Finally!

It's finally fall! (and I'm finally updating the blog!) I've been looking forward to fall for weeks. Sad as it was that summer was over, I was really looking forward to the crisp cool fall nights. Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the warm (but not too hot) days, the cool nights, bonfires, the changing leaves, apple cider, fires in the fireplace, pumpkins and apples. Plus, fall is the perfect lead up to the Holiday season!

Fall to me means baking with apples and pumpkin, soups and homemade bread. I've really started to cook a lot more. I can't do it every day, but on my good days there's nothing like making a good meal from scratch. I've really been playing with seasonal veggies and fruit. I've been roasting butternut squash with some garlic, carrots and parsnips. Had pork chops with spiced apple chutney, apple puff pastries and cinnamon coffee cake muffins. In fact, I've got quite a bit of recipes that I have collected and am ready to try. I'm really trying to avoid going out to eat and utilizing what I've got at home.

Plus, by baking bread and muffins, I have better control over Eddie's diabetes. Applesauce and bananas are great substitutes for not only sugar but for oil as well. Plus, it makes whatever your baking nice and moist. By eliminating processed sugars and oil, Eddie's sugar has been much more normal and he gets to enjoy tasty treats too. Plus we're saving money. Have you seen my husband eat?! He goes through a box of tastykake krimpets in a matter of days. Home made things not only cost less but gives us more goodies and lasts longer.

I'm also starting to notice that the less processed foods I eat really impacts my daily pain. Anything that can make my pain less significant is worth continuing for me. Not to mention the other health benefits that you get by eating fresh foods. I've also made it my goal to try new foods, which makes my hunt for recipes even more fun. Plus, cooking and baking is something that relaxes me.

I'm thinking I'll share my more successful recipes here as well. I don't think I'm going to go the route of making this a cooking blog. There's a lot of them out there and I like having a place to express my thoughts and feelings (when I actually have the chance and clear mind to update). But I certainly don't mind sharing the yummy when I find it!