It’s kind of strange how food can bring so much comfort emotionally, but it really does! Over the weekend, Tim wasn’t feeling so hot AND we had his mother in town visiting. Sunday evening, it was chilly out, Tim was resting, and I wanted to make something cozy for all of us to enjoy while we watched a movie. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I love soups. I love to make soups, especially in my cast iron dutch oven. I wanted a nice hearty soup with warm fall flavors and this is what we ended up with!

It did the trick! We were warm, full, and happy. Tim got a little soup therapy, and I got the thumbs up from his mom so I’d call it a success! I know it’s Thanksgiving this week and there will be plenty of chow making the rounds, but if you need something quick and you’re tired of turkey, this can be on the table in under an hour. Enjoy guys!

Also, Happy Thanksgiving! Hope everyone gets some quality family time in this week. Tim and I are grateful to have all of you in our lives! XO

*Take note on the spice blend – I did not have Old Bay seasoning on hand, but I made an awesome mix on my own that I actually like better. Easy route, go Old Bay, but if you don’t mind spending another minute or two to mix it up, the alternate is awesome.

INGREDIENTS:

Alternate to Old Bay

Join us in celebrating 10 Years of serving the Austin Community!

What:

We are so honored and excited to be celebrating 10 Years Strong w/ CrossFit Austin! Serving the Austin community for the last 10 years has been no small feat, but one of the most rewarding! The relationships and journeys we’ve fostered have filled these walls with love. We hope you can join us to celebrate!

When:

Saturday, December 8
2:00 – 6:00 pm

Where:

The home of Linzi Newth

14015 S Turnersville Rd
Buda, TX 78610

*Next door to her awesome business – Remington Pet Ranch! Check them out for pet grooming, boarding, daycare.. They’ll even come pick up your pooch on their tricked out bus!

*Note – this will be an outdoor party so dress accordingly. Don’t worry though, there WILL be a bonfire! 

Who:

All members, families, friends, residents in the area! It’s a party y’all!

*Unless you’re dropping them off next door for a boarding/grooming/or daycare appt. Please leave pets at home. The party is at a private residence and we want to respect the space.

What else:

Male and Female members of the year awards
In years past it has been Push Up Man and Push Up woman, but with new ownership and a new decade ahead, we are excited to announce our new annual award – Stay tuned!

Superlative awards
Think high school year book 😉 Always a lot of fun and a good way to get to know your CFA community

Games
Corn hole, spike ball, frisbees, etc… You can also make smores at the bonfire if that’s your thing 🙂

Food & Brews

Usually we have our annual party at a restaurant or bar where everyone’s on their own and food and beverages can get pretty pricey. We’re thrilled to be able to offer discounted meal plates and beverages thanks to some of our friends! 

We are having BBQ plates catered from one of our favorite go-tos! Owned and operated by a long time friend of Tim’s, AJ’s Ranch Road Grill will be cooking up all kinds of goodies at a steal! They are even coming out to serve for us!

Brisket
BBQ chicken
Mac & Cheese
Pinto Beans

**We’re also excited to have custom printed cups for the occasion! We’ll have 3 kinds of beer from a couple of our neighbors! If you plan to drink beer you must be (21+) and must purchase a beer cup with or without a meal. Cups may also be purchased if you don’t plan to drink beer and just want a commemorative cup 😉 

NXNW Restaurant and Brewery on Slaughter lane –
Zombie Dragon IPA & Northern Lights Lager

Two Wheel Brewery in Buda
Buda-Ful Blonde Ale

We’ll also have some of the standards if craft isn’t your thing.

