Hello all! I decided to write one last post before baby #2 comes! Fall is my favorite season, and I didn’t want to miss sharing some of my favorite fall recipes and tips!

A brief update on life: My daughter is coming in 10 days! I have a schedule c-section due to my history and the predicted high birth weight… so she may even come earlier. But, without further ado, here is our Fall Newsletter!

Physical Health- Recipes

Thai Chicken Soup

This recipe still has hints of summer, but in Arizona, you don’t make anything warm until the lows are at least in the 70s! One of my favorite Thai dishes… I added mushrooms as well!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons red curry paste
2 12 ounce cans of coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar-can be omitted
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper seeded and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 yellow or red onion thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
1 cup frozen peas thawed
1 tablespoon lime juice
cilantro for garnish
green onion for garnish
cooked white rice/brown rice/couscous

Instructions:
Mix the curry paste, coconut milk, chicken stock, fish sauce, brown sugar and peanut butter in a slow-cooker bowl. Place the chicken breast or thighs, red bell pepper, onion and ginger in the slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 3 1/2 hours

Add in the peas and cook for another half hour. Stir in lime juice and serve with cilantro, green onion, and white or brown rice.

Pumpkin Apple Bake

3/4 cup chopped pecans

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°
Grease an 8×8 pan
In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, banana, eggs, coconut milk, pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and salt.
Beat ingredients together.

In a separate bowl, sprinkle remaining cinnamon on the diced apple and coat the apples.
Now mix into the wet ingredients.
Pour into pan.
Sprinkle the pecans along the top of the dish, and place in the oven.
Bake for 35-40 minutes (depending on oven) until the top is mostly firm and golden.
Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. You can also chill and store in the fridge for up to a week. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature!

Harvest Chicken

This recipe was inspired by Thanksgiving, but one of the first recipes I created from scratch. Very simple, but embraces Fall flavors!

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs

1-2 cubed sweet potatoes

1 bag baby carrots

olive oil

s&p

onion powder

Italian seasoning

(Olive oil and seasoning varies according to your taste)

Instructions

Coat the veggies and chicken with seasoning

Roast the veggies for 35 minutes and the chicken for 20 minutes at 425°.

Beef Butternut Squash Stew

Simple, Paleo, and Whole30 if you’re careful about the broth! One of our favorites we’ve been making for years!

Apple Crisp

Ingredients
6 cups peeled sliced apples (I used Granny Smith again)
3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup divided use
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon divided use
3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup finely chopped raw walnuts

Instructions
Combine apples, half the maple syrup, and half the cinnamon and place into 9×9 pan

Combine remaining maple syrup, remaining cinnamon, oats, and walnuts then top apple mixture with oat mixture

Bake at 375° for about 25 minutes. Enjoy!

Pork Chops and Winter Veggies

Tip of this recipe (and any recipe for that matter)?! Use a meat thermometer! My husband actually said this may have been the best pork chop he ever had…

Physical Health- Exercise

As the Fall weather turns cooler and comfort foods begin to creep into our diets, I just wanted to remind you how important it is to move your body- even in the cooler months when it may not be as convenient! The fitness company I am working for offers workouts that can be done from the gym or at home. They even have workouts that are 20-30 minutes a day if you are crunched for time. This may not be the solution for you, but just be sure you are doing something! Moving your body not only keeps your body healthy; it fends off disease, improves your memory, improves your mood, improves your ability to concentrate, and overall, increases your longevity and quality of life! Don’t forget this… Come up with a plan for how you can stay moving this holiday and winter season- you deserve to enjoy your life to its fullest by staying in good health!

I also wanted to personally invite you to a Facebook accountability group I am hosting this winter (plans to start it up in January)! It is a free group unaffiliated with my fitness company. It will be a group dedicated to sharing recipes, motivating each other to get in workouts, and support one another. There will be daily prompts to help encourage fitness, good nutrition, and improve our overall well-beings. If this interests you, email me: wholeehealthy@gmail.com or comment below and I will send you an invite once things are up and running!

Environmental- Decor

This Fall, I have been all about decorating… I never used to decorate for Fall, but there is something about it that just really adds to the season! If you haven’t tried decorating for the seasons before, I highly recommend it! It brightens up your spaces and gives you extra encouragement to keep things clean. All I added were leaf garlands and candle votives from Michael’s, and that’s about all my house needed to bring Fall to life!

