Corbin and Carson at Grandma Gerry’s & Papa Clarky’s Pumpkin Patch!
Pumpkin is one of, if not, the most common fall flavors that everyone enjoys. Several types of desserts have pumpkin added to them to increase taste or appearance. The pumpkins are ready around here so check out the farmer’s market, local store, or pumpkin patch to get a few for decorations and to enjoy these tasty and healthy recipes with! Here are a few healthy pumpkin recipes to enjoy this fall season without feeling guilty about eating bad:
Healthy Pumpkin Pie •1 can pumpkin puree •1 can full-fat coconut milk •¼ cup rolled oats •2 tbsp ground flax •1/3 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar •pinch of stevia or 2 tbsp of brown sugar •2 tsp cinnamon •1 tsp pumpkin pie spice •½ tsp salt •1 tbsp pure vanilla extract Directions: Healthy Pumpkin Pie Recipe: Preheat oven to 400F. Blend all ingredients together until smooth, then pour into a prepared pie crust (such as the recipe below) in a 10-inch round pan. Bake 27 minutes (it will still be underdone after this time, which is okay!), let it cool, then refrigerate at least 5 hours uncovered for the pie to thicken and “set.”
Honey Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread •1/3 cup melted coconut oil •½ cup honey •2 eggs •1 cup pumpkin puree •1 tsp. vanilla extract •½ tsp salt •½ tsp cinnamon •½ tsp. ginger •¼ tsp. nutmeg •¼ teaspoon allspice •1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour •1/3 to ½ cup rinsed millet (optional •1 tsp. baking soda •¼ cup hot water Directions: 1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. 2.In a large bowl, beat oil and honey together. Add eggs, and beat well. 3.Stir in pumpkin purée and vanilla, then the salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. Stir in flour, just until combined. If you’re adding millet, stir that in as well. 4.Add baking soda to hot water, stir to mix, and then mix briefly into batter until it is evenly distributed. Spread batter into the greased loaf pan. 5.Sprinkle with cinnamon, and swirl with the tip of a table knife for a pretty marbled effect. Sprinkle a big pinch of turbinado sugar on top for a light, sweet crunch. 6.Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. Be sure to check that the bread is done baking by inserting a toothpick in the top. It should come out clean. If the top of the bread jiggles when you pull it out of the oven, it’s NOT done! Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 5 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes before slicing.
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Cookies •2 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour •1 tsp. baking powder •1 tsp. baking soda •2 tsp. cinnamon •¾ tsp. nutmeg •¾ tsp. ground cloves •½ tsp. salt •½ cup butter, softened •1 ½ sugar •1 cup canned pumpkin puree •1 egg •1 tsp. vanilla extract •powdered sugar (optional) Directions: 1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt). 2.In another medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Use a cookie dough scoop or two spoons to drop one tablespoon of dough onto a parchment paper-covered cookie sheet. Flatten each cookie slightly. 3.Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle the baked cookies with a light dusting of powdered sugar and transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.
I have been running for many years, starting back in Middle School. I started this mainly as a way to help me gain confidence, and to learn to stand up for myself. When you are one of the smallest kids in your class, and there are two of us (twins!), we were an easy target. I got tired of it, and running helped bring me out of my shell. It gave me confidence, strength, and belief in myself. As far as I was concerned, there is nothing more powerful than distance running for this. Everything in my life has been made better because of running, and I will continue it for as long as I can. Many people don’t think they can do it, or they are waiting for that perfect time to start.
Just like life, running has taught me how to handle things in my life better. And it truly has!
I learn something from every run. Every run is not a good run, don’t get me wrong. There are days when things are really tough. But, at least for my head, I have the ability to figure things out, and feel ready to take on the day much better. It is therapy, and medication rolled into one.
When things in life get tough, that is when I have to figure out how to be tougher. “Bring It On” is my mantra. I won’t be pushed around. I stand my ground. I believe in what I am doing, and have confidence to do it. That does not mean I am always right. I learn from my mistakes just like everybody else does. But it helps me get through the stress and pressure of medicine, and the fact that I not only have to take care of myself, but I have the lives of all of my patients to contend with as well. No easy task, let me tell you!
This is a perfect summary. It truly has taught me that I am capable of so much more than I ever imagined. I have also made a lot of friends because of running, and they all feel the same way!
Every weekend we have a group of people…friends…who go for a long run. Many of us are training for a half marathon, or a marathon, coming up next weekend in Fargo. If you ever want a true challenge, sign up for a marathon. The marathon is a huge challenge, but the bigger challenge is training for it. The marathon run is one day, and the training can be anywhere from 4-6 months, and that is if you already have a good base of regular running to start with. I challenge anybody to do a marathon, and not be changed as a result of it. The only way you will truly know how is by doing one! I kid you not, there are times when you think you might die! What does not kill you, only makes you stronger! Have you heard this before?
This is why we keep coming back. This next weekend in Fargo will be marathon number 17 for me. I have learned something from every one. Sarah is running, and this will be her second, and for my daughter Megan, this will be her first. This is why I am running it. I want to run one with my kids. Sarah is running to keep an eye on me! We don’t care about the time we finish it in. The only thing we are achieving is completing it. “Bring It On”!
I told you, after some runs you feel like you might be dying! Her Paula is demonstrating this. But after a few minutes she popped right back up and wanted to know when the next run was going to be!!! Until you push yourself, you have no idea how far you can actually go!
