My favorite fall lunch!
This meal is a family favorite in my house.  It’s delicious, nutritious and absolutely perfect  on a weekend afternoon with winter just around the corner.   A few slices of fresh green apple on the side is also a super finish to the meal.

Pumpkin Soup with Parmesan Rosemary Scones   

(1)    Scones with a savory twist – Parmesan, Rosemary and honey 

Using Nutrition First Pancake/Waffle Mix
Yields: 10-12 large scones

• 1 ½ cup Nutrition First Pancake and Waffle mix
• 1 ½ cup All Purpose Flour
• 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
• 2 Eggs
• 3/4 cup Milk buttermilk for a decadent treat
• 1 egg whisked with 3 tbls water for egg wash

Additions

• ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary – finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons honey

Procedure:
Pre heat oven to 450 degrees
Combine Nutrition First^™ Pancake and Waffle Mix with dry ingredients in a bowl, add in butter and rub it evenly into dry ingredients, until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add in other additions. In a separate bowl whisk two eggs with milk and honey and stir into butter mixture, until a smooth dough forms. Dusting with more flour to prevent sticking. Divide dough into three pieces and form into 5 inch rounds. Using a sharp knife that has been dipped in flour, cut into 4 wedges. Place wedges on a prepared pan and apply egg wash, wait 2-3 minutes and apply egg wash again. Handle dough as little as possible for a flakey pastry. Bake scones for 10-12 minutes or until firm.

(2)    Pumpkin soup

• 6 cups peeled diced pumpkin
• ½ small Onion
• 2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
• 3 cups Chicken Broth (if watching salt intake choose a low sodium variety)
• ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

Procedure:
Heat oil in large/deep skillet over med-high heat. Add pumpkin, onion and garlic and cook until lightly browned. Add chicken broth, pepper and nutmeg and let simmer about 15 minutes until pumpkin is tender. Remove from heat and using a blender puree until smooth. I like to drizzle top with roasted pumpkin seeds and rosemary infused olive oil drizzle or a small dollop of sour cream. Pair with Nutrition First™  Parmesan scones and enjoy!!

- 1 package NF Brownie Mix – Prepare according to instructions on package (you need 3 eggs + 8 tbsp margarine);

- 4 Black Licorice shoestring ropes (cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces);

- Red Hot™ candies for eyes;

- Unsweetened strawberry or raspberry jam.

Prepare Nutrition First Brownie Mix according to instructions on package. 

Using 3/4 oz scoop – deposit brownie batter onto lined baking sheet – flatten each dollop with the back of a spoon.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool and remove from baking sheet.

To make spiders, spread layer of jam onto the bottom surface of one brownie, place 4 licorice spider legs on each side and top with a second cookie. For eyes, use a dab of jam to affix two Red Hot candies to top of spider.

Makes about 15 to 18 brownie Spiders.

Add an impromptu invite to my best friend’s twins for some afternoon fun, and we were able to throw together a last minute Halloween Haunted House preparation party, complete with four little white ghosties working as a team to get the job done.  Honestly, I think the four of them ate more of the decorations than they put on the walls of the house, but it did make for a great time… and my son was quick to point out that “eating the candy pieces was really the idea Mom!”.

Hope your last minute preparations go well no matter what’s on your calendar this week!

It’s easy in the summer months to keep your kids active with so many outdoor activities to choose from, but what do you do when the weather turns wet or cool to keep your kids moving.  In our house, each fall we pull out the schedule from the local recreation center and chose a program or two to keep us moving.  For my son, its swimming and wall climbing.  For my daughter, its swimming and dance.   I also like to add in a Sunday skate whenever we can to be sure we also get moving as a family!

Keeping fit is easy when it’s fun.   Teaching your kids to get moving early makes it easier for them to enjoy a lifetime of fitness through physical activities they’ve grown to love.  Pretty soon they’ll be getting out and getting active all on their own, having adopted exercise as part of their daily lives.   There’s no better way to prepare your kids for a lifetime of healthy habits.

It’s off to swimming tonight for us.  A refreshing break from the pandemonium of a house ready and waiting for Halloween!

