spiced pumpkin pecan granola

The change of seasons, from free-spirited summer months to cozy autumn days, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The change is not only evident in the vivid colored trees that line the streets and the leaves that crunch under foot, but I'm also feeling it on the inside. I'm ready for something new. I'm ready to leave the old behind, pick up everything, and go. I'm ready to run with open arms to the new opportunities that are just around the corner. It's so exciting. 

While I'd surely rather be boarding an airplane and getting on my way to some faraway country, I don't think that will be happening anytime soon (but hey, you never know :)). Since coming home from our time in Africa, I've realized a seed has been planted inside of me that doesn't want to stay in one place for too long. As I go to new places, the seed grows, begins to sprout, and turns into full-on addiction that's begging to be fed. And the only way that will happen is if I go somewhere new, somewhere I'm not used to, and emerge my self in the culture and new surroundings. Mmm, that just sounds glorious. 

While I wait for these opportunities to present themselves, I'll be cuddling in bed with endless cups of tea, fuzzy socks, my knitting project, and bowls of pumpkin granola. YES. Pumpkin granola. This is real life, guys. Typically, I'm a purist when it comes to granola. Give me the basics, and I'm happy. But since I was away from my beloved pumpkin for three years, let's just say we're making up for lost time. I can't even explain this granola except for it tastes like autumn in a bowl. Pumpkin puree, maple syrup, cozy spices, chopped pecans, and sweet raisins make for one glorious breakfast.

You'll never regret adding pumpkin to your granola, I promise. 

Comfort zones are overrated anyways. 

spiced pumpkin pecan granola

2 tbsp. coconut oil, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 tbsp. pure maple syrup (or honey)

1/4 c. pumpkin puree

2 tbsp. brown sugar

3 1/2 c. oats

2/3 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 c. raisins

1/2 c. raw pecans, roughly chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

2. In a large bowl, mix all wet ingredients together until smooth. 

3. Add oats and spices. Stir until evenly combined. 

4. Gently fold in chopped pecans and raisins. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. 

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely before transferring to an airtight container, jar, or plastic bag. 

pumpkin oatmeal bread

It's fall now, guys! Or at least that's what the calendar is telling me. 

The weather, however, is begging for pool parties and watermelon. 

I'm totally confused. 

But as soon as the calendar flipped to September, I got really excited. 

I haven't had an American autumn in three years! 

And that is my excuse for eating all the pumpkin things. 

Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cake, pumpkin pie, pumpkin oatmeal. 

Seriously, gimme it all. 

I'm loving the colors of the leaves when I go for my runs in the morning, the bonfires with friends on the weekends. 

And the fall food. 

I've been dreaming (not even kidding.) of classic fall foods… 

Pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup, and apple crisp (getting on that one soon!) 

I honestly can't get over how easy it is to just grab a can of pumpkin puree at the store. 

Way back in the nether years, we had to buy a pumpkin, cube said pumpkin, boil it, and puree it. 

It ended up being quite the process and it never tasted even close to the real deal.

The things we take for granted. 

Anyways, my first fall recipe! 

This pumpkin bread is simple and delicious. 

It's dense and hearty, definitely not a light or fluffy loaf. 

It's lightly sweetened with maple syrup, making it perfect for a healthy snack or breakfast. 

Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon bring a little spice to the party. 

Whole wheat flour and oatmeal make it healthy enough to eat for breakfast. 

Pumpkin bread + coffee = perf. 

ALSO. Smear some peanut butter on there. 

It won't be the worst thing you've ever tasted. 

pumpkin oatmeal bread {vegan}

1 1/3 c. canned pumpkin puree

1/3 c. packed brown sugar

1/4 c. maple syrup or honey

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 tbsp. melted coconut oil 

1/2 c. unsweetened almond milk

1 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 c. quick cooking oats

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. tsp. ground nutmeg 

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease or line a loaf pan with parchment paper. 

2. In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin, brown sugar, maple syrup. vanilla, coconut oil, and almond milk. 

