Fall – The Salty Exchange

Kendall’s Favorite One Pot (Almost) Dinner

October 14, 2021by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment

It’s fall! It’s cold! Life starts changing from lazy summer days to busier ones. I love ANYTHING that saves me time in the kitchen. That is why one pot meals are sort of my favorite. Simple meals that you can change up a bit and rely on to feed your friends or family are what I gravitate towards these days. With that said, here is one of my favorite one pot meals!

Harvest Pasta with Sun-dried Tomato Sausage

Ingredients:

2 tbsp avocado oil (really any oil is fine)
1 package of sun-dried tomato chicken sausage (I get mine from Trader Joes) sliced up
1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
1/2 yellow onion thickly sliced
1/2 a bag (or more) of spinach
3 cloves garlic minced
1 jar Trader Joes Autumnal Harvest Creamy Pasta Sauce
1 package fusilli pasta OR 1 package of cauliflower rice (this makes it more Keto AND has the benefit of being a total 1 pot meal)
**Cheese of choice

To prepare:

First, wash all of your produce!
Then slice the vegetables that need slicing and mince the garlic that needs mincing
If making the pasta version, get your water boiling and throw in a generous of salt (and I do mean generous portion)
Once the water is boiling, throw in your pasta to cook
Meanwhile, sauté down your onion, garlic, and bell pepper (about 5-6 minutes and this is also where you can slice up your sausage) and then throw in your sliced chicken sausage to cook together for about 5 minutes
Then toss in your jar of sauce to start cooking with all of your goodies
About two minutes later throw in your spinach
Right before the fusilli is finished (so at around 6-7 minutes but all stoves may vary) remove from heat and drain before tossing the pasta into your sauce mixture
Let it cook together for about 4-5 minutes
Turn off heat, dish up, and toss with cheese!
**IF using cauliflower rice (like I did last night) add in your cauliflower rice between the vegetables sautéing down and adding in the protein and follow the rest of the steps.

Easy clean up. Easy dinner. Under 30 minutes. YES, please! Enjoy!

Shari’s Favorite Fall Recipe: Beef Stew

October 14, 2021by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment

Shari- Fall recipes

Maybe it is the crisp air and the cooler mornings or the fact that fall brings the desire for warmth and comfort. Whatever it is, I tend to always take out and hug my slow cooker this time of year. Okay, I don’t hug it but I do have a new found love for it as I transition into Fall. The smell of a homemade meal that is hot and ready with minimal effort made… is there anything better? A favorite fall recipe of mine is beef stew. I think I love it so much because I don’t really need to measure, I can just take a bunch of ingredients and just throw it together. That being said, I know that most people like to follow a recipe, so I will break it down for you. I hope you enjoy my hearty beef stew recipe…

Shari’s Beef Stew:

1-2 pounds stew meat
1 bag of small carrots
2-3 potatoes (or parsnips if you want to make it more Keto friendly)
4 stalks of celery cut into half inch pieces
1 onion (cut in thicker pieces)
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons Worchestire sauce
4-5 cups of beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
(I don’t use a thickener)

Add all the ingredients to your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Take out the bay leaves and serve hot. Enjoy!

Kendall: Fall in Vermont

October 7, 2021by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment

Vermont in the autumn time is breathtaking. Like, breathtaking. The leaves draw in a lot of tourists from around the New England area this time of year and this year is no exception. Last year, the leaves started to turn a bit early. This year? A little later. The “peak” leaf time frame is projected to be soon- within the next 10-12 days. What this means is that the colors will be the most vibrant and dense between now and the end of next week. Today, I actually took a very out of the way road home JUST to see the leaves. And let me tell you- they. did. not. disappoint.

As a lover of all things fall, Vermont is the perfect place for me. Even my backyard is gorgeous this time of year… despite the dying plants that are about to get cleaned up for fall clean-up (a very big thing in Vermont). While travelling is still a little tough for some, if you happen to find yourself headed this way any time soon (or even next year), here are some fun things to check out around the state!

