With fall come the Jewish holidays and a bounty of fruits and vegetables of the season; edible gourds such as pumpkin and squash come to mind and offer inspiration for a multitude of recipes ideas, including hearty soups and side dishes.

When it comes to the holiday of Sukkot, there are actually no traditional Sukkot foods, except for kreplach(stuffed dumplings). So, Pereg Natural Foods offers up these harvest-related menu ideas that incorporate delicious, all-natural ingredients and provide warmth and comfort as the days get cooler through fall and beyond.

Fall Spices

Allspice. Allspice is earthy and aromatic. Use it on vegetables, including cabbage and turnips, beef and lamb, and in soups, breads, and desserts.

Cinnamon. This sweet spice is delicious when cooking chicken and lamb, vegetables and fruits, including squash, sweet potatoes, apples and pears, and in some bread recipes.

Cloves. Cloves are rich and earthy, making them a great complement to lamb. They also taste great on apples, beets, squash, and sweet potatoes, as well as in curries, soups, and breads.

Nutmeg. This sweet spice pairs perfectly with lamb, and tastes great on broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and cauliflower, as well as rice, stuffing, and sauces.

Mexican Crushed Chili. Spicy and smoky, this spice goes well on beans, chicken, beef, and fish, as well as corn, tomato, cauliflower, green beans, and squash. It also adds unique flavor to dry rubs, marinades, and salad dressings.

Za’atar. Tangy and warm in flavor, this Middle Eastern spice enhances most meats, including chicken, beef, lamb, and fish, and enhances the flavor of eggplant, onions, and carrots, as well as dry rubs, soups, and salads.

For a complete list of Pereg spices, visit www.pereg-gourmet.com.

Pumpkin Soup

Made Famous by the Jerusalem Ramada Renaissance Hotel

Adapted by Pereg Natural Foods

Serves: 10

Ingredients:

• 2 large onions, sliced
• 4 Tbsp. oil
• 7 cups water
• 1½ lbs. pumpkin, cubed
• 1 medium white potato, cubed
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
• 1 Tbsp. pareve chicken soup mix
• ½ tsp. salt, or to taste
• ¼ tsp. Pereg Natural Foods white pepper
• ½ cup nondairy creamer
• 1 tsp. Pereg Natural Foods all-natural nutmeg
• 1 tsp. Pereg Natural Foods all-natural cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp. margarine, optional
• pine nuts for garnish, optional

Directions:

In a large, stainless soup pot, sauté onion in oil until golden. Add water, pumpkin, potato, and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat, and simmer for about 35 minutes.

With a hand blender, purée vegetables until smooth. Add soup mix, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and continue simmering for an additional ten minutes. Stir in creamer and remove from heat.

Serve sprinkled with pine nuts or a stick of cinnamon. For a richer flavor, stir in three tablespoons of non-dairy margarine while hot.

Pereg Natural Foods Gluten-Free Butternut Squash Pie

Ingredients:

• 2 20-oz. boxes frozen squash
• 1 stick butter or margarine, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs, beaten
• ½ cup non-dairy creamer such as Coffee Rich
• ½ cup Pereg gluten-free almond flour
• ½ cup Pereg gluten-free coconut flour
• 2 unbaked 9” pie shells or visit fountainavenuekitchen.com/almond-flour-pie-crust-gluten-free for gluten-free pie-crust recipe.

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients together using an electric mixer. Pour into pie shells (there will be enough to fill two pie shells). Sprinkle with Pereg Natural Foods cinnamon and bake at 350°F for one hour.

Couscous With
Pumpkin Seeds

For an easy, quick side dish, try Pereg Natural Foods couscous with pumpkin seeds. Follow the easy directions on the package, and in no time, you’ll have a flavor-packed side dish. Pereg couscous with pumpkin seeds is non-GMO, all-natural, gluten-free, dairy-free, and certified kosher. Available in 8-oz. (227g) resealable canisters and 5-oz. (142g) boxes. This product was recognized by SIAL Paris, the world’s largest food innovation exhibition, where it was presented its prestigious Innovation Award. Other Pereg couscous blends include mushroom, cranberry, and vegetable.

Remember that when cooking, spices are key. They can transform a meal by adding a range of flavors, from a hint of sweetness to a kick of heat. They also give off beautiful aromas that often determine whether we want to eat a meal or not. We think of salt as our go-to when a meal tastes too bland, but there are other spices, like cumin, cinnamon, and nutmeg, that bring out the natural flavors of food. Use spices to add color to a meal as well. Spices such as turmeric and paprika give color to foods, making them more bright and appealing.