{Fresh Friday}

Breathe....just Breathe...it's FRIDAY!! I never thought it would get here.....
Hi all...
Glad you enjoyed my yoga post and even more importantly....happy to know you think i'm flexible!! :)
As always I appreciate all the comments, they always make me smile~

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Well...it's Fresh Friday and time for another installment of something super healthy to make!
This time it's .............
~Tomato Pesto Soup served in a Squash Bowl~
triple times five super yummy:)
I don't know...just a silly saying I always say! :)

Anywho...first roast a garlic clove~ I could live on roasted garlic but my husband doesn't always appreciate it.
Then chop some kale and saute it in a little vegetable broth or olive oil if you prefer~
After all that's done....throw a can of diced tomatoes, a little pesto and some soy milk in the food processor...oh and make sure to throw in the garlic and kale!Oh...I almost forgot to mention...when you put the garlic in the oven....throw in half of a cleaned acorn squash.
I'd say about 425 for about an hour...give or take...depending on your oven~ When everything is done just pour it into the squash and ENJOY! Kind of like a bread bowl but without all that bread:)Notice I also had a little pizza with mine! I just used the whole wheat crust I make from scratch and keep in the freezer. I threw on a little pesto, some tomatoes and onions! Put it all in the oven on 450 for about 12 minutes! It was fabulous~

I always roll the crust super duper thin....so that I feel like I am getting a lot of pizza, when really it's not all that much! More pieces of pizza...but less crust and thus fewer calories= I am happy:)Healthy Eating....

Just today I was at work and someone brought in some pomegrantes, so I was talking about how good they taste and how good they are for you! Well, someone said "so how many of those do you need to eat in one day to be healthy?"

Woah....hold on just a minute!

It often seems that people have the notion .... if one of something is good for you than 50 must be better!

I said "it's not about eating 50 pomegrantes in one day, it's about eating more fruits & veggies overall and really mixing it up."

So the point is....if you want to start getting a little more healthy and fit...eat more fruits and veggies and DON'T be afraid to try new things! Eating carrots everyday of your life isn't BAD but what about sweet potaotes, orange peppers or the many kinds of squashes there are!!?!?! I find that if I get bored with what I am eating...I tend to get off track...that's why I love to mix it up and try new things!! Plus every fruit or veggie has something different to offer your body! But overall I do try to eat a ton of fruits and veggies everyday!

I have found that I can incorporate them in interesting ways....like adding sauted kale to my tomato soup or serving my soup in a squash bowl.... you get the idea:)

I am not a nutrtitionist or a doctor ...... just a real girl trying to get real fit and learning along the way! Hopefully along my journey i'll inspire another~

Happy Friday and I hope you all have a super {fruits and veggies filled} weekend:)

"Whatever you want to do, do it now. For life is time and time is all there is." Unknown

{Fresh Friday}

Hi all...

Thank you so much for all the kind comments about my ride!! I really appreciate it:)

It's FRIDAY!! Yeehaw~

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And you know what that means....another happy, healthy recipe!
This time it's a variation on a theme!

Remember last week's salad?!?!? Well this time I switched it up and put roasted sweet potato slices on top instead of apples!Roasted Sweet Potatoes

slice sweet potatoes

top each with a tiny dollop of honey and sea salt and pepper

roast in 450 degree oven for 15 minutes

flip once at 7 and a half minutes

When finished.....

put atop a lovely bed of organic greens

with honey roasted pumpkin seeds and sliced dried figs!!

Top with Apple Vinaigrette

Sometimes when you know you already like something....it's easy to switch it up rather than reinventing the wheel~

For example...you could put roasted beets on this salad or pears or any other thing you like!!

I am just keeping with the autumn.... sweet and salty theme. And here is the dressing I made....

Yummy and healthy~

So simple and so good!

Then I made this chili that I was soooooo looking forward to since this post..I sauteed the carrots, garlic and onion~added all the other ingredients the recipe called for and ended up with this....
Looks great, huh?!?!?! It even had lots of dark chocolate! {I added way more than the recipe called for}

And let me tell you....this was the worst chili I have ever had:(

Sometimes that really is the problem with following recipes for me. I find I am a much better cook when I experiment on my own:)

I tried to fix it....but it was so SPICY that I had to use a napkin to wipe the sweat off my forehead as I tried to eat it!! Owell...you win some and you lose some! I will for sure be more careful when I chose a recipe to follow OR I will just continue on whipping up my own recipes:)

Now the best thing about eating yummy food is how you eat it..I enjoy making the table look cute and so I thought it would be fun to share how to make something out of nothing!!

I made these cute little napkin rings....out of things I already had on hand!It's my take on a beachy autumn:) A starfish and Midwestern dune grass wrapped onto simple white napkins.

I love grasses and definitely think they lend a beachy feel to a Midwestern landscape...For the table...

I put some faux flowers in wine bottles {you know I have plenty of wine bottles around my house} and used faux pumpkins and real leaves!! Simple and cheap!

Who wouldn't want to enjoy a nice autumn meal here?!?!

Oh....I forgot to tell you that this is all from the other night with my friend. We call it Wishful Wednesday's......where we share a yummy meal, lots of vino and dark chocolate!

Anywho....we later enjoyed a fire in our firepit~I brought out the comfy pillows that I made earlier this summer...I think they turned out super cute!!

And finally if you can imagine it....I ruined my napkins during the evening by spilling my wine on them! It's so funny because if you knew me you would know that I do not own anything without at least one red wine stain on it!! Owell!! What can I say...I love to drink and wear my red wine:)

Hope you all enjoyed my recipes for Fresh Fridays and as always if you want to participate....please feel free!! Just grab my button and blog away:) Oh and let me know you did!! I would love to get more ideas for healthy eating~

"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art."
La Rochefoucauld

{Happy Day}

sort of....

It is completely disgusting outside today!! Cold and rainy....

So I got up early and ran, did p90x and then gently coaxed my husband into going to the Farmer's Market with me!!

I got some awesome produce to try out this week!! Yippee~Then I came home opened a bottle of wine {at 2 o'clock in the afternoon} and

started drinking while reading all the new magazines that came for me in the
mail today!

When life gives you grapes....make wine!!! LOL!

"Red, red wine you make me feel so fine,
you keep my rocking all of the time,
yeah" UB40