Tailgate Time

I LOVE fall. Everything about it from pumpkin to football to chili to crisp morning runs...speaking of crisp...apple crisp too! For all those tailgaters out there preparing for the big game this weekend: ISU vs Iowa (GO CYCLONES), give this salsa a try for a sure touchdown...ha...at the game!
Laura's Salsa
Make extras to top your eggs on Sunday morning!
A reflections to past tailgate posts.

Trey enjoyed his first ISU tailgate, game, and win last Saturday!
What else am I pumped about!? Count down to my new website and blog: 4 days!!! Stay tuned!
Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

Baked Deep-Dish Butternut Squash

Turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie...oh my!
For those who have no idea what they will be bringing to the Thanksgiving feast....I am here to solve that mystery with this delicious recipe.....
Baked Deep-Dish Butternut Squash
with pears
from Eat Clean Cookbook
I always like to volunteering to serve a dish that I know can be made healthy but far to often is smothered in sugar or butter.
You all know what I am talking about here......marshmallows a top otherwise healthy golden brown sweet potatoes.

Ingredients:
8 c butternut squash cubes (about 2 squashes)
3 stalks celery, trimmed and cut into chunks
2 yellow onions, peeled and coarsely chopped (I only used 1 for J)
4 T olive oil, divided
1 tsp dried thyme
1 apple, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
2 firm pears, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
3 egg whites + 1 whole egg, well beaten
3 T whole grain flour
2 T sweetener (I used evaporated cane sugar, you can opt for brown sugar, honey, agave nectar)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp sea salt
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2-3 Ts apple butter (I used my mom's homemade thick apple sauce)
1/4 c ground pecans
2 c whole grain bread crumbs
honey

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375F. Spray large casserole dish with olive oil cooking spray. Prepare a large roasting dish (maybe two) by lining with parchment paper (optional) otherwise spray.
In large mixing bowl combine squash, celery and onion. Add three tablespoons of the olive oil along with the thyme and toss to mix.
Distribute this mixture evenly between the roasting pans. Bake in a hot oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and give the vegetables a flip so they brown on both sides. Add chopped apple and pear and return to oven to bake for another 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Place the cooled, roasted squash and fruit mixture in food processor. Process until smooth, may need to do in batches.
Transfer puree to a large mixing bowl and add eggs. Mix well. Set aside.
In small mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and black pepper. Add to squash/apple/egg mixture. Combine well. Pour into a prepared casserole dish. Set aside.
In another small bowl combine apple butter, pecans, and breadcrumbs. Mix well until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle in an even layer over casserole.
I drizzled some of my brother's harvested honey over top for an extra treat for your tastebuds. Bake in hot oven for 30 minutes. Keep an eye on dish during last few minutes of baking so as not to over brown. Serve hot and enjoy hearing all the mmmmm's!

Let me know what your family and friend think....I would love to hear!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!


Sara B News: Lose 10lbs by Christmas! 24 Day Challenge informational meeting tonight at 7pm in Waukee . Contact me for details!


Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

Pasta w/ Squash, Brown Butter & Rosemary

Pasta w/ Squash, Brown Butter & Rosemary
from Rachel Ray's Everyday Living

Ingredients:
1-3lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 onion, chopped
2 1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 T chopped fresh rosemary
sea salt and pepper
2/3 lb lasagna noodles, broken into pieces
4 T butter, I used Land O' Lakes
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese, use the real stuff!
3 T pine nuts, toasted
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400F. In a large bowl, toss the squash, onion, olive oil and rosemary; season with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet and roast until squash is tender, about 3o minutes. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente; drain and transfer to a large bowl. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Add the roasted squash, brown butter and 1/3 c parmesan to the pasta and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Top with pine nuts and remaining cheese.

Viola! Enjoy!

Want to lose weight, tone up and gain energy?! Ask me about the 24 Day Challenge!

Come cheer on Jeremy, Mike, Kelli, baby, and I as we run the Des Moines 1/2 marathon this weekend! Looks like perfect weather!

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

Howell's Pumpkin Patch

This October weather we are having is amazing! What a perfect fall. As I look out the window of the office it looks like it is snowing leaves. Last year J and I racked for 5 hours one Saturday....and then more fell.

Kelli, Mike, and I took advantage of the beautiful day Sunday and took my nieces, Emmerson and Peyton, to
Howell's Pumpkin Patch near Cummings, Iowa. J stayed back in Iowa City to compete in a Cylcocross race (he got second, wahoo!)


There were sooo many activities for the kids...and grown ups...to enjoy

our little cowgirl

off to the pumpkin patch and corn maze

the Corn Indy 500!

lost in the corn maze...

you had to put colored chalk on a finger every time you got to a check point
by the end you had 5 colored fingers

Peyton insisted on her finger being chalked as well

We told the girls they could each pick out a pumpkin.

the search was on for the BEST one, Peyton dug into the depths

at last...found them!

wait..............never mind

If you haven't yet been to an apple orchard or pumpkin patch....what are you waiting for!? Great way to get local produce and goods.