BBQ plates + CFA Cup $15  – Will include 2 meats and 2 sides, cup must be purchased if you plan to drink beer. (21+)  Water and tea will also be provided
PURCHASE HERE

BBQ plate (food only) $12 – Will include 2 meats and 2 sides – water and tea provided with meal plates
PURCHASE HERE

CFA Cup only – $5 – Cup must be purchased if you plan to drink beer (21+) You can also purchase without drinking beer if you just want the cup! 🙂
PURCHASE HERE

POTLUCK SNACKS/APPS – We’ll be setting out some additional snacks and appetizers for free. Help us stock the table and bring your favorite! Ex: Chips, salsa, guac, veggies/fruit/meat trays, potato salad, cole slaw (it’s outside so anything that needs to stay cool will do great!) crackers, cheese, sweets, etc…

*Email gen@crossfitaustin.com to purchase plates and cups

*RAFFLE TICKETS*

We are excited to be working with several of our favorite local restaurants and businesses for some awesome raffle prizes!

So far our prizes include:

Emmer & Rye Gift Cards
District Kitchen Gift Cards
Rosewood Gift Cards
Stronger Faster Healthier prize packs
Cryo + Compression session at Restore Cryo
Infared Sauna + Stretch session at Restore Cryo
Austin Weightlifting 1-on-1 Sessions
Massage with Heidi @ CFA

But, there is much more to come!

Email gen@crossfitaustin.com to purchase raffle tickets! All proceeds go to covering additional costs for the party and left over goes to our equipment fund! 

Raffle tickets
1 – $2
3 – $5
5 – $7
10 – $10

What do I need:

A lawn chair
Cash for raffle tickets if you didn’t pre-purchase and have FOMO
Warm, outside clothes or a blanket (just in case)
Potluck dish for the snack/app table
The meal and beer tickets you purchased
Your party pants

HOLY BURR! There is a reason that I moved out of Kansas and to Texas… cold weather. I will say… I’m glad it’s not raining anymore, but this is for the birds.

I say that, but guess where we are going for Thanksgiving next week? Yeah.. Kansas. My dad said they’ve already gotten their first snow. I honestly don’t mind that if I don’t have to be driving or getting out in it. I’ll take snow on Thanksgiving day when we can veg out and just watch it come down in the yard.

So, guess what I was craving with the cold weather? Chili. I’m not really a fan of the typical chili beans and I like a lot of “stuff” in it, so this is the recipe I came up with when I wanted chili MY way. With every recipe, you can add and subtract as desired, but I like to think this is a pretty good one. Tim would agree… we’ve had this twice in the last couple of weeks and he hasn’t complained. 🙂

Alright, put on your sweatpants and get to cooking! This will be ready in no-time. It’s not one of those chili recipes that needs hours to simmer so if you want a quick one for tonight – I got you covered.

Weeknight Chili 

INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Lb ground meat of your choice – I like a mix of 1lb Bison and 1lb Beef
1 15oz can of black beans – drained and rinsed
1 15oz can of garbanzo beans – drained and rinsed
1 14.5oz can HEB fire roasted tomatoes
1 14.5oz can HEB diced tomatoes with green chilis
1 medium yellow onion – diced
2 cloves garlic – minced
1 large jalapeno – finely diced
1 poblano pepper – diced
1 large bell pepper (color of your choice) – diced
1 cup sweet corn (I use frozen)
*2-3 Tbsp chili powder – I like a lot in my chili so I use 3, but go to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregono
*1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (Optional if you like spicy)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

For topping – All optional
Diced onion, diced green, fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeno, plain greek yogurt (I actually like this better than sour cream), sliced avocado, lime wedge, tortilla chips… make some cornbread… the world is your oyster.

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large pot (I use my cast iron dutch oven… let’s be real, I use it for EVERYTHING)… heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, jalapeno, bell pepper, and poblano pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the ground meat, stir and cook until browned throughout.

Add the seasoning and all your canned goods. Tomatoes (both kinds) – (note* If you can’t find those, about 30 oz of any diced tomatoes will do. I just love the flavors of those), black beans, and garbanzo beans. If you need more liquid you can add a little water or broth, but keep in mind the ingredients will cook down a bit and release some moisture.