3. Add flour, spices, oats, and baking powder. Stir until thoroughly combined. Add more milk if needed. 

4. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely before slicing. 

vegan banana oat scones

Sometimes, I'm at such a loss for words, I'll just sit staring blankly at the screen for hours (or minutes if I'm not being my obnoxiously over-exagerating self.) Now is one of those times. Like, what are you supposed to talk about to your invisible internet friends? I could tell you about how I ate tons of potato salad for dinner the other night. Or how I go to bed by 10 every night and am up at 6:30 every morning. I could tell you how I put my pajama pants on backwards the other night and didn't realize it until it was too late. I could tell you about how my Saturday morning consisted of cups of reheated coffee and talking to my pet tortoise named Lois. OR how I shoved my face with Easter candy, chocolate ice cream, cheese, and french fries all in one day (it's all about balance, guyzzzz.) But all of that is weird and awkward. Just like the rest of my life! Heh. SOOOOOOOO. I guess I'll talk about scones instead because scones aren't weird or awkward. They're soft and scrumptious.

I can't even remember the last time I had a scone, but I'm thinking it was one of those orange cranberry ones from Starbucks that are full of crap and drenched in sugary glaze. MMM. I couldn't exactly remember what the texture is supposed to be like but my mom described a scones texture as a dense cookie. I wasn't sure how this recipe was going to turn out, but I can say I was pleasantly surprised. They're just like a banana muffin in scone form. The taste was spot on- hearty, comforting, and not too sweet and everyone who tried them loved them. My body can't handle anything too sweet in the morning and I'm never one for glazes on my muffins, breads, or rolls so I left out that part. But if you're into that sort of thing, feel freeze to drizzle or drench to your hearts content.

vegan banana oat scones

1 3/4 c. wholewheat flour

3/4 c. quick cooking oats + more for sprinkling if desired

1 tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 c. coconut oil

2-3 mashed bananas

1/4 c. + 1 tbsp. milk of choice

2 tbsp. honey/maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut the coconut oil into the dry ingredients. Add milk, mashed banana, vanilla, and sweetener. Stir until combined, using your hands to kneed the dough if needed. Place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and form into a disk about an inch thick. Slice into 8 triangles and sprinkle with more oats if desired. Bake for 15-25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before serving. 

whole wheat cinnamon raisin quick bread

It's no secret, I'm a carb-nut. If it wasn't for my health, I'd probably eat bread for all three meals, seven days a week. There's so many BREADS. So many ways to EAT IT. It's fantastic and horrible all at the same time. My favorite is multigrain with peanut butter, honey, banana, and cinnamon. UGH, I die. 

This morning, I got a mad craving for some carbage and some cinnamon raisin swirl bread sounded like it would just about hit the spot. But I'll let you in on a secret- yeast bread scares the bujeejees out of me. There's too many opportunities for things to go wrong. Not to sound like a perfectionist or anything, but I hate when things go wrong. {not a perfectionist. Pshh shhhht.}

Once I decided there was no way on earth I was going to wait a million hours for some yeast to activate and dough to rise, I remembered this honey wholewheat cranberry nut bread and changed it up a little bit to satisfy my cinnamon raisin craving. That stuff is what my carb-loaded dreams are made of. Homemade bread made in one bowl, in a matter of about 60 minutes and it's vegan? Count me in. Gimme the bread. 

whole wheat cinnamon raisin quick bread {vegan}

3 c. wholewheat flour

1/2 c. oats

2 tsp. baking soda

2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 2/3 c. non-dairy milk

1/3 c. pure honey

2 tbsp. canola oil

1/2 c. raisins

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease and flour a bread pan. In a large bowl, whisk flour, oats, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add milk, honey, and oil. Stir until just combined. Gently fold in raisins and mix until evenly dispersed. Place dough in prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely before removing from pan and slicing. 

banoffee breakfast parfaits

I've been thinking about my blog a lot lately the last couple of weeks, evaluating what I'm really doing. I felt as if what started as a fun hobby became a chore that I didn't want to do. I hate it, but I was whipping out lots of content, but was it good? Did I actually like it? Was I having fun putting it together? No. I was feeling in such a rut and I didn't know what direction I was heading. It crossed my mind to delete my blog, live life, and bake just for the fun of it like normal people do. But I've put 3 years of my time and creativity into this space and I would hate to undo all of my hard work. 

Although I won't be deleting my blog anytime soon, I'm feeling like it's a good idea to take a step back and blog only when I feel like it, when I'm really enjoying it. I need to get used to the feeling of baking for baking's sake, not whipping out the camera or writing things down every time I'm in the kitchen. My goal is to put more thought into my content, post only the really good recipes, the ones with the pictures I love, even if that means only posting every couple of weeks! So that's what I'm going to do. It feels good to have a plan and to take a step back. 

