Friday, October 21, 2011
Autumn
Fall is in the air proper here in our neck of the woods. The days are getting shorter and the shadows are getting longer-early signs that winter won't be far away. The cool nights are just right for sleeping under layers of snugly blankets. The cool days are perfect for insect free walks in the woods. It is time for burning candles scented with cinnamon and spice. The cool house is just waiting for the oven to be fired up and the baking to start. I do love this time of year. Now is the time for cooking foods like beef stew and home made bread. Nothing is better than a house filled with the smells of pumpkin or apple pies baking in the oven. I freely admit that I love food and also love to cook and bake. Now I must learn to do so without overeating the finished product! I think between now and Christmas is going to be a very challenging time of year to diet through. Are we sure that humans are not supposed to hibernate? It seems like Fall is the time to overeat comfort foods and stay in a nice warm bed. What is Autumn to you? Do you have any strategies to get through the holidays without packing on the pounds?
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No strategies, I'm afraid...just nodding my head in agreement as I read your post. The time between now and the end of the year is equated with food and family to me. Food is comforting to me and I guess it always has been. I talked to my daughter this morning (in the context of her eating more veggies)and I explained to her that we don't always eat our food because it tastes good, but rather with the goal of putting good stuff in our bodies so it will be healthy. Of course the whole time I was talking I fully realized that it was myself that I should have been talking to. Maybe if she "gets it" at an early age, then she won't struggle with food/weight issues like her mama.
ReplyDelete@Deidra Yes food is comforting...maybe it is OK to think of it like this, maybe not,I don't know? Maybe food can still be enjoyed-just a much smaller amount????
ReplyDeleteApple pie is one of my all time favorite desserts:) And I've had pumpkin bread on my mind lately. My plan is to eat well, stay on track, every day except for the big holiday days, letting myself enjoy and indulge. Hopefully, I can have those few days and keep the rest on track. Last year I gained during this eating season and I do not want a repeat! Since you love to bake, why not experiment with healthier versions of things? You can even back apples with some cinnamon and get that same wonderful scent.
ReplyDeleteAutumn is all about visiting the farmers shop and buying lots of winter vegetables and have delicious soup!! Yummy!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tim! When autumn sets in, I go crazy with soups (and stews).I think as long as there is balance, you'll be fine. Eat consciously, and you'll be just fine :)
ReplyDeletePaul, you and I are cut from the same cloth, I think. This time of year has me aching to bake pumpkin bread, apple pie, and bring home cider and caramel apples. My absolute favorite time of year for baking.
ReplyDeleteMy strategy is substituting applesauce for anything in my recipes that previously called for oil. I swear it's near impossible to tell the difference, and one cup of unsweetened applesauce that has 100 calories compared to a cup of oil (like in pumpkin bread) that has 100 per TBSP - well, that's a no-brainer. Look for low fat recipes. I have one for pumpkin bread on my site, along with a really good pumpkin butter recipe - all low-cal. Other bloggers share these kinds of low-cal recipes all the time. Doing this I think will allow you to still get to experience the baking but without all the calories.
@fatgirlwearingthin Thanks Ellen I will try to use that substitution. I also will try your recipe as my wife just loves pumpkin bread!!!
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