Build Me Up Butternut

The holidays make healthy eating a challenge. At least for me. For the last week my body has been pleading with me, begging for healthy food. But, I ignored all demands and enjoyed homemade Championship cookies, mini-pickles, Cinnabon, multi-meat meals, and, while on the road, fast-food. I'm disgusting. Help me!

Last night, I obliged. Finally. And it tasted pretty good.

I made butternut squash soup and a spinach, beet salad with walnuts and goat cheese. Both were crowd pleasers —in our crowd of two. The soup was my variation of a Real Simple recipe. I omitted the cheese and croutons, cooked the butternut squash whole, doubled the amount of butter {please don't judge} and used significantly more pepper than recommended. For the salad I tossed walnuts, goat cheese, and a roasted beet onto a bed of 50/50! Peter whipped up a dressing using red wine vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, and a pinch of sugar.

Everything turned out well and fortunately there was enough for leftovers.

Soli Deo Gloria

NYC

Every year around Christmas we load up the car and day trip to New York with my dad.  Each year we come up with different things to do- sometimes ice skating, sometimes shopping. This year we ate pizza and saw the Statue of Liberty. Back in 1993, my dad and I went to Liberty Island and climbed to the crown. This trip we opted just to go to the Pedestal which saved us a pretty good hike.   

For those of you who may not know, this is my sister, Kelsey. She's a cutie. She lived in New York during her college summers so she always makes a great tour guide. 

Dad laid on the ground to make sure we were all in this picture-  if it ends up on a late Christmas card I won't be the least bit surprised. 

Well, I wanted to get a picture of the tree and the Rock- I suppose I sort of succeeded. One day I'll take photography lessons, one day.