Give Me Something Good to Eat

With Halloween just around the corner, it seems like bags of candy and chocolate are everywhere you look.  A celebration originally intended to honor the souls of the dead has become completely centered on candy corn and "fun size" candy bars.  Talk about scary!

Now I'm a big chocolate fan myself (especially dark chocolate!) and I definitely believe that sweet treats do have a place in a healthy lifestyle.  Still every year I find myself frustrated by the overindulgence that occurs around Halloween and other holidays.  Being surrounded by empty calories is just not a good way to set ourselves up to make healthy choices.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not campaigning to end trick-or-treating or anything crazy like that.  I love dressing up in costumes and trick-or-treating, but I think we need to make adjustments to the messages (and the treats) we're giving to kids today.  When I was little, we always wanted to just skip the houses we knew to give out apples, popcorn or toothbrushes, but maybe those people were onto something!  Of course those are dietitian approved choices, but it doesn't even need to be that "extreme"! There are plenty of snack options that can satisfy a sweet tooth without breaking the nutritional bank.

  Green Halloween is one of many awesome programs working on changing our approach to Halloween.  It's gaining serious momentum and inspiring people to think "outside the candy-box®".  I absolutely love the idea of making Halloween healthier, safer and easier on the environment!  

Some of the well-known companies involved with the Green Halloween movement include Honest Tea, Stretch Island Fruit Co., Plum Kids, Cascadian Farms and (my favorite) Lara Bars!  In fact, Lara Bars is hosting a sweepstakes to giveaway 100 LARABAR minis, which are a great healthy option for trick-or-treaters! (Hurry, though...it ends at 11:59pm tonight!)

So before you stock up on giant bags of (expensive) Halloween candy, consider giving out something GOOD to eat this year!

Have a Happy and Healthy Halloween! 

Super Simple Apple Crisp

One of my very favorite things to bake (especially in the fall) is apple crisp.  I have lots of childhood memories of my mom and I going apple picking and then heading home to make homemade applesauce and apple crisp.  Typically I tweak my recipes to make them healthier, but I'm not messing with this family recipe!  Be sure to enjoy this sweet fall treat, but remember--everything in moderation! :)

Apple Crisp

-Apples (We love & use Macs but you can use Cortland, Fuji or Jonamacs too!)

-Butter (about 4 Tbsp)

-2 eggs

-1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups flour (I use half whole wheat to add a healthy boost)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Cinnamon to taste

1. Cover a 13x9 pan with cooking spray.

2. Cut apples (I keep the skin on for added fiber!) and fill pan 3/4 full.

3. Sprinkle apples with cinnamon and ~1 Tbsp sugar.

4.  Slice butter into small pads and spread over top of apples.

5. Prepare the crumble: Mix sugar into 2 eggs (beaten).  Add flour, baking powder and salt.

6.  Get your hands dirty and crumble dough evenly over apples.  

7.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.

8.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

9. Enjoy!

Did you know I'm an RD? And I'm thankful too!

Hey friends.  First, let me apologize for skipping the last TWO weeks of Thankful Thursday.  It's not that I wasn't feeling thankful, but more that I was feeling overwhelmed with working and studying for my R.D. exam.  Now that that's over, I can get back to enjoying my life! Woo!

So let's get down to it.  This week (month?) I'm feeling thankful...

...that I passed my RD exam!!! I've been a Registered Dietitian for 5 whole days and I'm still not over it.  Although I know that I know my stuff, I finally feel like a credible professional. So listen to me darnit! :)

...for my incredible friends! They are so sneaky and surprised me last night with a Wednesday wine party to celebrate my big accomplishment! Since we already celebrated when I got my job, this was totally not necessary...but much appreciated!

...that those friends I mentioned really know how to party.  And by party, I obviously mean play Outburst and Charades.  Isn't that how everyone spends Wednesday nights?  Oh..and there was lots of wine & cheese! Yum.

...that my absolute favorite season is officially here! Fall=apples, cool weather, pumpkins and comfy sweaters.  What could be better?

Apple crisp = love.

...for my beautiful hometown.  I don't know that I appreciated the beauty of the Hudson Valley until I moved away and I love going back to visit! On Sunday, my mom and I had a really nice walk on the Walkway over the Hudson and took in some incredible views!

...for my Foodie Pen Pal package! Check back on Monday for the big reveal! In the meantime, head over to The Lean Green Bean Blog to sign up for October yourself! 

Okay. Now your turn! What are you thankful for? Do you have the best friends in the world? (Hint: you don't...I do.) Are you psyched for fall? TELL ME.

An Apple a Day

I've already mentioned how much I love fall and the seasonal foods that go along with it! One of my favorite recipes (stolen from my mother's great recipe archive) is Apple Crisp. Apples are very easy to bake with and create delicious desserts and amazing aromas.

One medium apple contains around 80 calories and is loaded with both soluble and insoluble fiber, which is beneficial for digestive health, preventing colon cancers, and lowering cholesterol.  Apples also contain the flavonoid Quercetin, which has antioxidant properties and promotes heart health and reduce cancer risk. 

For a fun weekend activity, go apple-picking or head out to a farmer's market to get apples at their freshest! If you don't have the time, they are readily available at supermarkets (or try the NYC Green Carts!).  Apples are great to just snack on or can easily be incorporated into salads, glazes and many desserts!