Bring the chili to a boil, add the corn, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. The longer you simmer the more the flavors will blend, but it’s pretty much ready at this point! Taste and adjust your seasoning if you prefer.

Put your coziest socks on, dish it out into nice deep bowls and load it up with your favorite toppings! Netflix and chili y’all.

Click the image to enlarge

CLICK HERE TO ORDER

AND SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR PARTY! Saturday, December 8th!

Happy Hump Day! I hope your week has been full of awesome things! It’s been a bit hectic around here, but that’s only because we are planning our 10 Year Anniversary Party! We’re so excited y’all 🙂

I’m going to keep this one brief because I have a ton of things to do for said party, so we’re going to get straight to the kitchen. I’m usually a savory breakfast person. Don’t get me wrong, I love pancakes and pastries, but if it isn’t paired with something savory, I’m usually not into it for breakfast. This recipe may be the exception to that.

It’s sweet without being overly sweet… if that makes sense… and like all my favorite things, you can customize this with your favorite toppings. I’ll share what I used, but also list a few other ideas for you. If you need a super quick breakfast option, this is the way to go. Enjoy!

The amounts I’m sharing made 3 bowls for us… adjust accordingly 🙂

Sweet Potato breakfast bowls

INGREDIENTS
2 Large sweet potatoes
1-2 Scoops protein powder (I used SFH churro, but I think a vanilla, coconut, or even chocolate would be good in this)
1 Large apple
1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp nutmeg
2 TBSP Almond Butter

Topping options
Raisins
Sliced Almonds
Chia seeds
Flax seeds
Rolled Oats
*Optional – a drizzle of date syrup, honey, or maple syrup on top

INSTRUCTIONS
You have 2 options with the sweet potatoes. If you prefer oven baked, wash and poke your potatoes with a fork several times. Wrap them in foil and baked them at 425 for 45-50 minutes…

**If you go the microwave route, start your apples first so they can bake while you prep the rest.

I do not have time or patience for that so I go the microwave route. Wash and poke with a fork 5-6 times. Wrap them in wax paper and microwave. Usually about 7 minutes, but if you do them together it may be a bit longer. Rotate them half way through and microwave until soft and fork tender. Cut open and let them cool for a few minutes before handling.

**Apples – Preheat the oven to 350. Wash, core, and dice your apple into cubes. I like to leave the skin on, but it’s up to you. Toss the apples in a bowl with coconut oil (liquid form) along with the cinnamon and nutmeg. Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the apples out on the sheet. Bake the apples for 10-15 minutes or until softened and golden. Your kitchen is going to smell amazing!

Once your potatoes have cooled enough to handle them (don’t let them get cold if you plan to eat this immediately) remove the skin and put them in a large bowl. Mash them up with a fork. Add the protein powder and mix it in well. If you’re having trouble mixing it in, add a little bit of liquid of your choice. I used coconut milk. You can also had more cinnamon and nutmeg to this mixture if you prefer. 

Dish out a bowl of the potato/protein mixture. Top it with a tablespoon of almond butter, the apples you just baked, and whatever else you prefer! Mine had raisins, chia & flax seed, sliced almonds, raw rolled oats, and a little drizzle of date syrup.

You could also skip the apples and do chocolate chips instead. I haven’t tried it, but I bet this would be good with some blueberries, shaved coconut, any other kind of nuts… It’s up to you! It takes on almost an “oatmeal” feeling so top it up however you want.

Even though I’m a savory breakfast person, I’ll definitely be making this again.

What do you call a pumpkin that has had too many Halloween treats???  (read the post to find the punch line…)

Happy Halloween! Today is the date that it’s acceptable to eat massive amounts of candy that’s been given to you by strangers! Don’t get me wrong, I love Halloween! I think growing up as a dancer elevated my love for costumes and dressing up. I still have a huge tub full of costumes… I think there is something really fun about getting to be someone or something else for a day and just live it up! In fact, a gal I knew when I lived in Kansas has the pleasure of doing it on a daily basis! If you want to be seriously amazed, check out her instagram.

