Autumn-pation

on August 30, 2013
in All Posts

This morning, all the stars aligned, and I got to go on a solo run.  Not pushing 43+ pounds up numerous hills?  Oh, yes, please.  And – here’s the kicker – it’s gorgeous out.  Hello, Autumn.

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I feel like I say “this season is my favorite season” every time the weather shifts, but maybe I just like change. And I am oh-so-excited about AUTUMN.  Let’s count the ways:

 

Lighter, earlier.  Love that.

Cooler temperatures. Perfect outdoor workout weather.

SCARVES. Enough said.

No more sweating buckets simply because I exited one air conditioned place and walked to another air conditioner space.

Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks (!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Return of awesome television shows (anyone else obsessed with Revenge?)

Pumpkin everything.  Everything tastes better with pumpkin.

Tailgating and football.

Holiday excitement.  Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas!

We are one day closer to Santa Pictures.  Cannot wait for that (should we do the contest again this year?)

And last – but certainly not least – comfort food.

 

I posted this recipe list last year, but it bears repeating.  Here are my Favorite Fall Recipes…

 

Autumn Grilled Banana Sandwich

Sweet Breakfast Burrito

Warm Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal

Baked Apples

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Pumped-Up Corn Casserole

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Biscuit Casserole

Sweet Potato and Baked Beans Wontons

Healthy Baked Pickles <— Alright, nothing to do with fall in the slightest, but baked pickles are THE BOMB.

Here’s a few other favorites, which I made last year for Thanksgiving….

 

Cranberry, Apricot and Pecan Wild Rice Pilaf from Oh She Glows

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Crock Pot Cranberry Sauce from Peas and Crayons

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Vegan Pumpkin Pie from Oh She Glows

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Goodbye, summer.  You were lots of fun, but I’m looking forward to the future.

{ 42 comments }

 

  • Sharon August 30, 2013, 1:30 pm

    Oh my goodness, you had to post a million good looking recipes – we can’t cook that fast !! I agree with saying ta-ta to summer – it was fantastic. Hope you and your family have a great entrance into fall!

  • Carina August 30, 2013, 1:40 pm

    Are you guys in the UK now? Here (and I’d think the whole northern hemisphere) it gets lighter later, and darker earlier in the autumn, which kind of sucks. Back in July the sunrise in Dallas was always during my morning run, now sometimes it’s not until after 7. And it’s starting to get dark before I leave work. Ugh. It’s definitely one of the things I hate about the fall! You’re so luck to be somewhere that has the opposite!

    • Caitlin August 30, 2013, 1:42 pm

      Naw, we gotta wait until the time change for the lighter mornings… but I can’t wait.

      • Lisa September 5, 2013, 11:56 am

        Even with the time change its still dark in the morning when i wake up during autumn and winter, its awful!!! Darker in the mornings and darker when i leave work. i think that is the ONE and ONLY thing that i dislike about fall.

  • Emily @ The Good Era August 30, 2013, 2:03 pm

    Yay, I am SO excited for Autumn! Apparently Pittsburgh hasn’t caught on yet because it is STILL humid as all get out, but the temps are at least dropping.

    Pumpkin everything +TV (LOVE Revenge!!!)+Cooler running temps+ My birthday +football=the best season ever!

  • Irene August 30, 2013, 2:03 pm

    I’m curious,are you no longer following a gluten free diet?Most of the recipes you mention have gluten in them?

    • Caitlin August 30, 2013, 2:09 pm

      I can’t stop being GF just because. 🙂

      The recipes are old ones but easily made GF with modifications!

  • Julianna @ Julianna Bananna August 30, 2013, 2:10 pm

    i’m so excited for a pumpkin spice latte. mmm!

  • Taylor @ Single-tracked Mind August 30, 2013, 2:32 pm

    In San Francisco, our real summer starts in September and lasts through October. Hello, Indian Summer!