All of that aside, let's talk about breakfast. I'm a breakfast enthusiast {that's putting it mildly.} and really don't understand those people who just forget to have breakfast. LIKE WHAT? That's like forgetting to breathe. Every morning, it's a choice between oatmeal, smoothies, toast, or granola. Pretty much 97% of the time, I lean towards the classic granola and banana. And since I'm also a dessert nut and lover of date caramel, why not combine all of the above to form a hearty breakfast or dessert. Or dinner. 

My original plan was to make this recipe vegan by using whipped coconut cream in the layers. I read somewhere not to use light coconut milk and realized only after taking my can out of the fridge, that's what I had used. So basically I just had a refrigerated can of coconut milk. Fun. I decided to compromise by using greek yogurt instead {GASP.} Then there's some homemade granola which I almost always have laying around, a quick date caramel sauce, and sliced bananas. Layer it all up in cute little jars or glasses and HEYO. You just won the freaking adorable breakfast slash dessert award. Congrats. 

banoffee breakfast parfaits 

date caramel: 

1/2 c. chopped dates, soaked in hot water and drained

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsp. maple syrup

1/2 c. milk 

topping:

1-2 bananas, sliced

3/4 c. plain greek yogurt

3/4 c. granola 

To prepare the caramel, blend dates, vanilla, maple syrup, and milk until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Let cool. To prepare the parfaits, layer granola on the bottom of two jars. Layer with yogurt, banana slices, and caramel. Repeat until the jars are filled. If desired, top with lid and store jars in refrigerator for 3-5 days. 

brownie batter granola

Some days just kind of suck. Some days are called "Mondays." Some days you have a bunch of science homework to catch up on and suddenly it's like your science books just grabbed a pair of shoes and waddled right out of your sight. Some days your brothers are so loud and your sister is screaming and you need to get work done, but your brain can't read more than two words before having to start over. Some days your house is filled with loud little hooligans that have really high pitched laughs. Some days it's pouring rain outside so you can't leave your house. Some days your brother finishes the tub of hummus you wanted to stress-eat. Some days you feel like you want to scream in the face of every human. 

But alas! There is hope. And that hope… Is chocolate. It never disappoints and never fails to lift your emotions a tad. 

Mondays always suck for me so it's no surprise most of my baking (and chocolate consumption.) occurs on Monday afternoons. It's my stress-reliever. When my brothers leave the house and I have a few minutes to gather my thoughts, in to the kitchen I go. Grab a bowl. Grab some jars from the cupboards. Produce something delicious. And then eat way too much of that said something delicious. (Chocolate granola fueled runs are the BEST. Endless energy, no joke.) It's really amazing what a yummy snack and a sweaty workout can do to a person's wellbeing. 

This granola is nothing short of amazing and I'm not just throwing around words when I say that it tastes like brownie batter. The dark brown sugar and touch of molasses aren't all up in your face, but add a really nice, dark sweetness. It's crunchy, crispy, and chunky, sure to satisfy any early morning chocolate cravings. Or chocolate cravings any time of day, really. 

brownie batter granola {GF & Vegan}

1 1/3 c. oats

1/4 c. wheatgerm

1/4 c. ground flax

6 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tbsp. dark brown sugar

1/4 c. canola oil

3 tbsp. molasses

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk oats, wheatgerm, flax, and cocoa powder. Add brown sugar, oil, molasses, and vanilla. Stir until evenly combined. Pour onto prepared baking sheet and spread in an even layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes stirring once throughout at about the 15 minute mark. Let cool completely before transferring to an airtight container or jar. 

coconut lemon poppyseed muffins

I was afraid these muffins didn't have a future as a published blog post. I was so excited to bake these and the batter was seriously amazing {IT'S VEGAAAAAN!!!}, so I knew they were at least going to taste great. 

But when I popped them in the oven, for some odd reason, they did not rise into the beautifully round, domed muffins I was envisioning. Instead, I got some flat, lifeless looking things.  When I took them out to cool, the paper cups were pulling away from the muffins and I was like yay close to losing my mind and falling into a crying pile of Sophie on the kitchen floor. 

It'd been a pretty horrible day, and I did not need a baking fail to top it all off. I look for therapy in baking! NOT MORE STRESS. If I was wanting more stress, I'd have studied for that quiz and that test that were technically due yesterday.

HOWEVER. All hope was not lost. When I tasted one I literally said "How the heck are these vegan and gluten-free?" Guys, they taste amazing. AMAZING. Fresh, lemony, zingy, coconut-y, and just lightly sweetened. 

