Recipes

Maple Pumpkin Pop Tarts

November 13, 2017

Well, here it is. I have been promising a pop tart recipe for nearly a year, and I am finally delivering. Just so y’all know, it’s not like me to hold off that long. The problem with making these pop tarts was that I was totally intimidated! I don’t know why, honestly. I just was. Maybe because the ridiculously processed store-bought ones are just so perfect in appearance. They have a completely smooth surface, the icing is a perfect rectangle, and they are basically all identical. Like zebras. I digress. I just felt afraid of not being able to get it “right.” But the people spoke. YOU spoke. You asked me to come up with a gluten free, clean eating pop tart. And I love you, so I did. These maple pumpkin pop tarts are everything I ever dreamed of and more.

So here’s what I think you want to know. Was it difficult? Absolutely not. It was no more difficult than making a muffin or a cookie or a pie. It just required following the directions and following them carefully. Did it take a long time? Nope. It took about 15 minutes of prep and then they baked for about 27 minutes. So unless you count the time I spent cleaning up, I really only spent 15 minutes or so hands on.

Was it delicious? Hell yes. In fact, my husband ate so many that I won’t have another one. (I love you, Daniel, but you’re one of those treat snatching, dream crushing types)….

The Perfect Cookie Skillet

November 6, 2017

I just literally cannot stop with the cookies. I thought I was changing it up by doing a cookie skillet, but it’s still a cookie. I just really love cookies. I love them almost as much as I love cake, and y’all know that is a big deal.

So why the cookie skillet? Here’s the honest to goodness truth… Everyone has been raving about this “cookie skillet” that someone famous made, and I just had to do it myself. I joked with my friend that I was going to “one-up” the famous cookie skillet, and I really meant it. But here’s the other unfortunately honest truth… sometimes I am too stubborn to try other recipes. So I basically hear about something and just do it myself. I’d love to say I tried the other recipe first and gave the famous person the benefit of the doubt, but I would be lying. And no one likes a liar. So there’s that.

Here’s what I do know: my friend (the one I referred to earlier) is basically the world’s best cookie connoisseur and she had previously had the famous person’s cookie skillet. I had her tell me all the qualities of the other skillet that just weren’t “doing it” for her, and I asked her what would really make it the best in her opinion….

Harvest Chicken Chili

October 23, 2017

More chili? Yup, always more chili. If you happened to read my Fall Bucket List, you might know that we are basically obsessed with chili and cornbread, and pretty much have it every chance we can throughout the Fall season! And while I absolutely adore my family’s recipe that we have used since before I was even born, I really like to spice things up. I need change, and I crave trying new things. I have done quite a few variations, including this delicious vegetarian chili, but I can honestly say I have never loved a chili so much as I do this harvest chicken chili….

Pumpkin Pecan Baked Oatmeal

October 16, 2017

Y’all want to know what everyone needs more of in their life? Pumpkin pecan baked oatmeal. That’s what. I mean, really, just baked oatmeal in general… but bonus points if it’s pumpkin. We love baked oatmeal around here. It’s entirely delicious, super easy, stores for a long time, and totally loved by everyone in the house. We look for new ways to enjoy it on the regular. Because it is Fall and everything around us reflects that, pumpkin was the obvious choice for us this time….

Pumpkin Spice Granola

October 8, 2017

I really hope y’all aren’t tired of pumpkin yet, because I honestly feel like I am just getting started. This easy pumpkin spice granola is pretty much going to carry me through the season. I’ll eat it for breakfast with almond milk (hello delicious cereal option), I’ll eat it in handfuls as a snack, and I will eat on top of my all time favorite Trader Joe’s item… pumpkin greek yogurt.

Basically, I will be eating it nonstop. And then I will be working out extra to make up for it. Or maybe I will just eat it WHILE working out.

As a side note, my friends always laugh at me for saying that I will need to work out more to make up for eating my treats. Why? Because even though they taste like a million calories, they are as clean as can be. That goes for this granola as well. It is totally clean and totally guilt free….

Pumpkin Oat Pancakes

October 2, 2017

The world knows it by now… I love Fall with my whole heart. I was just telling my husband that I feel like all is right in my world when the leaves start to turn colors and the air cools down. Every day feels like a dream come true to me in the Fall. As L.M. Montgomery says, I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.

