Flavors of Fall

I’m typing this with a little girl on my lap so please excuse any typos 😉

And you know how I got her to be quiet (other than by holding her…what a little love bug she is!)? Playing monster mash! She loves it 🙂 She got so mad when it was over. What a cutie 🙂

She also gets mad when the batteries in her beloved swing die. Poor baby!

 

Brother bear was also pretty upset because he kept spitting out his Wubbanub than deciding he really did want it after all.

 

Kids, I tell ya. 🙂

So this week I’m trying to get back to really eating well. We’ve had a few quick dinner nights, that mostly included fast food or Mexican. Whoops! Not good for nursing or for trying to lose some post-baby pounds!

My first dinner this week is going to be some chicken sausage and an Autumn quinoa salad.

Autumn Quinoa Salad

1/2 medium butternut squash, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
1 large carrot, grated
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 apple, chopped

1/4 cup dried cranberries
Extra Virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Roast butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper at 400° until tender.
2. Meanwhile, saute onion over medium-high heat until translucent.  Add 1/2 of the carrot and continue to saute until browned, 7-10 minutes.  Add lemon zest, quinoa, salt, and pepper and stir together.
3. Heat for 2 minutes, then add water and mix.  Bring mixture to a boil, then gently simmer until quinoa has absorbed the water and is tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Add vinegar, remaining carrot, apple,cranberry an squash and mix together.

Prep and cook time: about 30 minutes

 

Prep and cook time with twins: about 2 hours