7 Reasons Runners & Athletes Should Eat More Winter Squash + Recipes

We’re well into cooler weather, have you been fueling your training diet with delicious recipes featuring winter squash? Since the onset of fall, the produce department has been bustling with beautiful displays of winter squash varieties such as butternut, acorn, spaghetti, pumpkin and more! I can’t guarantee these staples of the season will make you run faster or jump higher, but they will help keep your body health and your taste buds happy.  7 Reasons Runners & Athletes Should Eat More Winter Squash -- find out the health benefits of vegetables like pumpkin, acorn, spaghetti and butternut squashes and how they can  help fuel your performance. Find easy recipes too, ranging from soup and stew to baked goods.

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Vegan Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup with Cilantro Chimichurri

When I’m looking to make a meat-free soup into an entire meal, I have couple non-negotiable. The soup needs to be hearty and thick (as opposed to thin and brothy), it needs to have tons of flavor, and also should have a decent showing of protein.  Vegan Chipotle Sweet Potato SoupMy recipe for Vegan Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup with Cilantro Chimichurri meets all of these requirements and more — the “more” bonus is that it’s super easy to make and is loaded with healthy carbs to fuel my long runs and intense workouts. Slightly spicy while simultaneously smoky and just a tad sweet, a big hearty bowl of this meat-free, dairy-free, vegan soup will get you warmed up and keep you filled up until the next meal! My serving size is very generous and, sans the chimichurri, has 400 calories, 20 grams of protein, 80g healthy complex carb, 4g fat – plus is very high in potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

Pin this for later!Vegan Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup makes a hearty, healthy meal on busy nights. Pureed beans in the soup add extra protein, making this a great meal solution for vegans, vegetarians and those looking to go meatless for the night.

Nutrient-rich sweet potatoes blended into vegetable stock make up the bulk of this super simple soup recipe. Pureed white navy beans have been added for additional protein and fiber and help boost this soup into a full-fledged meal appropriate for vegans, vegetarians or anyone looking for a nutritious meatless option. As I mentioned, this is a great go-to soup when I’m carb-loading for winter marathons, Spartan races and other endurance events.

blooming-chipotle-powder-for-sweet-potato-soup-litehouseWhen making this simple soup, a step you don’t want to skip is to “bloom” the chipotle chile powder in the stock pot before adding any of the other soup ingredients. Blooming most spices helps to intensify their depth and complexity — the smoky flavor of ground chipotle pepper really opens up with this front-end method.

I originally developed this recipe for Litehouse Food’s Living Litehouse Blog using their Instantly Fresh Guacamole Blend as a quick fix in both the soup and the quick-fix Cilantro Chimichurri.  I highly recommend this freeze-dried herb product, it’s one of my all-time favorites with multiple uses beyond just guacamole making – try it in soups, stews, casseroles, stir-frys, and skillet dinners. However, if you can’t find the product in your market, I’ve asterisked the recipe with substitutions.

Cilantro ChimichurriThe Cilantro Chimichurri blended up to dress the soup is a bright and vibrant contrast to the more scarf-and-sweater vibe of the hearty soup. Plus, it adds a drizzle of heart-healthy olive oil to a soup recipe that is nearly fat-free.  You can also use this Cilantro Chimichurri on drizzled on steak and fish, as a salad dressing, or mixed into Greek yogurt as a dip.

How are you prepping your sweet potatoes this fall? What is your favorite type of soup? What fuels your running the night before? Please share in the comments, XOXO — Jennifer 

Vegan Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup with Cilantro Chimichurri
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 
A big bowl of this sweet-savory nourishing vegan soup provides plenty of protein and healthy complex carbs to fuel your most active endeavors.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American, Mexican, Southwestern
Servings: 4 main dish servings
Ingredients
for Soup
  • 2 pounds sweet potatoes, halved lengthwise (about 2)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon oive oil
  • 2 teaspoons chilpotle chile powder
  • 3 cups canned great northern beans, undrained about 1 1/2 cans
  • 1 quart vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup Instantly Fresh Guacamole Blend Freeze-Dried Herbs *substitution directions at bottom of recipe
for Chimichurri
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves small, tender parts of stalks okay
  • 1/4 cup nstantly Fresh Guacamole Blend Freeze-Dried Herbs *substitution directions at bottom of recipe
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
  1. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise. Place potatoes, cut sides down, in an 11 x 7-inch microwave-safe baking dish. Add 1/3 cup water; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Cool slightly, discard potato skins. Heat stock pot over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add chipotle chili powder and sauté 1 minute or until fragrant.
  2. Place undrained beans in blender with approximately ½ cup of vegetable broth, pulse until smooth. Add to stock pot.