The texture is also SPOT ON, and you'd never be able to tell that they're made from gluten-free flour. I think I added the perfect flour ratios. 

So since the texture AND the taste were so divine, I figured I'd let go of my dome-shaped-muffin-filled dreams because even my mom sampled these and loved them, saying I should post them. 

I like pretty food, so I did all that I could to try to make these look appealing. I removed the paper cups because WHY did they pull away from the muffins, I do not know. It was weird. That made them a lot easier on the eyes. 

But ya know what? Some foods are butt-ugly, but they taste fantastic. And that is these muffins. 

 

coconut lemon poppyseed muffins {GF & Vegan}

1/4 c. corn flour

1 c. ground oat flour

3/4 c. sorghum flour

1/4 c. tapioca flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tbsp. poppy seeds

3/4 c. coconut milk

1/4 c. lemon juice

1/2 c. canola oil

2 tbsp. pure maple syrup

1/2 c. sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. lemon zest

Preheat oven to 375º and grease or line a muffin tin; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, and poppy seeds until combined. Add coconut milk, lemon juice, oil, maple syrup, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest. Stir until smooth. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool. 

chocolate chocolate chunk banana muffins

We were out of town for about five days last week, road tripping. Africa-style. Road tripping in 'Frica is not the same as in America, let me assure you. There aren't Starbucks to stop at every 10 miles. You can go hundreds of miles without seeing a single being. If you have to pee, you either have to hold it or go amongst the snakes and hyenas. There are lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of pot holes. Did I mention there are a lot of potholes? After our driving, I felt like my insides were still shaking in there. It's a weird dealio.

One of the things I miss the most while being away from home is my food. {Amongst other things like, sleeping in my own bed, going to the gym, being with my doggy, and if we're being totally honest here, I don't have to wear pants. The things we take for granted.} Did you know vegetable-withdrawl is a thing? IT IS. Throughout the trip, my health-food cravings ended up with me laying in bed right before we left for dinner, shoving rice cakes and peanut butter in my mouth like I was being paid to do it. When I found oranges and apples in the little town store {I kid you not, this town consisted of a bakery, gas station/store, and two lodges.}, I nearly did a jig. FOOOOOOOOOOOOD. I never thought I'd be so excited to get away from yummy pastries and buttery fish and fries. 

I'll admit, my priorities are somewhat screwy. Before I was unpacked or showered after driving in the desert all day, you bet these fudgy chocolate muffins were baking away inhe oven. What can I say, chocolate holds a place in my heart. Above personal hygiene apparently. Kiddinggggg. I've been thinking up these muffins foreverrrrrrr. I made that single serving muffin and had high hopes of making a full batch recipe. I'm happy to report, these exceeded my expectations. When I gave my mom a bite, she was all "THESE ARE HEALTHY!?" Little did she know, there were no eggs, dairy, processed flour, or added sugar. So yah. 

I feel kind of horrible about the gaping whole in this blog as far as Valentine's Day recipes go. I'm so not one of those bloggers who post seasonally. But really, why is it that we can only post red velvet recipes starting mid-January and through Valentines? But if I don't make those dates, you're telling me I have to wait a whole year? Uhh no. In my opinion, pink, sparkles, red velvet, and chocolate never go out of style. I think these chocolate muffins count for a Valentine's recipe though, right? They're fudgey, chocolatey, and filled with love. Perfect for sharing with your significant other. Or if you're like me, maybe watching chick flicks alone and eating one or three. Just a suggestion. 

chocolate chocolate chunk banana muffins

3-4 ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 c. maple syrup/honey

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c. non-dairy milk

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. chopped dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease or line a muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk mashed banana, milk, vanilla, and sweetener. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until smooth. Gently fold in chocolate chunks. Scoop into prepared muffin tin and bake for 25-30 minutes. Yields 10 medium-sized muffins. 

SUPER FLUFFY cinnamon wholewheat pancakes

Saturdays are my favorite. Almost every Saturday morning, my brothers and my dad go and play soccer with a bunch of guys for the morning. That means that while they're away, my mom and I get free reign of the TV. This never happens, because… Teenage boys and their video games. That is all. 

