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. 

raw banana nut bars

I've said it before, but since becoming health-conscious, I crave really weird things which is satisfying and terrifying all at the same time only because I wasn't always like this. It's so cool how our tastebuds adjust after only a few weeks or even a few days of eating a certain way. This is the only explanation I have for nights I no longer crave ice cream and bread, but steamed spinach and homemade energy bars. For this reason, I always have the fridge and freezer stalked with homemade goodies (and bags of spinach.)

The other day I was perusing through the greatness that is Oh Lady Cakes and was immediately feeling inspired to experiment with some more raw desserts. I jotted down tons of ideas I had popping up left and right, but first up were these raw banana nut bars. I almost called this recipe raw banana bread because that's really what they taste like. I figured some people (namely my family who I had a conversation with about this earlier) would be out for my head though, considering these things are nowhere NEAR bread with the absence butter, sugar, flour, and baking. So raw banana nut bars it is. 

I'm secretly hoping that I'll forget these are stashed away in the freezer drawer when I go rummaging for something to satisfy my sweet tooth. But let's be real here. I'm not gonna stop thinking about these anytime soon and they'll most likely be gone within the next 24 hours. 

raw banana nut bars

1 c. chopped dates

1 c. raw nuts (I used pecans), finely chopped

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsp. pure honey or maple syrup

1/4 c. flax seeds

1 c. quick cooking oats

pinch of cinnamon

In a small bowl, soak dates in boiling water. let sit for 5-10 minutes or until soft then drain and chop finely. In a large bowl, mix dates, bananas, vanilla, and honey. Add in flax seeds and oats. (You can either leave the dough like this or place in a food processor for a more fine texture. I like them chunky though!) Press dough into a small pan lined with parchment paper and cut into six squares. 

honey coconut date bars

It's weird to think back on how my life has changed so much in the last two and a half years since moving to Africa. Words can hardly even convey what I want to say, but let's just say I'll be going back a completely different person. 

It seems like just yesterday my school day lasted until about eleven, we would go to swim class with all our homeschool muchachos, and go to Wendy's for chicken burgers and Frosty's afterward. I remember hanging out with my friends before youth group every weekend and talking about how hard it would be for me to move half way across the world. Since then, I've realized what true friendships are. I've lost so many and gained many more. 

It definitely does not seem like I've been away from the life, family, friends, and surroundings I've ever known for two and a half years. These last years have been a complete roller coaster ride. There were months of absolute highs and "OHMYGOSHIFREAKINGLOVEMYLIFE." and there were many months of lows where I was so depressed I could hardly motivate myself to do anything but stuff my face hole with chocolate. But I've learned so much, mostly about myself, and have emerged from it all a completely strong and totally changed person. 

As our time in Africa is winding down to a close, I'm trying to prepare myself for the months that so unclearly lie ahead. Although I don't have too many people or relationships to detach from, it's hard for me to remember a life outside of this with a much faster pace. I've become so accustomed to down time and I've learned to secretly love it. How will I go back to having school, extra classes, running track, church and youth group, friends, and finding time for peace and BAKING? 

I'm also trying to prepare myself for the people situation. Like I mentioned, since coming here, it's been really hard to keep up relationships with people 9,000 miles across the globe. I know that when I go back, the whole dynamic of my friend group will have changed and I most likely won't go back to relationships I had when we left. 

For so many months, I wanted nothing more than to leave. I had fallen into a habit of looking to the next thing instead of soaking up the present. 

And although I still look forward to going home, hugging my G'ma, squeezing all the juices out of my gorgeous best friend, ordering a Starbucks latte, kissing my sweet puppy and breathing in her many aromas, and shopping at actual shopping malls with actual stores and actual quality clothing, I know there are many things I'll miss here. The gorgeous sunsets on my runs every evening. The stars glowing up in the sky, untainted from man-made anything. The cute kids with such gorgeous colored skin, flashing their big white smiles. It was here that I fell in love with health and wellness and discovered the path I wanted to travel with my life. Good things always come from seemingly depressing situations; no matter how deep you fall, you'll come out so much higher than you ever were before. 

