Hearty Harvest Salad

I really look forward to fall for the leaves changing, pumpkin everything, and all of the delicious and nutritious foods that are in season during this transition. Or at least that's what I tell myself to cope with the colder, shorter days :)

I love eating salads year round but I don't love just noshing on cold, raw veggies in the winter. There's a reason you crave cooling foods that are high in water in the summer like watermelon and cucumber and warming foods in the winter like soups and certain spices like cinnamon we commonly see in dishes and baked goods. There is also some evidence to show that by eating warming foods, less energy is required to create heat in the digestive tract and thus, leaves more energy for digestion and allows the body to better absorb it's nutrients.

From a nutrition standpoint, this salad achieves balance with a plant based protein (farro), a leafy green (kale), an acid for digestion (vinegar), healthy fats (oil and nuts), warming spices (cinnamon), and seasonal produce (kale, squash and apple). Yay!

This salad comes together easily and can be your main dish or an easy side. Serve this beauty right away or keep in the fridge for a few days. I recommend warming for a tiny bit in the microwave if taking directly out of the fridge (if you're ok with using this, a quick nuke shouldn't affect the nutrients too much) or just letting sit at room temperature for a bit before eating.

Let me know if you make it, and how you like it! Do you enjoy this time of year? What's your favorite squash?

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Hearty Harvest Salad

Prep Time : 10 minutes | Total time : 20 minutes | 4 servings

Ingredients :

1 large bag of pre-washed kale or 2 heads of kale washed and de-stemmed

1/2 large butternut squash

1 honeycrisp or other seasonal apple

3/4 cup farro

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 teaspoon cinnamon

5 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1.5 tablespoons dijon mustard

Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions :

1. Preheat oven to 425. Peel and cube butternut squash into 1/2 inch pieces, toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, a dash of salt & pepper, and cinnamon. Place in oven for about 20 minutes until cooked and browned, stir once.

2. Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil, add farro. Boil for 10 minutes and drain excess water, allow to cool.

3. While squash is cooking, place kale in a large bowl and drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil and vinegar and begin to massage. Work the oil and vinegar into the leaves for a few minutes until they soften and darken in color.

4. Chop apple into 1/2 inch cubes and toss with kale. Add cooked farro to bowl and toss to combine. Add chopped walnuts.

5. Remove squash from oven, allow to cool slightly and combine with other salad ingredients.

6. Combine remaining olive oil, vinegar, mustard and salt & pepper to taste and pour over salad, stir to coat.

7. Enjoy!

Roasted Vegetable Quinoa

Fall is here ya'll and I am diving into the comforting, warm foods. Roasting is one of my favorite ways to cook veggies at this time of year because you can infuse a lot of flavor and use them in practically everything.

I love using butternut squash because not only is it delicious, but packed with vitamin A, with 1 cup boasting almost 300% of your daily dose! It also has vitamin E, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B-6, folate, pantothenic acid, and manganese. This dish combines also uses a whole grain, nuts and some fruit for a vitamin packed, fiber full dish with just a hint of sweetness and some plant based protein. Enjoy!

Photo by Sara Dubler on Unsplash

Ingredients

1 butternut squash – peeled and cubed

2 cups brussels sprouts

1 cup quinoa

2 cups kale

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 cup whole pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425. Halve brussels sprouts and cut off ends, combine with butternut squash and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper and spread across baking sheet roast for about 20-25 minutes, stirring once.

2. Bring water to a boil and add quinoa, cook for about 10 minutes or until al dente.

3. Combine quinoa, kale, roasted veggies, pecans and cranberries, toss with maple syrup serve immediately.

Let's Hit the Bars!

We all lead pretty busy lives, and eating healthy on the go can be challenging. Things like meal prep and having healthy snacks on the fly can make this a lot easier. Unfortunately, a lot of protein or energy bars are pretty expensive if you make them a staple in your diet. Making your own protein bars at home can be an easy and delicious alternative and maybe even impress your friends at work.

Here are some great alternatives to store-bought bars if you want to try your hand at your own batch.

If you like KIND Bars - try these!

Oat & Nut Bars

Ingredients

1 cup oats

2 cups almonds

⅓ cup dried cherries

¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1 tablespoon chia seeds

½ cup honey or maple syrup

2 tablespoons coconut oil

Instructions :

1. Combine dry ingredients in bowl.

2. Over medium heat or in microwave, slowly bring oil and honey to a boil. Pour over dry ingredients.

3. Transfer mixture to a lined baking dish and press into an even layer. Let bars cool to room temperature or place in fridge for 30 minutes. Remove bars, cut into slices and store in a sealed container for up to 10 days.

If you have mad love for Lara bars, make these!

Cocoa Peanut Butter Date Bars

Ingredients :

1 cup dates

1 cup of almonds

½ cup protein powder of choice

¼ cup cocoa powder

¼ cup powdered peanut butter

2-4 tablespoons almond milk

Instructions :

1. Process dates in a food processor until they are broken up into small pieces. Add in nuts and mix until a mixture forms.

2. Add remaining ingredients and pulse to combine until a sticky ball forms. You may need more or less almond milk to get desired consistency depending on protein powder.

3. Press mixture into a lined baking dish and place in fridge for 30 minutes. Remove and cut into slices. Store bars in fridge for up to a week.

Instead of reaching for that pumpkin muffin, have these!

Pumpkin Protein Bars

Ingredients :

1 cup pitted dates

½ cup raw almonds

2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut

2 tablespoon chia seeds

⅓ cup vanilla protein powder

½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

¼ cup pure pumpkin puree

Instructions :

1. Combine bar ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.

2. Press mixture into a lined pan and place in fridge for 60 minutes

3. Remove and slice into bars, store in fridge for up to a week.

Next time you want a delicious whole foods snack, carve out some time to make your own bars and you’ll be eating healthy all week.