I talk about food a lot. If you are a client of mine you know this is true. Especially if you train with me around meal time. (And meal time is all the time!) Food is fuel. And food is fun. Food brings us together. Sharing meals with friends and family is a favorite ritual. I love learning about how our bodies process, digest and use food for fuel, like, how important it is to give your body the right stuff to work with, for an hour of personal training, for a 60 mile bike ride on the weekend or a long-distance triathlon. It's also important to know what to eat when you are laying low, or fending off a cold. What we put in our bodies, becomes our bodies. 

Changing your eating habits with the seasons is one easy and important way to keep your body happy, warm up when its cold outside and cool off in the heat of summer. The same fruits and veggies don't grow all year long, they have their very own seasons. And we should pay attention and enjoy them when they are at there finest. 

My good friend and training buddy, Mari and I often talk recipes while we run. Last we talked about our favorite fall foods. Inspired, I asked her to contribute her family faves to this weeks Thursday thoughts.  I can't wait for the weekend to whip these warmers up!!! Thanks, Mari!!!

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Eating clean doesn't have to be eating boring if you change your foods with the seasons.  Choosing local produce that is in season helps save money and offers a welcome change of pace--often keeping healthy eating habits on track.  The cooler temperatures of fall and winter also change what your body craves--suddenly cucumber salads are not as palate pleasing as steaming hot mugs of soup.  Here are a few of my favorite fall recipes that should keep your whole family happy and healthy.

A little about me:  I am a part-time RN and full-time wife and mother who loves cooking.  Since I finished breast feeding my youngest child a year ago, I am mostly grain and gluten free, but never can seem to pass up a brownie!  My husband, however, is a hard training triathlete who fears veggies and loves all things baked and sweet.  With two kids aged 3 and 4 my meals need to be flexible to fit finicky toddlers, hungry husbands, and a mom who wants to button her jeans.  Enjoy! 

Butternut Squash Soup:

This recipe is dairy free and gluten/grain free, but would be wonderful topped with nonfat greek yogurt or sour cream.  I also freeze it in large, wide-mouth mason jars--just be sure to leave a bit of space when filling so the jars don't crack in the freezer.

1 medium butternut squash (about 3.5 lbs or 7-8 cups), peeled, seeded and cut into 1 in cubes

2-3 T olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped into 1 in pieces

3 cloves of garlic, minced or grated

6 C low sodium chicken stock

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In a large stockpot or dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the onion and carrot and sauté until tender but not brown, add the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds being careful not to burn the garlic.  Add the squash and stock, bring to a boil, and then cover and simmer until the squash is very tender--30 minutes or even longer.  Turn off the heat and grab your immersion blender and process until as smooth as you like it--I sometimes leave it a little chunky to keep it interesting.  Taste for seasoning--it usually needs a few healthy pinches of salt and fresh ground pepper.

Nutrition Information for 6 servings: 171 cal, 7.2g fat, 26g carbohydrates, 4.6g fiber, 5.9g sugar, 4.4g protein

Beef Stew:

I have made this one for years, and have many variations to keep my family interested.  I usually buy a cross-cut rib roast and cube it myself--it saves a little money and is a much leaner cut than the typical chuck that is usually sold as stew meat.  These days I usually leave out the barley and potatoes, but am sure to have some yummy rustic bread to keep my carb-loving family happy. 

2 T olive oil

1 1/2-2 lbs stew meat, cubed into 1 in pieces

2 cloves garlic

2 large yellow onions, chopped

1 C red wine

8C low sodium beef stock

1/2 C pearl barley (optional)

1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon marjoram

4-5 carrots, peeled and sliced

4-5 stalks celery, peeled and sliced

3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped (optional)

1 can (14.5 oz) chopped, peeled tomatoes

3-4 C chopped kale

Heat oil in a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium to high heat, brown the meat on all sides and set aside.  Add the onions to the hot pot and sauté until softened, add minced or grated garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.  Return the beef to the pot with the onions and garlic, with the heat still high de-glaze with the wine, scraping any brown bits off the bottom.  Add beef stock, barley (if using), and spices.  Bring to a boil, turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.  Add carrots, celery, tomatoes, and potatoes (if using) and simmer until the veggies are tender--about 45 minutes.  Add the kale and simmer another 10 minutes until it is wilted and tender.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes:

This formula works for any root veggie--parsnips, carrots, turnips, and butternut squash.  The key to lower-fat roasting is parchment paper--using very little oil you are able to get the veggies nicely crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.  Just be sure not to crowd the sheet pans or else the potatoes will steam instead of roast.  When in doubt, divide between 2 pans.  Plus, cleanup is a breeze!

Preheat oven to 425

Line a cookie sheet with parchment

3-4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 tsp course kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper to taste

1 T maple syrup or honey

olive oil spray

Place the diced sweet potatoes on the sheet pan, spritz with olive oil, drizzle with syrup, and season with salt and pepper.  Using clean hands, toss together until everything is evenly coated and place in the oven.  Roast for 30-45 minutes, stirring after about 25 minutes to be sure the potatoes brown on all sides.  When they are tender and caramelized they are ready to eat--my 4 year old eats them right off the sheet pan!

Keep warm, eat well, have fun!

Remy