When you’re looking for a seasonal drink to keep the cold at bay, try this cranberry hot toddy. With a base of warming spices and an optional tipple of whiskey, this toddy will soothe your throat and keep you wassailing all season long!

Cranberry Hot Toddy 

Serves 4

Total Time: 15 minutes

Vegetarian

2 ¾ cups cranberry juice (unsweetened)

1 ¼ cups water

6 tablespoons honey

¼ cup cane sugar

1 orange, sliced

3 cinnamon sticks

10 whole cloves

3–4 inches fresh ginger, thinly sliced

2 star anise

½ cup Bourbon or Whiskey (optional)

1. In a quart-size saucepan, add all the ingredients except for the bourbon.
2. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 5–10 minutes. Turn off heat and adjust sweetness to taste by adding more cane sugar and/or honey.
3. Carefully strain mixture and add bourbon, if using.
4. Serve in heat proof mugs and garnish with orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and fresh cranberries.

Substitute agave for honey to make vegan.

Still searching for a dish for Thanksgiving? While most item on the table are non-negotiable, the stuffing, the pie, mashed potatoes and gravy!, the salad course is where you can really flex your creativity without upsetting anyone. The combination of apple and endive is crunchy and bright–a welcome contrast to the richness of so many traditional dishes.

Apple and Endive Salad

Serves 2

Total Time: 20 minutes

Plant-based

Dressing

3 tablespoons avocado oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons maple syrup

4 large basil leaves, minced

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Salad

2 Belgium endive

1 small head radicchio

1 medium Granny Smith apple

1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

Garnish

1/3 cup walnuts

¼ cup pistachio, shelled

1. Whisk together avocado oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, basil, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
2. Chop endive and radicchio into bite size pieces. Core and chop apple. Combine in a mixing bowl.
3. Toss salad with half of the dressing and place on serving plates. Garnish with walnuts and pistachios. Serve with remaining dressing.

Stock up on canned pumpkin so you can enjoy this cozy soup all season long. It’s the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy! Pumpkin adds fiber and nutrients to this simple soup. After chopping onion and garlic, it’s as simple as opening cans and stirring. Save your cooking energy for the big meal!

Pumpkin Corn Soup

Serves 4-6

Total Time: 25 min

Vegetarian, Gluten-free

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 4-ounce cans diced green chilies

1 quart vegetable stock

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon dried savory (optional)

2 cups frozen corn

1 cup half and half (or alternative)

1 large baked potato, peeled and roughly mashed

1 tablespoon sriracha hot sauce

½ cup cilantro, chopped (optional)

1 ½ teaspoons sea salt

1. Heat olive oil in a stock pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds then add green chilies and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Stir in vegetable stock, pumpkin puree, cumin, thyme, and savory (if using). Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5–10 minutes.
3. Stir in corn, half and half, potato, sriracha, cilantro (if using), and sea salt. Cook until corn is warmed through.
4. Serve hot with crusty bread.

Make it plant-based by replacing half and half with a plant-based creamer.

This is the kind of recipe that you can pull together with minimal effort and maximum reward. From a quick marination in the fridge to finishing with pile of fresh herbs, each step is designed to add the most flavor for the least effort. Serve the shrimp warm with pasta or chilled with salad for a complete meal.

Spiced Dill Shrimp

Serves 4

Total Time: 1 hour prep, 10 minutes active

Pescatarian, gluten-free

2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ teaspoons garam masala

1 teaspoon paprika

¾ teaspoon turmeric

¾ teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

1. In a mixing bowl add shrimp, olive oil, garlic, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, and salt. Toss to combine and place in the refrigerator to marinate for an hour.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook about 2–3 minutes per side or until opaque in a single layer. Work in batches if necessary.
3. Turn off heat and add fresh lemon juice and dill, toss, and serve promptly.

Bananas and chocolate are a classic combination for good reason. They simply taste better together! Try this banana-chocolate crumb cake with fair trade ingredients for a dish that tastes as good as it is for the people and the planet.

Banana-Chocolate Crumb Cake

Serves 8–10

Total Time: 1 hr

Vegetarian

Crumb Topping

½ cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup light brown sugar

¼ cup cane sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Batter

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon sea salt

2 ripe Fair Trade bananas, mashed

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup cane sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

¾ cup Fair Trade chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 9 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper. In a small bowl combine the crumb topping ingredients until well mixed. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine remaining flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together remaining brown sugar, and cane sugar until well blended. Beat in eggs, one at a time until incorporated. Stir in bananas, and vanilla.
3. Add half of the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir gently to combine. Add half the buttermilk and stir gently to combine. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk.
4. Fold chocolate chips into the batter. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and top with crumb mixture. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Tender beets can stand up to strong flavors like curry in this colorful fall salad. For a shortcut, opt for pre-steamed beets for a stunning salad in no time!

Curry Beet Salad

Serves 4

Total Time: 4 hrs 20 min

Vegetarian, Gluten-free

2 pounds red beets

2 ounces baby arugula

½ cup walnuts, toasted

½ cup crumbled feta or 2 ounces herbed goat cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup avocado oil

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

½ tablespoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place whole beets in a deep baking dish and cover with water. Cover and bake for 2–4 hours or until beets are knife tender, depending on the size of the beets.
2. When beets are tender, drain and submerge in cold water. Remove skins and set aside to cool completely.
3. To prepare salad, chop beets and place in a
   mixing bowl. Add arugula, walnuts, and feta or goat cheese. Whisk together avocado oil, rice vinegar, honey, curry powder, and salt. Pour over salad and toss. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.

Opt for a seasonal goat cheese with cranberry flavor for an ideal pairing in this recipe.

The oven won’t be the only thing heating up this weekend! These stuffed jalapeno poppers are the perfect combination of easy and fancy. Don’t let the puff pastry scare you. Creamy, cheesy, and wrapped up like a nice package, these poppers will be equally at home during halftime or a party spread. 🌶️

Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

Makes 16

45 min

Vegetarian

8 large jalapenos

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

8 ounces shredded Monterey jack cheese

¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 green onions, thinly sliced

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 large egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Halve jalapeno peppers and remove seeds and pith.
2. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, Monterey jack cheese, Parmesan cheese, scallions, and salt.
3. Fill jalapenos with cheese mixture and smooth off the top. Set aside.
4. Lay out puff pastry and brush with beaten egg then sprinkle with poppy seeds. Cut pastry into ¼ inch strips, then wrap strips of pastry around jalapenos in a crisscross pattern.
5. Place assembled peppers on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20–30 minutes or until puff pastry is golden in color. Serve with barbeque sauce.