My forever training partner. Sarah and I started dating our second year in medical school. I knew she ran too, and I always made it a point to run past her house in Vermillion. And when it was hot, of course, I did not wear a shirt! Before long, she was running with me, and the rest is history! Hee Hee! Things are getting stressful again at work with COVID, so the distance running is saving my mind anyway. So that reminds me, I need to go for a run!
Keep moving everybody, for both physical, and mental, well being!
Packing a lunch can be harder than it sounds. Most people want something that is easy, healthy, and fulfilling that will give them energy for the day.
Here are some steps to take to pack a lunch based on MyPlate. You might find it is easiest to go through these steps once for the whole week or nightly. they can be used for yourself, another adult, or a child. Consider what types of food sound good. The importance of enjoying food can be underestimated. In order to get nourishment from food, we need to eat it…and enjoying food makes us more likely to eat it! Considering what sounds satisfying to you will help with the next steps.
Choose a lean protein. Ex: chicken breast, sliced turkey, taco meat with lean ground beef, fish, beans/legumes, etc.
Choose a whole grain. MyPlate recommendations are to make “half your grains whole” (or more). Ex: brown rice, whole wheat bread (for a sandwich) or roll (as a side), whole grain tortilla, quinoa, whole grain crackers, etc.
Add vegetables and/or fruits. MyPlate recommends half your plate be vegetables and fruits, so don’t shy away from adding more. Fiber in fruits and vegetables help keep you full. If you have leftovers, they can be a great afternoon snack. Ex: steamed broccoli and carrots, roasted cauliflower and sweet potato, raw celery, chopped vegetable salad, tomato soup, whole apple or banana, sliced peaches, grapes, a small 100% fruit juice, etc.
Add dairy. Protein and fat in dairy help keep you full while contributing vitamins and minerals. Ex: sprinkle your meal with cheese, pack a yogurt cup, drink a milk, etc.
Add an exciting flavor booster. Adding a sauce or dressing (such as vinaigrette) can help pull a meal together. Packing a couple pieces of dark chocolate can also the meal more enticing. Bottom line, this is the step to make sure your lunch is enjoyable.
Ask yourself these questions when you are finished and make adjustments if any of the answers are “no”. Will this be enough food to keep me full? Will these foods contribute positively to my energy level? Do I have proper storage and reheating methods for these foods? Does this lunch seem like something I want to eat? Enjoy your lunch with confidence in what you packed!
This weekend, yesterday, marks 20 years since the attack of the world trade center by terrorists. For all of us who were around then, it is something we will never forget. For me, I was just coming off of call Monday, and Tuesday morning I was getting ready to go back to the hospital and make rounds. I had the TV on when the news flashed on about a plane flying through one of the buildings of the trade center. I could not watch very long as I had to get in, but I had the radio on listening driving in. I went up to the OB floor to see a baby, and the nurses came running out of the break room stating a second plane just went through the other trade center building. We were all watching on the TV. Disbelief…shock…sadness…anger…too many emotions going through our heads. I know for the next several days in the evening, this is all I watched on TV, because all that was on was everything related to this. So yesterday, Saturday morning, many of us from run club put on our red, white, and blue, and went for a run in remembrance of this.
For me, it is hard to believe this has already been 20 years. I remember it like it was yesterday! All the emotions are still there as well. With this past couple of years going through everything with COVID, and the emotions that people have in regards to everything COVID related, this weekend was something to help bring us all back together again. We live in America, the land of freedom. We needed a reminder of why we all need to stick together. How we as a country need to stay united with things. Remove the politics. Remove the controversies. Come together once again for the right reasons. We need to come together again like we did 20 years ago. We all have a life, and we all have freedom…and we all want to keep it.
This was yesterdays sunrise after we were done running. It helps to get lost in the beauty of nature to help take your mind off of things going on around you. Take a break. Appreciate what you have, and don’t take your health for granted. We could not be here tomorrow…any of us!
This was the sunrise this AM! We are starting out new. A new day is ready to be had. Appreciate it. We cannot forget history. Never forget! Tearing down statues or monuments solves nothing. Things still occurred. You can’t change history, but you can learn from it. How are any of us to learn from our mistakes otherwise? And we all make mistakes. Learn and grow. Everything in life revolves around this. Stay safe. Keep moving. Take care of yourself…and never forget. Don’t dwell on the past, but learn from it. Keep moving everybody!
Did you know that September is Cholesterol Education Month? Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in your body and many foods. Your body needs cholesterol to function normally and makes all that you need. However, too much cholesterol is not good for us and can build up in our arteries. After a while, these deposits narrow our arteries, putting us at risk for heart disease or a stroke. Regularly checking your cholesterol values during your doctor’s visits are important….and taking proper steps to make improvements if levels are off are key to wellness and improved health.
Nutritionally, there are ways for us to lower our cholesterol. By following a heart healthy diet we can reduce unhealthy blood cholesterol levels and lower our risk for heart disease.
Eat a balanced diet with whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean protein sources.
Consume foods rich in soluble fiber.
Achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Participate in physical activity and exercise.
Choose heart-healthy unsaturated fats.
Limit saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol intake.
Limit refined carbohydrates especially sugar, sweets and sugar-sweetened beverages.
Limit alcoholic beverages and avoid tobacco products.
If you want to learn more and/or need individual help, be sure to contact me for more support!
