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

Baby S Update - Week 20

Week 20 - half way!

The baby is now the size of a cantaloupe

J and I cannot believe we are already at week 20! Man, it goes fast once you get over huggin the toilet and hittin snooze. In fact, I really don't feel too pregnant at all.

As I was reading the baby bible "What to Expect When Expecting" the other day I turned the book and learned my biggest "lesson" yet. I saw a cute, cuddly baby smiling at me and it hit me....

the outcome of all this reading, excitement, and body changes IS AN ACTUAL BABY!

THAT, my friend, is what to expect.....a crying, pooping, yet your very own loveable, BABY!

Speaking of baby, we finally got our first peaks today of our little one...

Do you see a butt chin?! It's a Boisen trademark

side profile of the face and arm

little feet

People always ask us if we are ready....I respond "ready or not....we're having a baby and can't wait!"
People also ask for some "baby bump" pics, so here you go...

ha, only kidding! Jezz, it looks like I'm having a lumpy baby.

Did you know that they have pillow bumps you can try on at maternity stores...how funny!

That is something I did not need to know 5 months ago.

Now I'm full of new baby knowledge like
did you know the baby has taste buds and will develop some likes and dislikes to foods based on what I eat. Pass the brussel sprouts!

For real this time, here is my belly progression.
As you can see, it's not that exciting. Still waiting for it to really "pop" as they say.

Week 20

Some exciting tidbits:

I can feel the baby move! Feels like gas bubbles (although I tend to have more movement after chili)....or for the more proper "butterfly flutters."

We're having a....surprise! That's right, we will not be discovering what the gender of the baby is. It's funny when you tell people this and how they respond....
Older generations - "that's great!" "so much better that way." "so fun."

Younger generations - "What! Are you CRAZY!?" "How will you know what to buy?" "Can you do that?"

I am running the Des Moines half marathon on Oct. 17th! The baby and I love to run in this crisp fall weather. Kelli, Mike, and J will be joining me.

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

My Dad's 60th Birthday!

My Dad, Lee turned 60 years young on September 28th! To celebrate, we surprised him with
B-Day decor and cupcakes at the tailgate for the ISU vs UNI game.
The Cyclones also surprise him with a nice win :)

I made these picture perfect cupcakes with yellow mountain frosting. Yes, it's not exactly high on the health food list, but it sure does hit the sweet spot in my heart.

White Mountain Frosting
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup white corn syrup
2 tsp water
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:
Blend sugar, syrup and water. Boil rapidly until mixture spins a 6 to 8 inch thread off a spoon. Beat egg whites until they stand in stiff peaks. Pour hot syrup in steady stream into beaten whites, beating constantly until icing stands in very stiff peaks. Blend in vanilla and yellow food coloring.
Slightly sweet and light frosting!

What you can't see is the big pin my dad wore "Sexy at 60"

Jeremy, Mike, Me, Kelli, Bryan, Emmerson, Dad, Mom

Kelli & Mike

Emmerson (niece) was excited to high five Cy!

Happy B-Day Dad!

Until next time...

look good, feel good, do good

www.sarabconsulting.com