This post is sponsored by Fisher Nuts.

Every time I walk past the seasonal squash display in the produce section I have to grab a couple of something. Until I cooked up this Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe a couple of weeks ago my counter was filled with a family of acorn squash, delicata squash and old reliable, spaghetti squash. It’s a good thing they have a pretty decent counter life because I’ve been more of a collector than a cooker lately so it took some time to finally getting around to baking them up.

I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the acorn squash though. I have prepared Stuffed Acorn Squash before and I absolutely love it. This stuffing is filled with crumbled Italian chicken sausage, kale, walnuts and grated Parmesan cheese – so simple and so delicious when you scoop up a bite with the sweet squash. Sausage and kale are a match made in heaven and adding crunchy walnuts to the mix just put it over the top. I’m very texture driven so I loved the crunch from the walnuts, along with the earthy nutty flavor.

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Click here to pin this Shrimp and Avocado Pasta recipe!

If you haven’t noticed, I’m pretty obsessed with avocado. So much that I have a board on Pinterest solely dedicated to all things avocado. There are so many ways to enjoy avocado from the infamous avocado toast to using it as a substitute for mayonnaise in tuna salad or this chickpea salad. Of course, taco night would not be complete without avocado, but we already knew that.

My love affair with avocado continues and has evolved with this light and fresh, but hearty Shrimp and Avocado Pasta dish.

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Whether we are ready or not, we are heading into the second week of December which means Christmas is right around the corner. Lots to think about and plan for – getting the house decorated and festive, shopping for gifts for the kids, getting together with family and friends and most importantly food. Planning holiday food is always on my brain.

When it comes to entertaining or hosting dinner over the holiday season, I try to keep things simple. The reality is, I have 3 young kids and most of my friends are in the same boat so we don’t have much time to go over the top when it comes to cooking. Maybe it’s because I’m Italian, but I love making pasta for family and friends, or honestly even hosting a pizza night if we are getting together with our kids and going the super easy and casual route. It’s just nice to get together this time of year, so sticking to whatever you are comfortable with is important in my book. No pressure, no fuss, just enjoy.

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Click here to pin this brussel sprout recipe!

I am raising my hand to admit I ate way more Halloween candy than I planned on eating last night. As I was saying to a friend while trick-or-treating, if I can get through Halloween night without tasting anything from my kids’ stash then I can pretty up muster up enough self control to turn the other way the rest of the week that candy is unfortunately front and center. But, I could not resist a Snicker Almond or a 1000 Grand (rare delights) which then lead to my all time favorite Reese’s PB cup. This morning, I’m thinking I’m satisfied and can move on from the sampling of the stash. Well, that is what I’m telling myself!!

Here’s something else I feel like admitting. I’ve put on almost 10 lbs since this summer. Gulp. That is really hard to write! I’ve known it, and I’ve thought it, but writing it just feels different. Those 10 lbs are really getting to me. I’m not sure what’s going on but I know I’ve been eating way more than I need to, and am just feeling really lazy about food choices lately (resulting in a lot of empty calories). It doesn’t feel good at all. Besides my clothes not fitting (obviously), my lower back is hurting more than normal and I’m feeling a little less confident and just plain uncomfortable. It’s time to nip this in the bud!

Plan of action: Daily cardio/strength workouts, tracking food in My Fitness Pal, 10k steps on my Fitbit, and meal/snack planning. No excuses!!

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Click here to pin this recipe for later! 

Friends, I’m excited to share with you today a recipe from my dear friend Liz‘s new cookbook and passion project, Food From Our Ancestors: The Ultimate Italian Sunday Dinner. Reading through her book and her husband’s family’s recipes gave me such nostalgic feelings of my own Italian family and our traditions (that revolve around food). The food I grew up with is a big part of who I am, and I treasure it. What Liz has done for her family by pulling it together in a beautiful cookbook like this is truly a gift.

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Before I talk about today’s recipe, I first want to thank every single one of you who took the time to fill out my recent Reader Survey. I read through every response and appreciate all of your comments and feedback. It was a treat to learn more about those of you who come here for my recipes!! Thank you thank you. If you have yet to fill one out and would like to, you can do that right here.