  • Mel August 30, 2013, 2:40 pm

    Ok, I know I am a total nerd so I have to say the sunrises progressively later throughout the summer (after the solstice). Look it up on timeanddate.com. In Greensboro, the sun rose at 6:06 on July 1st. Today, it rose at 6:49.

    Either way, yay pumpkin everything!!!!

    • Z August 31, 2013, 2:42 pm

      Agreed – as an astronomer, I am contractually obligated to chime in here. 😉 While the end of daylight savings time does make us feel like the sun rises earlier at first, the total length of sunlit time we receive decreases every day from the summer solstice until the winter solstice. The sun rises later and sets earlier in the fall and winter. The only exception to this is if you live directly on the equator, where the length of days stays the same. The farther away from the equator you are, the more drastic the change in the length of days throughout the year.

  • Anne Weber-Falk August 30, 2013, 2:41 pm

    You crack me up with all your talk of autumn. Especially since we are at 93.6 degrees in the shade here in northern Illinois. UGH!! But I’m with you and your feelings about the fall season (well, except those pumpkin spice lattes. Yuck!). I can hardly wait.

  • Liz August 30, 2013, 2:44 pm

    I LOVE FALL!! and I love people who love fall (and Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes.) I feel like I save my money the rest of the year just to be able to afford my 2-a-day habit come fall time! Love this post! 🙂

  • Abby August 30, 2013, 2:46 pm

    I am jealous of your fall like weather! Its been in the 90s all week and will be all next week too! Thus is unusual for Colorado this late in the year and my 5 months pregnant self is not leaving the house between 12 and 5 pm haha.

  • Ashlee@HisnHers August 30, 2013, 3:13 pm

    YAY FOR FALL!!! I feel like it will be a few months before it gets here in Texas, but I a already eating all things pumpkin and have a big bowl of Halloween candy on my desk! HA!

  • Regina August 30, 2013, 3:22 pm

    I’m 6 weeks pregnant with our 2nd child (our son is ~2 months younger than Henry) and I’ve been craving fried pickles like it’s my job. Thank you so much for sharing a healthy alternative!

  • Lee August 30, 2013, 4:09 pm

    So apparently you can get a pumpkin spice latte now if you tell them the code PSL10. I don’t know if it actually works, but that’s what I’ve heard.

  • emily August 30, 2013, 4:19 pm

    Ooooh, my excitement list looks similar. I actually hate PSL’s *ducks* but I am excited about every other pumpkin iteration available. And tv! And scarves! And caramel apples!

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat August 30, 2013, 5:52 pm

    Unlike so many people, I’m really sad summer is nearly over! I’m not really a fan of fall, mainly because it means that the temperatures are only headed south and here in Ontario, it happens fast! But I’ll admit that I’m SUPER pumped for pumpkin, and I just bought my first can of the season yesterday. Oh, the possibilities!

  • Sara @ LovingOnTheRun August 30, 2013, 7:18 pm

    I cannot wait to run in fall weather! It has been a bit hot here lately and it looks like in the next week we have some fall weather coming as well – looking forward to it!!!

  • Aurora@Fitness is Sweet August 30, 2013, 7:22 pm

    I was just looking at the grilled banana sandwich picture on your header and wondering what it was! Yum!

  • Lisa August 30, 2013, 7:26 pm

    LOVE LOVE LOVE Fall! I LOVE Revenge .. it is one of my favorite shows. I love cooler temperatures. I can’t wait for Pumpkin everything! So basically, LOVE this post! 🙂

  • Katie @ Talk Less, Say More August 30, 2013, 9:01 pm

    I LOVE fall! It is by far my favorite season but I also know I love season changes and don’t do nearly as well without it (one reason why living in SoCal for 3 years didn’t work for me)!

  • Amber K August 30, 2013, 9:54 pm

    Fall is absolutely my favorite season. Perfect weather! And I can’t wait for Revenge!!

  • Lauren @ The Highlands Life August 30, 2013, 10:31 pm

    I love those runs where I can be stroller-less! Running with a stroller is no joke.

    And I love fall. I can’t wait for crisp, cool weather and lots of baking and eating soup!!

