Happy What I Ate Wednesday, friendly faces! 😀
I know — three weeks in a row?!? Craaaaaziness! But when I asked you guys last week if you wanted to see more WIAW posts, the answer was a resounding YES, so I figured I should probably follow through and deliver the goods. The only thing is that coming up with interesting themes can be a liiiiittle bit tricky sometimes, so you’re going to have to bear with me. I mean, there are only so many ways of saying “this is what I ate today yesterday”… especially when you’ve been at it for a couple of years.
Luckily, the recent arrival of fall (aka the tastiest season of the year) gives me the perfect excuse to talk about some of my favourite fall foods… so let’s go!
Pumpkin…
A pumpkin pie breakfast bake with dried cranberries, cream cheese, and almond butter.
I have the blog world to thank for this one because, before I started blogging, I had no idea that you could actually eat pumpkins — I thought they were just for decoration around Halloween. And don’t ask me where I thought pumpkin pie came from — my parents never had that talk with me. Imagine my shock, then, when I learned that not only was pumpkin edible, but also pretty darn tasty… tasty to the point where I’ve been known to eat a spoonful or two straight from the can #noshame.
Dates…
A bowl of dates, almonds, and Barbara’s Morning Oat Crunch cereal… with black coffee.
This one might be a bit of a stretch since I’m not sure that dates are technically a fall food, but I associate all dried fruits with fall and winter since fresh fruits are no longer in season, and dried fruits just feel cozier in the colder months — if that makes sense. Either way, dates are currently at the top of my favourite dried fruit list thanks to their ooey, gooey caramelly-ness and their ability to make me fly. No joke — coffee and dates give me wings. Hands down the best food to eat before any kind of activity.
Kabocha…
Snack plate LOVE! Sliced cucumber, Dr. Kracker crisps, roasted kabocha, cheesestrings, dried apricots, and Tribe hummus.
Similarly to pumpkin, I had no idea that the oddly shaped lumps that my mom decorated our house with in the fall time were actually edible, so another shoutout to the blog world for that one. Actually, I still remember trying to hack my way in to a squash for the first time — what a gong show 😆 Thankfully I managed to walk away with all my digits in tact, because I would have hated to have a bad experience get in the way of what has gone on to become a full-blown love affair… one that I’m lucky enough to indulge in all.year.long.
Maple…
Justin’s maple almond butter with frozen mangoes and banana slices.
Confession: I’ve actually been known to take a swig of maple syrup straight from the bottle, similarly to how I’d drink honey straight from the squeezy bear when I was a kid… except the former didn’t end with my childhood years. Neither did the latter, really, except that now my honey comes in jars and requires the assistance of a spoon 😆
Anyways… You might say I have a slight thing for maple syrup and maple flavoured foods, which we’re going to pretend has everything to do with the fact that it’s delicious (because it is) and nothing to do with the fact that I’m stereotypically Canadian (because I am). We’re also conveniently going to ignore the fact that I have a tendency to slip “eh?” into every conversation.
Red quinoa…
A bowl of red quinoa cooked in coconut milk with chickpeas, spinach, broccoli, and kabocha squash.
So I know quinoa isn’t technically fall-ish, but it IS a big bowl of comfort, and that just screams cozy fall days. ALSO! since this quinoa is red, and leaves turn red in the fall… well… I rest my case. Welcome to the bizarre logic of my inner mind — feel free to point and laugh 
In any case… I honestly can’t say that I detect much of a difference between the two colours other than the fact that red quinoa takes slightly longer to cook. They both have that same earthy flavour and offer the same nutritional benefits. Mostly I just think that red quinoa looks gorgeous.
Butterscotch…
A mug of Kashi Cinnamon Harvest and butterscotch chips.
You guys… I’ve been cheating on chocolate — with butterscotch. But that’s all the deets that I’m going to share with you about our steamy affair for now because I feel like this post is getting a leeeeeettle long.
See your lovely faces tomorrow for some Thinking Out Loud! 😀
What do you think is the tastiest season of the year?
What’s one food you love that the blog world has introduced you to?
What extremes have you gone to to satisfy a sweet tooth? I’ve also been known to eat those sugar cubes that are meant for coffee 😆
More places to find me!
E-mail — [email protected]
Twitter — runwithspoons
Facebook — runningwithspoons
Pinterest — runwithspoons
Instagram — runwithspoons
Bloglovin — runningwithspoons
Oh yeah I love me some butterscotch – and caramel too! I couldn’t be happier that the fall flavors are here, I have been a pumpkin fiend for the last two weeks and don’t foresee it stopping anytime soon.
So THAT’s how pumpkin pie is born… It isn’t a witch delivering them on the front portch?! I’VE BEEN ROBBED!
I would have to say the blog world has opened my mind to the craziest of concoctions but I do love my oats + melty pb. There’s something about the comfort of oatmeal which just makes everything feel right in the world lol. Also, cheese + jam.
