A Taste Of Fall

Even if it is 90 degrees outside...it is important (and fun!) to eat like it is not.

Important because I feel like we don't get that much of a "Fall" and I want to savor every single bite while I can.

Fun because it is just so darn good.  And the same reason that I have been wearing boots and scarves for a month. 

It's kind of like the story line on "Field of Dreams"..... "If you build it, they will come".

So, "If you wear it and eat it, Fall will come".

Oh never mind.  Apparently, I still haven't gotten the sleep that I need.

Or maybe I always ramble nonsense like this....

Anyway, yesterday was a much better day - no major messes or spills or screw ups.

And my kitchen floor has become quite the spot for some smooth moves.  Especially, if I am wearing my running shoes.  The cabbage patch, the running man, the moonwalk.... they all appeared at some point during our meal + clean up last night.

I wish Kev still had his breakdancing cardboard square.  We could be quite the team.

One of the highlights of my day was walking over to Fresh Market during my lunch break.  I only needed to go for ONE thing.  Corn muffins.  That was it.  NOTHING ELSE.

(Their corn muffins are just about the most delicious muffins we have ever placed in our mouths - not to mention that they go great with chili - of which we were having for dinner)

But, much to my delight, the honey crisp apples had arrived.

 The most amazing apple I have ever eaten!  I read about these last year on several blogs.  They are not easy to find and are not out for very long.  I knew that when I saw them again that I was going to have to make the most of it.

Meaning: buy them every week and savor each morsel.

They are HUGE.  And smell delicious.  And feel so substantial.  And are dying to be dipped in some peanut butter... or baked with cinnamon... or put in a sandwich....

Anyway, I practically pushed the produce manager out of my way to fill up my bag with these delights. 

And I may or may not have been giggling the whole time.

 My arms also became full with some other "Fall" treats... (that I will show you on another day)

By accident, of course. 

Fresh Market, I love you and hate you at the same time.

Except for that's not true.  I could never hate the Fresh Market.

After work, I opted for a spin class... instead of running.  Once again, I got lucky with the 6pm class and scored a bike.  I love it when I run from the parking lot, run up three flights of stairs, and then bust in the door.. out of breath... to find multiple empty bikes.

People always look at me funny.  But then they must be the people that have never had to miss a class because it filled up too fast.  Spin is the hardest class to get in to!

And last night just happened to be the hardest class that I've ever taken.  She wasn't one of the usual Les Mills instructors.  She used her own music and definitely did her own thing.

It.Was.Awesome.  I was sweating profusely and out of breath for most of it.  I definitely pushed myself harder in her class than I have in the others.  The only negative is that I probably shouldn't have chosen this week to push myself so hard being that Saturday is THE HALF.  I'm really feeling that workout today.  Lots of soreness.  I will be taking it easy for the next couple of days.

My legs need all the rest they can get.

Dinner consisted of "the best corn muffins on Earth" and sweet potato chili.  I got the recipe from Emily at The Daily Garnish.

This is what I was making the night before when we had our major oil spill.

The recipe was VERY easy - minus the chopping of sweet potatoes. ( As you can see in the picture my sweet potato chunks are all kinds of random sizes.  I blame it on exhaustion and impatience.)  And I did have some trouble with the ingredients.  First of all, I am completely out of jalapeno peppers!!  I have no idea how that happened (nothing that a lot of hot sauce can't fix).  And second of all, I could NEVER find the green lentil beans.  Finding dry beans in general was even hard, believe it or not.  AND the ones that I did find were FLAVORED!!  Flavored with ham or chicken or beef.  I get the idea of cooking beans with meat - but why PRE-flavor them.  What are the non-meat eaters supposed to do. 

I think I even said out loud in the grocery store "What the heck?"  So weird.

Because I couldn't find the beans... I just used frozen black eyed peas because I have a ton in my freezer.  I know that the peas didn't give the chili the right consistency or flavor.  But the meal did it's job in filling us up and being good for us.

I will definitely be on the lookout for the lentils... so, I can make it again.

Plus, I need a reason to get some more corn muffins. :)

I've got two more days of work... and then I'm headed to Orlando.

I.CAN'T.WAIT!!

Off to finish packing......