Anyhoo… this post is about food, not expressing our other “selves” 😉 so let’s talk about sweets! Treats come in all forms! Halloween is a day for candy, cookies, baked goods, sweets of all kinds… I believe that there is nothing wrong with indulging from time to time, but I also believe that if you’re going to indulge it should be fully worth it. If you are trying to stay on track with your eating, days like today can be difficult, but I have a few recipes for some healthier alternatives to help satisfy that sweet tooth without binging on that overpriced store bought candy.

I have one recipe that I did and then I’m linking a few other choices so you have some variety. Check it out!

So this first one is the one I made. I love chocolate and peanut butter… who doesn’t? But, especially on the Whole Life Challenge, most of the good stuff that contains that combo is non-compliant. I actually made this recipe as a little energy bite that we could pop before or after a workout to give us a little boost, but it tasted so good that I have to share it as a treat.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Coconut Energy Balls

INGREDIENTS

2 cups medjool dates pitted (roughly 20 dates)
1 TBSP Coconut Oil
3 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
2 TBSP Peanut (or Almond) butter
3 TBSP Chia Seeds
1 1/2 cup rolled oats divided
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large bowl, cover the dates with 2 cups of boiling water and allow to sit for 10 minutes. This softens them and allows for a smoother mixture

Drain and pat them dry and add them to in a food processor with a steel blade.  Add 2 tablespoons of the water, your coconut oil, cocoa powder, chia seeds, peanut butter, and 1 cup of rolled oats.

Blend until smooth, scraping down sides. If you are having trouble with consistency, add a little bit of water (1 TBSP at a time) until the mixture blends smoothly. Then, add the remaining ½ cup of rolled oats and about 1/2 a cup of shredded coconut and pulse until it’s mixed in. You want to leave these roughly chopped for texture, but you do want them well mixed in.

Taste your mixture and make adjustments to the flavor if you want to.

Put the food processor in the fridge for at least 10 minutes before rolling into 1 tablespoon sized balls.

Coat your hands in coconut oil to prevent the mixture from sticking to you. Roll into 1 tablespoon sized balls, and toss to coat in remaining ¼ cup of shredded coconut. I actually added a few more oats in for the coating as well.

Let them chill in the refrigerator for another 10 minutes before enjoying. Keep them (if you have any left over) stored in the refrigerator.

Ba dum tss!

Thrivestry “Story Time” – The Four Sisters

There once were four sisters who all trained together at the gym. They had been there a while, and all of them had hit a point in their training at which they started to have some opinions on how they wanted to train.

The oldest sister decided she would always do the hardest option. She was always looking for the hard path. She relentlessly attacked her weaknesses every day. She always did the hardest programs and went to the toughest coaches. Her diet was perfect, she worked out for hours every single day, and she never took a day off.

The second oldest sister decided that she would always do the safest option. She was always looking for the easy path. She avoided the things she was bad at, seemed dangerous, or didn’t enjoy. She stayed with the easy programs and scaled down most movements. She liked going to the coaches that didn’t push her too hard but cheered her on no matter what. She said her diet was ‘pretty good’, never tracked her food, but she did say “no” to her favorite desert or wine every once in a while. She came to the gym when she ‘had time’ and when she ‘wasn’t too tired’.

The third oldest sister could not make a decision. She was always starting one path or another. She went to a hard class and did the hardest options one day, then didn’t come to the gym for a week. She spent an hour working on a weakness, then did not touch it again for 6 months. She was constantly looking at other routines online, starting and quitting a new one every week or two. Her diet changed week to week, and sometimes it even changed in the same day. One day she started to train for a marathon, and the next day she started a program that would help her with her play better for her softball team. She would come to the gym 6 days in a row, then not come at all for over a week.