I think the tastiest season is fall or winter because, well, Christmas cookies!!!
I’m the opposite with pumpkin: I never knew it came in cans until I joined the blogging world. In Trinidad cook actual pumpkins we eat it in savoury dishes like curries or even as a dip kinda like hummus. So pumpkin in muffins blew my mind…now I can’t get enough.
Also, the first time I tried to hack my way into a spaghetti squash I ended up using my bare hands to pry it open cuz my tiny knife was useless <- not even an exaggeration…
Trader Joe’s has had an abundance of kabocha lately, which doesn’t usually happen! I’ve had it for two weeks now 🙂 and I have a few more waiting to cut open… without cutting my hand off hopefully. My knife is insanely sharp haha. Fall is w/o a doubt THE tastiest season 🙂
Dare you to try to do it with your feet 😉
I’m going to Whole Foods Saturday, so I’m looking for those crackers! And ever since I started reading your blog I’ve wanted nothing but dates haha I need to fulfill that craving eventually.
I’m not the biggest fan of butterscotch, sadly :(. And I remember learning about the fact that you could eat pumpkin and being surprised/excited too – ha, clearly I was living under a rock during my childhood!
I love red Quinoa! I always buy it at Trader Joe’s.
I definitely think fall is the tastiest season of the year! I love all the pumpkin and apple recipes the best, and you can make some many different things with them – both savory and sweet! Love it!
You’ll be so proud of me–I bought my first kabocha squash the other day 😀
#soproud… Hope you love it! Try with nut butter and/or chocolate! Or better yet… both 😉
I’m like you – I was completely, and I mean COMPLETELY unaware of pumpkin as food. We don’t even have pumpkin pie here, but pumpkin soup, so don’t ask me what I thought this was made of. But whatever – I am hoarding squash currently like it’s my job – our season lasts until maybe November. I may or may not have slight panic attacks every day when I enter the supermarket.
Can you post the recipe for your red quinoa dish? It looks delicious!
Thanks, Tricia! I definitely could, but it honestly feels so simple that I don’t even really consider it a recipe! All I do is cook up some quinoa, replacing about 1/4 – 1/3 of the water for canned coconut milk, and when that’s all finished I’ll toss in some canned chickpeas and whatever other steamed/roasted veggies I have on hand…
Totally agree with the power of dates…it gves you wings! But first they make you do a happy dance 😉
Tastiest season? I can’t pick one! I love summer for freshness but winter for indulgence in all sweet baking treats.
Oh my dear sweet tooth..there were times where I ate spoonfuls of honey or ended up using bread as my spoon! I could eat half the jar and get such a sugar rush I could literally sky rocket if I jumped!
That pumpkin pie breakfast bake <— NOM NOM NOM
YES! its true.. the best season <3 alllll pumpkin errrrrthing!
I would LOVE pumpkin pie for breakfast!
“My parents never had that talk with me” baahahaha you make me laugh 🙂 🙂
Fall is my favvvorite. Mainly because it becomes acceptable to eat piping hot soup every.day. <3
Other than obvious changes in fresh produce I wouldn’t say the season’s promote my choice of food flavours. I think that’s largely down to our unpredictable weather patterns; it is not odd to experience -what we term anyway- frigid temps in supposedly nearing summer!
I am all over dates dunked in nut butter right now, alongside a crispy, tangy sliced apple <3. But I probably shouldn't mention the allergy-ridden buggers… you're still off it raw hey?
I am 😥 Which was completely horrible when I went apple picking last weekend… and then when I was helping my mom peel apples for a crisp she was making. It’s a cruel, cruel world…
Fall is definitely the best for food although I do look forward to the summer months for the fruit too…Blogging introduced me to so many things including the concept of overnight oats which I reinvented for myself. chia seeds I think and nutritional yeast which I have been loving now for quite some time.
Such prety photos! So you cook your quinoa in coconut milk? So just do the same thing you would do with water?
Not completely in coconut milk. I sub out about 1/4 – 1/3 of the water for canned coconut milk.
Oh my goodness that breakfast bake….with all those toppings? NOM! I think I’m getting on board that train asap, even if the weather out here still sucks! And I cant remember the last time I had butterscotch, which is a shame, because I love it! Why the heck don’t I buy those chips??
Although Im going to be honest, I thought that was maple syrup next to the dates and I could only imagine dunking those babies in warm maple…mmm…..sweetness overload!! 😉
Omg 😯 You’ve just created a little monster in my mind — I hope you’re happy 😛 If I go in to a sugar coma, I hold you 100% responsible.
