Week in Review

It was so cold last week and now that daylight savings time has started, I am already ready for bed at 7 pm. Let the hibernation begin! Cold weather always inspires me to make chili and so thankfully I had some leftovers after a busy Sunday to indulge in. Now anyone who knows me knows I do not like beans in my chili. When I was younger, my mom would purée beans and sneak them in. Now that I am an adult, I do the same thing because they are so very healthy for you. I guess it's the texture but when they are puréed, they only add thickness and nutrients. 

I start out with ground mild Italian turkey sausage and over medium heat, cook until almost done with the meat being slightly pink. 

I then add in carrots, onions and celery. (Yes I cheated with short cuts from Hy-Vee, so easy!) I finish cooking the sausage and slightly softening the veggies. 

Usually this is about and additional 5-7 minutes.

 I then add in 2 cups of diced red bell pepper and continuing cooking for 5 minutes. 

Next up is one can of tomato paste and one can of no salt added diced tomatoes. 

Once that is blended and simmering, in goes my flavoring. 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of chili powder. I sometimes like mine a little spicier and will add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. 

Stir under blended, add 1/2 cup of water, pop a lid on and simmer on low for about 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. 

In the last 30 minutes, add 1 cup of puréed beans. I used canned cannellini beans or white beans with no added sodium. The beans will help thicken the chili too. And there you have it! It was a delicious dinner tonight. 

Saturday was a perfect day for a lovely fall run outside followed by my annual caramel apple that I treat myself to every year. 

I cannot resist a caramel apple with Heath bits. Pure joy! 

The rest of the weekend involved a pretty entertaining Halloween party hosted by my friends Jason and Justin. They had adorable party treats scattered around the frightfully decorated house. 

Everyone got in the spirit and wore their best Halloween costumes. 

My friend Laura's was my favorite. 

Gary and I really enjoyed the evening as well!  Goodbye October and hello November! 

Halloween Week in Pre-view

It is the last week of October and that screams Halloween. We celebrated Halloween in the store this past week and had a pretty fun trick or treat event for over 300 kids.

I had to share this picture of sno balls because it reminds me so much of my Dad and Halloween. I remember Dad coming to Omaha while I was in college during Halloween week. He brought me a package of orange sno balls as my treat. I have been a lover of them ever since. Coincidence that there was a cart of these back by the time clock. Love it when my Dad says hello in special ways.

Halloween is also my Dad's holiday. He would decorate our front porch and play spooky music for all the trick or treaters. Not to mention his love for shopping for Halloween candy....we always had the best candy - Snickers, Baby Ruth's, Kit Kats, Almond Joys. If it was a candy bar with chocolate, peanuts and caramel, we had a bag of it. I love his sweet tooth, it makes me smile.

We had a variety of candy all over the store, but as the dietitian, I had to have something a little different.

So, I had a special witch by my side to lure the kids our way.  Even big kids.  

I handed out tooth brushes and a healthy snack mix. Both were a hit!  Yes, even the tooth brushes!  Halloween is about candy and treats, but a healthier snack mix can be a treat too for kids and adults.

Here is my easy recipe:

2 cups of Wheat Chex

1 cup of Golden Raisins (my favorite)

1 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Portion out 1/3 cup into snack bags and serve.

Happy Halloween! 

Week in Review

It was another memorable week, as they always are for me.  I had a full house of fun for Halloween including these 3 sweet kiddos that were so helpful with handing out candy (the only day out of the year anyone is given candy to from me). We had a delicious healthy chili, cinnamon rolls and tons of heart-healthy laughter. 

The week ended with a great fundraiser for The Des Moines AIDS project. There was plenty of talent and entertainment (from the stage and at my table). It is always fun to enjoy an evening giving back and being with friends.

Now this was in my mailbox this past week and I just got around to opening it today. Seriously a perfect start to the week. Not only was it a great experience to hang out with 70 pretty cool 3rd graders from Hubbell Elementary and teach them about MyPlate, but even better to see they actually learned something. I am savoring them, reading just a few everyday. 

Cherish the little things that always mean so much, you never know when the little things might become big things.