Take advantage of the best season for weather, food, and fun!

Until next time...

look good, feel good, do good

http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

Sweet Potato Cake

After seeing a yummy looking sweet potato cake on the Today Show the other day, I knew I had to had the recipe to my fall treats.

Sweet Potato Cake
in black you will see the original recipe while in red are the changes I made to "healthify" it a bit
Ingredients
Cake:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 cup sugar, 1 cup honey
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) margarine, 1 stick butter & 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cupped packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon Watkins vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts, plus additional for garnish, optional

Cream Cheese Icing:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened, 16 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners' sugar, 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust the position of the rack to the center of the oven. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) pans or 3 (8-inch) pans. Set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and granulated sugar. Set aside. In the bowl of a mixer, cream margarine and brown sugar on low speed, and then increase speed to medium and beat until well-combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each egg and scraping down the sides of the bowl after the addition of each egg. Add vanilla, sweet potatoes, pineapple, raisins, and walnuts and blend on low speed until thoroughly mixed.
Pour batter into pans and smooth the surface with a metal spatula. Bake for 30-45 minutes (be sure to check every 20 minutes or so), or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; when you touch the center of the cake, it should spring back. Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes, and then invert onto a rack and cool completely.

For icing: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth. Add vanilla and beat until incorporated. Gradually add sugar and beat on low speed until smooth.

Icing the cake: Place 1 cake layer, top-side down, on a cake platter. Using a metal spatula, spread a layer of cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the cake. Take the next layer and place it on top, rounded-side up. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. The cake should be refrigerated for about 1 hour to make sure the layers are set. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top of cake, if desired.

I caught J out on the deck trying to steal a bite

I had to rescue the my prized cake

YUM! This recipe is now part of my favorite fall treats

love cream cheese frosting!

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
www.sarabconsulting.com

Wild Rice w/ Apples & Butternut Squash

You'll Fall in love with this delicious recipe...ha, I crack myself up. Did you know Wednesday is the first official day of Fall!?
Bring it on...just not the snow.

Wild Rice w/ Apples & Butternut Squash

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups wild rice cook (or a blend of wild rice and other varieties)
1/2 Cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 Cups 1/2inch cubed butternut squashed
2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cored, cut into 1/4-1/2 inch cubes (best to buy organic when purchasing apples)
1 T dried thyme
1 Cup chicken broth (Watkins is the best)
1/2 Cup walnut pieces

Instructions:
Heat oil in large skillet and saute onion over medium high heat until translucent. Add squash, apples, and thyme, and saute 5 minutes. Stir in broth. Combine cooked rice, parsley, and sauteed mixture into an oils 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle walnuts over top (these turn out to be sooo tasty and rich so be generous). Bake 425F for 20-25 minutes. Serves 10.
Of course, J likes his with Robert's 1% cottage cheese mixed in so it gets ooey and gooey!

The Ultimate Lifestyle Package from Sara B Consulting

Reach and maintain a healthy body weight with your customized lifestyle plan, make peace with food through intuitive eating (no numbers) approach, respect your body and honor your health. Package includes:
~ Initial consultation
~ Detailed food log review
~ Initial caloric calculation
~ Pantry makeover (in your kitchen)
~ Grocery store tour
~ Additional nutritional education as needed

Week 1: Initial consultation
Week 3 and 7: One-on-One follow-ups (45 min each)
Weekly: Q&A through phone or email & goal tracking

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

Apple Squash Soup

Get ready for fall infused foods....
Once the leaves start turning and the air gets a little bite to it my cravings for squash, apples, pumpkin, and soup goes through the roof. Luckily, all these foods offer amazing health benefits including vitamin A to help ward of the looming cold and flu season.


This recipe is wonderfully simple and incredibly comforting. Garnish with apples and a couple slices of whole wheat baguette.
find the recipe here: Apple Squash Soup
or here:
Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 tsp diced sage
2 T Land o' Lakes butter
14 oz chicken broth about 1 can (I use Watkins powdered form)
3/4 c water
2 medium granny smith apples, peeled and finely chopped
12 oz cooked squash (about 2-3 cups)
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 c fat free evaporated milk
Instructions:
Saute onions and sage with butter in saucepan, about 3 minutes or until tender.
Add broth, water, and apples. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 12 minutes. Add squash, ginger, and salt; return to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool until lukewarm. Process batches in blender or food processor until smooth. (I filled the blender about 1/4 full each time).
Return to pan and add evaporated milk. Enjoy!

Want to enjoy the comforts of learning to cook a delicious and nutritious meal from your home? Invite me over for an hour of cooking with the gals (or guys). Group or individuals sessions are welcomed! The only thing you supply is the house to make a mess in :)

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
http://www.sarabconsulting.com/