Soup is a fall tradition like no other. When the nights get cold, soup is the perfect way to defrost for the night. Soups can be healthy when loaded up with vegetables, or unhealthy when cream based and topped with cheese. Make your soups broth based and add in some kale or other greens. If you do want a creamy soup, you can bake a butternut squash on 350 for 30-45 minutes before making soup. When the squash is done, mash it up, toss in the soup pot with some olive oil, and add whatever vegetables you want.
Stews are another way to defrost at night, and they are easy because you can make it in a crock pot! Throw in all your ingredients in the morning, and it is ready as soon as you walk in the door at night. Stews loaded with potatoes and fatty meat can be high in calories. Go easy on the potatoes and choose a lean cut of beef to use. You can also trim all visible fat off the meat to decrease the amount of saturated fat. Replace half of the potatoes with carrots, parsnips, mushrooms, leeks, and collard greens.
Enjoy to fresh crisp air! Summer can be brutal with temperatures reaching above 100 degrees and air quality reaching code red. Fall brings cooler weather you can finally enjoy instead of melting like a popsicle. Go on a bike ride, take a stroll through a park or your neighborhood, make a leaf pile with your kids, or enjoy some of the fall festivals taking place in your area. Festivals often times have fun games, activities, and music to enjoy.
If you are a pumpkin spice drinker, try to limit yourself. Save your seasonal favorite as a treat, not a daily occurrence. Replace your latte with a pumpkin spice or chi tea (from a tea bag) or our recently recommended Soojunggwa that is loaded with fall spices.