I love fall. It is a wonderful time of year to celebrate and embrace change in our lives and nature. Just as the trees begin to transform with orange, red, yellow leaves and the weather cools down a bit, we also start to prepare ourselves. Harvesting the rest of your garden, preparing wood for the winter, or pulling the sweaters out for easier access on cool mornings. Perhaps you have started changing your eating habits from berries and greens to squashes and pumpkins, or at least pumpkin flavored everything.
Eating seasonal fruits and vegetables is a wonderful way to add variety to your diet, enjoy the bounty of your garden, and save a little money on groceries because in-season produce is generally cheaper. If that is not reason enough for you to go buy and make some of these food items, then let’s discuss other reasons why they are good for you. Squash includes many varieties, including spaghetti squash, pumpkins, butternut squash, acorn squash and on and on. They include a huge amount of vitamin A, as well as significant amounts of vitamins C, E, B6, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, and folate. In terms of minerals, squash contain magnesium, potassium, manganese, copper, phosphorous, calcium, and iron. Apples are a super convenient food. Just grab and go. Even though you can buy apples all year long, they are best from September to November. There are many varieties of apples and eating the entire apple provides a good source of vitamin-C and beta-carotene, B-complex vitamins such as riboflavin, thiamin, and pyridoxine, rich in antioxidant phyto-nutrients flavonoids and polyphenolics, and the fruit is rich in dietary fiber. Brussels sprouts are a member of the cabbage family and grow on a stalk about 1-2 inches in size. They contain excellent levels of vitamin C and vitamin K, with more moderate amounts of B vitamins, such as folic acid and vitamin B6. These little guys are not just for holiday meals. I personally love to saute them with bacon and garlic as a side dish. There are many more fruits and veggies that I could share with you but now let’s get cooking. I included recipes for each food item we discussed above. Remember to enjoy all foods in moderation. Happy cooking and baking. Pumpkin Spice Cookies: Preheat oven to 350° F. Coat baking sheets with cooking spray. Whisk 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, 1tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp allspice and ¼ tsp nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk 2 eggs, ¾ cup brown sugar (or ⅓ cup Stevia), ¾ cup pumpkin puree, ¼ cup oil and ¼ cup molasses in a second bowl until well combined. Stir the wet ingredients and 1 cup raisins into the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Drop the batter by level tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 1-2 inches apart. Bake the cookies until firm to the touch and lightly golden on top, 10 to 12 minutes. Beet & Apple Salad: Toss 2 thinly sliced apples, 4 thinly sliced celery stalks (with leaves) and 1 minced shallot in a bowl with the juice of 1 lemon. Peel 1 beet, then slice into matchsticks and add to the bowl. Toss in 1 tsp sugar, 3 tbsp chopped walnuts, 3 tbsp olive oil, and salt and pepper. Let stand 10 minutes. Roasted Brussels sprouts and grapes: Heat oven to 375° F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss 1 ½ Brussels sprouts and 1 lb. grapes with the 3 tbsp oil, 2 sliced garlic cloves, ½ tbsp thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Turn the Brussels sprouts cut-side down and roast until golden brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
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Tis the season for squashes and pumpkins galore. This time of year I like to incorporate more squashes into my diet. Butternut squash and pumpkins are my favorite, therefore I wanted to share some of my favorite recipes that I use this time of year. I love to find new recipes online and lately these have been my favorites. Get cooking and savor good, comfy food! Spicy Butternut Squash SoupINGREDIENTS
PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut squash in half and seed. Place the halves on a baking sheet, cut-side down. Bake until tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Scoop out flesh when cool enough to handle. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, onion and carrot and stir to coat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the squash flesh, cumin, chipotle to taste and cloves. Add broth and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or a regular blender (in batches) until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with a drizzle of yogurt and sprinkle of chives (or parsley). Crustless Pumpkin PieINGREDIENTS
PREPARATION Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut pie pumpkin in half and seed. Place the halves on a baking sheet, cut-side down. Bake until tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Scoop out flesh when cool enough to handle. Coat a 9”-round pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together the pumpkin, milk, yogurt, Splenda, and Truvia. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie plate, and bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes, or until the center barely jiggles when gently shaken. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack, and chill at least 2 hours before serving. Spaghetti Squash Lasagna w/ BroccoliniINGREDIENTS
PREPARATION Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 450°F. Place squash cut-side down in a microwave-safe dish; add 2 tablespoons water. Microwave, uncovered, on High until the flesh is tender, about 10 minutes. Alternatively, place squash halves cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a 400°F oven until the squash is tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add broccolini, garlic and red pepper (if using); cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add water and cook, stirring, until the broccolini is tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl. Use a fork to scrape the squash from the shells into the bowl. Place the shells in a broiler-safe baking pan or on a baking sheet. Stir 3/4 cup mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper into the squash mixture. Divide it between the shells; top with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake on the lower rack for 10 minutes. Move to the upper rack, turn the broiler to high and broil, watching carefully, until the cheese starts to brown, about 2 minutes. My life has been a whirlwind the past few weeks, which has made the time fly by. I can not believe that it is September already. Seeing the now older faces of my nephews and nieces headed to their first day of school on Facebook makes me feel like time has really gone by. Alas Fall is upon us and I am pretty darn excited for it! I already feel like the weather is changing. Seasonal changes are great opportunities to focus on old and/or new goals. They do not have to be anything extreme. Think small. It will be easier to stick to and once achieved expand the goal a little bit more.