Anyways, I really do nawwwwwwwt know how to transition from all that to all this. But if you could taste rainbows and puffy hearts, they would be these bars. 

honey coconut date bars {vegan}

1 c. roughly chopped dates

2/3 c. finely shredded coconut

1 c. oats, divided

2/3 c. wholewheat flour

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 c. softened coconut oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. honey

4 tbsp. nondairy milk

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a 4x9 in. pan with parchment paper. Place chopped dates in a mug or bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for 5-10 minutes. Drain and mash with a fork until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, coconut, cinnamon, and 3/4 c. oats. Add coconut oil, vanilla, honey, and milk. Mix until combined. Press 3/4 of the mixture into prepared pan and spread dates in an even layer. Add the rest of the oats to the remaining dough and crumble on top of date layer. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before slicing into squares. Yields about 12 bars. 

dark chocolate chunk peanut butter granola cookies

I'm quite sure this blog is slowly transitioning to a collection of recipes based around O Glorious Peanut Butter when emergencies strike for fellow fiends like myself. It seems like almost every other recipe I post has "peanut butter" somewhere in the title. Not the worst thing ever, but it might be getting old for some people… I'm definitely not one of those people. 

You'd be surprised to know I actually DO bake without peanut butter on occasion. BUT it just so happens that the recipes that turn out, end up being the ones with peanut butter so that's what you end up seeing. I'm hoping to come up with some different recipes though over the next month when I'm finally freed from the chains of school {two weeks, guys. Two weeks.}

In the meantime, I'm sticking with what I know for weekday study snacks. I KNOW PEANUT BUTTER. Very well. Ever since discovering that you can make really bomb peanut butter cookies with just a few simple ingredients, my mind has turned into a peanut butter cookie idea machine- it's true. Some of my favorite experiments so far have been these chunky peanut butter oatmeal dark chocolate cookies, these honey peanut butter & coconut cookies, and these PB&J crumb bars. What's another PB recipe for the repertoire, amiright?! 

These cookies have been an idea merely floating around in my mind for quite awhile. They're soft, chewy, and crunchy. Not to mention, I'm a total sucker for ooey gooey chocolate puddles. Be still my heart! You could switch out the granola for a different add-in (whatever nuts, seeds, dried fruit) or whatever your heart pleases OR just leave it out all together although you may have to add some extra flour. They're full of everything you could ever want in life- chocolate, granola, and peanut butter. Seriously my three favorite food groups all wrapped up in a cookie! SCORE. 

dark chocolate chunk peanut butter granola cookies (vegan)

1/4 c.  coconut oil, room temperature

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

3 tbsp. nondairy milk

1/4 c. maple syrup/honey

1/4 c. dark brown sugar

3/4 c. granola

1/2 c. + 2 tbsp. wholewheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 c. chopped dark chocolate {I used 85%}

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk coconut oil, peanut butter, vanilla, milk, and sweeteners until smooth and creamy. Add flour, granola, and baking powder. Mix until evenly combined. Gently fold in dark chocolate chunks. Scoop onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown around the edges but still soft in the middle. Let cool before placing in a container to store. Recipe yields about 1 dozen cookies. 

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. 

seed & date power bars

Typically, I thoroughly enjoy turning not-so-healthy desserts into healthy ones and do my best to make them taste like the real thing. But sometimes those escapades turn into chocolate cookies that are an odd shade of matte brown with a taste somewhat resembling play-doh. BLEHHH. It's really disheartening when I'm craving something rich, chocolatey, and satisfying and don't want to feel like a whale. But then there's other times where I actually CRAVE healthy food. I crave spinach and big bowls of roasted veggies allthetime and bananas pretty much every day. I crave things that taste like they've been birthed from the earth {sorry, too much?} and taste natural and wholesome. That's when I whip up batches of granola bars, energy bites, and things like that to have stored away in the freezer {if they make it that far} for when the craving strikes. 

I made some bars similar to these awhile ago, but it was one of those days where writing down measurements and snapping photos was just about the last thing I wanted to do. Of course, it's those days where my recipes always turn out the best, so I decided to remake them for the blog because they were just that good. This is one of those recipes that can be made from whatever you have around. I chose some oats, coconut, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and flax seeds. I threw in a dash of cinnamon for good measure and just a teensy bit of honey because the dates already bring a lot of natural sweetness. I bake these for a few minutes just to set them up, but you could just as easily leave them raw since there's nothing that requires cooking in the recipe. I have to say though, straight from the oven, they're pretty bomb. 

