Seasonal Recipes

We have been hosting guests a lot this season and it has given me a chance to perfect some new fall recipes. I thought I would share them with you. They all turned out really well!

Pumpkin pancakes

Ingredients
1 Container of multi-grain pancake mix from trader joes
1 can of organic pumpkin
1/2 tbsp. of nutmeg
1/2 tbsp. of cinnamon

Add in the ingredients from the box ( 1 egg for waffles and 2 eggs for pancakes) as well as oil ( I used coconut oil instead.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl
Pour them out as pancakes or waffles

Glazed sweet potatoes

http://www.reynoldskitchens.com/easy-recipes/recipe-items/honey-roasted-sweet-potatoes/

Above is the link to the recipe, they were so good, almost a dessert rather than a side.

• Ingredients
• 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup of honey
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Spread the potatoes out on a cookie sheet lined with Reynolds® Parchment Paper. 
3. Sprinkle the oil, honey, cinnamon, salt and pepper over the potatoes and cook for 30 minutes.
4. Once they are cooled scoop them onto a serving dish and devour!  

Fall apple medley  

Ingredients

4 apples ( I used red delicious) chopped with skin on 

1 tbsp. of cinnamon
1 tbsp. of nutmeg
1 tsp. of vanilla 

Combine all apples, nutmeg and cinnamon in a skillet.  Cook on medium heat until the apples are to your liking.  ( I like mine well done) and then add the vanilla.  Toss apples around until they are coated in vanilla.


Enjoy!  

Hot Chocolate Race

So I ran my very first half-marathon last year....the Chicago Spring Half Marathon.  I am NOT a runner, and even after running it I still don't really consider myself a runner.   I decided to run initially to challenge myself to do something I have never done before and wanted to do something physically exhausting. Since that race, I have not done a lot of running.  So the Hot Chocolate 5k/15k was coming up and I thought, why not do another race?  I decided to do the 5k only, and the decision was 2-fold. My friends were doing it who don't generally run, and my husband was doing who NEVER runs.  In anticipation I did run the 3.1 miles twice two weeks before, and then the week before.  I was surprised to find that my body was able to get back in the groove of running with relative ease.  It was not very challenging to discover my rhythm again.  The day of the race was a beautiful, clear day.  Chilly, but no rain or snow to be seen.



























I have to say it turned out really well! I am pleased with the experience overall and excited to have run my first ever race with my husband.  It didn't hurt that the end of the race had a delicious chocolate fondue and fun things to dip into it.  It was the best end of a race I've ever seen and the smell was amazing!

Have you ever done anything as a team with your spouse or significant other? 

                                                          XO,

                                                          GG

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Bloglovin is a new tool to follow your favorite blogs.  I am just beginning to use it and understand it. Here is a link to try and download the mobile app.   Have you tried it out yet?


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Dancing like nobody is watching

I am a dancer, correction, I was a dancer. I have danced my entire life....until I graduated from college and stopped. When I moved back to Chicago I started doing all sorts of things and dancing just wasn't one of them. I have tried over the last 5 years half-heartedly, to get back into it but I hadn't found anywhere that I really loved. I took several classes; some that I could have done in my sleep,  and several advanced classes that I was way too embarrassed to ever go back to.  Cue, All About Dance in Old Town.

This was one place I had never tried but had heard awesome things. Friends of mine who were on dance team with me in high school and college had recommended it to me many times but I never got around to trying it, until last night. I'll admit I was nervous, I was wondering if I had lost all my skills. Deep breath...

I took the adult cardio class. This was a combination of excersice with abs, arms and stretching. Then we learned a dance routine quickly and practiced it over and over to different tempos and new hit songs. I had a blast! And bonus, I am sore today! Not only am I excited to be back at dancing but I got an awesome workout in the process. It has inspired me not to put off something I love doing again. Wednesday is a ballet class, one of my all time favorite types of dance, and I think I'm going to try it next!

Have you ever re-ignited your passion for something??  

                            XO,

                            GG