Hello Sweater Weather!

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I love when the weather starts getting a little cooler and the autumn colors start taking over nature color palette. Every year, I fall deeper in love with the burnt orange, hunter green, and scarlet hues that paint the leaves and inspire my mani/pedis for the next couple of months. 
The other reason, I love autumn is because it ushers in Sweater Weather. 
{Cue in Confessions by my man Usher Raymond}

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Maybe because I live in San Francisco, I happen to own a cray cray amount of cardigans, sweaters, and sweatshirts. What can I say, the Cali girl in me does not like being the slightest bit cold. I also have an insane amount of scarves (I never leave home without one) but that is a discussion for another time. 
Back to my love of sweater... it is definitely a wearable hug - a fashionable one, nonetheless. 

Since it never really takes me too long to get autumn fashion ready, I spend a little more time getting ready by proactively prepping my body for the potential cold or flu bug that starts sneaking up everywhere. 

To prep my body - I normally throw together a 'dump soup'. It is called 'dump soup' because I literally dump all the ingredients into my magic bullet and then heat them up over the stove. The spice and nutrient rich concoction builds a fortress protecting me from any autumn born cooties. 

Here are the ingredients and directions: 

Ingredients:

• 5 Carrots (chopped in halves)
• 4 slices of Bacon
• 3 Sweet Peppers
• Ginger (roughly chopped)
• 1 Jalapeño (sliced)
• 1 Garlic Clove (finely chopped)
• Shiitake Mushroom (chopped)
• 1 c of Milk
• 1 Maggi Cube 
• Thyme 
• Italian Parsley
• 1 tsp Cayenne
• Pepper Jack Cheese

For a hearty meal add Gluten Free cheesy toast:

• 1 Slice of Gluten Free Bread 
• Butter 
• Pepper Jack Cheese

Directions: 

• Bring 3 c. of water to boil in a saucepan.
• Once water is boiling, turn heat to medium. 
• Toss in carrots.
• Cook until soft. 
• Cook up Bacon slices.
• Dump Milk, Sweet Peppers, Jalapeños, Shiitake Mushrooms, Bacon with fat, Maggi Cube, Cayenne Pepper, Garlic, and Carrots in the Magic Bullet. 
• Blend until everything is evenly puréed. 
• Once puréed, empty the Magic Bullet container in a pot and stir over a medium heat and add thyme. 
• Spread butter on Gluten Free bread and sprinkle with Pepper Jack. 
• Toast until cheese is melted. 
• Slice bread in 3. 
• Garnish with Pepper Jack and Parsley 

Enjoy! Your immune system will definitely dance in joy! 

- Marie-Claire