Pumpkin Fusilli with Chicken Sausage and Thyme

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon this recipe adapted and blogged by Liz from Sequins & Stripes. I was intrigued, mostly because I while I'm a fan of Pumpkin Pie, I wasn't sure about how pumpkin would be in a pasta dish.

There were a few ingredients in Liz's version that I didn't love for a savory dish (cinnamon, nutmeg, and sage) so I decided to substitute a few things I do like (thyme, rosemary, and red pepper flakes)!

Pumpkin Fusilli with Chicken Sausage and Thyme

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pound mild Italian chicken sausage
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1/2 teaspoon rosemary, dried
1 cup dry white wine {I used my new French favorite, only $10 a bottle}
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup skim milk
1/2 teaspoon thyme, dried
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound fusilli pasta, cooked to al dente {we used whole wheat pasta}
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating

Directions:

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Clean the skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.

Add bay leaf, rosemary, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. {I would recommend using a whisk for this part, it helps to incorporate the pumpkin without splashing the wine and stock} Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in milk. Season the sauce with the thyme and red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese.

Total time: 25 minutes     Servings: 4

The Review:

It was great! The sauce was creamy and hearty and the chicken sausage was a great addition. I was happy that the pumpkin wasn't too sweet, in fact, I almost couldn't even tell that it was pumpkin. This was a great way to make a creamy pasta sauce without actually using any cream!

In the future, I might try it without milk and maybe substitute a little goat cheese for some extra flavor! Adam and I each enjoyed a nice sized dinner portion and then had enough left over to save for three lunches (one for Adam and two for me)!

Hiatus and New Favorite Things

Wow! Talk about a serious hiatus. I can't believe that it's been two months since I've posted. This has definitely been the busy season for me at work...and I feel as though I've just looked up to notice that it's October...well, actually it is pretty much November.

The fall season is flying by and though I've enjoyed a few pumpkin spice lattes, I don't think I've really stopped to bask in all that is fall. Fall is one of my favorite season. I love the weather, the smells, the holidays and everything else that goes with fall (aside from the cold that my husband shared with me this week).

As you might have noticed, I've added quite a few blogs to my "These are a Few of My Favorite Things" list. And let me tell you, they are truly a few of my favorite things! Today I want to spotlight a few of the new blogs on my list and tell you a little about each one!

Atlantic-Pacific is a great fashion blog. The photography is excellent, and of course the outfits are amazing. I love that at the end of each post, the author lists all of the components of each "look" right down to the lipstick color. I cannot tell you how many times I've seen a lipstick or nail polish color on a blog or in a magazine and been so disappointed because the color and brand weren't listed!

Carolina Charm is one of my new go-to blogs for party planning, recipes, and decorating tips. Christina, a fellow Carolina girl, shares great information on decorating, and easy recipes. And, she and her husband are expecting their first little one. I'm excited to follow her blog through such an exciting time. I feel like she'll have great tips and ideas for those of us who haven't quite jumped on the baby band wagon!

Designer Bags and Dirty Diapers is another one of my favorites! Natalie is a stay at home mom with a son, and a sweet baby on the way. She writes about fashion, home decor, and shares her favorites recipes. Her blog is down to earth and very fun! And...she occasionally has blog sales, which always feature some fun and very stylish items. I'm dying to try out a blog sale!

Paris in Four Months is an absolutely stunning blog. The author, a photographer, takes beautiful pictures of her travels. She is a fashion photographer, but seems to have a flair for photographing food and the streets of Paris. Adam and I are planning to head to France in February, so I like to check in on Carin's blog every few days to see what else I'm going to have to add to Paris to-do list!

Last, but not least, I want to introduce you to Sequins & Stripes. Liz is a fashion blogger living in Chicago. She has a classic style with a fun and funky twist. She's just gotten engaged and I can't wait to hear more about her wedding plans! She also posts some great recipes from time to time! I'll be blogging about one soon!

These are just a few of my NEW Favorite Things. You'll have to check them out!

Post-Detox

It was a long three days, but I did it!

Going into this experience, I was a total skeptic. Now, I'm sure this is where you're thinking I'm going to tell you that the detox was just life-changing...well, it wasn't. It wasn't a bad experience, and it wasn't an amazing experience...it was just an experience.

I am glad that I gave it a try. As you know, as a skeptic, I did this because I wanted to be able to give an educated opinion on detoxes in general. So, here are my thoughts and opinions about my experience.

I think this particular detox was a great detox for beginners. It was pretty easy, fairly short, and my favorite...pretty darn natural. (Aside from the fact that I don't typically blend my food.)

