Label This.

"What are you?" is hands down the most common question I get. Followed by "Are you vegan? Vegetarian? Do you eat meat? What DO you eat?" Here's the answer: I eat what is right for my body and I don't believe that I should fit myself into someone else's stipulations aka label. (GASP) Vegan, pescatarian, lacto-ovo vegetarian... Your body needs different things based on it's physical activity, what climate you live in, what your age is and male vs. female. And to top it off, it all changes from day to day. So what happens if you eat outside your label's standards? Do you still consider yourself a part of that label?
For a while I didn't cook meat at home. I'd freely eat it out at a restaurant but cooking it just wasn't my thing anymore. But recently my body has been extremely tired, lethargic and craving meat. So I flipped through my favorite recipes and found this guy. It re-energized my body and made me feel ready to take on this cold weather (snow in October?! really?!) Talk about the perfect fall (or does snow=winter?) chili and it's easy to make. If you've got a busy week up ahead it's leftovers are just as fantastic as the first day, so make a huge pot and enjoy throughout your week.

Turkey Pumpkin Chili


Makes about 6 servings and takes about 45 minutes to make, start to finish including cleanup


Need:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound ground white meat turkey
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (I roasted a pumpkin like I did for the Pumpkin Bars)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I used Eden Brand)


Do:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeños and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add turkey and cook until browned. Add tomatoes, pumpkin, water, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and add beans. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes more. Ladle chili into bowls and serve.

Enjoy!

Recipe via Whole Foods and image via Jess' iPhone

A Brilliant Breakfast

Cold days are requiring a warm breakfast and this is one I love in the morning. Kasha is also known as roasted buckwheat but actually has nothing to do with wheat and is a relative of rhubarb.  It’s gluten free, strengthens the kidneys, and is high in amino acids especially lysine.  If you work out, run or are an athlete lysine is important for muscle-building protein and muscle recovery. Of all grains, kasha has the longest transit time in the digestive tract keeping you full the longest.  When I have this for breakfast I’m not even near ready for lunch until 2pm! You can purchase kasha in the bulk aisle of Whole Foods. 

Kasha Breakfast Porridge

Approx 4 Servings

Need:

2 cups water or milk of your choosing (I used rice or almond milk)

Sprinkle of Cinnamon and Nutmeg

1 cup kasha

2 Apples, diced

Handful of walnuts

2 tablespoons almond butter

Maple Syrup, honey or agave to taste

Do:

Bring water or milk with cinnamon and nutmeg to a boil. Add kasha. (Don’t add kasha prior to boiling or it won’t cook correctly) Reduce to low heat, cover and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in apples, walnuts and almond butter. Cover and cook for 1-2 more minutes.  Stir in maple syrup to taste. Consistency can be adjusted by adding more water or milk. 

Images via Jess's iPhone

Apple Chips

Homemade apple chips - No dehydrator required!

What are you to do if you have pounds and pounds of apples from going apple picking this fall? If you've tried giving them away (which I don't recommend doing to trick-or-treaters), eaten multiple a day (my max has been three in one day), and given everyone in your neighborhood an apple pie that you baked; apple chips are a great way to cut down your apple inventory pretty quickly.  While they might take a while in the oven, which can be decreased by how thin you slice them, plan a time where you'll be home for a few hours and getting things done around the house.  It's a set it and forget it recipe so pop them in and get laundry done, clean, watch Dancing with the Stars, or make another batch of Silvers Power balls. Trust me, they're worth it! And they won't last long!

Need:
Apples (any kind and any amount will do) I was able to fit two Granny Smith Apples on two baking sheets. If your oven can fit more baking sheets, by all means use more apples.
Cinnamon   This is optional and I didn't use any when I made mine

Do:
Preheat oven to 225 degrees
Slice apples as thinly as possible (the sharper the knife the better or use a mandolin if you have one)
Line baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange apples on top in a single layer.
Sprinkle cinnamon if using.  Bake for 1.5 hours, flip slices and continue baking until completely dry and crisp (Timing will vary depending on moisture content of the apples and the thickness of the slices). Let cool and enjoy!

Photo taken via Jess's iPhone and recipe adapted from WholeFoods