As I move into the fall season, I have been a little obsessive about a few things, which can be good and bad at the same time. I have discovered this quick, easy to make Chia Seed Pudding recipe in a cook book that was gifted to me a few years ago and I eat it at least twice a day. Now I have always incorporated chia seeds into smoothies and yogurt, but have never been able to find a recipe that is focused around them that I actually enjoyed. These teeny little seeds pack a powerful nutritional punch with Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Fiber Rich, Low Carb, Excellent Protein source, and Vitamins & Minerals. A small spoonful can go a long way. Super easy and quick to make. Maybe 10 minutes of actual work and then let it sit. Here is the recipe: 1 Cup unsweetened Almond Milk 1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 1/4 Cup Chia Seeds Optional: fresh Berries, Nuts, Honey, Maple Syrup as a topping Whisk Milk, Yogurt, & Vanilla in a medium bowl until blended. Whisk in the Chia Seeds. Let stand for 30 minutes occasionally whisking. Cover & Refrigerate overnight. That's It! Enjoy in the morning topped with berries and a few nuts or for a snack/small meal during the day. Warning: You might become obsessed like I have! It has been a low-key kind of week and when I spend more time at home I think of ways to get organized. So that when life is busier I am more prepared and handle situations better. Since moving, their have been few things that I keep putting off: hanging pictures, organizing the spices, and doing laundry, but i put off laundry all the time. I decided to tackle the spices and other kitchen items that can make my week run a little smoother. Most of my families' homes have at least one, maybe two, cupboards that are stuffed with spices. Of course, you only see the spices in the front row and the spice you actually want to use at that moment is in the back of the cupboard. Then you take them all out of the cupboard, find the one you want, and then put them all back. Why do we put ourselves through this? Who knows. My mission this week was to figure out a better system for my spices to live in, be seen, and utilized with ease. The crafter inside of me has emerged! This may be a theme for the month of August. Anyway, I went down to the good old ACE Hardware, purchased small jelly jars (as many as you need), one can of chalkboard spray paint, and a few sticks of chalk. I removed the lids from the tops of the jars, placed them on a piece of cardboard outside, and spray painted with two coats. Once they were dry, I started placing my spices in the jar and labeling them with the chalk. I had a large empty drawer to place them in and behold a beautiful, ease to see and access spice collection. It looks cute and is functional! Love! Of course, I did not stop their. I continued to organize our kitchen into different divisions: Baking, Cooking, and Everyday Essentials. All my baking supplies were organized in cabinets close to each other, cooking supplies the same, and then all the items we use on a daily basis are positioned in cupboards and on counter tops for easiest access. This saves me time and energy whenever I am in the kitchen.
I have two more things that I encourage you to do every week to save you time. My favorite is a plan, shop, and chop day. I pick out a day once a week plan my meals, buy the groceries that are needed, and chop/prep all the food for the week. This seems daunting but I promise you that you will make better food decisions when you have a planned, quick, and easy option. Give it a try. Finally, I try my hardest to separate everything that I purchase into portions before putting it in the pantry, cupboard, or refrigerator. Make a big dinner. Separate it into portions for lunch and dinner the next day. I can grab whatever I need out of the fridge/pantry and just eat. This will help prevent those quick, not necessarily healthy food options when limited with time and a very hungry tummy. No need to go crazy here. Just pick one habit that you would like to change that will make you more efficient and start their. I like to tackle little projects throughout my day. Good Luck and let me know how you do. Once your done, get out and have some fun! |
This is me, Liz. I am an, instructor, personal trainer, exercise physiologist, dog-mom, loving wife, little sister, coolest-aunt ever, and now blogger living in Libby, Montana.
Welcome to my blog! This blog follows my life and my interests in fitness, adventure, food, and healthy living. The Girls, Katy & Madi, and I. We have spent a lot of time together the past few years. I appreciate them for their quirks and how they love me unconditionally. They help me appreciate the small, simple things in life. Archives
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DiclaimerThis is a personal blog created and maintained by Liz Whalen. My blog posts document my life and sometimes highlight the food I eat and workouts I perform. I do not have professional medical training, nor am I a registered dietician. I am an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist, while the content you see on my blog aims to bring you along on my health & wellness journey. The published information may not be right for you and should not be viewed as guidelines in any way. Seek counsel from a medical doctor when looking to incorporate or change your physical activity and/or dietary habits.
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