Seasonal

The Best Apple Cobbler

November 20, 2017

Want me to be real honest? I’m not really a fruit pie kind of girl. I’m a pecan pie all the way sort of girl. Like, if pecan pie is on the dessert table, I don’t even need a single taste of all the others. Because I am that loyal. And I also just realized that this is about apple cobbler, not pecan pie, so I will move on. My point is, it takes a BOMB apple cobbler (or any fruit dessert) to win my heart and a spot on my plate.

This gluten free, entirely clean, totally delicious apple cobbler did just that. There’s something really special about this one. Perhaps it’s the perfect fruit to topping ratio, or perhaps it’s the tanginess that comes with raw apple cider vinegar. Whatever it is, it’s totally on point. (Side note, does anyone even know what that means or how it became such a popular thing to say?)…

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)….

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….

Zucchini Corn Casserole

August 10, 2017

Do y’all ever crave dishes that make you feel like it’s Thanksgiving? No? Just me? I’m not even ashamed to say that I start craving Thanksgiving in July. I especially start craving casseroles like this ridiculously amazing and entirely delicious healthy zucchini corn casserole.

Okay, that’s not even true.

What really happens is that I start craving turkey, dressing, mac and cheese, and the most unhealthy green bean casserole you could imagine.

But if I gave in to all those cravings every time I had them (which is often), I would weigh seven hundred pounds and all of my gym efforts would be meaningless.

So instead I have to come up with delicious flavorful dishes that remind me of Thanksgiving without all the guilt. Except I never feel guilty on Thanksgiving, but that’s beside the point.

Everyone knows Thanksgiving is a time for casseroles, too, so coming up with healthy Thanksgiving dishes means I get to come up with so many casseroles… like this drool worthy zucchini corn casserole….

Strawberry Coconut Cream Cake

July 4, 2017

You have heard me say it a million times and here I am saying it again… I LOVE CAKE.

In my opinion, it is the dessert of all desserts. Send me to a dessert table with cookies, pies, truffles, pastries, muffins and cake, and I’ll come back with all cake on my plate. It’s just a part of me… mostly on my back side.

Over the last couple of years, I have been in the process of finding a balance with cake. I want to eat clean 95% of the time (because the other 5% of the time is reserved for living on the edge), but at the same time, I want to really enjoy the things that I love. I was talking to a friend recently about how disappointing it is when a super healthy friend asks you if you want a piece of cake and you discover she’s referring to a piece of chocolate looking bread. No icing, no moisture, and no guilt… and absolutely no fun.

If I am going to eat a piece of cake, I really want it to taste like… CAKE….

Creamy Pumpkin Alfredo

October 24, 2016

You know when you fight with your husband over who gets the leftovers, you have come up with someone worth sharing.

Or wait… not sharing?

This was our story this weekend. We created a dish that was so amazing that we just had to share… but then neither of us wanted to share when it was time to enjoy the leftovers….