With my workout done early, and not much of a chance to get in outdoor activities with the rainy fall weather, I asked my kids for some ideas on what we should do.  We all like to get out and about on the weekend whenever we can. I expected to hear requests for skating or swimming, two activities we do regularly in the fall and winter months, but was delighted when my son said, “at school, we’ve been learning about the library”.

And there it was, our afternoon plan.  We suited up in our rain gear and off we went to the local library.  It was going to be an especially fun trip for the kids who would receive their very first library cards.

As a child and teen I spent a lot of time in the local library.  A voracious reader, it was the best way for me to have lots of material at low cost, and it gave me an appreciation for a vast array of literature, as well as a keen respect for books that I still hold today.  It was also my first introduction to book clubs, a really enjoyable past-time which still makes up part of my social calendar.   It’s wonderful to sit with a diverse group and share opinions on great stories of all topics.  Next week’s discussion novel is “Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand” and I am already into the thick of this endearing love story.

We were lucky enough to arrive at the library just in time for a new members tour and the kids were amazed at the selection of books and activities. With their new library cards in hand, they set out to find the right books to bring home.  It was a wonderful afternoon of learning and reading.  As we all checked out of the library with our choices my kids asked me why I had not told them about the library before, and I could tell they were hooked.

With time left to make a special dinner we all agreed on  “make your own pizza night!”  It’s quick because I use my bread machine to make the dough and its fun because we each top our own shell.  Add a salad or some fresh cut veggies and it’s one of my kids favorite high fiber meals!

When I told my kids the afternoon trip was a “no-go”, my son asked if we could go to the dollar store instead.  He had been saving his weekly allowance, most of which goes into the bank, but he reminded me we had not yet deposited last week’s earnings.  Taking it one step further, in an effort to persuade me to say yes, he even offered a dollar for his sister to spend.   Who could say no to that?

So after school, off we went to the local dollar store.  With so many things to choose from I was surprised when my son picked a set of clay animals to paint, and my daughter, a mosaic. No objections from Mom, and home we went.

I baked some Nutrition First brownie spiders (I’ll publish the recipe and a picture on the weekend!!) and the kids spent the rainy afternoon on their arts and crafts.  Who knew a canceled trip to the zoo could be so much fun, and cost so little.

Whatever you do on your rainy days, keep the dollar store in mind for a quick craft fix!

My son told me “It’s perfect Mom!  Just in case someone forgets what to say when they ring our doorbell for candy”.  The logic of a 5 1/2 year old.

So off I went to print out the stencil and I left the kids to prep the pumpkin.  They washed and dried the pumpkin to be sure we had a clean working surface,  and I set out a work area, covering the floor with garbage bags to keep the mess to a minimum.  We got out our trusty pumpkin carving set, and after I’d cut an opening at the top, I let the kids scrape out the seeds and stringy stuff, saving the seeds to we could roast them later for a crunchy school snack.

Then I set to work, using my black marker to trace around the paper stencil I’d cut out and taped onto the surface of the pumpkin.  (My daughter helped with the tape job just to be sure it was firmly in place.) I always scrape the surface area I’m going to carve on a bit thinner than the rest of the walls so that my utensils have an easier job cutting through the thick pumpkin shell.   Makes it easier for the kids to help too. Once the design was on, the carving began.  I let my son work on some of the larger cut-outs, using our little serrated pumpkin carving set.  My daughter was “too tired” after scraping the insides and the massive tape job, so opted to act as the project foreman.

Little by little we completed the design and slowly but surely, our pumpkin transformed itself into something we could all be proud to display on our front porch.

Bed time was a bit later than usual as a result of the well-deserved round of milk and chocolate chip cookies, our prize for a job well done.   As I was tucking my daughter into bed, she asked me if the kids would like our pumpkin even if they could not read what it said.  Smart little thing… I wonder if we’ll have to carve another one!!

Ingredients:
4 slices of Nutrition First bread (using my favorite multigrain bread machine recipe) OR any whole wheat bread you like;
4 slices cheddar cheese (substitute brie if making for yourself!)
1 cup thinly sliced peeled tart apple
Margarine
[If you want to make this extra decadent  toss in a few finely chopped walnuts too. They fit nicely between cheese slices and bread.]