Smugglers Notch Road-

This is a historical path in VT. It’s also very dangerous and closes for the long winter months due to the inclement weather and the danger it poses to the road. It’s a sharp and windey path and if you come, do me a favor. SLOW DOWN. We all know you’re a tourist if we see you taking the turns on the road like a total fool (Yup- I am talking you, Massachusetts.). But, if you can- it’s worth the drive. The leaves are seriously gorgeous and make you feel like you are in a movie.

Apple Picking-

Apple picking is hot here. There are so many local orchards. Some have already picked apples so that you can buy a bag while others let you hit the trees to grab your own. The orchards are usually incredibly family friendly and offer snacks, creamies (a big thing in New England), and even have activities for kids!

Visit a Brewery-

So apparently there are brewery tours? I can’t speak to that but I am sure you can google it. What I can tell you is that this is a fantastic time to visit a brewery. The weather isn’t too hot and it’s not balls cold yet. I love a brewery with good beer AND good food. Some of my favorites include Zero Gravity, Fiddlehead, and Four Quarters.

Visit Cold Hollow Cider Mill-

Located in Waterbury, VT, Cold Hollow Cider Mill is THE place to get your apple cider donuts. You can also watch them press fresh apple cider. The smell of the place alone will make your mouth water. And for all of your touristy needs, they have a ton of stuff for you to buy to take a little bit of VT home with you or to someone else! AND across the driveway is their restaurant called, Apple Core. This belongs to Cold Hollow and is their luncheonette where you can have a delicious sandwich and sample local hard ciders. They also have a few brews on tap. Find something you like? See if it is their retail space behind the register and take it with you on your journey!

Maple Syrup-

It’s everywhere. Seriously. If you want local syrup, keep your eye out for roadside stands. If you are desperate, most grocery stores sell local stuff too. It’s EVERYWHERE! OR if you are me, you are lucky that your neighbor taps some of the trees in his backyard during the winter and makes his own… and he even shares! I call that winning.

Fall Festivals-

There a ton. Most fall festivals have great food, local artists, and general fun for the family. This weekend alone there are about 5 happening throughout Vermont. Google it and find one near you!

If you come to Vermont, come to relax and enjoy the scenery. People are friendly and welcome your company. There is so much to see, taste, and do here at this time of year. It’s hard not to enjoy it- even if you are a bit sad that the summer weather is gone for the next 7 months… There’s nothing like fall in Vermont!

Shari: Autumn Preparations

September 9, 2021by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment

It’s that time of year to kiss the summer sunsets, travel, and warmth goodbye. Thank goodness for Fall and the beauty of the fresh, crisp, and colorful season that helps with the conclusion of the summer months. We have so many things we need to think about during this transition period between seasons; which isn’t limited to just house prep but also mental preparation too! We are starting to welcome the holidays and it really is such a special time of the year.

Home. After a quick search online I found a ton of helpful lists for what to take into consideration when preparing your home for the autumn chill. Here is a great list that includes taking out A/C units, winterizing your garden, putting away your outdoor furniture, and so much more. I am not a homeowner but I do have several responsibilities as a tenant that I need to take care of around our complex, including the tasks I just listed. Lastly, just like spring cleaning, I believe fall cleaning around the home is equally as necessary.

Gear. This applies mainly to our camping and backpacking items on our gear wall. This time of year I winterize all the summer camping items and I carefully take them off the gearwall to get them organized into a tote that is easily labeled for locating it again next spring. In the winter we typically only snowshoe and stay in local state park cabins. So I tend to thin out our gear wall in the winter and pack away a lot of our backpacking and hiking stuff. I leave out all the first aid kits, snowshoes, trekking poles, gators, camping stove, gloves, hats, ropes, mugs, blankets, seat pads, and backpacks… along with countless other items that we like to bring with us when we go to our favorite cabins in the winter.

