Comfort food

Oh my gosh. I am overwhelmed with the love and support I've received since writing about my dad's most recent diagnosis. Less than 24 hours after I posted about him and my fundraising, I've hit my goal because of the generous people I am so lucky to know, people who haven't even met my dad but still want to help him and me in finding a cure. I told him how fast everyone was to respond and he said, "wow, that's pretty sweet." In Dan Dupler language, that is a HUGE thank you!

If you've never fundraised before, for any cause or for any reason, I highly suggest you do. I've been doing it for three years now and I am still blown away by how generous people are. It really makes you feel like paying it forward. If you're looking to get involved in something, LLS is a great place to start! :)

Shifting gears, I've been really feeling like eating comfort food lately. The weather is wet and cold which makes me want to eat hearty foods I haven't been in the mood for during this hot, hot, HOT summer. Also, with my dad's diagnosis, I feel like all I want to do is eat. Not cool. I know where that road leads, and it ain't pretty (for me.) Luckily, I have some healthy alternatives already waiting in the wings to help fulfill my comfort food craving.

[source]

Since I'm a huge fan o' pumpkin, I decided to change up my usual morning breakfast to incorporate the yummy orange fruit. I've recently taken a liking to overnight oats. It's like oatmeal but you let it sit overnight in the fridge so in the morning, it's a nice, thick, oatmeal consistency. I would love to have my oatmeal warm especially when it's chilly in the morning but since I have very limited time in the mornings, my hours have recently changed to 7:30am-3:30pm, I've found overnight oats are a nice alternative. This morning I made the pumpkin pie vegan overnight oats from Oh She Glows and it really hit the spot. It leaves me feeling full but not too full, and it helps me get through my long mornings so I'm not dying of starvation by lunch.

Another comfort food I usually turn to when I need it is pasta. I loooove pasta. Let's be real, who doesn't? I haven't had it too much since I started dieting but if I make a whole pot, I can freeze what I don't eat and pull it out at a moment's notice. A pasta dish I've really enjoyed before and am dreaming of making soon is Bethenny Frankel's chicken, pasta, peppers, and onions. It's spicy so it warms you up but it's not so heavy you feel like you can't move after eating it. Of course, pizza is my all-time number one comfort food but I'm trying to avoid it like the plague. It hasn't been working so well...

[source]

Something else I've stumbled upon that I just canNOT get enough of is MaraNatha Dark Chocolate Peanut Spread. Yes, you read that right. It is good on everything. And by everything, I'm talking bananas, apples, strawberries, toast, pretzels, graham crackers...you name it, it works! It's not as sweet as peanut butter or nutella but it's all natural (with less than 10 ingredients!) so I don't feel too bad when I eat it every day...which I pretty much do. Try it out; you won't be disappointed!

What are your favorite comfort foods? What are you looking forward to eating in the colder weather?