Fall Food Trends 2011

Kale

This peppery, nutrient-dense member of the cabbage family is not just for decoration anymore. It has been consistently showing up in a variety of new and unique ways. This fall try making your own kale chips; chopping it finely and serving it raw in a salad; tossed into an Asian stir fry; stirred into a hearty homemade soup or sautéed with garlic and lemon for a healthy side dish. Check out Fine Cooking for Kale prepping tips and great recipe ideas.

Ketchup

Did you know that ketchup actually only means vegetable or fruit sauce? Well, this fall put away that bottle of Heinz and try playing in your kitchen with a variety of seasonal vegetables, such as squash o red pepper to make a delicious condiment that can be served in just about as many was as the original. Or if you prefer the classic tomato sauce, try mixing it up a bit by spiking your favourite recipe with chipotle, chillies, or curry powder. Recipes to test out: Acorn-Squash Ketchup and Roasted Red Pepper Tamarind Ketchup

Matcha

This antioxidant rich Japanese powder is becoming a popular flavouring addition to many of our favourite dessert recipes. This subtle green tea flavour can easily rework recipes for cupcakes, crème brulee, rice pudding and shortbread cookies. Matcha powder can easily be found in most supermarkets and health food stores. Matchasource has some great recipes for incorporating matcha into your baking.

Goat

You may be more familiar with using goat’s milk or cheese in your everyday cooking, but have you ever tried serving goat as a protein? Popular in Australian, Caribbean and Indian cooking, goat is quickly becoming a more common main dish in North American restaurants. Not only is goat’s meat rich in flavour, but it has 50% less fat than beef and 45% less than lamb. With a flavour slightly milder than lamb, goat is best served braised, pot-roasted or in a stew or curry. Perfect for dreary autumn weather; warm up with a tasty goat curry.

Pumpkin

This may seem like an obvious choice for a fall food trend, but cooking and baking with this seasonal squash can go far beyond pumpkin pie. Pumpkin can easily be used in any recipe where you might use other varieties of squash, such as creamy soups, pasta fillings, oven-roasted sides, breads and desserts. It’s naturally sweet flavour and smooth texture when cooked lends itself very well to both savoury and sweet dishes. Not only do they taste great, pumpkins also pack a punch when it comes to nutrition. They are full of antioxidants and are great source of fibre. Instead of pumpkin pie this season, try out this tasty pumpkin tarte tatin recipe. YUM!

What ingredients or recipes are inspiring your cooking this time of year? We’d love to hear from you!