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. 

coconut peach muffins with coconut oat crumb

It's a known fact, I have some of the worst acne known to mankind. It's stubborn too. I've tried using pretty much every product that claims it will get rid of zits, but nothing. ever. works. We've decided that it might be due to something in my diet. My mom thinks it yogurt or sugar. YOGURT OR SUGAR?????? I have yogurt and fruit pretty much every day for breakfast. And sugar? Well, you're reading this blog, aren't you? I'm not happy. 

We've decided to cut out some of those things from my diet. SO for the next couple weeks to a month, I'm going on a dairy-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free diet. I hate the d-word. Really I do. I prefer "eating clean", but when you take out all that stuff I'm pretty sure it's inevitable. Anyways, this will be an interesting few weeks. I'm hoping it will help my skin clear up {!!!!!} and kickstart some good eating habits. We'll just have to see! Of course since my birthday is on Thursday {the big one five} I'll have a free-pass. Brownie sundaes? Don't mind if I do. 

I'm just going to warn you, the blog might be a little dead for awhile, but I'll do my best to post as much as possible. You bet your bucket full of sugar, I'll share any good healthy recipes I find. Links to gluten, dairy, and sugar-free recipes would be great! I'm actually a little excited to put my baking skills to the test and see what I can come come up with. 

STUPID ACNE, YOU SHALL NOT KICK ME OUT OF THE KITCHEN!

So, muffins. I made these a couple days ago aaaaaand I'm pretty sure I've found the perfect base for muffins. After pans. and pans. and pans. and pans. and pans. of muffins, I think the base of this batch was just perfect. Super fluffy, tender, and not overly sweet. Plus, the combo of coconut, peach, and the spices in the crumb? Oh my gosh, you guys. It's so warm and homey, you might die of coziness. Also, the crumb is pure craziness. As my dad was shoving muffins down his throat, he told me I made a "meeeeeean crumb." Accurate. The topping turned out so flavorful and crunchy, it almost reminded me of granola! Yum.

For the love of all things peachy, make these!

coconut peach muffins with coconut oat crumb

muffins:

3/4 c. plain yogurt

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. buttermilk 

3/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. AP flour

1 1/2 c. wholewheat flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 c. shredded coconut

3 peaches, peeled and cut into chunks

crumb:

3 tbsp. butter, melted

3 tbsp. sugar

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. oats

2 tbsp. milk

1 tsp. cinnamon 

1 tsp. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line and grease a muffin tin; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk yogurt, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, and eggs until combined. Add flours and baking powder. Fold in coconut and peaches. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tin and set aside. Next in a small bowl, prepare the crumb topping, mixing the ingredients together with a fork. Divide evenly among the muffin batter. Bake for 25-35 minutes. 

Peach Fro-Yo

I KNOW! It's been awhile since we last chatted and ate cookies together… 

This weird thing called Healthy Eating happened. 

I'm trying to lose a little weight, and since sadly, you can't eat pans of cookies, 

brownies, and cupcakes in order to do so, 

I haven't gotten around to baking much. 

Instead of snacking on Chips Ahoy and Coke Zero, I've been eating veggies

and GALLONS of water. Weird, I know. 

I'm going over to a friend's house for some Girl Time in a little bit. 

Yah, the same one I made banana bread for… 

We like food. And have the ability to eat a whole loaf of bread. TALENT, I tell you. 

No doubt, the tub of fro-yo will be fro-yo-less by the time I get home. 

So let's talk about it, shall we? It's amazing. 

I had INTENTIONS of making it healthy, BUT… 

my baking instincts kicked in and some how a whole cup 'a sugar made 

it's way into the bowl. WHOOPS. Don't know how that happened!

I'm pretty sure it's healthier than a huge ice cream sundae though… 

Of course, you could make it ACTUALLY healthy, and cut out the sugar and use honey

or some other low-cal sweetener. 

I just found it a little to… yogurty. And we were out of honey. Excuses, excuses. 

Peach Fro-Yo

4 c. plain fat-free yogurt

1 c. milk

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 can of peaches {juice too!}

In a bowl, mix the yogurt, milk, yogurt, vanilla, and juice from the canned peaches. 

Add in the sugar. Stir until smooth. 

Chop the peaches into chunks and add to the mixture. 

Pour into an airtight container, and put in the freezer until it's hard. 

{I had mine in the freezer overnight.}

Easy Peach Dump Cake

I was planning on scheduling this post to go up later this week, because I'm hoping to take a break from baking and "eat healthier"… But it's way too good to wait for. 

So I'm spoiling you. 

Known fact numero uno :: I like peaches. 

Known fact numero dos :: they don't have fresh peaches here {lame.}

Known fact numero tres :: I also like cake mix 

AND this dessert has canned peaches and cake mix in it. 

Really, all you do is dump everything in a pan. 

Hence the name Dump Cake… 

So basically, it's as easy as pie. Which is ironic because pie isn't easy. 

But life goes on… There's a lot of things that don't make sense, wouldn't you agree? 

My mom had friends over yesterday afternoon for lunch, and I take any chance I can get to bake for people.

I love making something and it's gone within hours… clearing up the counters for more baked goodness… That I get to share with you wonderful peoples.

Anyways. She suggested making a dessert she used to make.

When she was describing it to me I was drooling.

Some moments in life you just need to have a bib on.

Like when you're watching Unique Sweets. Happens to me EVERY SINGLE DAY. So sad.

I think I could start a little business. And I'll make millions. And you will be my witnesses.

FREE BIBS FOR EVERYONE!

If you're looking for a quick, easy dessert with minimal ingredients, look no FURTHAAAAAAAAAAH!

It tastes like a masterpiece. Which it is. But it's a 5 minute masterpiece… The best kind.

Hallelujah amen.

Easy Peach Dump Cake

slightly adapted from :: this recipe

2 (29 ounce) can sliced peaches, with juice

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

1/2 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Pour canned peaches into a 9x13 inch baking pan; make sure juices cover peaches, if not add a small amount of water to just cover fruit. 

Mix peaches with 1/2 cup of the sugar and sprinkle cinnamon to taste into mixture.

Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over top of peach mixture. 

Poke holes into cake mix to allow juice through.

Cut stick of margarine into small pats, placing randomly over the top. 

Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and a light dusting of cinnamon.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the juice mixture is bubbly and the top of the cake mix topping is crusty and golden brown.

Top it off with some powdered sugar and chopped nuts. Best served warm and gooey! :)