It’s official, Fall is here whether you’re ready or not. The windows up and down Fifth Avenue are filled with designer boots, shades of camel, and slouchy sweaters. Gone are navy and white stripe bikinis and bateau tops, quickly replaced by military blazers with boyfriend jeans.

The school traffic has returned each morning, even in a large city like New York. Pumpkins and squash have replaced melons and berries in the Union Square Farmers Market and the mornings and evenings have grown dark.

Starbucks has debuted their Fall flavors including Pumpkin Spice Latte and Toffee Mocha. I’ve never tried one of these sweet treats but have decided that a pumpkin spice latte will be one of my November 7th rewards!

In honor of Fall, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite things!

Favorite Fall morning drink: Iced coffee and Iced Green tea have been retired for the season and replaced by a warm wakeup call. I save money each morning by making coffee at the office and keeping my sugar free syrup in my desk drawer. My favorite this week is their pumpkin pie flavor. One quick pour, a tad of milk, and our office’s morning blend coffee is the perfect combination.

Favorite Fall vegetable recipe: As you can tell from the first Healthy, Happier Bear video, we really do LOVE Fall squash. While we love acorn squash, butternut squash steals the show during the Fall months. I can’t wait to make my first batch of Acorn Squash soup with my Vita-Mix! Our favorite weeknight side dish is roasted butternut squash. It reheats wonderfully and has wonderful flavors.

One of my favorite recipes from last season was Sage, Citrus Roasted Butternut Squash! Delicious and different from any other recipe it is filled with nutrients.

Sage Citrus Roasted Butternut Squash
vegan, makes 3-4 cups
Ingredients:
Butternut Squash
*20 ounce pre-cubed pack) OR 1 medium butternut squash sliced in half, deseeded
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Maple Syrup
Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Orange, juiced
Fresh Sage Leaves
generous sprinkle of fresh black pepper
sprinkling of sea salt
optional: cinnamon and/or cayenne
Ingredients Note: I did not include ingredient measurements because each squash is sized differently and each person will want to prepare their squash "to taste" using my basic ingredients. I will describe ingredient uses in directions below.
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Prep whole butternut squash by slicing in halves or quarters and removing seeds. Or open pack of pre-cut cubes. (Pre-cut cubes are easier, but sometimes it’s nice to use a real whole squash! Try it at least once. A whole squash is usually cheaper too.)
3. Drizzle a bit of EVOO in the bottom of a large casserole dish. Tear a few (4-6) sage leaves and place them in the bottom of the dish as well. Place the pre-cut squash cubes in dish. Swirl them around in the oil a bit. For whole squash, place squash halves in dish, flesh side up.
4. Squeeze fresh juice from one orange and drizzle it over top the squash. About 1/3-1/2 cup of juice.
5. Drizzle about 1-3 Tbsp of maple syrup over squash (depending on how sweet you want it and the squash size.
6. Drizzle about 1-3 Tbsp of olive oil over the squash, again depending on how decadent or how light you want your squash to taste.
7. Drizzle a small amount of apple cider vinegar over the squash. About 1 Tbsp.

A Few Favorite Clothing Trends

Animal Print: I love the subtle, tasteful understated pop these flats provide. Imagine them with simple black pants or a gorgeous wrap dress. They can be dressed up or down for weekend or work.

Blazers: I’ve always been a prepster at heart and loved oxford cloths, all things Vineyard Vines and Lily Pulitzer. A cute blazer is the perfect Fall piece that can take summer shirts into the next season while adding a stylish, updated feel. This Fall the old wool blazers have received an update through military details and new materials such as terry and fleece. I love this JCrew (bottom left) blazer and actually ordered it today. Many seasons JCrew runs out of my favorite pieces if I don’t order them early enough!

Skinny Jeans I’m so excited that a few of last year’s trends have held strong this year. My tall boots, skinny jeans, and messenger bag will come out of hiding this weekend and be in good company on the streets of NYC this season. Skinny jeans are a tough purchase even for the tallest women. I’ve found that a quality pair fit much better than a cheaper option and a bit of stretch makes them forgiving. My favorite go to jeans are currently these Citizens of Humanity jeans which I bought last season on sale at Bloomingales. Their same jean sale is taking place this week and is a great deal if you want or need to stock up!

Classic Camel One of the most reliable colors, ranging the spectrum from deep camel to light khaki, this is a neutral that can be refreshed from almost anyone’s closet. Drag out that old camel turtleneck sweater, peacoat, or cardigan and make it new with a few other accessories or pieces from this season. It is the new black this season and can go with black and brown over the knee boots while pairing perfectly with the vibrant emerald colors still staying strong this Fall. I ordered a comfy sweater from the new JCrew online outlet store today that will be perfect for the Pacific Northwest’s cool evenings and NYC fall days.

What are a few things you’re loving this Fall?