by Sharon Quercioli

This is my favorite time of year! There are many reasons to love this season: the wonderful memories of the leaves changing colors, the cool weather, decorating the house for Halloween, carving pumpkins, the cozy feel of the fire, a warm cup of apple cider, and family and friends getting together for Thanksgiving. But my favorite reason by far is that around Thanksgiving most people start to think about what they are grateful for. Here are just a few things that top that list.

Friends and Family

Speaking of friends and family, these are the cornerstones of our compassion, who we are and what motivates us. Whether we are talking about our friends, immediate families, spouses or colleagues, these are the people who have the greatest impact upon our lives, and we should be thankful for them. 

Having Your Health

This year I have had some health challenges. We all take our health for granted (at least I know I did) until something happens that makes you realize you are not superwomen or superman. So, I can say that I am on the mend, but I am grateful for my continued progress.

Simple Pleasures

Hobbies, the unconditional love from our pets, redecorating a room to liven it up or simply sitting on your patio having a cup of coffee or tea. There are plenty of simple pleasures we can find at home right now. What sorts of simple pleasures are you grateful for?

Internet Access

Mindfulness is the practice of focusing on and truly experiencing the moment at hand. Most people If you are reading this, that means that you are able to access the Internet, which is a haven for information and a wonderful way to connect with loved ones. As with most things, you can find happiness in a lot of things, depending upon how you look at it and how you use it. The Internet is a great way for you to access information on nearly anything… right at your fingertips.

Gratitude Journals

Starting each day by thinking of all the things to be thankful for is one way to put your mind on the right track. Remember that your future depends largely upon the thoughts you think today. 

I try to start off each day by jotting something down in a gratitude journal. It is a notebook I keep by my bed. The things I write down are never very long, but they are meaningful to me. 

Most experts agree that there are no shortcuts to happiness. Most happy people do not experience joy 24 hours a day, but a happy person can have a bad day and still find pleasure in the small things in life.

While this season contains goblins and goodies, before you trash that carved pumpkin on your porch, think again. The pumpkin has so much more to offer than scary faces, crooked smiles, and a filling for holiday pies. Pumpkin is one of the most nutritional foods available year-round. Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, both the flesh and seeds of the pumpkin provide many health-boosting nutrients.

Health Benefits of Pumpkin

Pumpkin is an excellent source of fiber; one-half cup serving contains five grams. Fiber helps reduce high blood pressure and lower bad cholesterol levels, protect the body against heart disease, control blood sugar levels, promote healthy digestion and assist in weight loss. 

Vitamin A promotes healthy vision and ensures proper immune function. The beta-carotene in pumpkin may also reverse skin damage caused by the sun and act as an anti-inflammatory. Carotenoids also boost immunity and lessen the risk of heart disease. Alpha-carotene is thought to slow the aging process, reduce the risk of developing cataracts and prevent tumor growth. 

The vitamin C in pumpkin boosts immunity and aids in reducing the risk of heart disease and in lowering high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Pumpkin is also a good source of vitamin E, which promotes healthy skin by protecting the body from sun damage and may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and certain cancers. 

The potassium found in pumpkin is necessary for energy production and aids in balancing fluid levels in the body, as well as promoting strong bones. Pumpkin is also rich in magnesium, which aids the body in hundreds of functions, including promoting a healthy immune system, contributing to bone strength and normalizing heart function.

Yummy Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

• 15 oz canned pumpkin (or you can use homemade pumpkin)
• 2 tbsp whipped butter, softened
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, unpacked
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup fat free milk
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 frozen pie crust sheet, Pillsbury (thawed to room temperature)

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Lightly dust your flat surface with flour. Roll out a room temperature pie crust, and place into a 9-inch pie dish.

Place canned pumpkin or pumpkin puree in a large bowl. Add butter, and mix well. Mix in brown sugar, eggs, egg whites, milk, pumpkin pie

spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.

Bake about 70 to 75 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve with whipped cream if desired. Enjoy!

Hasselbeck Sweet Potatoes

I love Hasselbeck baked potatoes. However, white potatoes aren’t always my friend. Swapping out the white potatoes for sweet potatoes (and olive oil for the butter, which normally goes in sweet potatoes) helps make this recipe a whole lot healthier.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1 Teaspoon virgin olive oil
• 1 Teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme (I grow my own)
• 1 Garlic clove, finely grated or minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup nonfat Greek-style yogurt
• Scallion, white and green parts chopped

What You are Going to Do with Those Things:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Foil a baking sheet, then set it aside.

Cut some slices along each potato, slicing about two-thirds of the way through the potato with each slice. 

In a bowl, mix the butter, oil, thyme, garlic, and a quarter of a teaspoon of each the salt and pepper. Take the mixture and rub it all over the potatoes (making sure to get in between each of the slices too). 

Put them on the baking sheet and roast until the center of the potatoes are tender and the outside is crisp. It should take about an hour or so. About thirty minutes in through the roasting time, take them out and run a fork across the tops so that you can fan out all the slices. 

After you put them back in the oven, stir the yogurt and scallions with a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve the sauce with the potatoes.

Apple and Sweet Potato Soup

For the second recipe, I wanted to offer you a nice soup to help warm you up in these cold winter months.

Ingredients:

• 3 medium sweet potatoes
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed
• One-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish
• 1 Teaspoon of curry powder (1/4 teaspoon later)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 ½ Cups of chunky applesauce
• 1 Tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro

What You are Going to Do with Those Things:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Peel and dice all the sweet potatoes except for a half of one. 

Melt a couple of tablespoons of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft. That should take about five minutes. 

Stir in the ginger, nutmeg and a teaspoon of curry powder, and salt and pepper to taste and cook until toasted, one more minute. 

Add the diced sweet potatoes, chicken broth and about two cups of water to the pot. Cover it and bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat. 

Reduce to medium low, then stir in the applesauce. 

Simmer, covered, until the sweet potatoes are soft. That should take about a half an hour. 

Puree the soup with a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper; keep warm. 

After you’ve set that aside, peel and thinly slice the rest of the last half of the sweet potato. Toss the slices with the olive oil, and add some salt and pepper to taste. 

Spread the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until crisp. About 10 minutes. 

Heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the last fourth of a teaspoon of curry powder. 

Cook, stirring, until browned; remove from the heat and add the vinegar. Top with the curry butter, cilantro and sweet-potato chips.