I savor those quiet, dark, lazy mornings. While my mom and my little baby sissy poo were on a walk, it was just me, pancakes, and silence. I love it. People always complain about pancakes being so much work, having to stand over a stove, pouring and flipping, pouring and flipping, pouring and flipping. Personally, I love it and it's all part of the experience. Mixing, pouring, flipping, isn't the same as removing from plastic bag and popping in the toaster. None can compare. 

I love having my weekend rituals. I sleep in a little late {which for me equals 7:45.}, just lay in bed for awhile to think, stay in my pajamas all day and watch movies, make pancakes, and sip my coffee as I flip. Last weekend, I made some wholegrain pancakes and made a second batch to photograph for the blog. Those are still in my drafts folder. Then this week, I wasn't planning on making pancakes to post, so I dumped a bunch of ingredients in a bowl. I don't know what it is, but whenever I make something without writing down the recipe, it turns out superior to when I take the time to jot down ingredients. 

WELL. Those pancakes were the most tender, light, fluffy pancakes I have ever made in my entire life. Before I even finished my last bite, I was rinsing out the mixing bowl and grabbing the bag of flour to make another batch and freeze. The things I do for my invisible pancake-loving internet friends. Using 100% wholewheat flour in recipes kinda tends to get a bad rap for weighing down baked goods. HOWEVER. I used three eggs in these pancakes and lots of leavening. 

I mentioned in my last post, when it comes to pancakes and banana bread I am a purist. I don't see how people can add all the things and still enjoy them for what they really are. Every once in awhile I'll add some bananas or nuts to my pancakes, or chocolate chips or oats to my banana bread. But I just can't stray away from the simple recipes. This pancake recipe is now my new go-to. They're simple, quick, lightly sweetened, hearty, and so dang fluffy. If you're one of those people who like pouring everything but the kitchen sink into your weekend pancakes, I'd suggest using this recipe as a base. 

Fluffy pancakes FTW. 

SUPER FLUFFY cinnamon wholewheat pancakes 

3 large eggs

1/2 c. milk 

2 tbsp. oil

2 tbsp. sugar

1 1/3 c. wholewheat flour

3 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

In a large bowl, whisk oil, milk, eggs, and sugar. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Mix until combined. Pour batter onto a greased frying pan over medium-high heat. Let cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown before flipping. Top with warm maple syrup. Recipe yields about 6 medium-sized pancakes.

banana zucchini loaf

I love banana bread. Always have and always will for the rest of all eternity ever. My mom and I have a recipe we always use from this dirty, crusty, weathered church cookbook, with yellowed pages. Since "converting" to healthy eating, I've changed that recipe to be a little lighter and healthier. I know. I'm a horrible person, messing with a banana bread recipe from an old cookbook. Something about it just doesn't seem right. HOWEVER. With simple little changes, I can hardly tell the difference between the regular recipe and a healthy vegan one. 

Typically, I take a recipe and adapt it so much, adding extra things, taking things out, replacing it with this and that. But when it comes to banana bread and pancakes- I'm a total purist. I know there are recipes all over the interwebs cough*pinterest*cough* for all these crazy variations of the two. But for some reason, I can't bring myself to stray far from the plain recipes. Banana bread has been on my brain all week and I had all these exciting combinations floating around. In the end though, I decided zucchini was about as crazy as I was gonna get. Living on the edge, guyzzzz. 

My family is always saying "WHY CAN'T YOU JUST MAKE SOMETHING NORMAL!" and when I made this loaf on Saturday morning, my mom said she was going to make some double chocolate muffins. I'm like, "HELLO. People, I just made banana bread for you, and I swear it won't taste like health food!" I'm easily offended sometimes although you'd think I'd be used to their comments by now. My mom ran out of eggs {when you bake vegan, this isn't an issue! just sayin'.} so everyone decided they'd give my banana bread a try. The verdict? They loved it. HAAAAAAAAAAAA. *insert evil chuckle* The same day I made a green smoothie and my mom asked for some. I was like wuuut. Something must have been in their coffee that morning, but I'm not complaining. Maybe we turned a corner! Kinda doubt it. 

