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5 Reasons to Serve Pumpkin Year Round

Fresh pumpkin or canned: 5 reasons to serve pumpkin year round.

Pumpkins are more than pie or fall decorations!

From the peeling to seed, cooked and raw, the value is immeasurable. Here are 5 reasons to serve pumpkin year round plus scrumptious recipe ideas and links for more!

#1 Tremendous health benefits.
Pumpkin is high in Vitamins A, B12, C; rich in potassium; low in calories. Its antioxidants may boost immune systems, lower risk of certain cancers and promote heart health. Click healthline.com for more nutrition information.

#2. Fat Replacer in Recipes.
Instead of replacing butter or oil with applesauce, try pumpkin! Try it in bran muffins, chocolate cake or cornbread; you will be amazed at the flavor!

#3. Versatile kitchen staple.
Add cooked pumpkin to yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes, toast (with drizzle of honey), lentils or legume dishes, sour cream for soups and tacos, soups, chili, stew … and the list goes on! Get creative. Learning to use more pumpkin means getting more nutrition and less fats and sugars into your families’ meals.

#4. Often over-looked snack item.
Don’t toss the seeds! Roasted pumpkin seeds are quite tasty. Remove fleshy parts from seeds you scooped out. Toss in extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. Bake at 300 for 5-10 minutes until golden brown.

Raw pumpkin cubes have a hearty, rich flavor for some; others may find them a bit chewy and difficult to digest. Note: cooking does improve its nutritional quality.

#5. Easy to store
Whether you cook your own pumpkin or buy canned, plan to freeze excess in ice cube trays and save in ziplock bags ready to use all year. When using canned pumpkin, grab plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mixtures containing spices and sugar.

About those recipe ideas, here are a few teasers

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce: saute’ garlic and onion, add pumpkin puree and herbs such as sage or rosemary; serve over penne pasta.

Pumpkin Cheese Spread: 1/2 cup canned pumpkin, 2 Tbsp. sugar or sugar substitute to taste, 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice and 8 ounces of cream cheese. Bring on the crackers!

You won’t believe what they’ve done with pumpkin on this website … don’t miss it! Click …

Have fun and let me hear from you.

Hugs,

For some amazing ideas, follow this link and let me know what you try. Click here.

My Take on Total Exhaustion

My take on Total Exhaustion A feeling of total exhaustion reared its head again this week. Exhaustion is defined as being completely used up; yep, that was me. Caring for home and work responsibilities and family seemed overwhelming.

My ‘free time’ was never enough. I wanted to drive through the country, photograph barns and clouds and cows. Time, energy, and the will to push on dwindled fast.

Ever been there? Are you there now? It’s hard to pull out of that mode. Don’t want to do anything, see anyone, talk on the phone, or eat — well, let’s re-think that last one!

I needed a short break. A steaming cup of Hazelnut coffee, double chocolate protein bar, my feet up on a cozy pillow a few minutes should do the trick!

Clicked on the TV for a bit of music. Before I could switch the dial, I was mesmerized by the screen. A young man’s face literally lit up as he shared the joy in his heart. He seemed to be on top of a desk as he talked freely about how blessed he was and how much God had done for him.

As the cameraman turned the focus from the huge audience back to the speaker, he was actually perched on the top of a desk! This was my first encounter with Nick VuJicic (click to see photo). Nick was born in Australia without arms or legs. His parents had worked hard to get him accepted in a public school where, from an early age, he accomplished what seemed impossible. He learned to use his one “foot” to type on a computer and perform many other tasks.

My feet slid off the stool and onto the floor. I sat straight up in my chair staring in disbelief as he continued talking about how anything is possible if you want it badly enough. His early years, I am sure, were extremely difficult. I realized my present tiredness would not hold a candle to his true exhaustion as he worked every day to strengthen and train what muscles he had to achieve his goals.

I struggle with finding time to meet writing deadlines, to read more books, to become a more faithful witness and friend to others. It takes so little to pull me away from my goals; I wonder how committed I am to finding my purpose.