  3. Scoop sweet potatoes out of skin and add to blender with remaining vegetable broth and ¼ cup Guacamole Blend herbs. Process until smooth, working in batches if necessary. Add mixture to stock pot. Bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. If soup seems too thick add additional water or vegetable broth to suit preferences.

  4. To prepare Chimichurri, add olive oil, fresh cilantro, Guacamole Blend herbs, lime juice, vinegar and salt to blender. Pulse until mixture coarsely combined.
  5. To serve, scoop soup into bowls and garnish with a dollop of Chimichurri.
  6. If you can't find Instantly Fresh Guacamole Blend, use this as substitute: For Soup, instead of 1/4 cup Guacamole Blend, use 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons minced garlic For Chimichurri, instead of 1/4 cup Instantly Fresh Guacamole Blend, use 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons minced garlic

“Gimme Mo” Mojo Citrus Guacamole

"Gimme Mo" Mojo Citrus Guacamole brings a Latin American twist to your favorite avocado dip -- loaded with garlic and zesty oranges!  Dollop on salads, sandwiches or fish tacos! Or, just dip a chip at your next party!We eat guacamole by the truckload over here and I see nothing wrong with that! — I mean, HELLO heart-healthy, creamy, satiating fats! This simple pleasures is a staple in my life, dolloped on my salads, sandwiches and veggies sticks. Making a yummy meal and NOT having guacamole within lifting distance from my lips feels like a hot date that didn’t end with a kiss. Such a bummer!

I’ve used avocados every which way and have a dozens of guacamole recipes in my mealtime rotation. A recent creation is “Gimme Mo” Mojo Citrus Guacamole with a sensational Latin American-inspired twist that is perfect for plantain chip dipping, toast smearing and fish taco topping.

"Gimme Mo" Mojo Citrus Guacamole brings a Latin American twist to your favorite avocado dip -- loaded with garlic and zesty oranges!  Dollop on salads, sandwiches or fish tacos! Or, just dip a chip at your next party!

Before jumping into this quick and easy guacamole recipe, let me give you the quick 411 on the magical sauce that inspired it. While originating in the Canary Islands, mojo is a simple sauce that is now splattered and slathered on nearly everything edible in Central America, the Caribbean and parts of the southern U.S. With as many regional variations as there are uses for this quintessential Latin condiment, I’m most familiar with the Cuban preparation. Cuban mojo is made with olive oil, sour citrus juices (like bitter orange and lime juice), oregano, and garlic – loads and loads of garlic. It’s often used as a marinade for pork, chicken and seafood, a dip for fried plantains or yucca, or for dressing veggies and potatoes.

I love the mojo flavor profile and have done past recipes like Mojo Steak Kebabs and Mojo Chicken with Grilled Oranges (below) are both delicious!  This guacamole would be a perfect complement to both! Not only can “Gimme Mo” Mojo Citrus Guacamole be served atop a main dish on the dinner plate, to the side of a salad, or in a festive dip bowl – it also makes a clever single-serve presentation scooped into the emptied halves of the orange peel.

grilled chicken breasts and oranges

I originally developed this recipe for the new Guacamole Herb and Spice Blend from the Instantly Fresh line at Litehouse Foods.It’s a mixture of freeze-dried herbs and seasonings (including cilantro, garlic, red onion and red chili) that make it easy to get the guacamole bowl filled to the top “chop-chop” without endless slicing and dicing!  There are no preservatives or other yucky chemicals in this convenient spice blend that you can pick up on the spice aisle or in the produce department (although it doesn’t need to be chilled).  If you find a bottle, just swap out the red onion, jalapeno and cilantro in the recipe below for 4 tablespoons of this magical spice blend.

Litehouse Foods Instantly Fresh Guacamole Blend

Are you an avocado addict? How many would you guesstimate you eat in a month? What is best thing you’ve dipped a chip or carrot stick into lately?  Please share in the comments, XOXO – Jennifer 

“Gimme Mo” Mojo Citrus Guacamole
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
This Latiin-inspired take on guacamole adds loads of garlic and zesty orange juice! The perfect condiment for your main dishes . . . but mainly for dipping!
Course: Appetizer, Fruit, Salad, Side Dish, Snack, Vegetable
Cuisine: Caribbean, Mexican, South American
Servings: 8 servings
Instructions
  1. In bowl, mash together peeled and pitted avocados with orange juice and lime juice (if avocados are extra large, you may need a small splash extra of each).
  2. Stir in onion, pepper, cilantro,oregano (or 4 Tbsp swap of the guacamole blend mentioned in blog post), salt and garlic.
  3. Use zester, to remove approximately 1 tablespoon zest from orange. Stir into guacamole.
  4. Peel orange and cut away any pith and most membrane. Dice into small chunks. Gently stir into guacamole.
  5. Serve as dip or condiment for sandwiches, burgers, fajitas, salads, etc.

