Oh heyyyy, it's been a busy weekend, but *mostly* good stuff. I say *mostly* because my beloved thrift store- the one where I find gems like vintage Adidas track pants- closed for good. I know people say that if you want the best stuff, you've gotta go to the thrift stores in the expensive suburbs, but ahem, the opposite is true. Gems include finding a Longchamp tote, Burberry kids clothes, and a Gucci purse. RIP, Unique. 

The main event of the weekend was my best friend Shanna's wedding. I'm not going to spill the beans too much with photos, but man alive, no detail went unnoticed and it was a beautiful day!

We opted to take a family walk on Sunday at a local nature preserve.

When little brother tries to follow dad and big brother on the fallen tree and falls off. 

So speaking of autumn, spaghetti squash is one of the staple seasonal items, but I get a lot of questions about what to actually do with it. I personally don't care for the ol' cover it with marinara. I prefer an Alfredo sauce. A chicken Alfredo sauce. A chicken Alfredo sauce with spinach!

Heeeeeere we go!

Chicken Spinach Alfredo Sauce

-3 tablespoons butter

-3 tablespoons olive oil

-1/2 cup flour

-1 8 oz block Neufchatel cream cheese

-5 cups 1% milk

-1/2 cup shredded/grated Parmesan cheese

-2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

-1 teaspoon ground black pepper

-2 cups cooked shredded or diced chicken

-1 bag fresh baby spinach

In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat butter and olive oil. A quick "why" here- obvs butter tastes amazing, but olive oil has heart healthy fats. I split the difference! Once butter is melted, whisk in the flour. Next whisk in the cream cheese. You will be rolling your eyes at this point, doubting that this will EVER become creamy Alfredo. 

Whisk in 1 cup of the milk, letting it fully incorporate into the flour/cheese blob. Whisk in the remaining milk. Stir continuously until the milk begins to bubble up and boil. Boil for one minute, then turn heat to low. Sauce will be thicker at this point. Stir in Parmesan, Italian seasoning, pepper, chicken, and spinach. 

How easy, right? Makes six generous servings. Per serving: 400 calories. One cup of cooked spaghetti squash is only 75 calories, so all things considered this is a super hearty meal with an appropriate amount of calories!

I've *bean* meaning to try this...

The past week has been bringing out alllll the fall feels. With temps in the 60s and bright sun, we've been raking, pumpkin patch-ing (again!), and enjoying the beautiful colors.

I've had these shoes since senior year of college!

Do you spy a little face in the leaves?

Taking the train to visit dad at work. It made their week. 

On the kitchen front I've been craving pumpkin and maple flavors. This tea does not disappoint.

Yeeeeears ago when I had just begun my first dietitian job I made the mistake of bringing black bean brownies to work.

You remember that recipe? You take a box mix of brownies and add pureed black beans- no eggs, no oil.

It did NOT go over very well. For years to come anytime I brought something into share I was met with "there aren't any beans in there, are there?"

Well, the beans have struck again! But this time we're going with chickpeas/garbanzos, which have a nutty flavor that is just maaaaaade to be paired with maple and pecans.

Maple Pecan Coffee Cake
-1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
-1/2 cup water
-3/4 cup maple syrup
1 egg
-1/4 cup vegetable oil
-1 1/4 cup flour
-1 tsp maple extract
-Pinch of salt
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor or blender, combine rinsed chickpeas with 1/2 cup water. Process until smooth. Pour into a mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Blend until mixed. Pour into greased 8x8 or 9x9 square or round pan. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until knife inserted comes out clean. Refrigerate any leftovers. I think this tastes best the next day!

Makes 9 servings. Per serving: 250 calories, 5 grams fiber (!), 6 grams protein

With this cake, truly no one will know that there are beans in it. Hope everyone is enjoying fall as much as we are!

Rocky Mountain High

...but not literally guys (ahem, unlike *some* family members).

My husband and I spent a long weekend in Denver to visit some good friends from college and attend my cousin's wedding. Even better- my in-laws agreed to watch all four kids.

Airport bathroom selfie- nice to not have any dipes or wipes in the tote. 

We stayed the first two nights at my friends' Amanda and Eric's house. SO much better than a hotel- look at that sweet guest basket!

On Friday we drove down to Colorado Springs to walk around Garden of the Gods. So pretty!

Pike's Peak is in the background. 

We briefly walked around Old Colorado City, just a few miles from the park. 

On Friday night my cousin, his fiancee, and his family threw a welcome reception at Breckenridge Brewery, which had awesome food. I'm not a huge beer girl but my husband was impressed. Of course I'm going to be the one to take a picture of the dessert table. 

Saturday morning we all went out to Urban Egg for breakfast. Colorado's culture is...earthy...so I ordered a green veggie juice. Then it was time for a drive up to Boulder!

Boulder is seriously charming and eclectic and Colorado-y.

It's wedding time!

I mean, who *wouldn't* say "I do" with this as the backdrop? The venue was The Manor House and it was so beautiful. I've never been to a wedding where cozy blankets were provided to sit fireside.

Ah, my husband, who continually lights up my world.

By all these pictures you'd think there was NO ACTUAL WEDDING OR GUESTS, ha, but I promise there was! I just snuck around during dinner to take some photos. Congratulations to JD and Lo and wow, phenomenal wedding!

Oh yeah, it went from 65 degrees and sunny to snow. Being a Minnesotan, I can't judge.

We had a great getaway and it was so nice to have time to catch up with friends and family. That being said, nothing compares to coming home and having your four year old want to hold hands on the ride home.