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The Funk’tional Nutrition Blog
Simmer Pot
This months’ recipe is a little different - rather than sharing an edible recipe, I wanted to share one of my favorite ways to make the home smell good during the winter months - a simmer pot.
Simmer pots are such a simple and natural way to elevate any holiday gathering. An added perk is that there are no synthetic fragrances or chemicals involved!
You’re definitely going to want to save this recipe for your holiday gatherings - it’s a great source of fiber during a season of sweet treats and indulgences.
Maple Roasted Veggies
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and these maple roasted veggies make the perfect side dish.
I snagged both the Brussels sprouts and the butternut squash at my local farmers market. Eating seasonally is so important to me - the produce is much more flavorful and nutrient dense!
You’re definitely going to want to save this recipe for your holiday gatherings - it’s a great source of fiber during a season of sweet treats and indulgences.
No-Bake Cereal Bars
I love baking during the holiday season, but sometimes I just need a break! These grain-free cereal bars were a hit at my last potluck, and will definitely be a crowd-pleaser at your holiday gathering.
I used Eat Love Bird cereal here to make this recipe grain-free and low in added sugars, but you can use whatever cereal you prefer!
Butternut Squash Salad
This salad is a favorite of mine during the fall and winter months because it’s so easy to throw together. I love bringing it to holiday potlucks as a nutrient-dense option to balance out the sweets and desserts.
If tolerated, you can top it off with crumbled goat cheese!
The addition of the chickpeas is a great way to add crunch and protein into this recipe.
Morning Glory Salad
I'm a sucker for salads, and I keep them interesting by using lots of different veggies, fruits and textures. For example, using a cheese grater to shred apples, carrots and beets is a real pro move of mine.
One afternoon I was shredding apples and carrots to put on top of a green salad for lunch and I realized that I had the start to a morning glory muffin (my all time fave muffin)...so since I had all the ingredients on hand, I just kept going with it.
This salad is so good it requires no dressing. And bonus points, my kiddo LOVES it.
Grain-Free Apple Crumble
This grain-free apple crumble is easy to put together, delicious, AND it makes your house smell amazing.
I’ve shared a grain-free apple crisp recipe before, but this one doesn’t require a food processor, with all the same love from the family.
Peppermint Chocolate Bark
If you’re looking for a crowd pleasing and healthy treat to bring, then look no further than this Peppermint Chocolate Bark recipe. Bring a batch of this to your next holiday party and it won’t disappoint!
You can omit the peppermint extract to make this bark year round with a variety of toppings.
I used my favorite Hu Kitchen chocolate chips to make this recipe low in sugar!
Creamy Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup
This carrot & sweet potato soup checks all the boxes: it’s thick, creamy, and ready in less than 45 minutes.
The sweet potatoes are packed with Vitamin C, an antioxidant essential for immune system function. Keeping the skins on both the carrots and potatoes for adds fiber, and using bone broth is a great way to incorporate protein into this recipe.
Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
This creamy pumpkin sauce is a great way to get into the Fall mood and use that pumpkin purée you have sitting around your pantry.
Festive Cranberry Vodka Mule
We hosted a Griswold family Christmas this year and I purchased roughly 764 pounds of food for the festivities but forgot ice. When I was fishing around the freezer for something to chill the vodka, I came up with several bags of organic frozen cranberries (I keep them on hand to throw in smoothies and baked apple dishes and such). Combined with other random dribs and drabs around the house, and we had the perfect festive house cocktail!
Grain-Free Apple Crisp
I made this grain-free apple crisp two days in a row because my husband and kid ate the first batch while I was at yoga. Savages. Second time around I wrote down the recipe so I could share with you. Luuuuckkkkyyy. If you've recently visited an apple orchard with your family to post fall images all over social media, cheers. Now you're swimming in apples. Here's what to do with them.
Peppermint Patties
Mint and chocolate is probably my favorite flavor combo. Junior Mints, Thin Mints, Andes, Peppermint Patties...always my top choice back in the day. I was trying to come up with something festive and different to make for Christmas this year, and THIS is what popped into the ol' brain. I've gifted some out, ate a lot, and will be bringing them as a treat to our (one of 5) Christmas gatherings.
Smoked Feta Pesto Twice Baked Potatoes
I can't even with this recipe. I'm posting this on the week of Thanksgiving because I think these would make an impressive addition to any holiday table. And if you're heading to someone else's home, this would be a great recipe to bring! Not messy, travels well, and easy to reheat. Oh, and they're SO GOOD.
Veggie Loaded Shepherd’s Pie
I’ve been trying to get out of my food comfort zone as of late. If you get my newsletters (get them here!), you recently saw that I’ve been tinkering around with some recipes. I hate following recipes, but…I’m culinarily bored, man. And the thought of having to cook dinner each night makes me want to claw my eyes out.
Winter Pomegranate Kale Salad
"What can I bring?" — Erin. "A salad." — Everybody, all the time.
It's most likely due to the fact that I was a vegetarian for 20 years. Or the fact that I'm pretty particular about what I eat. Or that I've got food sensitivities and no one knows what to feed me. Or maybe people really just need someone to bring a salad.
Potato Leek Soup with Dill
Potatoes are coming up like crazy with my CSA. We've had them mashed, baked, roasted, cut into oven fries, shredded into breakfast hash, and pureed into soup.
I discovered pureed soup when I visited Ireland about 10 years ago. For a week I subsisted on potatoes, pureed soups, breads, cheeses and Guinness. I returned home 600 pounds heavier and with a real affinity for pureed soup.
(Not from a Can) Green Bean Casserole
I suppose it’s a little cliché to talk about being grateful this week. But I’m doing it anyway.
Last week I detailed the craziness of my past few months. I got a lot of responses telling me to keep my head up, that it would get easier, that I was doing a great job. First of all, thank you for the responses. You’re awesome.
Orange Thyme Salad with Beets & Walnuts
Sick of salads? Sounds like you need some inspiration...or some Pinspiration. Yes! That same site used to plan imaginary weddings, hoard inspirational quotes and gather organization techniques you will never use can actually be utilized for something other than killing time on commercial breaks!