Hunter Gatherer Stew

Autumn, hunting season and belly-filling foods seem to go together perfectly. Today's recipe is hearty, paleo-friendly and doesn't have too many ingredients. Throw it all together, simmer, and you have a hot dinner with protein, vegetables and the surprising burst of blueberry.

Yes, I said blueberry. And what an excellent way to get your antioxidants too. When the weather starts to change, for some reason we tend to consume less fruits and vegetables, and instead gravitate more towards heavy meats, gravies, potatoes and carbs. Not that there is anything wrong with any of the aforementioned foods, but a diet that is lacking in variety is a diet lacking in vitamins. It is important to incorporate as many different plant varieties into our cooking, all the year round.

Not only is the blueberry important nutritionally, but the sweet flavor mingles with the savory  in this recipe making for a complex, delicious stew. (If I do say so, myself.)

Gather:
2 lbs cubed beef (or meat of choice. Lean beef is best for the recipe though)
2 handfuls fresh blueberries (frozen is okay too, just make sure they are thawed)
1 tsp of butter
1 tbsp coconut oil
Salt + pepper + oregano + garlic to taste
2 cups baby carrots, sliced in half lengthwise
1 large onion, sliced
1 bunch of celery, chopped
1/2 cup red wine
Optional: beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.

Method:
1. Brown beef in skillet with coconut oil, simmer on medium with onions until onions are soft.
2. Add seasonings, carrots, celery, 1/2 cup of red wine, a splash of worcestershire sauce and  enough water (or beef broth) to mostly cover the meat and carrots.
3. Stew for 30 mins on medium heat
4. In the final 10 minutes, add berries with butter.
5. When carrots are cooked to fork tender, serve.

This recipe is quick while still tasting like a meal that's been stewing for hours. The flavor is rich and varied...perfect for fall.

Enjoy, and see you back here next week for another Autumn recipe to keep your fitness goals on track.

Easy Pumpkin Oatmeal

Mmmm Breakfast. So essential to your day, your diet and your energy levels. Starting off your day with a filling, healthy and nutritionally diverse breakfast can be an important step in your fitness goal success. 

As the seasons change, we start to crave different things though. Smoothies and shakes are awesome in the spring and summer, but autumn can bring about the desire for different flavors. Cinnamon, ginger and of course, pumpkin. (Obviously a favorite around here at Norton)

A hot breakfast can be a daunting task though. Who has time to make breakfast during the week? Especially when sleeping in sounds so much better. (Those 10 extra sleep minutes could be beneficial to your health!) Or maybe you need a quick bite because you just got back from an early workout and need to get out the door.  Whatever your situation, this recipe is perfect for people short on time...and who like waking up to a delicious smelling house. Gather the ingredients, put them in a bowl, stir, place in a crock-pot, add a little water around the bowl, and then turn on LOW before bed. You'll awake to a perfect autumn breakfast, that will keep you full well past lunch.

Gather:

1. 1 cup  steel cut oats (Not instant!)
2. 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling!)
3. 3 cups water
4. 2 tsp. vanilla extract
5. 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
6. 2 tsp. cinnamon, ground
7. 1 tsp stevia (to taste), optional
8. 1/3 cup chia seeds
9. 1 pinch salt

Method:

1. In a bowl that will fit in your crockpot, add all of your ingredients and stir. Place the bowl in the crockpot and than fill the crockpot with water until the water comes up at least half way of that inner bowl. Set the your crockpot on low for 8 hours.
2. After the 8 hours, spoon into your bowl and top with your choice honey, maple syrup, coconut butter or oil, cranberries, dried cherries, pumpkin seeds, or nuts.

Note: It is important to place a bowl into the crockpot, and cook the oatmeal in that bowl instead of just the crockpot. This prevents the oatmeal from overcooking/overheating and sticking to the sides of the pot. Keeping it within the inner bowl seems to help lock in moisture also. 

Enjoy eating that pumpkin for breakfast!

Pumpkin: Think Outside the Pie

Last week here on the blog, we featured the health benefits of some of the best produce that Autumn has to offer. If you missed it, check it-->Fit Fall Foods.

It's one thing to know what's good for you, and something completely different to know how to use these foods in a way that will promote greater health. When we hear the the word "pumpkin", most of us immediately jump to "pie" as the word association of choice. It's that kind of thinking that leads to messed up diets and delayed goals during the holiday season. When we think of fall foods then, we need to get creative.

So, pumpkin. The cans of pumpkin puree are all over shelves this time of year. (So are real pumpkins. If you have time for cutting up, cooking and preparing pumpkin, power to you. I don't, and bet that most people would rather not) Because the pumpkin is already pureed and ready to use, you are in business. So what do we do with it? Honestly, anything.

First off though, make sure you have the right can. Pumpkin puree is just pumpkin that has been pureed. Nothing fancy, nothing added. You do not want pumpkin pie filling, as that will add unwanted and unnecessary calories and sugar. The back of the can should literally only list pumpkin under the ingredients. Like so:

Some ideas for that can of pumpkin? Throw a few tablespoons in your morning protein shake. Stir up the pumpkin puree with some "pumpkin pie seasoning" and put it on toast. Spread it on a tortilla before adding veggies, meats and cheese for an easy twist on tacos or quesadillas.

You can use it to make soups, like this one, Easy Pumpkin Soup or add some of the puree to tomato sauce for spaghetti, lasagna, or to top off some spaghetti squash, (which is doing double time on fall produce, pumpkin and squash!)

So maybe these are great ideas... or perhaps you still have pie on the brain. Well, here's an amazing recipe for PROTEIN pumpkin pie. Coming in at just 69 calories and 9.5 grams of protein per slice, it's pie you can feel good about. Protein Pumpkin Pie

However you choose to use your pumpkin, a little creativity and preparation can make this traditional fall favorite just a little more interesting.