  • Aja August 31, 2013, 12:09 am

    AUTUMN!!! And scarves. Seriously, enough said. All those recipes look so good! I need to find some new ones to try. My husband and I just keep eating the same few things week after week…

  • Jen August 31, 2013, 12:10 am

    Such random PSL timing… A co-worker’s son (who I have met twice, both meetings over a year ago) texted her yesterday to say “not sure why I remember this, but tell Jen I was just at Starbuck’s and they have pumpkin spice latte’s again”. Sweetest kid ever…and yes, I’ll take that as a sign that I’m super memorable, lol. *jets off to Starby’s for the first PSL of 2013*

  • Laura August 31, 2013, 5:43 am

    Very enthusiastic yes to another round of the Scary Santa Photo Contest this winter!!

  • Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries August 31, 2013, 11:35 am

    I really wasn’t super stoked for autumn before I read this post… Typically I can’t WAIT for it, but this year, I’m just not quite ready for summer to end. Reading this post made me more OK with summer ending and autumn coming soon though. 🙂

  • Kelly August 31, 2013, 2:12 pm

    So jealous! We’re still in triple digit heat over here! Plus I’m 30 weeks pregnant so I am grumpy over the 103 high all weekend. Texas summers go from April to October and they are brutal!

  • Carly August 31, 2013, 4:43 pm

    So excited for everything pumpkin, especially pumpkin spice lattes. And ditto revenge…. can’t wait!

  • Laura August 31, 2013, 6:56 pm

    I’m ready for some cooler temps! I went running in a sports bra and shorts this morning and was absolutely drenched by the time I returned home-can’t wait for it to be in the 60’s for a run!

  • Julia @ Basket of Juls August 31, 2013, 9:16 pm

    This post totally got me in the mood for autumn! Thanks for the recipes, and bring on the fall! 🙂

  • Jessi September 1, 2013, 9:29 am

    You’re Autumn List is missing two things!!! HOODIES!!! And cute boots!! <3 <3 <3 And even though it was very humid and icky in NYC yesrerday, I went to Starby's and got an iced PSL. Deee-lish

  • Michelle @ A Healthy Mrs September 1, 2013, 2:12 pm

    Autumn is my absolute favorite season — I’m so excited that it’s on its way! Time to dig out my boots & scarves… 🙂

  • Kelsey @ Ramblings of Change September 2, 2013, 12:29 pm

    I cannot wait for Revenge either! Such a fantastic and suspenseful show. I’m hoping to find some pumpkin syrup to add to my drinks at home – saving money is good, right?!

  • em@simplypresent September 2, 2013, 6:06 pm

    I’m so ready for fall! I’ve also been searching for a good baked apple recipe and I will definitely be trying the one you posted!

  • Janelle September 2, 2013, 8:16 pm

    I could not agree with you more – Autumn is the bomb! Although, like you, I am ALWAYS excited for the next, new season – ha!

  • charity September 4, 2013, 4:20 pm

    due to this post I will now be making pumpkin pie this weekend.. my husband will thank you immensely.

  • Kim September 4, 2013, 7:58 pm

    Ugh, I am SOOOO jealous of your cool weather… it is still 100 here in Dallas. Although cooler weather is in the forecast… it will be dropping to the 90’s! I can’t wait until we hit fall here in Texas, but that really won’t happen until October or November.

  • Amy @ Healthy and Fit for Real September 5, 2013, 11:27 am

    I love, love, love fall. Unfortunately it hasn’t quite hit yet here in Minnesota (still 85 degrees yesterday) but it’s coming! Love it for pretty much all the same reasons, cooler weather, scarves/sweaters/jeans, football, not sweating my butt of while cooking in my kitchen, and changing colors on the trees. This post just got me psyched for the coming months!

  • Alex @ Kenzie Life September 5, 2013, 7:23 pm

    I am SO excited for fall!! I was kind of dreading it this year (that’s a first for me!!) because I had a great summer, but now I can’t wait!

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