ringing in autumn: butternut squash soup

Folks, there is nothing better than fall.One morning, you wake up to take the dog outside before the sun comes up, and you notice that the air feels crisp. The day never loses its charm; a cool breeze blows by and it smells unlike anything you've experienced all summer. The fresh produce comes in shades of orange, and green, and red; all of a sudden, soup is on the menu.That's when you know it's fall. Not when football starts (because heaven knows it's still hot as hell then); not when school is back in session... But when, suddenly, the air changes and it makes you crave warmth, as if you hadn't...

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tri training comes to fruition... a few tips on improving your lifestyle

This past Sunday marked an important moment in my life: I became a triathlete.What started as a birthday present from Ryan (triathlon training and all the fancy gear) evolved into a health and fitness overhaul this summer. Nothing went untouched: it involved food, exercise, positive thinking, and even health care reform.Over the course of the summer, Ryan and I have been making better and better decisions. We've eliminated so many negative things from our lifestyle, especially food-wise; we're eating more vegetables, whole grains, and organic goods than ever before, and we're exercising on a regular...

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variety is the spice of life

I’ve missed this blog!! So here’s a really, really long post to show you how MUCH I’ve missed it. Without a picture because, well, I was simply too busy cooking last night to be bothered with the camera. Ah, how I love to write that. Too busy cooking. I'm back in the swing of things.Recently I’ve been inspired by bento boxes—those perfect, colorful, sometimes comical representations of lunch, perfect for picky eaters. What’s so inspiring? They’re packed full of colorful variety, from veggies to grains to fruits. In essence, they’re the perfect idea of a meal that lives up to my high standards.I’m...

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beginning to feel like autumn...

So the last month of my life was a little busier than I'd anticipated. But things are calming down, and in the meantime I've experimented with buckwheat flour (post to come soon), made puffy dog treats (more on that later), and have compiled a list of recipes three feet long that I've been waiting to get to! What I'm trying to say is... I'm still here, it's just been a wild end to the summer. And did I mention my first triathlon is in nine days? Yeah, that too.After last night's swim workout (big thanks to my sister Aubrey for motivating me), I tried inviting my brother and sister over for dinner...

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