The fourth sister was the youngest. She decided to ‘pick her battles’. She spent some time focusing on just being consistent coming to the gym, but didn’t try to crush herself every day. She worked on one weakness at a time but didn’t overdo it. When she started a new program or diet, she stuck with it for at least 6 months, and only worried about small changes that would provide the biggest benefit. When she was feeling overwhelmed, she took it easy. When she was feeling bored, she found a new challenge. When she wasn’t sure what to do, what path to take, she asked a coach. When her progress got interrupted, she didn’t beat herself up or try to make up for it. She just got back to basics and worked on being consistent.

The Sisters Go on a Trip

The four sisters were traveling together in the far east for a vacation.

One of the days, they had some time in the morning before going to visit an ancient monastery.

The sisters were not getting along because the morning hadn’t gone well.

The oldest sister was frustrated because she couldn’t do her full program at the hotel gym that morning and they didn’t have all the foods she needed to eat according to her strict diet.

The second sister wasn’t feeling well because she hadn’t worked out since the trip began, and she kept eating everything that looked tasty.

The third sister was feeling rushed and frantic because spent the morning looking up workouts to do, ran out of time, and was only able to run on a treadmill for 10 minutes. She had to skip breakfast because she was running late and couldn’t decide what to eat.

The youngest sister was having a great day because she slept in a bit. Instead of an aggressive workout, she did some shoulder pre-hab to help her shoulder that has nagged her in the past, then did a short little circuit that left her breathless but not wrecked. She ate some healthy stuff but didn’t feel too bad about indulging in some new treats as well.

The Sisters Were Not Getting Along

When the sisters got to the monastery, they were arguing with one another about their day.

The oldest sister thought her sisters were lazy, making them late all the time, and too laid back. The second sister thought they had woken her up too early, made her guilty about not working out, and judged for eating the yummier foods. The third sister thought they were rushing her too much, ignoring her (not helping her decide what to do), and she was feeling hungry because all of them ate but her.

The youngest sister was just trying to enjoy herself and wasn’t too worried about her sisters.

They had just finished watching a demonstration of the physical feats of the monastery residents, learning about the long history of teaching and training, and getting some instruction themselves, when one of the teachers asked if they had any questions.

The Sisters Learn Valuable Lessons

One of the sisters asked: “We all have similar goals of feeling good about how we look, being able to do fun things, and staying active a long time… which one of us is using the best approach?”

The teacher looked at each sister in turn and gave them advice.

She told the oldest sister that her training would lead to burn out and injury. The guilt when she missed a workout or ate ‘bad’ was going to make her not fun to be around and make her upset with herself no matter how much she achieved.

She told the second sister that her training was going make her bored and not produce any change. The years would fly by and she will be disappointed with her lack of results. She would feel judged by everyone and wish she had committed to something sooner.

She told the third sister that her training was going take a lot of energy and time, but not produce meaningful results. She will always be frantic to find the ‘better’ program, a ‘better’ technique, or a ‘better’ coach. She will always feel like the ‘next’ program will be the ultimate one, only be disappointed when it doesn’t work any better than all of the others. She will feel that everyone thinks she is a quitter and that the reason that she isn’t progressing is because something is wrong with her.

Then the teacher turned to the youngest sister and said:

“Your way is not the easy way, but it is the best way. And you still have lessons to learn.

You must learn when to push hard, when to let things go, and when to stop and wait.

Sometimes you will feel overwhelmed, so you must learn to accept it, work through it, and plan for downtime in the future.

Sometimes you will feel bored or in a rut, so you must learn to pick a new challenge that is difficult or fun.

Sometimes you will feel confused, so you must learn where you can find clarity or who you can go to for advice.

The most difficult part will be not getting stuck on one path, stuck trying to decide, and to not get swept up in other people’s journeys.

If you continually work on these things, you will get results the fastest and you be most likely to succeed in all the things you desire.”

