Tis the season 🍂

• Pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chunk bars 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  
  

  
  
  
  
• I love fall for multiple reasons. It's beautiful outside, it's apple picking season, it's beautiful outside, it's candy season (really when isn't it?!), it's beautiful outside, it's baking season ( again when isn't it?!), and the leaves on the ground are crunchy when you step on them :)  I am not going apple picking until next weekend so the pumpkin baking came early. I was originally going to make pumpkin brownies but concocted these from   http://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2015/09/24/pumpkin-pie-chocolate-chip-oatmeal-cookies/.   Cookie recipe. Enjoy! 

*I made two batches because nothing ever requires the whole can of pumpkin! If you make two batches you only have a tad bit left over. The ingredients listed is only for ONE batch. 

• 
  
• Pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chunk bars
• 
  
• Ingredients:
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• ¾ cup oat flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp melted coconut oil 
• ¾ cup pumpkin purée
• A nice pour of vanilla extract
• ½ cup pure maple syrup 
• 1 cacao (or dark chocolate) bar chopped and shaved ( I used Trader Joe's )

Additional add ins if you are feeling  crazy: craisins, raisins, white chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds 

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a glass baking dish with parchment paper. 
2. In your mixing bowl add in the oats, oat flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, and salt. Wisk to combine.
3. Add in the coconut oil, pumpkin purée, vanilla and maple syrup. Add in the chopped chocolate. 
   
4. Mix until just combined. 
5. Add the dough to prepared dish. 
6.  Bake at 325°F for 20-30 minutes. Cool in the dish before cutting. 
7. Store in fridge overnight if not serving right away. 

I felt like it.

The title says it. Been wanting to attempt these for a while so finally did. Will try again because they were a bit on the messy side. I think I needed to add more flour next time. Enjoy! Original recipe came from:

http://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2016/03/20/skinny-slow-cooker-cinnamon-rolls/

Healthy Slow cooker cinnamon rolls: 

• Ingredients: 
• for the dough
• ¾ cup  warm skim milk 
• ½ tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp coconut or dark brown sugar 
• A pinch of  salt
• A nice pour of vanilla 
• 2 ¼ tsp dry yeast ( I used quick rising) 
• 2 – 2 ½ cups white wheat flour
• 
  
• for the filling: 
• 6 tbsp coconut sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tbsp unsalted butter, melted

*because my dough was so sticky and not large enough I did not end up isong all the filling but can't hurt to make it all! Works well with cookies and as an ice cream topper :) 

Directions: 

• Line your slow cooker with foil, and lightly coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a your mixing bowl, mix together the milk, vanilla, butter, sugar, and salt. 
• Sprinkle the yeast on top, and wait 10-15 minutes or until the mixture turns frothy. 
• Mix in 1 ½ cups of flour. If the dough is still wet, continue stirring in flour 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough begins to come off the sides of the bowl.
• knead the dough for 3-5 minutes (I did this with the bread hook attachment) until the dough springs back most of the way when you gently press your  finger into it. 
• Set dough aside and prepare the filling.
• Wisk together the coconut sugar and cinnamon in a  bowl.
• On a WELL -floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle. 
• Brush with the melted butter
  
• Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. 
  
• Carefully roll up the dough into a log.
• Pinch the ends to seal. If the dough won’t stick together, gently brush the second longer edge with milk/water before pinching to seal.
• Slice the log into  pieces using dental floss or a sharp knife.
•  Place the rolls into the prepared slow cooker, and place the lid on top.
  
   
• Turn the slow cooker to its “ Warm” setting, and let the rolls rise for 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size.
  
• turn the slow cooker to its “Low” setting. 
  

  
  

  

  
  
• Bake the cinnamon rolls for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the sides of the cinnamon rolls feel firm.
  
  

  
  
• Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before carefully lifting the foil insert out of the slow cooker and serving. Enjoy :) 

A request was made so I tried a new muffin recipe....

I had a request to make a healthy muffin. I was going to use almond flour but figured with just berries and minimal added ingredients they might be quite dense and heavy. I played around and adapted the recipe from this great blog http://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2016/01/14/the-best-healthy-blueberry-muffins/......sadly couldn't use blueberries because of my allergy 😭 and before my allergy blueberry corn muffins were my favorite 😡. Enjoy. Someone said they taste like yogurt ( next time I would add a bit more sweetener but that is my huge sweet tooth talking ) .

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white wheat pastry flour 
• 2 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted 
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 container (3.5 ounce) raspberry Siggis yogurt
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup 
• ¾ tsp stevia 
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1 cup fresh raspberries (half pint) 
• 1/2 cup sliced almond plus more to top with 

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line muffin tin with liners.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. 
3. In your mixing bowl, mix together the butter, egg whites, and vanilla. 
4. Add in the Greek yogurt, honey and stevia and mix until just combined. 
5.  Alternate between adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until combined. 
   
6. Mix in nuts and raspberries (I mix in low because I like when some of the  berries break and the juice spreads).
   
    
7. 

   

   

   
   
8. Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups.
9.  Sprinkle tops with sliced nuts. 
   
10. Bake at 350°F for 19-25 minutes or until the tops are firm to the touch. 
    
    
    
    

    
    
11. Cool in the muffin cups for 10 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool. 
    
12. Enjoy! 

First day back with the kiddos.....just another excuse to bake:)

The title says it all. My coworkers either benefit from all my baking or sometimes they are the taste testers. This week was the first day back with the kiddos so thought that I would make a healthy breakfast/ morning snack to share and the recipe from here     http://www.fitmittenkitchen.com/whole-wheat-raspberry-pumpkin-muffins/         came just in time (with some betty spins) Enjoy! 

