Friday Favorites 9/25/14

It's Friday, so you know what that means! Time for my favorite links from around the web. For more, hang out with me on twitter and facebook. 

Grain Free Almond Butter Pumpkin Bars (The Roasted Root) --> It's officially fall, so get ready for us food bloggers shoving everything pumpkin down your throat for the next three months. This pumpkin bar, made with pumpkin and almond butter, is my favorite of the new pumpkin releases. 

Vegan Chili Cheese Dip (Delicious Knowledge) --> Clemson tailgate crew, get ready for some cashew cheese on game day! 

Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Thai Sauce (The Foodie Dietitian) --> I know everyone is geeking out about pumpkin, but Brussels sprouts are hands down my favorite fall veg. Sounds random, but they're especially delish with Asian flavors. Can't wait to try this version! 

Single-Serving Chocolate Caramel Stuffed Pumpkin Cookie (Yeah...Imma Eat That) --> Kylie, genius that she is, has created an entire ebook of single serving cookies. But for a recipe like this, I think I'll be multiplying for a big batch!

Honeycrisp Salad with Crispy Sage and Maple Vinaigrette (How Sweet Eats) --> Fall salads > summer salads. They're basically salads for people who don't do salads. 

Sweet Potato Fried Rice (Healthy Aperture) --> I've been digging cauliflower rice lately, so I can't wait to switch it up with sweet potatoes! 

Diet Soda May Alter Gut Microbes and Raise Risk of Diabetes (NPR) --> Although this was a small study and by no means conclusive, it's a fascinating new theory as to why artificial sweeteners are associated with weight gain and diabetes. 

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Could Be As Good For Your Mental As Your Phsyical Health (Science Daily) --> There's a growing body of evidence showing the powerful impact your diet has on mental health. Eat happy, my friends! 

How to Eat Intuitively: A Guide to Mindful Eating (fANNEtastic Food) --> A wonderful introduction to mindful eating. The analogy to cheese and wine tasting is perfect, in fact, I just had a client practice her mindful eating skills while wine tasting on vacation! 

7 Ways to Eat (and Drink!) Tumeric (The Kitchn) --> Tumeric is a nutrition powerhouse, but sometimes it's hard to regularly include it in your diet. These are all great ideas, but here's another one - my vegan mango yogurt. 

11 Struggles Avocado Loves Will Understand (Buzzfeed) --> I laughed so hard reading this! Seriously, #5 is EXACTLY what I look like when I discover my avocado is brown and mushy! 

This week on Avocado:

Easy Homemade Vegan Yogurt --> Whip up creamy vegan yogurt in a flash using creamy macadamia nuts!
What I Learned At Blog Brulee (And Why It Matters To You) --> So much more than blogging...
Eggplant Jerky --> Perfect for all your salty, savory snack cravings!
5 Tips For Healthy Tailgating (Pure Barre) --> With proper planning, it is possible to have a healthy and fun tailgate. P.S. Tiger fans, I know you appreciate that I snuck some orange and purple into this guest post!