Fall in Love with Pumpkin Butter

Happy Thursday! Last Thursday greeted me with strep throat and this Thursday decided to top that with a sinus infection. I can officially say that I now hate Thursdays! I'll admit, sinus infections suck, but I did get the chance to use a neti pot for the first time today. I was apprehensive about using it, but what a life saver that thing is! While doing research about the neti pot I even found that a lot of yogis (people who do yoga) use them for inner purification. I love yoga, but not sure I am going to go to that extreme with my neti. Pretty neat to learn, though.

Well, enough complaining, I have another pumpkin recipe for you - Pumpkin Butter! It has a similar consistency to apple butter, but of course, it's made with pumpkin. Just imagine the taste of pumpkin pie in a jar. It's pretty close to fall paradise!

There are a lot of pumpkin butter recipes out there, but most are loaded with sugar. I cut the sugar in half for mine, so it's not too sweet and the pumpkin flavor really comes through. If the natural pumpkin flavor is too strong for you, you can add up to a cup of sugar. Just add it wisely. 

The best thing about pumpkin butter is that you can pair it with so many different things! Try it on: pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, toast, rice cakes, yogurt, etc. I even enjoy peanut butter and pumpkin butter sandwiches. They seem to complement each other well. Let me know what you plan on eating it with, I am always up for suggestions.

                                                                 Pumpkin Butter
                                                                  Makes 2 Jars
Ingredients

3 1/2 C or 1 29 oz Can Purred Pumpkin (not the pumpkin pie spiced filling)
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1 C Apple Cider
2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 tsp Cinnamon

Instructions

1. Place all of the ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes. Stir often! 

Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip

Rumor on the street is the weather is supposed to get cooler this weekend! I cannot explain how excited that makes me! It is time to dig out my fall clothes (and purchase some new ones), stock up on pumpkin/squash, and enjoy some football. Life doesn’t get much better than that. I will warn you now; I love pumpkin and squash, so prepare to see me use it in a lot of future recipes.

Fall has always been my favorite season. Not only do I love to watch the trees change, but fall also means its volleyball season. For those of you who do not know, I was blessed to play volleyball at the collegiate level, and the sport still holds a special place in my heart. I often find myself day dreaming about the good old days of high school and college volleyball.  I admit, I miss it a lot, but some days my body thanks me for not making it jump three hours a day.

I miss game day!

Enough reminiscing, it's snack time! If you are looking for a healthy snack, try this Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip. It is simple to make, and filled with protein to keep you satisfied for hours! The base is pretty flexible, so feel free to add in other ingredients. For example, if you are looking for a little sweetness add in dark chocolate chips, or if you want to add more heart healthy fats try some chopped nuts. Eat it with apples (or other fruit), and you will find yourself in engrossed in the prefect snack made up of carbs, fibers, protein, and healthy fats. This snack will keep you fueling strong throughout the whole day!

                                                         Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip

                                                         Inspired by Hello Giggles

                                                                      Serves 2 

 Ingredients

1 single serving container of Vanilla Greek Yogurt

1 1/2 T Peanut Butter (Crunchy or Creamy)

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Honey

Start Mixing

1. Combine all of the ingredients above
2. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving
3. Serve with apples, bananas, pretzels, and/or graham crackers

Zucchini Fries

It's back!!! College football season is amongst us! I woke up at 7:45 this morning and turned on the TV to watch my Irish play! Life is good! Who are you cheering for today?

Be on the look out for the new AT&T commercial during College Game Day. For those of you who don't know, I work at The Marketing Arm and my client is AT&T. We have an amazing college football activation going on throughout the season, and I'm sure you guys will love it! I'll share more in a later post once it has been announced to the public. Just be prepared to laugh and get involved!

I love college football season because it means fall is here and its time for tailgating/viewing parties. Try out my zucchini fries for your next football party. These are similar to the Asparagus Fries I made a few weeks ago, but they have distinct Italian flavors. Dip them in marinara sauce, and you may even think they taste like a mozzarella stick without all of the calories.

Enjoy the college football today, and have a great Labor Day weekend! Remember fueling your body with healthy foods is not a "diet." It is a life style that should be pursued every day!

                                                                       Zucchini Fries
                                                                Adapted from Pip & Ebby
                                                                            Serves 2
Ingredients

1 Large Zucchini or 2 Small
1 Egg
1 tsp Water
1/2 C Flour (I prefer Whole Wheat)
1 C Panko Bread Crumbs
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Basil
1/4 tsp Oregeno
1/4 tsp Thyme
1/4 C Grated Parmesan 
Salt and Pepper

Get Cooking
Preheat Oven to 425 Degrees

1. Cut the zucchini in 3-inch by 1/2 inch strips.
2. In a gallon size bag add 1/2 C flour, and toss the zucchini strips in it. This will help the breading staying on the fries.
3. In a medium bowl beat 1 egg and 1 tsp of water until well mixed. Place each zucchini stick in the egg mix. Don't pour then in to the bowl because you don't want the extra flour to get into the egg mix.
4. Pour the flour mixture out of the bag, and add in the Panko, garlic powder, basil, Parmesan, oregano, and thyme. Give the bag a shake to mix everything up.
5. Place each zucchini stick in the bag and shake well until everything is well coated.
6. Arrange the fries on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Spray the fries with cooking spray to ensure they come out crunchy, and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Asparagus Fries

Happy Friday! Does anyone have plans for an active weekend? I don't have my plans nailed down yet, but I plan on some nice long runs along the lake, granted the winds don't blow me over. We are expecting 14 foot waves in Lake Michigan today, so needless to say... Chicagoans run and bike with caution on the trail!

With the weekend ahead, I thought I would give you one of my favorite snacks, Asapargus Fries. I know you're first thought, "Kelsey, is telling me that eating fries is okay?" Usually I would say no way, but in this case, they are okay and eat as many as you want! As stated in the title, asparagus serves as the main component of the fry, and it's baked! I prefer to eat mine plain, but Kyle thinks they pair well with BBQ sauce.

Try out the recipe this weekend, and let me know what you think. I recommend eating them all the first day because they don't stay as crispy on day 2. Have a great weekend, and continue to fuel strong.

                                                                  Asparagus Fries
                                                                      Serves 4
Ingredients
1 lb Asparagus - Cut each asparagus spear in half
2 eggs - Beaten
1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour
1 C Unseasoned Bread Crumbs or Panko
1/4 C Parmesan Cheese
1 t Dried Oregano
Salt and Pepper

Get Cookin'
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Place the beaten eggs in a medium sized bowl and season with salt and pepper
3. Add the asparagus and flour in a gallon size bag. Shake well to coat the spears.
4. Take the spears and dredge in a the egg.
5. In another gallon sized Ziploc bag, combine the bread crumbs, parmesan, and oregano. Close it up and give it a shake to mix everything well.
5. Place the asparagus in the bread crumb mixture, close the bag and shake well making sure each "fry" is coated well.
6. Spread the fries on a baking sheet, and season with salt and pepper. Spray the fries with the some cooking spray to make them crispy.
7. Back for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

PS- Coyote Fans (Kyle's company)--- Kyle will be bringing in some treats for you guys next week. I think I will add them to my "indulgences" section. Every strong body deserves a little sugar every once in a while.