All of the ingredients and components in this detox were things that were easy to find, and most of them were things I already purchase regularly. That said, I also believe that it might be why this detox didn't seem "life-changing" to me.

Pros:

• I feel thinner. I don't feel bloated in the slightest bit.
• My hands and feet, which sometimes swell in the heat or later in the day have not done so, which I'm sure is something we can attribute to the lack of sodium in my diet over the past few days. Let's be honest, this girl loves her salt shaker.
• So far, I am eating smaller meals, but more frequently...which is a good healthy habit!
• Slept like a log...

Cons:

• For three days I was hungry a few times throughout the day and not able to snack when I wanted. (just a pet peeve more than an actual con...)
• Had to drink one pretty weird drink at lunch for three days. (again...more pet peeve...)
• I lacked energy and could not work out when I wanted to (this is a normal side effect of detoxing...and just another pet peeve)

I do feel like this detox is a great time for a sort of fresh start. This summer I've been living it up...and it's time to get back to the real world! Here are a few habits I'd like to form post-detox.

Make it a Habit:

• I kicked the caffeine during the detox. It's amazing that after three days of headaches...I'm feeling good! I'd like to keep it that way, so no more caffeine!
• Small meals more often. 
• Drink more water!!!
• Start the day off with a cup of green tea with lemon. It's a yummy combination and a good little daily detox drink!
• Only eat when I'm hungry.
• Detox baths...not so much for the detox, but for the relaxation!

Here are a few habits I want to kick...or at least improve after a crazy fun summer:

• Drink less
• Think a little more carefully before I eat that bowl of ice cream, chocolate cookie, milkshake, etc....
• Get back on a regular workout routine.

All in all, the detox wasn't so bad. I'm glad I gave it a shot and I would do it again if a situation like mine presented itself: aka....if I spent another summer eating and drinking like it's going out of style!

Now, I'm back on the wagon and it's time to buckle down and get back in shape!

Detox: Day 3

Last Day!!! This is what I kept telling myself throughout the day!

6:20 am: I was able to sleep in a little bit because I made all of my Day 3 drinks the night before. I woke up feeling kind of achy. I don't know if that had to do with the detox or the fact that I did not move at all throughout the night...yes, I slept that well!

6:45 am: Drink my detox tea and my breakfast drink while getting ready for work. Feeling less achy now and more normal!

7:50 am: I'm out the door!

10:20 am: I'm getting kind of hungry. I've been drinking lots of water...but that doesn't really do much for the hunger. But, I need to wait on my lunch drink a little longer.

11:40 am: I vow to drink half of my lunch drink in the next hour while I work and then I am "allowed" to take a break and get out of the office for a bit.

The last Green Monster...

1:30 pm: Back at the office from my little outing. Starting on the second half of the Green monster. I don't know if it's that I'm getting used to the Green Monster or if I just blended it a little better...either way, it's a little easier to tackle on Day 3! (or maybe it's like the little engine that could...I only have a few more hours, "I think I can, I think I can...")

2:15 pm: Finished with the second half of the Green Monster!!!!!! Slight...very slight...caffeine headache, but it is MUCH better than it was on Days 1 and 2.

4:45 pm: Snack drink time! (2 drinks down...then this one...and ONE MORE!!!!)

5:45 pm: Running errands, which includes a trip to the grocery store. This is a task that I DO NOT recommend while detoxing. I've managed to stay away, but really had to go to the store today to pick up a few things I'll need for the rest of the week. This was difficult, because everything looked amazing...I mean everything.

6:30 pm: Home, groceries unloaded, laundry started. I'm feeling like I have more energy that I did on Days 1 and 2. Now, I'm not feeling up for a long run or anything, but I have enough energy to vacuum the living room, master bedroom, and the dining room. I painted a coat of paint on the mailbox post. And, had enough energy to do a little extra straightening up to get ready for my guests coming in on Friday!

7:30 pm: Tired...maybe I pushed it a little too hard! Make my dinner drink and settle down to finish Harry Potter.

Last drink, pre-blend...

9:10 pm: Detox bath. Not as eventful as Day 2...thank goodness! I noticed that I didn't sweat as much during this detox bath. I'm not sure if it is because our house was a little cool because of the rain, or because I'm all detoxed out!

9:45 pm: I'm tucked in bed reading Lucky Magazine and drooling over new fall clothes and boots! (And watching a little Food Network). I'm not as tired as I have been the past few days.

10:15 pm: Sleeping...

I MADE IT!!!!