Heat nonstick skillet;
Prepare sandwiches by topping one slice bread with one slice of cheddar; thin apple slices; second slice cheddar and close with a second slice of bread.  Spread margarine on the outside of each sandwich.
Toast for 1 to 2 minutes per side in hot skillet until golden brown and cheese is gooey.

A delicious and nutritious treat for the whole family.

The sun was shining brightly this morning without a cloud in the sky.  The perfect day for a nature walk, followed with some autumn crafts.  With my nephew also here this morning along with my own two little ones, at ages 3, 4 and 5, it always helps to combine some outdoor activity with busywork to keep little minds occupied and the house disaster free!

Our walk by the lake allowed us to  gather some lovely fallen leaves – just right for creating pretty fall pictures to hang around the house.

Here is what you need:

• Large sheet of paper
• Brightly colored leaves
• Elmer’s clear glue, rubber cement or a glue gun
• Brown paint and brush
• Pencil

You can use one of two methods to create your tree trunk:
(1)    Lay your arm flat on the paper from the elbow up and spread your fingers to create “branches” – then trace your arm with a pencil, and use the brown paint to fill in;

(2)    Paint the inside of your arm and your hand (from the elbow up) with washable finger paint, and press onto paper to create the tree and branch impression.

Next – glue your freshly gathered leaves to the tree trunk using glue or a glue gun (adult supervision required) and voila!  Instant fall art to brighten up your home.

Was a fun afternoon around here for everyone… hope you also get a chance to get out and enjoy the beauty of Fall!

I was surprised, a week or so ago at a product planning meeting, one of my friends and strongest  Nutrition First supporters  leaned over and whispered to me… “So, do YOU have it in you to live what you preach in all these meetings?”   For a minute I wasn’t sure what they were talking about.

My immediate thought was, huh??  Of course…  I live it every day…

And then it hit me… what they meant was, “Hey, you’re not living up to your founding principles any longer and you’ve gained weight these past couple years.  You’re running the show here… so what are you going to do about your lapse in lifestyle as a role model to keep us engaged and inspired”.

Sadly – they were right.  My story is very likely the same as many of yours. After having my second child, with work, travel and family commitments, I let a few things in my normal weekly calendar slip right OFF the schedule.  Like my morning workouts! First it was one missed workout, then another, and then… weeks at a time.  Next it was my weekly meal plans!  Sure I still planned healthful meals for the kids and of course, family dinners, but what was I doing about my meals during the day?  Or at breakfast?  Was I sticking to the guiding principles that had helped me get in shape, and ultimately had led me to my chosen career path?   The answer was… NO.  I had lost my “healthy lifestyle”.  And with it, I had lost my healthy weight, high energy levels and my soap box.

That night I realized, I had to make a change, and quick! I needed to renew my commitment to a healthy lifestyle, not only for the well-being of Nutrition First, and everything it was founded for, but more importantly for my own well-being.  Because, taking responsibility for my own health, committing to an active lifestyle and making smart meal choices, is the first major step to improved overall health and disease prevention.   With two small children, a great career and so much ahead, what could be more important than that?

Sure, it’s a bit awkward to share that as the CEO of a company built on better nutrition and healthy lifestyle, I need to get back in shape.  But then I thought…  why not see who’ll join me?  I can share my progress and my pitfalls.  Together we can demonstrate that anyone, anyone can make a change, one healthier choice at a time.  Better Choices, Better Living… Real Results.

So here I sit… at the outset of my journey, a journey I hope many of you will take with me and one that will last a lifetime.  I am starting my mission to regain my active, healthy lifestyle and with it, my comfortable, healthy weight.  Lower cholesterol, improved strength and more energy to spend on my kids, my day at work and my free time.  Best of all, I can get back to setting the example I want to set for my most important critics… my children, and having the peace of mind knowing they will learn to adopt healthy habits in their lives now, and as adults.

So what do you say?  I’ll share my plans, my progress, my successes and the challenges faced with you…

Do YOU have it in you?

Who’s Interested In A Weight Loss Challenge?