Spicy Apple - Carrot Chutney for #SundaySupper

It's no secret that I am the "chutney queen" around here. It's an odd distinction for me, really, since I'm not a huge fan of the sweet, sour and savoury condiment - but my parents both love it, as did my grandfather (RIP). While most of the people who enjoy my various combinations of fruit and vegetables do so alongside curries, rice or other spicy fare, my mom is the only one I know who will add it to (or serve it with) almost anything - Israeli couscous, whole wheat spaghetti and roasted vegetables, carrot sticks, and even Chinese-style stir fry. To her, it's simply another flavour enhancer like salsa or hot sauce.

This time of year is when (sadly) I can forsee the end of Summer approaching, heralded by the first harvests of my heirloom root crops and the beginnings of early apple varieties popping up in the markets. Even as hearty as these types of vegetation are, their season is just as fleeting as the earlier berries, asparagus, fiddleheads and tomatoes we've enjoyed the past few months. My mom and stepdad grow vegetables every year as well as I do (although theirs are conventional, not heirloom, varietals), and from the first bean to the last eggplant it seems like they wait until the food is almost rotting on the vine before finally picking them. When the produce does come into the house, their schedules often leave the vegetables sitting on the counter for better or worse, accounting for a shameful amount of waste if I don't get my hands on it.

To lengthen the amount of time we have to truly relish my hard work's harvest, I do things a little differently. First, I do my best to pick the veggies at the peak of their flavour and texture, separate what I can reasonably see myself consuming before it spoils, and process the rest by either blanching and freezing, drying (in the case of fruit) or canning into jams, sauces and condiments like this chutney. I found the inspiration for this "late season" condiment in Gluten-Free and Vegan Holidays by Jennifer Katzinger, which I packed with flavourful coconut oil and flakes, as well as a sweet and hot medley of exotic spices (including Schezuan peppercorns), garlic and fresh ginger. Whether freshly made for tomorrow's dinner or canned up for February eating, it's a taste of the harvest worth exploring.

This week on #SundaySupper, we're sharing recipes and tips for prolonging the taste of summer as long as possible with any method of preserving: canning, freezing, drying and pickling are all fair game, as well as some shorter term uses that look beyond perfect for the dinner plate! This event is being co-hosted by Tara of Noshing With The Nolands and Stacy of Food Lust People Love. Thanks Tara and Stacy!

Learn how to …

• Dry Fruit - No-Dehydrator-Needed from Take A Bite Out of Boca 
• Freeze Cherries from Pies and Plots
• Freeze Herbs from Rhubarb and Honey 
• Make Freezer Harvest Soup Kits from Cindy's Recipes and Writings 
• Make Pesto Cubes from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen 
• Make and Freeze Rosemary Butter from Momma's Meals 
• Make Ready to Blend Smoothie Packs for Your Freezer from The Educators’ Spin On It 
• Oven Dry Cherries from The Redhead Baker 

Sip sunny cocktails and smoothies

• Blueberry, Peaches and Cream Green Smoothies from Cupcakes & Kale Chips 
• Green Tea and Chocolate Saketini from Ninja Baking 
• Sangria from Confessions of a Culinary Diva 

Scoop up special salsas and sauces

• Classic Freezer Tomato Sauce from Noshing With The Nolands 
• Peach Salsa from The Texan New Yorker
• Pico de Gallo from Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen 
• Spicy Apple - Carrot Chutney from What Smells So Good? 
• Spring Conserve from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks 

Jump into jellies, jams and preserves

• Apricot Habanero Jam from Food Lust People Love 
• Corn Cob Jelly from Daily Dish Recipes 
• Hot Pepper Jelly from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures 
• No Pectin Apricot Jam from Curious Cuisiniere 
• Peach Preserves from Delaware Girl Eats 
• Pineapple Mango Moscato Jam from Seduction in the Kitchen 
• Raw Raspberry-Vanilla Chia Jam from Shockingly Delicious 
• Savory Fig and Sweet Onion Freezer Jam from Peaceful Cooking 
• Spicy Ginger Tomato Jam with Coconut Sugar from Sue's Nutrition Buzz
• Spicy Red Pepper Jam from The Wimpy Vegetarian

Pucker up for pickles

• Bread and Butter Pickles from That Skinny Chick Can Bake 
• Pickled Beets and Onions from Kudos Kitchen by Renée 
• Pickled Green Tomatoes from Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeños with Herbs from Magnolia Days 
• Refrigerator Pickled Radish and Turnips from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen 
• Refrigerator Pickles from Webicurean 
• Sweet Pickled Cauliflower from Because I Like Chocolate 

Slurp and spoon soup and a side dish

• Easy Garden Fresh Tomato Basil Soup from Neighborfood 
• Savory Summer Kimchi from A Mama, Baby & Shar-pei in the Kitchen 

Dive into divine desserts

• Easy (no machine) Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream from Mama Bee Does
• Freeze 'em For Later Peach Berry Hand Pies from eating in instead
• Frozen Yogurt Covered Blueberries from Peanut Butter and Pepper
• Lemon and Blackberry Meringue Cakes from Happy Baking Days
• Lemon Curd Coffee Crumb Cake with Vanilla Drizzle from Wallflour Girl
• Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream from Killer Bunnies, Inc

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7 p.m. ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Spicy Apple - Carrot Chutney
Adapted from Gluten-Free and Vegan Holidays by Jennifer Katzinger
Makes ~3 ¾ cups, 15 (¼ cup) servings
1 tbsp flavourful coconut oil
1 large red onion, minced
¼ tsp cumin
⅛ tsp coriander
⅛ tsp cardamom
1 tsp ground black pepper
⅛ tsp mustard powder
⅛ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp cloves
⅛ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
Pinch salt
Pinch Schezuan peppercorns
1 tsp grated peeled fresh gingerroot
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 large apples, partially peeled, cored, and finely diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
½ cup dark raisins
¼ cup coarsely grated coconut
2 tbsp raw sugar
¼ cup xylitol or cup-for-cup stevia
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup apple juice

1. Melt the coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, spices, ginger and garlic and sauté 15 minutes, until the onions have softened.
3. Add the apples, carrots, raisins, coconut, sugar, xylitol, cider vinegar and apple juice.
4. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes (stirring occasionally), until the apples are soft and falling apart.
5. Ladle into jars and can in a waterbath for 20 minutes or store in the fridge up to 3 weeks.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 75.8
Total Fat: 1.5 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 4.9 mg
Total Carbs: 16.8 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.8 g
Protein: 0.4 g