Over the next few days, I'll be compiling a list of my impressions of the detox, things I'd like to keep in my regimen, and new habits I'm going to try and form post-detox...stay tuned!

Detox: Day 2 and the Palmetto Bug Incident

Detox Day 2 started out well!

6:00 am:  I woke up and felt refreshed. And I'm not sure if it was the detox bath or what, but I slept very, very well! Took my shower and got ready for work.

7:00 am: Made my drinks while drinking my detox green tea.

7:20 am: Drank my breakfast drink. I pretty much enjoyed this one. The flax seed has a stronger taste than I would like, but it's not bad. Pretty easy to finish!

8:00 am: At work and settled in. I spent most of the morning trying to drink lots of water. I read that drinking a lot of water is key when doing a detox.

11:45 am: I'm starting to get hungry and I remember how long it took me to drink the "Green Monster" on Day 1, so I decide to get started.

12:15 pm: I'm a little over a fourth of the way through my drink...and it's time to take a break. I leave the office, and go shoe shopping. Two pairs of shoes later...I'm feeling like I can for sure conquer the Green monster.

1:00 pm: Back at the office, and finish the Green Monster by 1:45. It was a struggle, but I followed most of my sips with water, which helped. Again, it's not the taste that is bad, it's the texture. It's just funky...kind of like trying to drink grits.....yeah, weird!

4:00 pm: I have a pretty stellar caffeine headache, but I'm not letting it stop me. I'm starting to get hungry, but decide to wait until about 4:45 to drink my snack drink.

4:45 pm: Snack drink. This is just the breakfast drink again...and honestly...it's growing on me. It's not amazing and I don't think I would choose to have it all the time, but occasionally it would be a pretty good

5:40 pm: Leave work, run a couple of errands...aka...wander around the Loft to check out their new merchandise. I'm starting to get fall clothes fever...

6:25 pm: Home. I paint another coat of primer on the mailbox post, water the plants, and sort of straighten up the house. I put my new shoes in the closet :-)

7:00 pm: I decide to make my Day 3 drinks. I figure this way, I can't really lose my motivation, because I would HATE to waste all of the fruits and veggies that go into these drinks. I make my breakfast drink, lunch drink and snack drink for Wednesday...I can see the finish line!

The ingredients for the breakfast drink in the blender...pre-blend

Post blend- yeah, the color isn't appetizing, but the taste isn't bad.

Adam would not be able to handle the bananas in the breakfast and snack drinks. But to be honest, they are one of the ingredients that I can really taste in the drinks and that's been kind of helpful because I really enjoy bananas! It definitely makes those drinks easier to tolerate.

The Green Monster, post blend...

My little soldiers all lined up and ready to go!

7:30 pm: I finished preparing all of my Day 3 drinks...I'll make the final drink at home, after work. I made my dinner drink and filled a LARGE tervis tumbler with ice water and then sat down to watch Harry Potter. Yes, I started another one...why not? I'm on kind of an HP kick...and it's been nice. They are enjoyable and easy to watch. Have I mentioned that the hubs is out of town? Yeah...he is, hence the weird errands and endless Harry Potter movies. If I cannot cook and enjoy a nice glass of wine...I must stay distracted!

9:00 pm: After a great night of sleep after Day 1, I decided I wanted to go to bed a little earlier. So at 9:00 I start filling the tub for my detox bath. Here is where the saga begins...

DISCLAIMER: I live in the South. Palmetto Bugs, aka big ass flying roaches, are kind of regular occurrence here. Do not judge me...a Palmetto Bug in the house is not a regular occurrence, but sometimes it happens. If you've never encountered a roach in your house...tell me your secrets...

So, I fill the tub. The lavender smells amazing and I'm starting to actually feel relaxed before even setting foot in the tub. I get in the tub, take a deep breath...I'm about to really relax...and then I see it...

WHAT....THE...HECK...I'm in the tub...trying to relax...what do I do...

Well, you can't just let him hang out...so I jump out of the tub and proceed to chase the roach around the house...Yes, I'm in the buff...and yes, I'm dripping with water...but that roach has to die. 

Minutes later, the roach is dead and I'm back in the detox bath. I try to relax but to no avail...

10:10ish pm: I'm in the bed, at least 30 minutes later than I had hoped. I'm feeling good, but tired. Everything I've read about detoxes says that you'll really not have much energy during the detox. I completely believe that...because chasing that roach really took it out of me!

So far the detox has been kind of an easy and dare I say, gentle (I believe those of you who have done a detox probably know what I mean by this), detox. Aside from the fact that I love food and am missing it...I could probably do this again...