Best Recipes for Autumn in New Zealand

As summer fades into autumn, the trees in New Zealand cast a golden reflection on the placid lakes. Occasionally, you may see splashes of red and hints of orange. It is time to bring out warmer clothes and ponder meals that take advantage of fresh seasonal ingredients.

If you are enjoying retirement, then autumn is an ideal time to warm up the stove with some hearty dishes. There are plenty of interesting meals that you can make that will serve one or a couple. While you gaze at the magnificent foliage out your window, try some of these simple autumn recipes:

1. Simply Delicious Granola

   If you want a quick and nutritious breakfast, then you will love serving granola. It can be enjoyed in a bowl of milk or as a topping for your favorite yogurt. One batch will last a month in an airtight container:

   3 cups of rolled oats (not instant)
   ½ cup of slivered almonds or pecans
   ¼ cup walnuts or hazelnuts
   ¼ cup sunflower seeds
   ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
   ½ cup shredded coconut
   ½ cup of your favorite dried fruit (i.e. raisins, cranberries, apricots)
   ½ cup organic honey
   1 ½ cup of sunflower or canola oil

   • Combine honey and oil in a saucepan and gently heat for 3-4 minutes
   • Mix all dry ingredients (except fruit) in a large bowl. Add honey mixture and mix well
   • Spoon mixture onto a large baking tray and bake at 300F for 10 minutes. Give mixture an occasional stir
   • Take granola out of the oven and let it cool. Add fruit and mix well. Put granola into an airtight jar or container for up to a month.

   2. Hearty Turnip and Carrot Soup

   What says autumn better than a steaming cup of soup? Root vegetables are in season, and you can find them cheaply in the grocery store or farmers market. This lovely puree gets a flavor kick from fresh curry powder:

   1 onion, finely diced
   3 Tbs olive or canola oil
   ½ tsp black mustard seeds
   ½ tsp ground coriander seed
   1 tbs fresh ginger, grated
   1 tsp of your favorite brand of curry powder
   2 carrots – peeled and chopped
   2 turnips – peeled and chopped
   Salt and pepper to taste
   2 teaspoons of lemon juice

   • Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onions until they are translucent
   • Add spices and ginger and stir gently into mixture
   • Add chopped turnip and carrots, then salt and pepper to taste
   • Add enough cold water to cover mixture – let it simmer on medium heat until vegetables are tender – around 25-30 minutes
   • Let mixture cool for a few minutes and remove a cup of broth
   • Using small portions at a time, puree soup in a blender
   • Return soup to pot—add a cup of broth if soup is too thick
   • Add lemon juice and divide into bowls. Top with a little sour cream, if desired

   3. Quick Meat Pies

   No collection of autumn recipes would be complete without the iconic meat pie. They are at once comforting and familiar. When you use ready-made pie crust, this dish is a cinch to make:

1 tbs of canola or olive oil
1 onion – finely diced
1lb of lean ground beef or chuck
1tbs corn stock
1 cup beef broth (canned or fresh)
2 tbs tomato paste
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp beef bouillon
4 prepared pie crust sheets-thawed
1 egg- beaten
4 individual pie pans on a cookie sheet
Ketchup to taste

• In a large frying pan, heat oil and saute onions until they are translucent
• Add ground beef until it is brown – drain fat as needed
• In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and broth
• Add the rest of the ingredients to meat and stir
• Stir in cornstarch and broth mixture
• Simmer on stove until mixture has a gravy-like thickness. Let mixture cool completely
• Roll out pie dough and cut four bottom layers to line pie plates
• Fill each pie with meat mixture and cover with a layer of crust. Cut around edges and crimp with fingers or a fork
• Put pies on a cookie sheet and bake in oven at 425F for 20 minutes, or until pies are browned
• Serve warm with ketchup

4. Tantalizing Grilled Sandwiches

Children and adults of all ages adore grilled cheese sandwiches. You can add a few slices of your favorite deli meat to kick it up a notch. Try a grilled sandwich with the carrot/turnip soup:

4 thick slices of your favorite bread
2 slices of your favorite cheeses (i.e. cheddar, Swiss, Colby)
2-3 thin slices of your favorite deli meat
Mayonnaise

• Put a frying pan on medium heat
• Spread a teaspoon of mayo on two slices of bread.
• Put them face down in pan
• Add cheese and meat
• Spread a teaspoon of mayo on other two slices of bread
• Top sandwiches with them
• Flip sandwiches when they are brown
• Enjoy with hot soup

5. Chili Con Carne

Try this American classic with a grilled sandwich or some fresh bread:

1 onion – chopped fine
1 bell pepper – chopped fine
1 tbs canola or olive oil
1 lb ground beef – browned and drained
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato juice
1 large can kidney beans
1 large can pinto beans
2 tb chili powder
Salt /pepper

• Brown ground beef, drain, sit aside
• Saute onions, pepper, and oil in pan until they are tender
• Combine onion/pepper mixture with ground beef in a large soup pot
• Add other ingredients and mix well
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Serve with sour cream and hot sauce

These autumn recipes will warm your stomach as the days get colder. You could also have some fun cooking with your visiting grandchildren. In retirement, fill your kitchen with love, laughter, and some scrumptious autumn recipes.