’ve been experimenting with some lower sugar and savory varieties. No amazing creations so far, but some pretty decent ones. You could make lots of pumpkin bread now and freeze it to eat during the summer when you don’t want the oven on as much.
Or maybe you could turn it into cat food? 😉