The Sisters Return

The rest of the vacation went by and the sisters came back with a new appreciation for the different approaches to training and life.

The oldest sister planned periods of time where she would just have fun with her second sister, and she let herself ‘indulge’ in her favorite foods occasionally.

The second sister picked at least one day a week to really push herself and decided to master one of the movements she liked doing. She also challenged herself to pay more attention to what she ate.

The third sister talked to a coach and settled in on a routine that she can stick to for 6 months. She is going to workout more with her oldest sister to keep her consistent. She is also going to stick with some simple nutrition rules that aren’t too extreme.

The youngest sister was making excellent progress, surpassing her sisters even, making them proud (and maybe a bit jealous).

Then she got pregnant…

But that is story for another time…

–

I hoped you enjoyed our little ‘parable’ about the 4 sisters!

Which sister do you find yourself relating to most?

Do you understand how to balance your life so that you can have what the youngest sister was working toward and what the teacher was trying to convey?

In life we shouldn’t try to live in extremes. We need to focus on small changes that create balance. We need to look at our schedule and routines and make deliberate changes that will keep us moving in the right direction.

We need to understand that nothing stays the same forever. We must remember that having some clear goals, stopping to ‘take stock’ of how we are doing regularly, and having a plan for when things change, is a recipe for success.

Thrive on.

-jj

Hey guys! It’s still raining! And… Austin is under a boil water notice which can make meal prepping somewhat difficult. I’m not on Austin water at home so luckily I didn’t have to worry about that, but we are having to use bottles at the gym instead of our fountain… womp… Anyway, this too shall pass!

Meal prep looked a bit different for me this week since we were driving on Sunday so I tried to keep my recipes simple and quick since I was actually having to do it Monday after work. There was a lot of football in our weekend which is what inspired this recipe. We drove up to Fort Worth for the OU/TCU game (BOOMER!) and then watched the Texans play before we hopped in the car to head home. Cram a Halloween party between those two games and you can imagine I was ready to get back to a normal routine. Don’t get me wrong, we had an AWESOME weekend, but I felt like I was craving some greens like crazy which is why I loaded this up with kale.

We’ve already established that wings and football are a match made in heaven, but this is a little different take on the subject. This week, we’ve got a sweet potato stuffed with shredded buffalo chicken and some simple sauteed kale on the side. Sounds easy (and it is) but the results were awesome! If you made the buffalo wings from my earlier recipe,  you can go through the same process with the sauce for this one to tone it down a bit and give it a silkier texture. If you didn’t, you can check that out here.

Also, one last shameless plug for our Barbells for Boobs event this weekend! 

I’m a little over half way to my personal goal – If you’d like to make a donation, you can hit up my page here: 

https://www.barbellsforboobs.org/fundraisers/genevieverounkles/barbells-for-boobs

Or the team page: 

https://www.barbellsforboobs.org/fundraisers/teamcrossfitaustin

OR you can choose any of the members on our team and donate to their pages. 

BUFFALO CHICKEN STUFF SWEET POTATOES & SAUTEED KALE

INGREDIENTS

For the sweet potatoes & chicken
2 Large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Large Sweet Potatoes
1 cup hot sauce (I use Louisiana)
3-4 TBSP butter (Optional – used to tone down the spice of the sauce)
*Optional toppings – green onions, cilantro, avocado

Preheat the over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat the chicken breasts in olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or aluminum foil) and bake for appx. 35 minutes or until cooked through and tender. Once cooked, let them cool for a few minutes and then shred the meat with 2 forks.

If you prefer to bake your sweet potatoes in the oven, go for it. I usually take the faster route and do them in the microwave. Wash the potatoes well. Pierce the skin 5-6 times and wrap in wax paper. Place on a microwaveable plate and microwave 7-10 minutes (if doing both together) or until they are soft, rotating halfway through.  Once they are finished, remove, slice them in half and put them on plates or in meal prep containers. Lightly mash the potato inside the skin to prepare for filling.

