I've been really into squash this fall. Pumpkins, butternut squash, and acorn are definitely my favorites, but I have to say I just love acorn squash the most. They're the perfect shape and make a fantastic side dish, just by cutting one in half and roasting it up in the oven. I decided to get a little fancier and actually serve dinner in the squash the other night, and we loved it so much that I made it again that same week!

Ingredients:

For the squash

One acorn squash

Drizzle of olive oil

Salt, pepper, onion powder

For the beef

One pound of (grass-fed) beef

Half of an onion, drizzle of olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Sprinkle of onion powder

Sprinkle of crushed red pepper

One 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat your oven to 350. 

2. Carefully cut the squash in half and season with olive oil, salt, pepper, and onion powder.

3. Roast squash at 350 for 45 minutes.

4. While squash is in the oven, saute onions in olive oil over medium heat. When they've softened, add beef.

5. Season the beef with garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and salt + pepper.

6. Once the beef is cooked through, reduce heat to low/simmer and add can of tomatoes.

7. Continue to cook on low until squash is done.

8. To serve, place each squash half in a bowl and spoon beef into the center.

I made these on Saturday afternoon and put plastic wrap over them for dinner on Sunday, so you can totally make them ahead of time if you like to do that (I know I do). Enjoy!

The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Grain Brain.

My experience with the Paleo diet for the past two years has been nothing but amazingly positive, so I practically jumped at the opportunity to work with Grain Brain, Dr. David Perlmutter's eye-opening book and diet program. I feel so much better when I stay away from gluten, sugar, and carbs in general, so I've been finding myself shaking my head with every turn of every page of this book.

Grain Brain is about lifestyle changes you can make today to keep your brain healthy, vibrant, and sharp. Gone are the days when smart, aware, and healthy people just died of old age when it was their time, Perlmutter says; now we're falling prey to all sorts of diseases. He explains that the fate of our health and brain is not solely in our genes, but in the food that we eat. According to him, the cornerstone of many brain conditions is inflammation, which can be triggered by carbs, especially those containing gluten and are high in sugar.

He goes on to illustrate how fat is and always has been a fundamental part of our nutrition. Did you know that the human brain consists of more than 70% fat? I had no idea. And it contains more connections than there are stars in the Milky Way! I mean, we all know that our brain is powerful and important, but that's pretty awesome. Good fats, like coconut oil or DHA omega-3 found in fatty fish and algae help reduce inflammation and cretain vitamins, mostly A, D, E, and K, require fat to get absorbed properly in the body. I always kind of naively hoped that the food I ate would just sort of cover me as far as vitamins go, but now I know that as I get older I'm going to have to take supplements. Might as well start today!

I'm really enjoying the book because Perlmutter gives me enough scientific background to really understand what's going on when I eat excess carbs, but his writing style is conversational, and his technical details are accessible to my generally science-less background. He also has a chapter of awesome recipes, so that's an added bonus. I'm excited to finish it and begin the Grain Brain Challenge.

The Grain Brain Challenge includes the following:

+ Shifting away from carbs and adding brain health supplements

(Grain Brain sent me coupons for Gold Circle Farms DHA Omega-3 Cage-Free Eggs, as well as a bottle each of GNC Preventive Nutrition® resVida®, Spring Valley Omega-3 Fish Oil Soft Gels, and BrainStrong Adult DHA Supplements)

+Incorporating/sticking to a regular fitness routine

+ Getting restful, routine sleep seven days a week

+Establishing a new rhythm to make these healthy habits really stick

Not so bad, right? I do most of these things already, and I'm sure you do, too.

Has anyone else read this book? I highly recommend it! I'll be back with another post in three or four weeks to let you know how the challenge went. I'm not the best with big vitamins, so that's my biggest concern so far. I take a little vitamin D capsule every night and I used to take some fish oil in liquid form, but some of the supplements they sent me are big! 

So wish me luck, and let me know if you're interested! I'd love to swap stories and experiences along the way. Until then, I'll be finishing up the book and getting my good fats in!

These are the days of jeans, boots, comfy socks, loose tops, and oversized sweaters.

Sweater + Earrings: Express

Top: c/o Jigsaw London

Jeans: Levi's | Bag: Coach

Necklace (similar): J.Crew | Watch: Fossil

Shoes: c/o Oliberté

Now let's talk about these boots. I've been so excited to share these with you ever since my initial correspondence with Oliberté. Oliberté is a responsible lifestyle brand that makes high-quality leather shoes and goods and supports workers' rights and sustainable manufacturing in sub-Saharan Africa. They're focused on quality, creating fair jobs, and protecting our environment.  You can read more about their incredible story here, but I wanted to include this quote from their site now:

"When we first shared the idea of manufacturing our footwear in Africa, many asked: Why? Why or how could anyone want to make shoes in a place full of so much poverty and corruption?

The answer is simple: We never have and still don't see an Africa that's categorised by negative generalizations. Oliberté believes that with the right partners, each country within Africa has the means to grow and support its people. So that's what we do – Oliberté partners with factories, suppliers, farmers and workers to produce premium footwear in Africa, but we do more than that. We work to create fair jobs, with the goal of contributing to the development of a thriving middle class."

Pay them a visit today, and take 10% off your order with the promo code OLIFW1310.

 

This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own. 

As always, I only work with brands that I love and think that you will love, as well. 

Thank you for your support as I continue to work with sponsors.