This banana zucchini bread/cake/loaf is so incredibly simple and has a short and basic ingredient list. It took me only a matter of minutes to whip up the batter and pop it in the oven. The only difficult part was waiting for it to bake. UGHHH I hate waiting for things to bake. But it's worth it 101%. The bread may look like it's underdone, but the toothpick came out completely clean. You know what the means? It's MOIST. Oh yah, I went there. I honestly can't decide if this is a cake or a quick bread. It's a bread because it's not overly sweet like most banana bread recipes. It's kinda like a cake because it's so dang moist and tender! So let's just go with a loaf. That sounds better than "banana zucchini bread cake", wouldn't you agree?

zucchini banana loaf {vegan}

3 bananas, mashed
1 c. shredded zucchini {about 1 medium zucchini}
1/3 c. pure maple syrup
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 c. oat flour
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 375ºF and grease a loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl combine mashed banana, zucchini, maple syrup, and sugar. Add flours, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool before removing from pan and slicing.

chunky monkey granola

I got sick last week. For the first time in over a year. I guess my green smoothies and excessive workouts failed me. I came down with this nasty cold, complete with a congested chest, a nose that ran like Niagra, a scratchy throat, and what seemed like a little soldier playing drums around in my noggin. What a dream those few days were. My life consisted of hot food, reruns of the Office, and Pinterest for four days straight. Seeing that I workout 5 or 6 times a week, it's become a part of me. And when I CAN'T do it, I honestly feel like a whale. Light yoga and short walks don't do for me what benching and leg presses do.

I have a long {and I mean LONG.} list of recipe ideas lingering about on my desk with only about 5 of them actually crossed out. I had big ol plans to make a dent in it this weekend, so I dragged myself out of bed to make a cake. Yes, after three days in pajamas, a runny nose, and pounding headache, I decided I'd make a cake. 'Cuz I'm sure pretty much everyone does that. I was so excited and it lifted my spirits a little! … Until I pulled it out of the oven. It sank into this gooey disaster and I kid you not, I had tears streaming down my face as I bent over the stove, fork in hand, emotionally eating half the cake straight from the pan. That was quite the sight to behold. *Sniff, snort. Sniff, snort.*

My brother loves when I make granola, so I thought I'd be that super cool sister that I am and make him a batch when my family went to church and I stayed home and watched Friends in my pjs because that dang sickness just wouldn't leave me alone. I wasn't planning on posting it, but ohmahwerrd. You guys it's amazing. It's full of chocolatey, peanut buttery, banana-y goodness, crisp and crunchy and it ranks pretty high on the scale-o-chunkage! OH YAH. I live for granola chunks. I'm not even going to tell you, because I say this every single time I make granola. But… 

It's the best. It's a universal truth that can not be ignored. 

chunky monkey granola

1 1/2 c. oats

1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 banana, mashed

1/4 c. creamy peanut butter

3 tbsp. pure maple syrup

2 tbsp. coconut oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. rice cereal

1/2 c. peanuts

1/2 c. banana chips

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until evenly combined. Pour onto prepared baking sheet, spreading it into a single layer. Bake for 15-25 minutes, stirring once throughout. Let cool before transferring to an airtight container or jar. 

peach crisp smoothie

So I'm halfway through my second week back to school and I'm already missing sleeping in, eating pancakes for breakfast on a Wednesday, laying in bed browsing Pinterest foreversssss, and eating cake for lunch. Well the cake for lunch thing doesn't depend on if I'm on break or not, but you know. Being back to normal life has me hurting. My brain. My heart. {dramatic.} My abs. Seriously did someone somehow punch me in the stomach without me knowing errrrrr what?

The thing about being a blogger is that you pick and choose what you share. I think everyone tends to leave out the awkward or embarrassing parts and that ends up painting the picture of a perfect person. And I am far from that. So lest you people think I'm not totally loony and don't make a fool out of myself constantly, I'm gonna tell you a funny story. That happened at the gym this afternoon. It's already wonderful, isn't it? 

So at my gym, there's this really tiny trainer and this really huge trainer. The huge trainer is really serious, intimidating, has a freakishly low voice, and his biceps are about the size of a watermelon. When I started going to the gym, I kid you not, he scared the crud out of me and I would fumble trying to figure out how to turn the treadmill on for like HOURS {dramatic.} rather than ask him for help. As time went on, the tiny trainer ended up being my trainer- less scary, ya know. 

ANYWAYS. Today, I noticed I had squats as part of my program and I was dying a little bit inside because the gym was packed and I hate squatting in front of people. I mean, is it even possible to enjoy that? Not after watching some girl nearly touch her booty to the floor and bounce up effortlessly. When I moved over to the squatting cage {pretty sure that's not the right term.}, I asked my trainer to help me and give me some tips because I was pretty sure I wasn't doing it right. 

