This Thanksgiving, the BF and I are going to his grandma’s house for dinner. Later in the day, we will spend time with my parents. My mom isn’t making a full Thanksgiving dinner. She will be serving hors d’oeuvres. This means I won’t be cooking any Thanksgiving dishes.

I was sad about this until I realized I could just make all the Thanksgiving dishes I wanted on other days! So over the weekend I made Sweet Potato-Pecan Casserole, which I served with a store-bought roasted chicken, mixed green salad and mulled wine. It was a Faux Thanksgiving!

This sweet potato casserole is the best I have ever had. I usually don’t love sweet potato casserole because it’s so sweet you can barely taste the sweet potatoes. This recipe is not too sweet, but still has the nice subtle sweet crunchy topping. Perfection!

Read More

Today is a big day in our office…it’s the annual Thanksgiving Dinner.

Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, green bean casserole and rolls are catered. Employees bring pies, cookies, cakes, bars and brownies.

This is what I mean when I say that Thanksgiving isn’t just one day. There are work events, family gatherings, leftovers, etc. If you go crazy at every event, your pants will be too tight by Christmas. That is why it is so important to stay healthy during the holidays by eating in moderation and choosing indulgences wisely.

Or by making and eating something healthier!

I made these adorable Mini Pumpkin Pies for the Thanksgiving Dinner. By using a sugar alternative and making them mini, these little pies are perfect for satisfying your pumpkin pie craving without going overboard.

Read More

Cranberries are packed with healthy stuff - vitamins C and B, potassium, folic acid and iron. But when cranberries become cranberry sauce, it is basically a blob of sugar.

Canned cranberries are made with cranberries and sugar or corn syrup. 1 cup of canned cranberry sauce has 105 grams of sugar!! Many homemade versions also contain loads of sugar.

But you don’t have to add a bag of sugar to balance the tartness of cranberries. Try one of these healthier recipes. (One recipe uses antioxidant rich pomegranate seeds! Check below for tips on on removing the seeds from a pomegranate.)

Read More

Change up your usual mashed potatoes by mashing up some steamed cauliflower.

Don’t get me wrong, potatoes are not evil. They do have some health benefits - they are rich in Vitamins C and B6, potassium and fiber. But potatoes are often served with loads of butter, sour cream, cheese, etc. to add flavor. 

Homemade mashed potatoes made with fat-free milk have about 100 calories per 1/2 cup serving, according to MyFitnessPal.com.

A 1/2 cup serving of mashed cauliflower has about 70 calories.

So you’ll save yourself about 30 calories per serving with mashed cauliflower, but you’ll also cut out some carbs and add a little fiber.

Like potatoes, cauliflower is rich in Vitamin C and B6, potassium and fiber, but it is also rich in Vitamin K, folate and other nutrients. Cauliflower even has antioxidants that promote detoxification in the body, according to the World’s Healthiest Foods.

Read More

What I’m about to admit probably makes me un-American: I don’t like green bean casserole.

I know. Green bean casserole seems to be many people’s fave holiday dish, but I just don’t love it. I prefer steamed green beans with olive oil and almond slices over the creamy concoction topped with crunchy fried onion pieces.

Because I’m not a fan of the popular casserole, I’ve been trying to find an alternative veggie side dish to make for the holidays. I decided to scrap the green beans and change things up completely with a succotash. Succotash is not something my family ever makes, but this recipe is so delish that it may become a regular side dish whether it’s the holidays or not.

This recipe uses edamame (soy beans), which are full of fiber, protein, antioxidants and iron!

Also, the pilgrims apparently ate a lot of succotash so it’s perfect for Thanksgiving! Succotash is also fun to say : )

Read More

Cake. In a jar. Need I say more?

I first made cake in a jar this spring for a trip to Fort Robinson. I made chocolate cake with caramel icing. It was the perfect way to have a decadent dessert while staying in a cabin - no preparation, no baking, no mess. Just open and eat.

So for an autumn cabining trip to Platte River State Park, I decided to create a fall-inspired cake in a jar.

Warning: This is not a super healthy recipe like most of my recipes. This is a delicious indulgence. I made a few healthier substitutions like using half whole wheat flour and half raw sugar. You could use all whole wheat flour - your cake will just be more dense.

Read More

These cute little pumpkiny bites of goodness are perfect for a pre-workout snack. 

Although they are small, they are filled good-for-you ingredients - almonds, oats and pumpkin. The oats will provide healthy carbs and the almonds will give you a bit of protein - the perfect combo to give you energy before a workout.

Or you can just enjoy them as a sweet snack or on the go breakfast.

Read More

A few weeks ago, the BF was outside doing work in his yard. I looked out the window and noticed that he was raking up fallen apples from his tree.

An apple tree!!?!?! For some reason, in the two years that we have been dating I never considered all the amazing treats I could make with those apples. The BF looks at his apple tree as more of a nuisance, but I realized that tree was going to be my new favorite thing.

At first, I considered making apple pie or apple crisp, but I wanted to make something that I’ve never made before and something that would last longer.

Apple butter! This sweet spread is typically made with lots of sugar. I wanted to make a version that preserved the health benefits of the apples by not drowning them in sugar.

Read More

It’s been a week and a half since I opened my first can of pumpkin of the season and I’ve already made eight pumpkiny recipes!! I may need an intervention this fall.

My latest recipe was Pumpkin-Chai Quickbread, which got rave reviews from the BF. “It’s fantastic,” he told me. However, he absolutely hated the pumpkin seeds on top. I kind of liked the saltiness they added to the sweet bread. 

I didn’t use cardamom because it was $11 for a tiny jar at the grocery store. That stuff must have magical powers. I will keep looking for a smaller jar that is more affordable because I would like to taste what it adds to the bread. Maybe a more chai-ey flavor?

Even without the cardamom this bread was delish. The pumpkin flavor with the spiciness of chai is a perfect combo. It would be great to take to work for a snack (also have some protein for a filling snack) or for breakfast with a glass of milk and some fruit.

Read More

Yes, you read that right…Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Spiced Doughnuts. They are as delish as they sound.

Doughnuts are probably one of my top five favorite treats, but I very rarely eat them. I actually think the last time I had a doughnut was when I went to New York City last October and had a pumpkin doughnut from Dunkin Donuts (a special on vacation treat).

Doughnuts are soooooo good, but I don’t love having all that sugar for breakfast. It doesn’t fill me up and doesn’t keep me satisfied for long. So I made these doughnuts for dessert! I had one after dinner and it was the perfect sweet treat.

Read More