“Go For The Gold” Turmeric Hummus Served 3 Ways

Turmeric Curry HummusWhen I want a satisfying snack that tastes super yummy, has loads of health benefits, and won’t have me hungry again in an hour, my “Go for Gold” Turmeric Curry Hummus with Minted Roast Chickpeas is a winner! It’s definitely what to bring to a football tailgate or sports watching party to show that you are the decided victor of dips and champion of chickpeas.Turmeric Hummus with Minty Roast Chickpeas is creamy and crunchy at the same time! A healthy snack with protein and fiber, perfect for post workout of for a party appetizer.

If you’re not familiar with turmeric, you need to get acquainted ASAP. I’ve featured it before in many recipes — my Turmeric Honey “Health” Shots have been popular! While it’s the primary spice in many Indian dishes (such as curry) and lends everything it touches (including hands) a golden yellow to orange hue, turmeric is consumed not just for its warm and mildly peppery taste, but also for the many purported health benefits.

For example, numerous studies suggest that turmeric’s active component, curcumin, helps alleviate or reduce the incidence of everything from certain cancers to depression – and it’s is highly touted as a natural pain-killer and anti-inflammatory. I take turmeric often to recover from hard workouts faster, I’m a fan of these Curcumin Capsules (from Turmeric Root Extract) sold by NOW Foods.

Turmeric.
I do advise using fresh turmeric along with the dried ground turmeric as directed in the recipe. The fresh has a more pleasingly distinctive aroma, flavor and health benefits in root form (technically a rhizome like ginger) than from the ground powder.  However, the ground turmeric helps distribute the golden-orange color evenly. If you’re looking for fresh turmeric, ask your produce manager to stock it from Frieda’s.
Turmeric Hummus Served 3 Ways - appetizer dip, pasta toss and veggie sandwich!

Make a big batch and portion into individual grab-and-go containers to stash in lunchboxes, backpacks and gym bags along with veggie sticks or crackers. However, dipping stuff INTO hummus isn’t the only way to enjoy it! My two other serving suggestions are to 1) pile up high on whole grain bread or a wrap along with other veggies to make a filling sandwich and 2) to toss with warm pasta or vegetable noodles (like “zoodles”) as a creative sauce.  I wasn’t sure if the sauce idea would work one night when fixing a “clear the fridge” dinner in a pinch — but it most certainly did!

roast chickpeas for a crunch healthy snackAlso, if you love a crunchy, salty snack the roasted mint chickpeas that I’ve used to garnish the top make a fantastic snack on their own.

Just double up that part of the recipe and keep the extra batch for snacking right off the pan – or to use as grain-free “croutons

By the way, I originally developed this recipe for Litehouse Foods using their Instantly Fresh Herbs! Check it out.

 

Do you use turmeric in your diet, what is a favorite recipe? If you’re at a party, do you go for the dips or the desserts? What’s on your upcoming fall season race season? Please share in the comments, XOXO — Jennifer  

"Go For The Gold" Turmeric Hummus Served 3 Ways
Prep Time
40 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
Cuisine: Indian, Mediterranean
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 cups canned chickpeas, rinsed, dried and “skinned” (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or nstantly Fresh Mint
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (divided)
  • 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic or Instantly Fresh Garlic
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or Instantly Fresh Ginger
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried, ground turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon fresh grated turmeric root *if not available, substitute and additional 1 TBSP dried turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • additional olive oil for serving
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
  2. After draining and rinsing chickpeas, place them on a paper towel and fold over, gently rubbing them. This will remove any remaining “skins.”
  3. Toss mint and salt together in small bowl. Take ½ cup of chickpeas and toss around with olive oil until coated. Add chickpeas to bowl with mint and shake around until dusted.
  4. Place chickpeas in oven and bake, tossing occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden and crunchy.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool on pan.
  5. Place remaining chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, ginger, curry powder, dried turmeric, fresh turmeric, remaining salt and pepper in a food processor and blend till smooth and creamy. If needed, add a bit of additional lime juice or water to adjust the consistency.
  6. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and roasted chickpeas.

Slow (ish) Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes

Editor’s note: This post was updated 9/25/2019

Tomato lover’s will be swooning over these Slow (ish) Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes — the are simple to make and bursting with intense flavor.

 

Read on to get all the recipe how-to, plus tips and serving suggestions for slow roasted tomatoes. Continue reading