INSTEAD OF SPOOKY SEASON IT'S COLD & FLU SEASON FOR ME 🎃🤧
This digest should have been about our trip to Portugal and getting into the halloween spirit, but these recipes will cure anything I've got...
We made it home from Europe! Unfortunately, I also brought back a cold as a little souvenir 🤧.
I planned on recreating our favorite meals from the trip and awing you with the deliciousness of Portuguese cuisine (honestly their wine, bread, and desserts are 10/10!). Instead, I am cuddling with PD, binging ‘Nobody Wants This’ on Netflix, and resting with my favorite comfort-sick foods— homemade pastina and a hot toddy. Even if you’re feeling 100% this week, these recipes are always good to have on hand when you need them (October is the start of cold and flu season 😷).
My grandma made pastina aka ‘Italian penicillin’ for us as kids, especially when we were sick. It only takes 15 minutes and is hearty, warm, and best of all very comforting.
I like to make chicken broth/stock and freeze it so I can use it for soups, but you can always use store-bought instead.
A hot toddy (also referred to as ‘southern cough syrup’ lol) is a classic cocktail made with whiskey, honey, lemon, and sometimes tea and served hot when the weather is wet and cold, or when you’re feeling sick. If I’m at my parent’s house with a cough or sore throat, I always ask my Mom to make me one of her hot toddies… it never misses to hit the spot. I know….I know… I’m sure a doctor wouldn’t recommend whiskey when you have a cold, but I swear it makes me feel better! My mom likes to use tea in her version, I skip the tea but add Manuka honey and ginger for its healing abilities.
This bug feels 10 times worse because this week marks the start of Spooky Season! And if you know me, you know that I LOVE Halloween, or as we like to call it, ‘Hilaween’. Even in the haze of my cold, I managed to put up a few of my favorite decorations and bake some delicious pumpkin muffins. I may be sick but I still need some Halloween spirit in my life 👻
These healthier muffins use maple syrup and unsweetened apple sauce as the sweetener and olive oil for the fat. They can easily be made gluten-free and are perfect for kids! It’s also a one-bowl recipe making cleanup super easy.
I can’t believe it’s already the beginning of October! It hasn’t felt much like fall lately, but fortunately, it looks like the weather up north is finally starting to cool off. So for those of you craving autumn as much as I am, my Broccoli, Cheddar & Chicken Wild Rice Casserole, and Orecchiette with Sausage, Kale & Butternut Squash will be right up your alley….what’s more fall than casseroles and squash??
This casserole is so good and comes together quickly, especially if you use fast-cook or microwave wild rice and rotisserie chicken. You can add other vegetables, beans, or different proteins if you have them in your fridge. When the weather starts to cool, there’s nothing cozier to me than a classic casserole.
Incorporating fall ingredients into pasta is a great way to make a seasonal meal. And this orecchiette with sausage, kale, and butternut squash is always a crowd-pleaser. You can save time by buying pre-cubed butternut squash and if you prefer a lighter version use Italian chicken or turkey sausage and whole grain or chickpea pasta.
Hopefully, I’ll be back to my healthy self next week so we can give you the Portugal digest that the trip deserves 🙌🏻. The food and wine exceeded my expectations and I can’t wait to share more about our wonderful time there! Here is a little sneak peek in the meantime :) 🇵🇹
THANKS FOR READING!
Cheers 🥂
Hil & Nat
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