Today’s recipe is a special one. It is from my friend Andie’s new cookbook, Eating in the Middle: A Mostly Wholesome Cookbook and I’m so excited to share it with you. Her blog is a source of healthy recipes as well as wisdom and encouragement to live a balanced life after losing weight. Andie lost 130 lbs years ago and has shared her journey in her touching memoir It Was Me All Along (my review of it here). If you’ve ever struggled with weight, her very personal story about her struggles and relationship with food is one that many can and will relate to. (more…)

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This Savory Sweet Potato Gratin with Pecans recipe is sponsored by Fisher Nuts.

It’s no surprise that sweet potatoes are a popular side dish this time of year – especially for holiday meals. Because they are filled with so much nutrition, I really do enjoy sweet potatoes all year long, especially made as sweet potato fries or rounds, or paired up with up with smoked chicken-apple sausage and more veggies in a simple sheet pan meal for one of my go-to quick dinners.

Although I do enjoy a traditional sweet potato casserole on Thanksgiving, I tend to like my sweet potatoes served in more savory recipes like this Sweet Potato Gratin with Pecans I’m sharing today. The combination of flavors in this dish is absolutely delicious, and the Parmesan-pecan topping adds crunch and texture that will make your tastebuds sing. You can’t go wrong serving this dish alongside beef, roasted chicken or turkey.
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Since I’ve joined my gym’s 60 Day Come Back Challenge, I have noticed that I need quality, healthy go-to snacks waiting for me when I open that refrigerator door. I tend to grab a Greek yogurt if I need some protein, or a handful of grapes when I’m craving something sweet. I’ve basically trained myself to do this because if I didn’t I would start rummaging through the pantry for pretzels, crackers and then of course cheese to go with them. This doesn’t help matters when you are trying to reach goals you’ve set to lose weight and get fit for the past 10 months (and to try and win the challenge!).

Discipline and will power are always things to work on, and setting yourself up for success by prepping ahead and filling up your space with healthier choices is a good thing.

You all know how I feel about quinoa – I love the stuff. A couple of weeks ago, I found myself with some leftover quinoa and used it in this recipe for Frittata Muffins from the cookbook Simply Ancient Grains. These Frittata Muffins were exactly what I needed for quick after workout or late afternoon snack. In case you are wondering, you can even eat them cold!

How do you make frittata muffins?

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan, preferably nonstick, with olive oil or coat with cooking spray.
2. Add the quinoa, peas, shredded cheese, green onions, herbs, and chile to a medium bowl and combine well with a fork (if your grains are pre-cooked make sure to separate any clumps). Divide the grain mixture equally among the muffin cups, about 1/3 cup for each, filling until almost full.
3. Add eggs to a large bowl and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. (If using previously cooked salted grains and greens only use 1/4 teaspoon salt). Whisk well, until foamy, about 30 seconds. Divide egg mixture into the cups using about 1/4 cup for each. Sprinkle each muffin with about 1/ teaspoon of the finely grated cheese and gently press in 1 olive (if using).
4. Bake until the frittata muffins have puffed up and turn light golden on top and golden brown around the edges, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer pan to wire racke and let cool for about 5 minutes. Using a knife or thin rubber spatula, carefully go around edges of each muffin to gently release from pan. Eat warm or at room temperature.

These Frittata Muffins turned out delicious and I can only imagine the possibilities of future combinations (Broccoli and Cheddar is next up!). The recipe is super versatile as it calls for any leftover grain you may have, paired up with vegetables and cheese. I find that I usually am left with a container of extra quinoa, farro or brown rice in my refrigerator almost weekly, so these Frittata Muffins would be great to make later in the week when you are working your way through what’s left in the fridge before your next trip to the grocery store.

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What’s everyone making for dinner these days? I have to ask my friends what they are having for dinner all the time because let’s face it, it can be a chore to constantly come up with new dinner ideas every week. I am always looking for ideas!

Food blogger or not, the struggle is real to figure out what I am going to be able to get on the table within our schedule and that everyone will happily eat each night. I definitely try to stick with a rotation of a few regular meals, but it’s nice to change things up too. Since I already know my whole family loves the chicken cutlets my grandfather always makes for us, I had a good feeling they would love these Parmesan Baked Pork Chops too.

I was right. They gobbled them up.

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Is it possible to fall in love with food? I feel like I’ve asked this question a few times before.

I fell in love with this pizza. Totally took me by surprise, though not sure why since it’s pretty straight forward why – grilled vegetables, pizza crust, cheese and lemon pepper. Does it get much better?

I can most definitely eat like this every day.

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