As you probably know, Sunday, November 7, 2010 at 2 A.M., marks the end of Daylight Saving Time in the United States. So in honor of this event, I thought I’d share 60 things you can do with the extra 60 minutes we’ll be getting.

Just kidding.

I’ll just give you 5 ideas to save you even more time, because I’m helpful like that. Let’s hurry up and get started…

5 Healthy Things To Do With Your Extra Hour

• Food and water prep – Get your food shopping, chopping, and prepping done for the upcoming week. And don’t forget to prep your water, too. Studies show if you fill up your water bottles and store them in the fridge so they are ready to grab and go, you’re likely to drink 32% more H2O. No they don’t. I just made that up, but it is a really good idea.
• Recover – If your body needs a day of rest or the extra sleep, go ahead, Sleeping Beauty…let’s be honest, it will do your body good and keep you from being so Grumpy.
  
• Go shoe shopping – Once you’ve turned back your clocks, your body clock, and changed your smoke detector batteries, it’s time to shop! When was the last time you changed your workout shoes? If you can’t remember, do what I do and use the time change to remind you to update your shoes.
  
• Workout – If you skipped one too many workouts this week, hit the gym, the trail, or drop to the floor and give me 20! Just because Day Light Saving ends doesn’t mean gravity does, too. You’ve got an extra hour so you have no excuse!
• Update your (Fitness &) Spice cabinet – This is a great time of year to take inventory of your spice cabinet so when you go to make your favorite healthy soups and baked goods you don’t find yourself running out of thyme.

Now I really must go grab some water and hit the gym…now that’s what I call a happy hour!

I went a little Martha Stewart with my pumpkin yesterday.

Ok, a lot Martha Stewart.

I scooped up a pumpkin this weekend so I could roast some pumpkin seeds like I did last year. After harvesting the seeds from my pumpkin I remembered an idea I read on Martha Stewart’s website for an all-natural, chemical-free room freshener, so I went to town.

No, I didn’t.

I went to the Fitness & Spice test kitchen and grabbed an apple corer, some spices, and a candle and here’s what I did to make…

Pumpkin & Spice Air Freshener

• Cut the top off the pumpkin like you would to carve a jack o’ lantern
• Scoop out the guts and save the seeds for roasting
• Using an apple corer, cut holes all over the pumpkin (this takes a little muscle, but you’re tough, you can do it)
• Generously coat the inside of the pumpkin with your favorite fall spices (like cinnamon, anise, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla beans…just skip any extracts because that is a wicked fire hazard)
• Place a tea light candle inside the pumpkin and light it up (Martha probably used a homemade beeswax candle that she made from her personal bee hive, but I did not go this far)
• Enjoy the glow and (once thoroughly heated) the amazing aroma from your Great Pumpkin

WARNING: Never leave lit candles, children, puppies, or someone on a diet with a bowl of Halloween candy unattended.

Now I really must glow thank Martha for the idea and wish you a warm and spooktacular Oh Holy Night!

I love everything about Fall from the crisp leaves and apples to the fresh air and college football. Ok, ok, truth be told, I don’t really love football but everyone in the state of Nebraska seems to be a little obsessed with the sport.

In fact, I think it’s mandatory when you move to this state they issue you a Nebraska Cornhusker sweatshirt or a personalized license plate that reads some clever version of HSKRZ.

I’m thinking of starting a committee where we change that unwritten rule. Instead, I think we should just assume everyone in the state loves Nebraska football and only those that don’t should tell us on their personalized plates. That might spice things up a bit.

Speaking of football and spice, I thought I’d spice up some apples tonight and attempt to channel the spirit of Nebraska football and make…

Big Red Baked Apples

• 1 apple, cored – (NuVal score 96)
• 1 T Splenda for Baking
• 1 T vanilla protein powder
• 1 t cinnamon
• 2 T water
• 1 T pecans, chopped – (NuVal score 100)
• 1 t Earth Balance Butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together Splenda, protein powder, cinnamon, water, and pecans. Spoon mixture into the center of the cored apple and top with butter. Place the stuffed apple into a shallow dish filled with about 3/4 cup water. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Serve with ice cream, or, if you’d rather have a tight end, go with Greek yogurt instead.