Thanksgiving

So Thankful + Black Friday Deals

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I love Black Friday. With a little organization, Black Friday allows you to get your holiday shopping out of the way, leaving time to focus on the real meanings of the season. All with the added bonus of bargain shopping!

I’ve got my Black Friday lists ready, thankfully a lot of this can be done on-line nowadays!

And because I would truly love to help you or your loved ones with their fitness goals in the upcoming year, I’ve got some pretty cool Just Feel it Fitness Black Friday deals for you too.

Head on over to my Promotions Page to check them out!

Give the gift of fitness. Get your shopping done. And let’s focus on the holiday season without all the stress.

So thankful,
Meryl

Featured Recipe

No Bake Pecan Pie Bars

pecan-pie-bars

In an effort to make it feel a little more like Thanksgiving on this snowy day in Canada…I didn’t make turkey, I opted for these yummy no bake pecan pie bars. You’re going to love this recipe.

Crust:
1 cup dates, pitted
1 cup pecans
1 cup shredded coconut
1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp salt

Filling:
1 cup dates, pitted
1 cup pecans
2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup water

Combine crust ingredients into a food processor and process until a thick dough forms. Press the dough into an 8X8 square pan. Put in freezer while making the filling.

Add all filling ingredients into the food processor and process, add more water if necessary. Spread the filling on top of the crust. I drizzled melted chocolate chips on top and sprinkled chopped pecans. YUM.

Enjoy!

Pumpkins Pumpkins Pumpkins

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The first day the big pumpkin display was outside the grocery store I was excited to bring the kids. Snapped a few cute “pumpkin stack, hay bale, & kid” pics and entertained myself watching the boys pick the perfect pumpkin to bring home.

pumpkin-stack

Of course I said they could each pick one. Then we ended up with 4. Then the next week another 2. And now I believe we’re up to 8. And who would have thought the kids would fight over where to place them? Yep, full blown tantrums because one wants the pumpkin family all together and the other wants each pumpkin nicely spaced out.

But we’re oh so thankful. Yes, today and everyday, we are thankful and grateful there are so many uses for all those pumpkins! We can make pumpkin soup, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin smoothies, etc. and luckily pumpkin is very healthy!

Joking aside, Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian readers today! I hope you are celebrating amongst the company of loved ones as we are reminded of so many blessings to be thankful for.

And in case you’re wondering what to do with your pumpkins, here is an easy recipe to make your own pumpkin puree. Try adding your own homemade version of pumpkin puree to soups, muffins, and sides this fall.

Enjoy,
Meryl

Featured Recipe

Pumpkin Puree

Smaller pumpkins work better for making the puree than larger ones.

Cut the pumpkin in half. With a spoon or a scoop, scrape out the seeds and pulp from the center. (Save the seeds to roast later too)

Place pumpkin pieces on a baking sheet face down and roast in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes, or until pumpkin is fork-tender. They should be nice and light golden brown when done.

Peel off the skin from the pumpkin pieces. Add the chunks into a blender or food processor, or simply mash it up with a potato masher.

Pulse the pumpkin until smooth. You can either use this immediately in whatever pumpkin recipe you’d like, or store it in the freezer for later use.

To store in the freezer, spoon about 1 cupful of pumpkin into ziplock bags.

Thanksgiving Menu

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For the last 10 years, I have celebrated Thanksgiving amongst a handful of other Americans that I found, like myself, living in Canada. We always made a point to try and replicate the holiday as best we could. Even though this often meant getting together after a full day of work! I actually remember one year coming home on my lunch hour to put the turkey in the oven so it would be ready to eat once we got home from the work day. Luckily the house didn’t burn, and the turkey was fine! No football, no lounging around all day eating, but we made the best of it. And it was great, after all Thanksgiving is just about being with your family and friends and giving Thanks for each other, for health, and for food!

But this year will be different.  For the first time in 10 years I will be celebrating American Thanksgiving in Texas with my friends and family here! Like most American families, we do a pot luck style Thanksgiving where everyone brings their signature dish. Most loaded with butter and cream and a lot of extra calories. I love food and nothing is better than a delicious meal with the ones you love, but I don’t want to end up feeling like a stuffed Turkey after the pie! So I’ve put together a “healthier” Thanksgiving Day Menu with links to the recipes.  These aren’t diet or fat free dishes, it’s a holiday after all. But they are lighter, more nutritious versions of some of the typical Thanksgiving favorites.

Enjoy, and from my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving.

Here’s the Menu:

Appetizers

Pomegranate, persimmon, and goat cheese salad

Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Soup

Main Course

Turkey and “Stuffins”

Real Cranberry sauce

Sweet potato mash with goat cheese and chives

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Cauliflower

Desserts

Raw Pecan Love Pie

Pumpkin pie

Have a great week,
Meryl

Pumpkin Everything!

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As an American living in Canada, I feel like the Fall Season is even longer because we celebrate Thanksgiving in October and in November! Happy Thanksgiving today to all my Canadian readers!

From visiting the pumpkin patch with the daycare, to squash and pumpkin displays a plenty at the grocery store, there’s no shortage of the season’s squash. And there’s no reason not to enjoy it! This season’s signature veggie packs a healthy punch:

  • A cup of mashed and cooked pumpkin contains more than 200% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin A.
  • A cup of pumpkin has more potassium than a banana.
  • Pumpkins are rich in beta-carotene which are thought to reduce your cancer risk.
  • Pumpkins have the amino acid tryptophan to help your production of serotonin and boost your mood.
  • Pumpkins are high in fiber (keeping you fuller longer) and low in calories.
Pumpkins aren’t just for taking cute pictures of the kids, enjoy it in everything from coffee, soups, sides, and desserts!
My favorite Pumpkin/Butternut Squash Soup Recipe:
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 carrots, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 apple, chopped
1/2 onion
1 Bay leaf
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt and pepper
1 large butternut squash (roasted)
1 cup of pumpkin purée
1 box of vegetable or chicken stock
4-6 cups water
Heat olive oil in a large pot
Add onion, carrots, celery, apple, nutmeg, bay leaf, and salt and pepper. Stir constantly while the vegetables begin to sweat. If you need to, add a little water or stock so the vegetables don’t stick to bottom of pot.
Once soft (about 10 minutes) add broth, water, and the roasted squash and 1 cup of pumpkin purée. Bring everything to a boil for another 10-15 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves and puree with an immersion blender.
Serve topped with toasted pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of cream. Enjoy!

Have a great week!
Meryl