WELL. No, he called the other trainer to help me. Oh my gosh you guys, I wish I could have just ran out of there like the speed of light. As he meandered on over to me, he set up the barbell, explained what to do, and made me face the WALL. After he walked away, I decided I'd had enough of staring at a wall and sticking out my butt for all the world to see so I thought I'd move the hooks so I could squat the other way.  BAD IDEA, YOU GUYS. BAD. I. DEA. Bolts went flying, dinging off of this thing and that thing. My friend tried to help me move the barbell and we nearly hit a few people in the schnoz. The huge trainer yelled to the tiny trainer that I needed to face the other way, and me being the stubborn brat that I am said I didn't want it that way. 

MORAL OF THE STORY. I totally made a fool out of myself, made a crap load of noise, nearly took a few precious lives with a barbell, and made the trainer who already dislikes me dislike me a teensy bit more. 

I'm trying to think of how to segway from that gem of a story to this smoothie, but can't really think of anything. So here ya go! A smoothie for your face! I think you'll love it. It tastes like dessert and you can totally have it for breakfast. Or if you're a freak stress-eater like me, eat it for lunch. 

peach crisp smoothie 

1/2 banana

1 frozen peach

small handful of raw walnuts

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tbsp. pure maple syrup

2 tbsp. oats

dash of ground cinnamon

2 tbsp. soymilk or other non-dairy milk

handful of ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Add more ice or milk as needed. Pour into a glass and serve immediately. Makes one large smoothie. 

double chocolate fudge muffin for one {vegan}

"All the SIIIIIngle ladies! All the single ladies. All the SIIIIngle ladies! All the single ladies. Now put your hands uuuUUUP!" *raising my hand up high*

I was totally singing this song in my head when I was making this muffin. I sing it with pride, ya know? Single people rock! Plus, they get one gigantic muffin all to themselves so... All the more reason to forget boys, I say. 

Although I don't live on my own, I might as well as far as the whole food situation goes. Sure, my family has a nibble of this and a nibble of that, but umm. I don't need a whole jar of granola, a batch of peanut butter cups, a batch of cookies, and a pan of brownies all to myself. {… but do I?}

Yes, that sounds wonderful, but it doesn't really agree with my resolution to only eat when I'm hungry and get better at listening to my body. I'll do good the rest of the day, but shove a giant muffin in my face and goodBYEEEEE resolution, hello chocolate lerrrrv. 

I made this only a few hours after lunch {honestly, sometimes I make things for the sole purpose making things. And photographing things.}, and told myself I wouldn't eat the whole muffin and would eat it for breakfast the next morning. 

Or for dinner after the gym cuz leg presses suck. 

Ten minutes later, that muffin was nowhere to be seen and I had chocolate all over my face somehow… I dunno. Crazy chocolate, how'd you manage to get there??

I've really been loving experimenting with vegan baking {and vegan EATING in general. It's doable.} I've had some really good success when it comes to muffins/cakes/cookies, but BROWNIES. Oh my lawwwwd you guys. I tried making brownies the other day and… whoa. I mean.. They were okay but definitely not your classic brownie. No sireeeeeee. 

One of the many plus sides of vegan baking though? You can lick the bowl! Not that eggs usually stops me from doing so, but I don't have to worry about my mom yelling at me that I'll get sick. Uhh mom, I think I've built up an immunity by now. 

Anyhow. This muffin was honestly one of the best muffins I've ever had. Ever. And I have had a LOT of muffins in my day, mmkay? Not to mention it's totally vegan and there's no processed sugar or flour crap in there. You'd never have thunked it! It totally tastes full on fat and sugar loaded! It's so fluffy and cakey, I don't even want to call it a muffin. It's more like a cupcake, but we're gonna call it a muffin because that makes it more socially acceptable to eat for breakfast. Derrrr. 

"AAAAAAll the single ladies! All the single ladies…"

double chocolate fudge muffin for one {vegan} 

2 tbsp. wholewheat flour {use GF flour blend for a GF muffin}

1 tbsp. oat flour

1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 banana, mashed

1 1/2 tbsp. pure maple syrup {or other liquid sweetener}

3/4 tbsp. liquid coconut oil

1 sq. dark chocolate {70% or higher is good}, chopped

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease or line a single muffin tin. In a small bowl, whisk flours, baking powder and soda, and cocoa powder. Add banana, maple syrup, and coconut oil, stirring until combined. Fold in chocolate chunks. Pour into prepared muffin tin and bake for 15-25 minutes. Cool completely before removing from muffin tin.