This is the year to be rooted in the everyday, the feeding of ourselves and our souls. One of the things people have likely always done to recognize our interconnection in difficult times is to make food for one another. Preparing and gifting baking or making special dishes for loved ones is one way to be connected that has not changed.

Here are some good fall and Samhain appropriate recipes for seasonal gifting and eating.

Samhain Baking

Pumpkin Spice Bread - This recipe has all the autumn food elements - pumpkin, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and cloves. It contains eggs, nuts and wheat flour. Suitable substitutes for folks with food restrictions might be one banana for each egg, pumpkin seeds for the walnuts (or leave out) and your favourite gluten free baking flour blend. When cooled, wrap and deliver to your loved ones.

Soul cakes - These dried fruit laden biscuits/scones are suitable for gifting to friends and family. They were originally given as alms to people going 'souling' which is a precursor to trick or treating.

From Wikipedia:

Soul cakes formed a key part of the Souling traditions. In Staffordshire, the cakes were also called Soul-mass or "somas" cakes. In East Yorkshire, "somas loaves" were traditionally distributed. In some counties, the Soul-mass cake was "made on All Souls' Day, November 2nd, and always in a triangular shape". Soul-mass cakes were often kept for good luck with one lady in Whitby being reported in the 1860s having a soul-mass loaf one hundred years old. According to Atkinson (1868), soul-mass loaves "were sets of square farthing cakes with currants in the centre, commonly given by bakers to their customers". Sometimes, oat cakes were given in Lancashire and Herefordshire. In Warwickshire, during the 1840s, it was traditional to consume seed cakes during Halloween which coincided with "the end of the wheat seed-time".

Leave one on your altar as a gift to your beloved dead who may be hanging around at this time of year. If you do this, I recommend putting the biscuit in the compost afterward rather than eating it.  

Samhain Food Spell of Blessing and Protection

Roasted root vegetables tossed with rosemary and garlic can be imbued with blessings for your loved ones.

Root vegetables are grounding and nourishing, garlic is symbolic of protection, strength and healing, while rosemary symbolizes remembrance, love, loyalty and faithfulness. Combining them together in food to serve to yourself or those you love is a delicious blessing.

Ground yourself by becoming aware of your body, present in this moment. Wash sturdy root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, parsnips, beets, yams or winter squash. While cutting the root vegetables, you can say a phrase to yourself out loud that expresses your intention, or just feel your groundedness and your love for the people who will eat.

Toss the cut vegetables with olive oil, coating them completely, and add dried or fresh rosemary and whole garlic. Bake lovingly in a medium oven (350-425 degrees) until soft and browned. The time this takes will depend on quantity but will be at least a half hour. If you have some extra fresh rosemary, a sprig or two on top when serving will make this simple magical dish look as good as it tastes.

May you and your loved ones be nourished, grounded and safe this Samhain season.