One of my favorite things to do where we live is go hiking. Western Morris County is such a beautiful area in New Jersey, especially this time of year! Hiking is a fantastic family activity because it’s totally free and it’s a perfect time to disconnect (from your laptop, smartphone, kindle, pager…just kidding on that one. If you have a pager, It’s 2019- get an iphone for pete’s sake!) and reconnect with your family.
There are so many places to hike in the area and you can go hard or make your hike a leisurely stroll with your little ones. Either way, Moms, Dads and kiddo(s) will love the fresh air, the beautiful surroundings and, of course, the time with the family. So pack a picnic, grab a Kid carrier for your littlest's (love the Deuter Kid Comfort) and get outside before it gets too cold out!
Here are a few of my favorite places to go hiking:
-Schooley’s Mountain Park. Make sure you take the trail to the overlook for amazing views of Long Valley. http://www.morrisparks.net/aspparks/schooleysmain.asp
-Hacklebarney Park. Perfect hiking to do with all kids. The little bridges and waterfalls will surely be a hit with your imaginative little ones. http://www.njhiking.com/best-hikes-in-nj-hacklebarney.php
- Randolph Township Trail system. A good trail is at the intersection of Combs Hollow Road and Doby Road. Great section of trail with a stroller. http://www.randolphnj.org/parks_and_recreation/trail_system/
- Columbia Trail. This trail spans 11 miles! I especially love the Flanders section and the Califon section that goes above the Ken Lockwood Gorge (which is a day trip in and of itself!) http://www.traillink.com/trail/columbia-trail.aspx
- Stephens State Park. Just beautiful! http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/stephens.html
- Sunfish Pond Hike on the Appalachian Trail- This is a more difficult hike, being that it is almost all uphill getting to the pond. That being said, we brought our son on this hike for the first time at 7 months old son and he happily sat in his backpack for the full 5 hours! Great hike for workout and a great payoff at the end of the trail! http://alltrails.com/trail/us/new-jersey/appalachian-trail-sunfish-pond-and-mount-Mohican
On your way home, support your local farm stand and pick up a Butternut Squash for this delish and easy soup And, if you're lucky enough to have some fresh picked apples, check out our IG highlights for an amazing homemade applesauce recipe! https://www.instagram.com/macaroni_kid_west_morris/
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP (adapted from the Whole Foods Market recipe)
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 of a leek, chopped
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1/2 an onion, diced
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash, fresh
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (dried works too)
- 4 cups low-sodium, organic chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add carrot, celery, leek and onion. Cook until vegetables have begun to soften and onion turns translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in butternut squash, thyme, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to purée soup. Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly and carefully purée in batches in a traditional blender.
And if you want to be fancy, lightly fry a few sage leaves in olive oil and place the leaves and a bit of the oil on top of the soup for a delish garnish!