While the chicken and sweet potatoes are cooking, prepare the sauce. If using butter, melt it first in a sauce pan over medium low heat. Add the hot sauce and stir. Adjust the spice by adding more butter or more hot sauce. Once you’ve found your desired flavor, mix well with your shredded chicken breast.

Top the potato with your buffalo chicken and serve with green onions, cilantro, avocado, or ranch dressing!

For the Kale
6 cups Kale – torn and stems removed
2-3 TBSP coconut oil
2 large cloves of garlic- minced
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Himalayan pink sea salt – to taste

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the kale and coat in the oil – saute for 1-2 minutes before adding the garlic. Add the garlic and almonds. Saute until kale is tender and rich green. Be careful not to let the garlic burn. Season to taste with salt.

For the ranch – This is a little easier than the one I shared in my other post.
Seasoning 
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion granules
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon himalayan pink salt
Combine well in a jar until ready for use.

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons of water and add seasoning until you are satisfied with the flavor. I usually use 2-3 TBSP. You can adjust consistency with water and flavor by adding more seasoning or yogurt.

Fall is upon us! I think I’d have liked it to creep on a little more slowly, but hey, I guess a 40 degree drop in less than 12 hours is appropriate for “Fall” right? I know, cheesy…

Anyway, as we all know, my recipe choices tend to be influenced by the weather and I LOVE Fall flavors. I actually made this as a weeknight dinner last week because I wanted something “Fall” and I wanted to just make something that was easy to throw together. Tim and I liked it so much that when I asked what he wanted for meal prep this week, his first choice was this stuffed acorn squash. The blend of spicy, savory, and sweet is so satisfying. Not only does it taste amazing, but acorn squash is packed full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. You can read about all the benefits here and enjoy the fact that something that tastes so good is also doing great things for your body.

On to the recipe! I tried to give accurate measurements on everything here, but I usually just toss it in the pan and adjust by taste so if you want more or less of something, go for it! That’s what’s great about one-pan meals.

INGREDIENTS
2 Large Acorn Squash – Halved
Olive Oil
1 LB Hot Italian Sausage
1/2 cup uncooked tri-colored quinoa
1 small onion – finely diced
2 large stalks of celery – finely diced
1 large apple – diced
1/3 cup dried cranberries (no added sugar)
1/3 cup slivered almonds
3 cups packed kale – torn and stems removed
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 TBSP cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
Salt & Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Start your squash first. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Brush a little olive oil on the inside and flat edges, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place face down on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until fork tender.

Follow the cooking instructions on your quinoa. Usually 1/2 cup of uncooked quinoa to 1 cup water, bring to a boil and then cover and simmer until fluffy.

While the squash is baking, heat a large pan over med-high heat and brown your Italian sausage. If using links, remove casings. Once meat is browned, remove from pan, pat dry, and set aside. In the same pan, add a little olive oil and saute the onions and celery until they start to soften (appx 3 min). Add the garlic and stir continuously for about 1 minute (don’t let it burn!) Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in your apples and kale next. You may have to pack the kale in a bit. Reduce the heat to med and put a lid on the pan. Allow the kale to steam for 3-4 minutes stirring as needed. Once the kale has softened and turned bright green, add the sausage back in. Add your almonds, cranberries, and quinoa and stir all the ingredients until well combined. Remove from the heat.

If your squash has finished backing, remove it from the oven and flip them over so the cut side is face up. Depending on how large the hole is, you may want to scoop a little squash out so you can fill it with a good amount of the filling. I usually scoop a bit out of each of them and place it in another dish to go with any of the leftover filling I may have.

Fill each squash with a heaping amount of filling (carefully!) Return them back into the over and bake for a another couple of minutes to heat throughout and gently brown the cut side of the squash.

Remove and serve immediately or pack in meal prep containers and enjoy later in the week!

Happy cooking!

-G