Hey, mates and fellow residence cooks!
That is my weekly publication with a meal plan, which incorporates 7 weeknight meals + 3 wholesome salads (for the week of September 30 – October 06, 2024)! On the backside, I’ve included some attractive images from my hikes this week, showcasing the beautiful fall foliage right here in Colorado! I dwell at about 9,000 toes, and I’ve observed the leaves turned golden at the very least per week (perhaps even two!) sooner than standard this 12 months. Nature’s forward of schedule, and it’s breathtaking!
7 weeknight meals + 3 wholesome salads
DAY 1: Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta Shells Full of Sausage, Spinach, and Tomatoes (you may as well use pumpkin purée as an alternative)
DAY 2: Hen and Wild Rice with Roasted Candy Potatoes, Mushrooms, and Garlic Butter Sauce (you may as well use cubed butternut squash as an alternative of candy potatoes)
DAY 3: Greek Shrimp Orzo with Cherry Tomatoes, Solar-Dried Tomatoes, Feta, Inexperienced and Kalamata Olives, Lemon Juice, and Contemporary Basil (make it GLUTEN-FREE utilizing GF orzo or long-grain rice)
DAY 4: Thai-inspired Coconut Curry Salmon (30 Minutes, ONE-PAN)
DAY 5: Cranberry Pecan Hen Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing is the proper recipe for leftover hen or rotisserie hen. 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, inexperienced chili peppers, cheese, and inexperienced onions) is gluten-free as it’s made with corn tortillas and gluten-free enchilada sauce.
DAY 7: Pork Tenderloin with Candy 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 may as well use candy potatoes as an alternative of butternut squash)
SALAD 3: Corn, Tomato, and Spinach Salad with Creamy Pesto Dressing
High feedback of final week!
I’m maintaining with my new custom of highlighting a few of the finest feedback I’ve acquired over the previous week!
From Rena on the weblog:
“Simply discovered your weblog through a crusing good friend that docks subsequent to us right here in Ohio. After I was rising up we lived in Golden, CO and in Lander, WY, so I get pleasure from you sharing your life journey (meals and hikes) in photos!! And seeing moose in particular person is wonderful! I’ll undoubtedly be making an attempt a few of your 1pan dinners. They give the impression of being completely tantalizing! After I’m sitting, I am often knitting and I handle a knitting group that meets as soon as per week.
Okay, so lengthy story, brief……Thanks for the weblog and I am excited to be right here. 🙂”
From Ashely on the weblog:
“Simply needed to let you already know I actually love your weblog. I learn it each week and have a tendency to buy and make a number of issues from it. Thanks for serving to me hold issues FRESH!!”
From Wanda on the weblog:
“I completely love each recipe I’ve ever tried of yours! The dishes look so vibrant! They style so good! Thanks Julia for doing what you do!”
From Lisa on my Fb web page:
“I like SO MANY of the recipes you put up! I actually assume yours is my favourite web page for recipes. Thanks 
“
From Wendy on my Fb web page:
“Love your recipes!! The pictures makes me need to make all the things.”
From Stephanie on my Fb web page:
“I recognize the effort and time you set into this web page as we now have loved a lot of your recipes.”
(be aware from me: I do put plenty of effort into my website as I nonetheless do just about all the things: develop the recipes, type them {photograph} them, write them, create these newsletters, handle my social media. Thanks for appreciating my efforts!!)
From Gail on my Fb web page:
“OMG. I’ve been saving and having fun with your recipes for about 6 months and for some purpose I believed you had been outdated! Perhaps as a result of you’ve gotten so many scrumptious recipes, I simply assumed it will take you a very long time to create them. Effectively executed you and thanks. You rock!!”
(disclaimer: I’m not that younger!!! You would be shocked if I advised you my age, lol)
An enormous heartfelt THANK YOU to everybody who takes the time to have interaction with my content material! Leaving a remark or perhaps a fast evaluation is likely one of the finest methods to help somewhat meals weblog like mine. Plus, it retains me motivated and helps me really feel like I’m not simply speaking to myself on a regular basis—although I try this too, lol!
Fall Foliage in Colorado, September 2024
At greater elevations, the leaves have a tendency to show yellow a bit earlier. Residing at 9,000 toes, we often get essentially the most beautiful fall foliage within the first two weeks of October. However this 12 months, the leaves determined to placed on their present early—at the very least per week or two forward of schedule! September isn’t even over but, and a lot of the aspens have already burst into their golden glory. I completely adore it and couldn’t be extra excited to soak all of it in throughout my hikes!
With the leaves altering colours so shortly and unexpectedly, my husband and I—okay, largely me—have bumped mountaineering to the highest of our precedence record to get pleasure from all this magnificence earlier than it vanishes! The autumn colours are short-lived, often lasting nearly two weeks at their peak. So, yesterday, we set out on an unbelievable hike, and I’m excited to share these images from yesterday’s journey!
I believe most ladies can relate—husbands and boyfriends have a particular knack for taking essentially the most unflattering photos of us! I gained’t share the actually unhealthy ones my husband took of me, however let’s simply say images like this are an everyday factor round right here!
The one beneath is healthier. My husband generously offers me about 30 seconds—sure, 30 complete seconds—to strike a pose for a photograph. After that, he is executed, and I’ve to one way or the other pull off wanting first rate inside that tiny timeframe! It’s a race in opposition to the clock each time!
I used to be so shocked to come back throughout these wildflowers on our hike yesterday! I imply, it’s the top of September, however they’re nonetheless thriving. It’s in all probability due to all of the rain we’ve had this summer season. The river is noticeably low now since all of the summer season snowmelt has come to an finish.
My poor husband damage his ankle fairly badly, so our mountaineering adventures haven’t been fairly what they was this previous month. You may see him struggling to make it up the hill—he’s even utilizing a stick for some additional stability!
There’s actually nothing extra to say than how really lovely this time of 12 months is. No sum of money can ever purchase or replicate the wonders of nature!
Please do not be shy and say “Hey” within the feedback! Have the leaves turned yellow but the place you reside? Or higher but, inform me should you’ve tried any of my recipes (or are planning to)!