*now I have to apologize to my coworkers and as I look at the ingredients again I used one can not one cup.....I'm sorry 😱😳

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• ⅓ cup coconut sugar
• 1 large egg 
• ¾ cup skim milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract or super heafty pour
• 1¾ cups white wheat  flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
•  2 tsp  cinnamon 
• 1 cup frozen raspberries ( or fresh) 
• 1-2 cups of dark chocolate chips 

Directions:

1.  oven to 350. Line a  cup muffin pan with liners.
2. In your mixing bowl add the pumpkin, maple syrup, and  sugar. Mix until evenly combined and fluffy. 
3.  add the egg and vanilla and mix  until just evenly combined.
   
4. Slowly add in the milk and stir to combine.
5. Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until just combined.
   
6. Fold in the raspberries and chocolate chips. 
   
7. Evenly distribute batter into prepared muffin pan.
   
8.  Bake muffins at 350F  for 12-20minutes, or until inserted toothpick in center of muffin comes out clean. (This is for mini muffins).
   
   
   
   

   
   
9.   Allow muffins to cool in pan for 10-15 minutes before removing and moving to a wire rack to cool.

Quinoa, zucchini, and goat cheese patties

Gave these a shot for some easy snacks/ lunches for the school year. Surprisingly they turned out quite tasty although slightly messy (all my stuff is haha). The only thing I might change is to add more seasoning next time and bake a little longer but I had somewhere to go. I added extra baking time in the directions for you! Enjoy. 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 medium zucchini-shredded
• 1 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs (or regular) 
• 2 eggs, beaten
•  pepper (to your liking) 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 and line baking dish or cookie sheet with parchment paper.

1. Cook the quinoa-(add quinoa to 1.5 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until quinoa is cooked, about 15 minutes.) 
2. Shred the zucchini. 
3. Using a dish towel or paper towel squeeze the liquid out of the shredded zucchini.
4. Beat the eggs in your mixing bowl. 
5. Add and then combine cooked quinoa, zucchini, cheese, parsley, bread crumbs, and pepper to the beat eggs. Mix well. 
6. Form the mixture into patties. They might fall apart easily especially if your zucchini is still wet. If this happens, add more breadcrumbs, one tablespoon at a time.
   
   
   
   
   
7. Place in dish or on a pan and bake for about 15 minutes on each side at 400. 
   

   
   
8. Turn the oven up to 425 and bake for about another 10 minutes on each side or until patties brown. 
   
   9. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool. Enjoy fresh. Store in sealed container in the fridge. 

   
   ( I placed half on a plate and froze them and placed in a freezer bag one fully frozen for lunches to go)

Easy peasy homemade salsa

Yup I said easy peasy. Deal with it I teach 8-9 year olds. I Don't have exact measurements for this salsa but more of guidelines. Enjoy! 

Ingredients: 

Note- all my ingredients were garden fresh makes this 100 times better. Also the amount of tomatoes depends on the amount you want to make. This is for the amount  shown above....if you increase tomatoes increase the rest as well. Amount of herbs depend on your taste as well.

About 20 cherry tomatoes (all colors) 

1 ear of corn cooked and taken off cob

Cilantro 

Parsley

1/4 chopped small red onion 

Juice from one small lime

Directions: 

1. Cook the corn ( I cooked mine in the microwave! So much easier and quicker...and the husk comes right off! Place one ear in for 3 minutes and done!). Once cooked remove kernels and place aside.  

2. Chop and slice the tomatoes and add to the container you will be using. 

3. Add the chopped onion. 

4. Chop both the cilantro and parsley and add to container. 

4. Add the corn and the lime juice. 

5. Enjoy! (I topped grilled chicken with it for a wrap!)

It's the weekend and I'm having a bbq so naturally I will bake.

Read the title it explains all. Well mostly all. The third part is I had some really ripe naners I needed to use. Yes, you read that correctly....I said naners. There are naners in these cookies....shhhh don't tell. That makes them healthy right? HA nope just makes them fluffy and even pancake like. Aka the best breakfast food ever. I have made so many types of naner bread that I wanted to try something else. Especially going back to work after summer school ended  and with the school year starting again (because I will be making it a lot for breakfast on the go). Ok done with tangent. Anyways I didn't want to make a cake because not everyone attending the bbq like naners....I know what your thinking....THEY HAVE A PROBLEM. That's for another time though. So after looking through many ideas I took one I found and changed it around (because why not?) well that was the every long and rant version of how these white chocolate caramel cookies were born. Enjoy :) especially because they taste like naner bread pancakes turned into a cookie 😱

Nice and ripe

I just love brown sugar 😍 (especially on waffles and pancakes )

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup unsalted butter-room temp.

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 egg

2 mashed banana

1 tsp. baking soda

2 cups of cake  flour (use cake for the fluffness) 

1/2 tsp. Vanilla 

A pinch of salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup Caramel  bits

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a mixing bowl, mash the bananas and baking soda together. 

3. Add the butter and sugar into the naner mix and mix until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and continue to mix until combined and fluffy. 

4. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and cinnamon.

5. Add the naner mixture one cup at a time mixing until just combined. 

6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add the caramel bits and white chocolate chips into the batter. Mix until just combined.

 7. Using a cookie scoop scoop out and place on a plate. THE BATTER WILL BE STICKY! Cover and chill for at least an hour ( I placed in freezer for about 40mins) 

8. When ready place on cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake for 11-13 minutes. 

9. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. 

10. Enjoy warmed up and topped with some Ice cream :) they make a great sundae base! 

Recipe adapted from: http://www.thekitchn.com/banana-white-chocolate-toffee-88258