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Hello, friends and fellow home cooks!
This is my weekly newsletter with a meal plan, which includes 7 weeknight meals + 3 healthy salads (for the week of September 30 – October 06, 2024)! At the bottom, I’ve included some gorgeous photos from my hikes this week, showcasing the stunning fall foliage here in Colorado! I live at about 9,000 feet, and I’ve noticed the leaves turned golden at least a week (maybe even two!) earlier than usual this year. Nature’s ahead of schedule, and it’s breathtaking!
7 weeknight meals + 3 healthy salads
DAY 1: Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta Shells Stuffed with Sausage, Spinach, and Tomatoes (you can also use pumpkin purée instead)
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DAY 2: Chicken and Wild Rice with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Mushrooms, and Garlic Butter Sauce (you can also use cubed butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes)
DAY 3: Greek Shrimp Orzo with Cherry Tomatoes, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Feta, Green and Kalamata Olives, Lemon Juice, and Fresh Basil (make it GLUTEN-FREE using GF orzo or long-grain rice)
DAY 4: Thai-inspired Coconut Curry Salmon (30 Minutes, ONE-PAN)
DAY 5: Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing is the perfect recipe for leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken. Serve it as is, with a croissant, as a wrap, or as a sandwich.
DAY 6: Black Bean and Beef Enchilada Casserole (with pinto beans, black beans, green chili peppers, cheese, and green onions) is gluten-free as it is made with corn tortillas and gluten-free enchilada sauce.
DAY 7: Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Balsamic Plum Sauce-Glaze
SALAD 1: Apple Spinach Salad with Pistachios, Feta Cheese, and Honey-Mustard Lemon Dressing
SALAD 2: Butternut Squash Pasta Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Pecans, and Dried Cranberries (you can also use sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash)
SALAD 3: Corn, Tomato, and Spinach Salad with Creamy Pesto Dressing
Fall Foliage in Colorado, September 2024
At higher elevations, the leaves tend to turn yellow a bit earlier. Living at 9,000 feet, we usually get the most stunning fall foliage in the first two weeks of October. But this year, the leaves decided to put on their show early—at least a week or two ahead of schedule! September isn’t even over yet, and most of the aspens have already burst into their golden glory. I absolutely love it and couldn’t be more excited to soak it all in during my hikes!
With the leaves changing colors so quickly and unexpectedly, my husband and I—okay, mostly me—have bumped hiking to the top of our priority list to enjoy all this beauty before it vanishes! The fall colors are short-lived, usually lasting just about two weeks at their peak. So, yesterday, we set out on an incredible hike, and I’m excited to share these photos from yesterday’s adventure!
I think most women can relate—husbands and boyfriends have a special knack for taking the most unflattering pictures of us! I won’t share the really bad ones my husband took of me, but let’s just say photos like this are a regular thing around here!
The one below is better. My husband generously gives me about 30 seconds—yes, 30 whole seconds—to strike a pose for a photo. After that, he’s done, and I have to somehow pull off looking decent within that tiny time frame! It’s a race against the clock every time!
I was so surprised to come across these wildflowers on our hike yesterday! I mean, it’s the end of September, but they’re still thriving. It’s probably thanks to all the rain we’ve had this summer. The river is noticeably low now since all the summer snowmelt has come to an end.
My poor husband hurt his ankle pretty badly, so our hiking adventures haven’t been quite what they used to be this past month. You can see him struggling to make it up the hill—he’s even using a stick for some extra stability!
There’s really nothing more to say than how truly beautiful this time of year is. No amount of money can ever buy or replicate the wonders of nature!
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A big heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who takes the time to engage with my content! Leaving a comment or even a quick review is one of the best ways to support a little food blog like mine. Plus, it keeps me motivated and helps me feel like I’m not just talking to myself all the time—though I do that too, lol!
Please don’t be shy and say “Hello” in the comments! Have the leaves turned yellow yet where you live? Or better yet, tell me if you’ve tried any of my recipes (or are planning to)!