Packed with pumpkin and chocolate chips, these soft, chewy cookie bars make for a perfect autumn snack or dessert! I've noticed that people keep telling me that they're surprised that I've been cooking and baking a lot now that I have a baby. But being in the kitchen gives me a sense of normalcy amidst my world turned upside-down with the arrival of a newborn. I'm typically a very up and at 'em person. Doing things I used to do all the time, like planning dates with girlfriends or going to workout classes solo, takes more effort these days, but working in the kitchen is something that gives me joy that I can do it in the comfort of my own home with my babe sleeping (or screaming, haha) nearby. Hence today's recipe: chocolate chip pumpkin cookie bars. I'm all about ... [Read More]
pumpkin
12 Pumpkin Recipes to Try This Fall
It's hard to believe that we're already nearing the middle of September, isn't it? The weather has been more mild, and I've been loving it! Temperatures in the 70s is my favorite, and I've been going on lots of walks with my pup and baby to soak it up. Now that I've been experiencing more moderate weather where I'm not sweating every time I go outside, I've had soup dinners and apple recipes on my mind... and pumpkin of course! I enjoy pumpkin recipes pretty much from now until springtime hits, and then I start craving it again come September without fail. To give you some kitchen inspiration for this fall, today I'm sharing a dozen pumpkin recipe ideas. Let's get to opening up those cans of pumpkin puree! Pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal cookies {vegan + gf}. I like to keep ... [Read More]
Pumpkin Apple Cider Bread {dairy free with gf option}
It seems like every year when autumn hits, I get a serious baking itch and I start baking like crazy. Anyone else do the same thing? I especially get into the quintessential fall baking ingredients - including pumpkin, apple, cinnamon and nutmeg. I feel like I can't get enough! I mean, is there anything that smells better than all of those delicious flavors baking in the kitchen? Playing around in the kitchen with my favorite sweet fall ingredients is precisely how this recipe was born. I'm not normally a juice drinker, but I bought apple cider a few times this season after trying some at a local orchard and remembering that apple cider is in fact delicious. This recipe puts a twist on pumpkin bread by including apple cider and diced apple in the batter. I also made ... [Read More]
Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Bites {vegan + gf}
Made with wholesome ingredients like pumpkin, oats, dates, and hemp hearts, these energy bites are the perfect autumn snack to whip up! Chocolate protein powder gives them a protein boost, and mini chocolate chips & cocoa provide some chocolatey goodness. I feel like I say this every time I post an energy ball recipe, but I really love energy bites as a healthy little snack! I'm constantly switching up my energy ball combos, and I usually make a batch on the weekend, them throw them in a bowl to have available for on-the-go snacking or a healthy dessert all week long. My husband loves energy bites too. His favorite kind is chocolate peanut butter, but he's an energy bite monster in general... and a cookie monster too for that matter! I legit hide my Lenny & Larry's Complete ... [Read More]
Pumpkin Apple Banana Muffins {vegan}
Packed with apple, pumpkin, banana and cinnamon, and free of refined sugar, these healthy vegan muffins make for a great autumn snack, small breakfast, or guilt-free dessert! One of my favorite September activities is apple picking. But since it's pretty warm and summery feeling in San Diego in September, sometimes I forget that the apple orchards are ready to be visited. A few years we've been too late in the apple picking game and either a.) go when the orchards are pretty picked over, or b.) miss apple picking all together (like last year!). BUT NOT THIS YEAR! Nope, in 2016 I was on high apple picking alert! In the San Diego area, the best area to visit for apple picking is Julian - a cute little town I've talked about before. It's about a 75-minute drive from my house, and it's like ... [Read More]
Currently Crushing On: Halloween Edition
Happy almost Halloween! Anyone doing anything fun for it? Unfortunately I won't be dressing up because we don't have any Halloween obsessed friends that are throwing parties this year, but I love celebrating the holiday anyways. To me, Halloween kicks off the holiday season, which I always love (I know, too soon! Although Home Depot is already decked out for Christmas...). I love seeing all of the cute kid costumes from our trick-or-treaters. But since I don't have any kiddos to dress up, I'll be making Harley wear her headless horsemen rider outfit probably all day today and tomorrow... She hates it and it's hilarious. When she runs, the headless horseman starts falling to the side, and then she turns around and tries to bite it off. It's pretty entertaining (though it may be ... [Read More]