Hi! I hope you had a good Monday and your Tuesday is off with a bang.
These few weeks leading up to Finals are packed, so I’m going to try to blog when I can. I can’t promise a set schedule, but I’ll try to make my posts as engaging as possible 
First up, my recipe for the healthy and delicious side dish I brought to Thanksgiving. I knew I wanted to make something a little different but festive and was pleased with how this came out. I even got multiple requests for the recipe! It went very well with the more traditional T-day items.
Quinoa Pilaf with Butternut Squash, Cranberries, and Walnuts
•1 small butternut squash, peeled and seeded
•1 large onion
•1 tbsp. olive oil
•1 cup uncooked quinoa (I used red) or brown rice
•1 cup dried cranberries
•2/3 cup walnuts
•1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
•salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350°F. Dice butternut squash and onion into small cubes and add to a baking dish lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Bake for 40-minutes or until vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa. While quinoa is cooking, chop the walnuts and place into a dry skillet. Toast over medium-low heat until brown and fragrant (approx. 20 minutes), stirring occasionally. When squash mixture is finished, combine remaining ingredients and serve.
We ate this at room temperature, but it would be great warm too! Also, I forgot the parsley and wasn’t about to run out at 10pm on Saturday night to pick some up, but it would have been perfect in this recipe. If you try it out, let me know.
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Yesterday’s breakfast was noteworthy because I’m obsessed it looked so festive! Yep, pumpkin pie oats made an appearance yet again
Currently I’m blogging with a nice (strong!) cup of black coffee before heading to the gym to train an early client, workout, then face my day. I have back-to-back everything today so I have like four bags packed!
Speaking of bags, I’ll see you later today with an awesome product review…just in time for the holidays.
See you soon!
*TIP TIME*
“If you don’t love it, don’t eat it, if you love it, savor it”. I think this especially applies to the holidays! When you’re attending a gathering centered on food don’t deprive yourself of your favorites. Eat what you love but really enjoy it.
Question: What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food, healthy or not?
Yes, don’t deprive yourself but SAVOR it. I stopped eating a lot of the sweets I used to because I just don’t “really” enjoy them anymore…so it just seemed wasted…like “that wasn’t really worth it.” But when it is, it’s so worth it.
Mmm, I can’t wait to try your pilaf & I’m curious what the secret bag is.
Great tip!! I chant that to myself during holidays and only try to eat the things I really enjoy. Sweet potato casserole is one of those things.
Sweet potato casserole indeed!
as sad as it sounds, i haven’t had a thanksgiving dinner in years!! Australia doesn’t celebrate it (obviously) but i remember liking Stove Top Stuffing. i know – not the healthiest (and from a box on top of that!) but i loved it nonetheless. we all have our vices i suppose.