If you read my Fall Bucket List, then you already know this, but every year we have a party to celebrate Fall. We just recently had our Happy Fall party, and good grief, I wish we could do that every single day of the entire season. This Happy Fall party may have been my favorite so far. We played festive music, drank our own homemade pumpkin spiced coffee, and had an absolute FEAST. Every year it’s a little bit different, but with some similarities. This year’s feast was pumpkin oat pancakes with toasted pecans, maple syrup, and maple glazed apples. All God’s people said… AMEN.

These pumpkin oat pancakes were unlike any other oat pancakes I have ever made. They were seriously the fluffiest and most filling pancakes we have had in quite some time. They also held together like no other oat pancakes I have made. If you like pancakes, but need to actually feel full, these are for you!…

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

September 25, 2017

I promised y’all about two hundred and sixty-seven more pumpkin recipes this Fall and I like to be a woman of my word… So I figured I better get right to it. There’s no better way to start a Monday than with cookies, and there’s no better way to experience this cooler weather than with all things pumpkin. These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are just about the best thing for both.

I have been wanting to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for quite some time now, but I needed to wait for the rest of the world to decide it was officially pumpkin season. I was also working on a base for the cookie that was entirely grain free so it would be that much more healthy. Because healthier cookies means eating more cookies… and duh.

These chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, and entirely delicious. One nice thing about baking with pumpkin is that it often eliminates the need for oil. That’s a plus because it means less fat. So basically I’ll just eat pumpkin all Fall and get skinny… or something like that….

Triple Berry Baked Oatmeal

September 17, 2017

I can’t think of a better way to start the week than with a good breakfast. I also can’t think of anything better than sharing. So today I am sharing a recipe from my very own ebook, 30 Clean Breakfasts! This triple berry baked oatmeal is one of my absolute favorites, so when I was deciding what to share, it was at the top of my list!

First of all, if you know me, you might know that I just absolutely love oats. Not only are they super warm and comforting, they are also packed full of nutrition. If you are looking for a clean and healthy carb to fuel your morning, turn to oats. They keep you full for a long time and have a great amount of protein for being a grain.

I have been playing with various takes on baked oatmeal for a few years now, and I can honestly say I love them all. Give me all the baked oatmeal. It’s like a healthy breakfast casserole dessert… sort of. But it’s baked oatmeal….

Easy Steak Fajita Salad

September 4, 2017

It’s been way too long since I shared a salad recipe, y’all. It’s not because we haven’t been making salads. It’s because I am usually so dang hungry on salad night after working out that I just can’t take the time to create something new and photograph it! I always think I can do it, but my hunger is so much bigger than I realize. BUT- I finally found the time to prepare a new salad, test it out, take photos, and write about it- on a rest day. Because it seems like that’s the only time I can.

Since my husband and I both love any food that has any sort of Mexican flare, we decided to go with a fajita style salad. We are also super into peppers and onions, and were both craving those, so a fajita style salad seemed like just the right fit.

My husband and I are also steak lovers, but we try to avoid a ton of red meat in our diets. Now, don’t get me wrong. We do eat it from time to time, we just try to be super intentional about the quality of the meat, as well as how much and how often we have it. We don’t believe that all red meat is bad quality or bad for you, but we do believe it is important to be super picky about it….

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

August 28, 2017

white chocolate macadamia nut cookies

It’s that time again. What time, you ask? It’s cookie time. And today the cookie of choice is a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie! Let’s just say my Monday is a whole lot better with a few of these in my hand.

This cookie is part of my You Asked For It series, and it was requested by a dear friend! I have been working on getting these just right, and I am beyond pleased with the result.

There’s just something about a macadamia nut. Another friend and I always joke that they are like little balls of crunchy butter. They are just so dang good. Also, every time I get my hands on a macadamia nut I am immediately taken back to our honeymoon in Maui. We snacked on macadamia nuts the entire time and even brought back a huge load of them. Unfortunately they are long gone. They truly are so satisfying though. Any chance we have to fit them into our budget, we load up….