Damn India and no concept of fall…all this looks so yummy! I’m going to go with summer as my tastiest season: ice cream, fresh fruit and BBQs…does it get any better?? As for the blog world, HUGE shout out for introducing me to overnight oats! I may not be eating them as much anymore but they still reserve a special place in my heart…errrr I mean stomach 😉
YESSSS fall is the absolute best. I love everything about it. Kabocha is probably my #1 favorite food that I discovered because of the blog world. Now I am obsessed 😉
Oh man, this post was soo on point. I loved your baked oatmeal, and I’m also soo excited for maple, kabocha, everything fall-related! For me, at some point my tastes switch over from pumpkin mode to cranberry/apple mode. But for now I’m all about the pumpkin! 😉
Ahh I love fall foods the best! From pumpkin to apples to cranberry everything it is by far my favorite!
Fall and summer are tied for me for tastiest season (only because the fruit in summer is amazing!). I honestly didn’t know people ate pumpkin until a few years ago. I always roasted the seeds but it never dawned on me that the rest of it was edible lol
Fall is by far the tastiest season, IMO. Pumpkin everything! And girl, I have a giant box of dates in my fridge right now. Thank you, Costco! 🙂 I am tempted to grab one almost every time I open the fridge!
And we are big college football fans in my house. So that is really only half about the sport, and the other half about the gameday eats. YUM!
You just convinced me that I need to face my fears and head out to Costco. I ran out of my huge bag and the teeny tiny bag I found was the same price for about 1/4 of the product!
Those Dr. Katz crackers are the best! Especially with hummus 🙂
You just reminded me how much I adore & miss dates!!
Fall is definitely the tastiest (and most colorful) season of the year. Yum and love! 😀
Oh man…I love cereal but I wouldn’t be able to stop at just a few pieces. Those Barbaras Oat Crunches and Kashi Harvest would be at least 2x that amount… 😉
Heehee! That’s what behind-the-scenes snacking is for 😉 But then it’s just box to face — no bowls needed.
Haha – I don’t believe your parents didn’t have The Pumpkin talk with you!!! 🙂 I have been eating pumpkin year round – but never seem to be able to find Kabocha! Btw, I have you to thank for introducing me to the joy of kabocha with AB – and starting yet another addiction! And speaking of addictions, dates are crack! I love ’em – specially with nut butter! When I was young, my mom used to stuff dates with strawberry frosting for parties and then used to wonder why us kids were bouncing off the walls even before the cake was cut!
Have you ever tried kabocha with chocolate? Like dipped in chocolate pudding or with melted chocolate over top? Un.REAL 😯
Oh my! I found someone who does the same with the maple syrup…..yep, not good, and waaaayyy too sweet for most, but I have done that before….ooops! As for food introduction, I am not sure you introduced me to almond butter, but you definitely put it in my mind more until I became hooked, but its good fats right, and I need those to fuel my little powerful legs to run their best…..well, thats my reasoning anyway 🙂
Sounds like PERFECTLY good reasoning to me 😀
Fall for me is hands down the tastiest season of the year, no way any other can compete! I’m going to make an apple crisp today and some more pumpkin muffins later in the week. Nothing beats apple and pumpkin picking and then baking with the goods 🙂
I got unecessarily excited in the supermarket the other day when I spotted one of my autumn favourites: brussels sprouts! Is that a little weird…?
Blogging introduced me to many a fine food – kabocha, sunbutter, almond butter (I’m pretty sure that was you!) and microwaveable cake, to name but a few 😉
Fall is definitely the tastiest season! I still totally want that pumpkin breakfast bake.
I’m on the hunt now for good slow cooker recipes, so our house can smell delicious as soon as I come home.
Confession: I don’t actually own a slow cooker. I KNOW! I keep telling myself that I need to get one. Maybe this year will be my year 😆
Apples are by far my favourite food this season. Macintosh apples taste 500x better in the fall and cost almost half as much, it’s glorious! Oh…and squash, but that’s a given.
Still need to find some dates to try! I have never even seen them in stores, not that I’ve really searched for them. I love the snack plate! They are my favorite to make when I am working at home. They don’t travel too well so I stick to the basic sandwich a lot of the time, or leftovers. I was introduced to chia seeds thanks to the blog world and love them! Tastiest season to me is summer. I love all the fruits and since watermelon is already out of season, I’m a bit sad 🙁
You eat the most beautiful foods!! If I still did WIAW, I’m pretty sure NO ONE would visit my blog again. I guess that’s why they pay you the big bucks 😉
And in all seriousness, yes to butterscotch chips.
Confession: I only eat this way one day a week 😛
It all looks so good!
DO you find red quinoa crunchy? I do! Haha, it is crunchier then the normal golden white at least 😛
I don’t, actually! At least not if I cook it a little longer. But if I try to cook it the same amount of time as the white kind? Then it’s definitely crunchier.
oh hi butterscotch chips.
Please tell me you chomp your string cheese and not string them like a twat.
Swigging maple is legendary.
You should know the answer to these things by now! Ask yourself what you do and then assume that I probably do the same 😛