Fall Favorites

Truth: This blog partly serves as my own personal recipe book that I reference OFTEN.  

Here are just a few of the recipes that I will be using on the regular this fall season!

Spicy Chipotle Turkey Tamale Pot Pies {with Cornbread Crust}

Mexican Butternut Bisque

The Greener Waldorf Salad


Pumpkin Donut Holes

Nectarine Blackberry Crumble

Pumpkin Ginger Fall Shandy

80--- Breakfast Fried Rice

As if you need a reason to eat dinner for breakfast, or vice versa, this dish works great for both meals!  And adding a runny egg yolk to fried rice is amazing!

This fried rice has some riced cauliflower added to the brown rice base to add some vitamins, minerals and fiber, but keep the carbohydrate count in check.  Add veggies to your liking- and don't forget about the freezer section.  Frozen vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh (and sometimes more so in the winter months where fresh vegetables have traveled a LONG way to get to your table).  The riced and spiraled options are plentiful in the freezer section, just watch out for the versions with added sauce or seasoning, which can have lots of sodium.


Breakfast Fried Rice
Serves 6

1 cup short grain brown rice, dry
1 3/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp sesame oil
3 cups crumbled cauliflower (rice cauliflower)
1 10 oz bag frozen riced veggies (butternut squash, broccoli, carrots, sweet potato are options)
1 12 oz bag frozen peas and carrots
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
1/4 cup coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce
12 slices uncured Canadian bacon, sliced into strips
1 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
6 eggs, cooked to order
3 green onions, chopped

Add broth and rice to a saucepan and bring it to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and cook for 40 minutes, unless otherwise specified on packaging.  Remove from heat when broth has been absorbed.

In a large skillet, heat sesame oil over medium high heat.  Add cauliflower and sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until softened.  Mix in cooked rice, frozen vegetables, and soy and Hoisin sauces.  Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are warm.  Add Canadian bacon strips.

Remove from heat and cook eggs to order (scrambled or sunny side up work great).  Top each portion with an egg and sliced green onions.  Season with additional soy sauce and/or Sriracha if desired. 

Nutrition info per 1 serving: 340 calories, 8 g fat, 21 g protein, 47 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber

80(ish)--- Healthified Creamed Corn

Creamed corn is so dreamy! It's the perfect starchy addition to any summer meal. However, traditional versions are often loaded with butter and cream, which can make it a pretty calorie-dense option.  

This version utilized some of that corn as a creamy base (thanks to the blender), but still has a bit of butter and milk to get that yummy flavor!  Add your own combination of spices to match your meal (Mexican, Indian, Thai.....) or keep it basic like I did here.

Healthified Creamed Corn
Serves 6

7 large ears corn, husked
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk (I used whole, but you may opt for reduced fat)
1/2 tsp sea salt

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.  Place corn eats onto the grill, reduce heat to medium, and cook for ~15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking/charring.  Remove from grill and allow to cool to the touch.

When slightly cooled, cut the corn from three ears and place into a blender or large food processor along with butter, milk and salt.  Puree until smooth.  Cut the corn off of the remaining four ears.  Add corn kernels and pureed corn mixture to a saucepan and heat over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until warm.  Serve immediately!

Nutrition info per 1 serving: 119 calories, 2.7 g fat, 4 g protein, 24 g carbohydrates, 3.5 g fiber