Clothing. It is time to swap out those summer clothes for your warmer layers! As a born and raised Washingtonian, I really value clothing that can transition between seasons. I have a lot of t-shirts and tank tops that I wear in the summer but that also transition well under sweaters in the winter. Which means when I put away my “summer clothing” my tote is actually quite small. I usually keep it towards the front of the storage unit in case we go on any tropical vacations during the fall/winter months too *wishful thinking*.

Cozy. This is where the mental preparation comes into play and is key to helping you transition between the summer and fall months. Think “cozy” and warm thoughts when you swap out the above items. Whether that is setting out some candles, a basket full of blankets next to the couch, or organizing your calendar to prepare for upcoming seasonal events that you don’t want to miss. Mentally it is good to give yourself time to think about what this next season is going to look like and how you want it to feel. So go on and close your eyes, let yourself get wrapped up in the smell of orange cloves and apple spices, feel the fresh crisp air, see the leaves changing colors and falling to the ground… prepare your heart and mind for change.

Ultimately, I hope that taking a look at the home, your gear, your clothing, and thinking cozy thoughts helps you prepare for all that autumn will bring. Fall is my favorite season and I welcome it with open arms but it isn’t lost on me that we really do have to prepare for the major change between hot and warm to chilly and cold.

Cheers to embracing the tasks that come with Autumn preparations and may your next season be happy, healthy, and full of coziness!

Kendall On Fall Resolutions (Who Needs NYE?)

October 2, 2020by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment

Ok, I know that December 31st is when most people set their New Year’s resolutions. For me though, the new year begins on the first day of Autumn. Fall is a time of rebirth for me. It’s a season of learning, peace, cozy evenings, academic restarts, and PSL. So, in honor of this “new year,” here are some of my resolutions.

Continue my exercise regiment:
Last Fall, I recommitted myself to working out after a very long break. I have been really good (especially in the past 8 months) about working out consistently 3-5 times a week. This time has proven to be essential for just not my physical health but also for my mental health. I hope to continue working out and taking my workouts up a notch as I get stronger.
Read, read, read:
Since giving birth, reading has taken a backseat in my life. I do listen and enjoy Audible but I am an old-fashioned reader who loves to hold a real book in their hands. I have a growing list of books and I hope to have my nose buried in at least 1 book a month.
Make couple time intentional:
Next month begins a new chapter in our family. My husband will be starting grad school on top of working a full time job. Needless to say, our time as a family will be changing. In an effort to make sure we stay connected, I want to plan out our time together. Whether it’s a movie night after our daughter goes to bed or a date night out, I want to make sure we stay connected. When we are connected, our family functions better.
Meal Planning in advance:
I already meal plan… but I want to be even more efficient with my budgeting and by meal planning about 85% of our dinners in advance I will be able to be a better shopper and adhere to our budget.
Get better at WordPress:
We may use WordPress but that doesn’t mean we are proficient with the site at all! I would really like to understand the capabilities and take classes so that I can be a better developer and designer for our site.
Make more time for Bella:
Bella is not only my dog but my best friend! It’s easy to put her needs aside when Rosemary takes up so much of my time. While she still gets her daily snuggles, scratches, and love, she has not been getting as much play time. I want to carve out some time every day for play… probably during R’s nap time!
And finally… be a better mom:
I am constantly praying for more patience. As Rosemary grows, so does her appetite for mischief and pushing the limits. All healthy things! But sometimes I feel like I spend the better part of everyday being frustrated. I don’t want to be that mom. I don’t want to be that person! I want to better anticipate how to handle situations and use them as teaching moments or even just let it go and use the crazy situations as an opportunity for fun! I just want to be the best I can possibly be for her. Always.

I am ready for everything that Fall has to bring. The joys of this season are what set up the next 12 months for me. I hope to be open to everything it has to teach me, everything I have to give, and every challenge headed my way. 2019 and 2020 have been incredibly stressful years in their own way- so I am ready for whatever the rest of 2020 has to barf up on us and am even more ready to handle the promise of a better 2021.

Happy Fall, ya’ll! Go enjoy a PSL!