According to this young man, life without purpose is no life at all. Living without limbs, he is an author, musician, actor, and his hobbies include fishing, painting and swimming. Nick says, “If God can use a man without arms and legs to be His hands and feet, then He will certainly use any willing heart!”

Well, dear friends, that program sure did a lot for my exhaustion! I turned off the television, finished cleaning the room, washed and put away another load of laundry, and sorted the stack of papers lining the dining table. (My husband will be in shock!)

You know me well enough to know, I believe we need to rest when we are tired. I believe we need to care for ourselves as we care for others. I believe there is a time to work and a time to play. I believe total exhaustion is real! There are times in our lives when we must stop and care for ourselves.

However, there is also—at least in my life—a form of tiredness that comes from “stinkin’ thinkin’” and I am choosing to change that attitude every time it appears.

I pray for you to find rest and renewal in your life today.

Hugs,

Click here for encouraging words from me; offering hope and help.

Eat Healthy on a Budget – 8 Tips

eat healthy on a budget - 8 tips

Eat Healthy on a Budget?

Yes, you can. Homemakers and caregivers, we all share one thing: we have to feed our families.

The fast-food trap. To ‘save time’ we wreck our healthy plans and perhaps our budgets.

The healthy food trap.

Those “healthy” frozen options with colorful photos of good vegetables and lean meats are often filled with sodium, fats, sugars.

You need a plan. It is said, “without a plan to succeed, we plan to fail.” I want to help you succeed in providing healthy meals every day. Caring in this way reaps great benefits both to you and to your loved ones.

I found this website jam packed with helpful information on healthy eating … click here. You can learn to create a shopping list, prepare foods for storage, and dozens of helpful hints and great, easy to prepare recipes that will save you time and dollars.

#1 Plan ahead. It’s no surprise – mealtime is an every day occurrence! Rescue yourself from the hassle of last-minute shopping or quick-to-fix meals – stock pantry with healthy choices.

#2 Consider nutritional needs; study the healthy options. How much is too much sugar, salt and fats? What are good alternatives for sugar or salt? I learned the hard way the sodium in cottage cheese and tuna fish were worse for me than other choices.

#3 Purchase in bulk. Is there another family that will share large packages with you? Look for bulk stores near you. And be aware of bulk spices that you use often. I save about 1/2 on cinnamon by purchasing at our local Amish store. We use a lot and it mounts up to savings.

#4 Try new recipes. There are wonderful alternatives to our old, familiar recipes that incorporate more vegetables and fruits and less fats and sugars. Check out my article: Cut Sodium and Add Nutrition with Herbs and Spices.

#5 Stock up on storage items. With proper containers handy, you are less likely to waste leftovers. Don’t forget marking pens so you can label and date each item (especially in the freezer, see #6.)

#6 Cook more than you need. I have very little time to cook and the two of us don’t need large meals. However, I make huge pots of sketti, soups, stews, meatloaves, baked chicken, etc. With storage items ready, I fill my freezer with healthy, home cooked options. Add a salad or veggies and fruit for dessert, I have it!

#7 Convenience costs more. Purchase whole chickens, shred or grate your own cheese, Salad doesn’t have to be so expensive: a head of lettuce last longer than bagged and costs less. Avoid instant rice, cereals, etc.

#8 Smuggle in some veggies if needed. Here’s what I do to save time, money, and add nutrition. I buy slaw salad when on sale and freeze the pkgs. When I make soups, I add the finely chopped slaw instead of potatoes. My husband doesn’t like lots of veggies but will eat anything chopped finely and added to casseroles, soups, egg dishes and others.

Please let me hear from you; and do follow the links. I think you’ll enjoy them. In fact, here’s another real fun one … 44 Healthy Foods Under $1. I will say, some of them aren’t coming to my kitchen, but the list over all is great food for thought.

Hugs,

I’m hungry now … guess I’ll go get a carrot (or brownie — not!)