Falling for...food and family #hemphearts #sweatpink

My oldest son is clearly enjoying all the fall things! Yes, he carved this.

I have to admit that it feels so weird to not be training for anything. Since race season is over for me, I just updated the pictures on the blog header as well as my Facebook page cover photo. My friend Karen commented what great memories I have from this year! And she is right! I ran 3 halfs, a 10 miler, a 10k, and a full marathon, and had friends at every race! I had some PRs and AG awards as well. I'm most happy about no injures this year! Following my final race, the Chicago Marathon, I took a week off to recover and continue to ease back into running. I'm still nursing my plantar fasciitis (who isn't these days?), but other than that, I couldn't be more thrilled with how the year is coming to a close. Now to keep myself out of trouble aka signing up for another race to fill the void. Looking at the big picture is easier said than done. But with the ever-present threat of burpees from my coach, I think I'll behave.

My wingman!

Thankfully, between work and family I seem to be keeping really busy. This past weekend, I enjoyed watching my youngest play rugby! I have been working almost every Saturday since September, and this was only the second game I've seen this fall. His team lost, but these boys continue to inspire me with their heart and hard playing, right up to the bitter end. The team they played today was really good, and Matthew and one of his teammates joked that it was as if the opponents weren't quite human. Matthew said if they tackled them, he thought their skin might come off and there would just be wires underneath there. Kind of like running with the Kenyans, right?

Anyways, I've been busy in the kitchen, making some delicious fall recipes. My family is always happy to eat whatever I put in front of them. Manitoba Harvest sent me a package of their Hemp Hearts to try, and I've been experimenting with them. Since my boys are allergic to tree nuts, the Hemp Hearts are a great substitute for nuts in recipes. My oldest son Tom went pumpkin shopping a few weeks ago and came home with not only pumpkins but also squash. There was a butternut squash sitting on the kitchen counter, and I made a pasta sauce with it. I like to make a brown butter with fresh sage to spoon on top of the pasta, and instead of the pine nuts that the recipe called for, I substituted Hemp Hearts. It was a hit!

Here's the recipe:

Butternut Squash Pasta sauce
recipe adapted from Cooking Light 2006
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1# butternut squash peeled, seeded, and shredded
1 garlic clove, minced
1-2 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 cups of water
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup/4 oz. shredded parmesan (I use SarVecchio, a cheese made in Wisconsin (it's got a nutty kind of flavor), but you can use your favorite)

12 ounces uncooked penne

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts
1 tbsp fresh sage

Directions: 
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 c pasta water.
2. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add squash and 1 cup of water to the pain. Cook until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Gradually add the rest of the water, 1/2c at a time, waiting until the water is absorbed before adding more. Stir occasionally.
3. Once all the water is absorbed, stir in the sugar, salt, and pepper.
4. While the squash is cooking, melt 2 tbsp. butter in a small saucepan. Allow it to lightly brown. Remove from heat and stir in the Hemp Hearts and sage.
5. Combine pasta and sauce, tossing well to mix. If the sauce is too thick, add pasta water until mixture reaches desired consistency. Toss with 3/4c shredded parmesan.
6. Spoon pasta and sauce onto plates; top with remaining cheese and buttered sage sauce.
7. Serve and enjoy!

With a salad and a chardonnay...it's the perfect fall meal!

And yes, here's a running photo from the weekend:

What are you cooking up for fall? Don't you just love fall meals? I can't wait to see what else I can do with my Hemp Hearts! There are a ton of recipes on the website. If you want to try Hemp Hearts, I'm giving away one package below!

disclosure: As a SweatPink ambassador, I was given one package of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts to try and review here on the blog. Of course, all opinions and recipes and photos are mine!

I'm linking this post up with Holly at HoHoRuns and Tricia at MissSippiPiddlin and their Weekly Wrap! I'm expecting some race reports...and all kinds of fall fun! Check it out!

I'm also linking up with Debbie at Confessions of Mother Runner And Tina Muir at Fuel Your Future with Tina Muir for Meatless Monday! Yum!

a Rafflecopter giveaway