Welcome to the HealthyYum Community: Beautiful Pictures, Healthy Food, Deliciously Yummy!

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HealthyYum Weekly Challenge. Last week Cookin Canuck's Baked Zucchini Fries.

Congratulations - we'll be sending you some Organic Gummy Bears & Worms from YummyEarth. Don't forget, you can get 20% off of all orders over $25 at YummyEarth. Just use the discount code "healthyyum" at checkout (valid thru November 15th).

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New Challenge. This week's theme reflects the Autumn season here in the U.S. Pull out your favorite PUMPKIN recipes and show us what you can incorporate this nutritious and delicious food into a fantastic dish. Need some inspiration? Check out this Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Cashews by Ksenia and Pumpkin Protein Shake by Linda.

This week's challenge is again sponsored by YummyEarth - The #1 Organic Candy in America. Their candy is Gluten Free, Egg-free, Dairy-free, Peanut-free, Tree Nut free, has no high fructose corn syrup, Wheat-free, Soy-free, NO MSG, 100% Natural Colors, No chemical dyes, Real Fruit Extracts, 100% Natural Flavors, Certified Organic, and Kosher Parve. What more could you ask for? How about delicious and explosive flavors such as Pomegranate Pucker, Strawberry Smash and Sour Apple Tart?!

The winner of this week's challenge will receive more goodies from YummyEarth - a family size pack of lollipops! (Submit your photos by 11:59 PM EST on Saturday October 17, 2009 for a chance to win).

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Favorite Photos. Acquired Taste said: the Sugar Free Pumpkin Butter by Linda just grabbed my attention with the clear focus and vibrant color, not to mention that it's such an interesting idea that I hope I can try it myself some day. The other photo that caught my attention would have to be Tom Kha Gai or Chicken Soup with Lemongrass and Galangal by TheTasteOfOregon . Again I have to say the colors brought my attention to it first thing. The milkiness of the soup and the chicken and herbs also just made me start to salivate a little.

Tanya: I loved the Oatmeal and Tofu Breakfast Smoothie by Suzie because it's a different take on my favorite breakfast food - oatmeal! Having seen them cook Risotto a million times on Top Chef, bonvivant  shows it how it can easily be done and provides some tips as well as stunning photographs, in her Risotto with Peas and Prawns.

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Websites & Blogs We Heart. Sheila is the woman behind LiveWell360.com, a site that offers an arsenal of healthy, YUMMY recipes alongside articles on nutrition, fitness, and the mind-body connection.  This week she gave us her two favorite sites:

"I am regularly checking out 101cookbooks for fresh ideas and new takes on old favorites. Although I'm not a vegetarian, I LOVE Heidi's recipes, especially her desserts ... I am a sweets kind of girl, and she always has creative ideas for yummy treats, that utilize healthier alternatives to white sugar. On top of that, her photography is amazing, and 101cookbooks was where I first learned the art of taking stellar foodie pics.

I also like The Healthy Irishman because of Gavan's ability to 1) make simple, fast healthy recipes that look gourmet and 2) to find creative ways to use ingredients that I would never even think of using in everyday type meals. I also like Gavan's blog because he is so funny and open. He's a good friend of mine, and his personality really shines through in his writing.

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HealthyYum Community RoundUp. Here are some of our favorite links posted by HealthyYum.com users this week.

• Have you ever thought of making more than rice in your rice cooker? Maggie S has got a Rice cooker oatmeal down to a science and Suzie showed off her Rice Cooker Banana Cake.

• Tis the season for all things Pumpkin. amberveggies shared her simple Pumpkin Bread recipe and ABowlOfMush tweaked hers a little bit in this Chai Spiced Pumpkin Bread creation. Plus Linda's shared this phenomenal Sugar Free Pumpkin Butter recipe and here are some Pumpkin Pie Tarts & Blueberry Swirl Tarts from A Pinch of This & A Dash of That.

• Brussels sprouts and Cranberries peak October - December when they are most nutrient rich. healthydelicious put the two together for a nutritiously delightful Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries meal.

• food-4tots made Chrysanthemum and Wolfberry Tea which looks amazing.

• I think I'm going to dub Lucullian the expert on cooking with squid. Her Creamy Squid and Potato Soup With Toasted Pinenuts is inspiring - although I haven't cooked with squid yet, have you?
  

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Healthy Activities. Exercise and fitness are important, but without a healthy diet they don't do much. We just came across this useful site - Meals Matter. So far we've only used it for meal planning (so easy to use and helpful), but they also have various interactive healthy tools like the MyFitness Planner and a Personal Nutrition Planner. You can make your own cookbooks to store your favorite recipes and you can browse other users' recipes too. We can't wait to see what they come up with next!

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Our newsletter archives are online, so be sure to check out more of the fabulous photographs & fantastic recipes that have been featured in the past. HealthyYum.com is a place for YOU, so feel free to email us your comments, criticisms or sing our praises at healthyyumyum@gmail.com.