Mental/Spiritual/Intellectual Health- Podcasts and Books

Through the fitness company I am working with, I have been reminded how important it is to exercise not only your body, but also your mind and soul. Our minds and souls need to be exercised daily if we have hopes of improving our self-talk, our relationships with God, our belief in ourselves, and our overall ambition in life. Because, as they say, whatever you are not changing, you are choosing. I for one, want a better relationship with God, a better mindset, and more positive internal messages. And I know that will not simply come to me through wishing!

And so, I have continued reading my daily Bible in a Year prompts through the app I shared in my Summer Newsletter and have also found some great podcasts and books for both my mental and spiritual health! I hope you find some that are encouraging in your life as well! I have found myself watching less TV and opting for reading instead. I’ve also been listening to the podcasts while I prepare meals, fold laundry, exercise, or when I’m alone in the car. It’s not only a great pass-time, but it truly helps you to feel like you are in good company and makes you feel inspired to bring your life to the next level!

Rick Warren

If there is one book I would recommend, it would be this one: The Purpose Driven Life. I have read it before and just recently revisited some of the major concepts. It is a 40 day book that truly helps you to dig deep into your life and align your actions with your overall life purpose!

Rick Warren has some amazing resources, and I have read quite a few of his books. I also have listened to his podcast, Daily Hope, which offers short messages you can listen to daily. I downloaded the “Castbox” app (Andriod) as well, and searched for his Daniel Plan series, which talks all about health and God’s intentions for us to lead lives that are healthy in every area- Fitness, Friends, Focus, Faith, Finances, and Food. I highly recommend it if you are looking to improve you overall health in life!

Trish Blackwell

Trish Blackwell is a lesser known author and podcast creator that I recently discovered. She was an athlete that was destined for the Olympics, but let her own mental health sabotage her career. Through therapy and education, she has created some great resources for those looking to improve their internal messages and they are based in faith! She alternates between faith-specific and general topics on her Podcast. Her book, Insecurity Detox, is also a great resource to those who have struggled with negative internal messages or are just looking for a fresh perspective on their lives!

I have also found countless personal development resources for those trying to start up a business or make a big life change. I know that doesn’t apply to everyone, so if you would like recommendations, make sure to contact me: wholeehealthy@gmail.com or drop your email in the comments, and I will send you a list of my favorites!

Social Health- The Power of Groups

They say that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with… Who are you surrounding yourself with? Think about who these people are in your life… Are you proud to to be considered the average of these five people? If not, it may be time to reassess who you are choosing to spend your time with.

There have been two very powerful groups that I have recently joined that have been life-changing for me. One of them is the fitness company I am working for and the other is the parenting group I am a part of at my church.

First of all, the company I work for is all based around teams of coaches who are working with clients, but also working with each other to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. It is inspiring to be surrounded with people who want to improve, who are positive, and who hold you accountable. There is something to be said about working towards a common goal with others. If there is something you are trying to accomplish or improve, surround yourself with those who have common goals or already have attained what you are pursuing. It will make your goal so much easier to accomplish!

Another quote on this subject that I love: “You don’t blame a flower when it doesn’t bloom… You change the environment.” Is your environment one in which you can bloom?

The second group I have joined is my parenting group at church. I have talked about it before, but I took the summer off. I recently started attending again, as they held a shower for me, and then I was asked to lead it for a few weeks, as our leader had to miss. I spoke about building holistic health habits in our kid’s lives. I have the link below if you are interested, but it is more the length of a school lesson, as I adapted it for parents from a school lesson I used to teach for students.

But, overall, the thought-provoking discussions, tips, and ideas have been so amazing to be surrounded with again! I find myself more consciously implementing these new ideas with my daughter and feeling so much more accomplished as a parent because I am purposefully working to better myself!

The reason I bring up these examples is because I truly feel that community is powerful. You don’t need to belong to every group, volunteer at every event, or sign up for whatever is offered; however, pick a few groups of people that exist for a purpose that is important to you! Being a part of these communities can truly open you up to new possibilities and improve your life!

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That brings us to the end of the Fall Newsletter! I am so glad you have chosen to be a part of the Wholee Healthy community, and I truly hope that you found some health tips in this newsletter that you can utilize in your life! I am honored to be on this health journey with you!

I will create another quick post after baby girl arrives to introduce her to you and update you on my health journey… I am so excited to continue building Wholee Healthy, but even more excited to become a mama for the second time! Thank you all for your support and love as I embark on this journey of motherhood and building a business!

Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words. Be careful of your words, for your words become your actions. Be careful of your actions, for your actions become your habits. Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your character.

GHANDI