These bars are packed full of good-for-you ingredients that leave you satisfied without a drop in energy an hour later. They're jammed with tons of superfoods, healthy fats, protein, fiber, and antioxidants all needed for a healthy, happy body! The bars are so soft and chewy {I want to say like a candy bar, but let's be real here… Dates = candy bar? No.} and taste very sweet and caramely thanks to the dates. Of course, this recipe is so easily adaptable, you could sub in different kinds of nuts, sweeteners, seeds, grains, or dried fruit. No matter what you fill them with, you have a healthy, nourishing, and satisfying snack or quick brekkie.  

date & seed power bars {vegan & GF}

1 c. dates 

2 tbsp. softened coconut oil

1 tbsp. honey

1/4 c. desiccated coconut flakes

1/4 c. sunflower seeds

1/4 c. pumpkin seeds

3 tbsp. flax seeds

1 tbsp. poppyseeds

1 tbsp. sesame seeds

1/4 c. quick cooking oats

vanilla {optional}

cinnamon {optional}

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line an 8x8 in. pan with parchment paper. Chop dates until fine and add a little bit of hot water to soften if needed. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients and stir until evenly combined. Pour into prepared pan and press down firmly with the back of a spatula. Bake for 8-10 minutes and let cool before slicing into 8 even bars. 

coconut, oatmeal, and cherry jam thumbprints

"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." -Maya Angelou

Something I've learned as of late is that creativity is not something that can be forced. It must come naturally. When we force ourselves into something, it becomes a chore, something we dread. When we learn to change our mindsets to enjoy the process of creating, there's something, I don't know what it is, that goes into our creation that makes it beautiful. WAIT. Eureka moment. That thing is love and passion. 

Good ideas don't necessarily come when you're expecting it. They come in the quiet of dark mornings with an equally dark mug of coffee. In the shower after a long, stressful day of your brain working overtime. On a walk, with your eyes glued to the beauty of your surroundings. They come when we are at peace, calm, and have a happy spirit about us. Nothing good comes from having a bad attitude, and that includes creativity. 

When we put our good ideas to work, with a happy attitude and a joyful heart, we create wonderful things. Keep a smile on your face through the process, accept your faults and failures, move on, and do whatever it is you do to the best of your abilities.

As you've probably gathered, the context for all this creative chat is about my blog. I've noticed that when I take a step back and stop forcing myself to bake, photograph, write, and post, the creativity just flows. It comes naturally when I let go of all the expectations I have of myself that are way too high. These cookies came out of the blue. Actually, I lied. I was scrolling through my blog feed, I found these cookies. I'd been having that itch to bake all day, not knowing really what it was I wanted to make. Until I saw those gorgeous photos and simple ingredients. DING DING DING. 

These cookies have a short ingredient list, are so simple, delicious, chewy, and lightly sweetened. The base of the cookies is amazing and I can just picture them going perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea.

coconut, oatmeal, and cherry jam thumbprints 

1/2 c. oats

1/3 c. desiccated coconut

4 tbsp. melted coconut oil

3 1/2 tbsp. maple syrup/honey

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. flour

dash of cinnamon

cherry jam (you can sub any other kind of jam if you'd like)

granola for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add coconut and oats into a blender and pulse until a flour forms. Pour into a bowl and add coconut oil, sweetener, vanilla, cinnamon, and flour. Stir until combined. Roll dough into balls, gently pressing your thumb into the centers. Place a small spoonful of jam (about a tsp. per cookie) in each imprint; sprinkle with granola if desired. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely before transferring to a jar or container. Yields 9 small cookies. 

honey peanut butter & coconut cookies

Recently, I've been having some major baking fails. I'm guilty of sticking to what I know, failing to think outside the box. But when I do, things go majorly wrong. Not always. But it's more common than not. Last week, I had a stressful day of school {oh wait. that's every day.} and went into the kitchen for some baking therapy. I made some cookies out of dates, cocoa, and oats, and oh my heavens. They were absolutely horrid. When I tasted one, they resembled the texture and taste of play-doh. Yup, I've tasted play-doh. Have you not?! 

Those obviously didn't satisfy my cookie cravings; play-doh just doesn't do it for me these days, ya know? I've been having some thoughts of these peanut butter oatmeal cookies for awhile, trying to come up with some sort of creative way to remake them. They're like little chewy, peanut butter-y nuggets of my dreams. AMAZING. And you guys seem to like them too! They're among the popular bunch of recipes on this here blog.

Although the original recipe isn't vegan, this one ALMOST is. You can easily swap out the honey for maple syrup and ba-da-bing ba-da-boom, you've got yourself a vegan cookie! These cookies are so simple {SO. SIMPLE.} and require very few ingredients, all of which you most likely have lingering around in the neglected corners of your cupboards. They're gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, naturally sweetened, and somehow they magically taste like totally normal peanut butter cookies! I love when that happens. 

P.S. Sorry about these photos. Love rain. Hate the light. 

honey peanut butter & coconut cookies

3/4 c. creamy peanut butter

6 tbsp. honey {or maple syrup for a vegan version}

1 tsp. vanilla 

1 c. oat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/3 c. desiccated coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk peanut butter, honey, and vanilla until smooth. Add oat flour and baking soda. Stir until combined. Scoop dough into balls and roll in coconut flakes. Place on baking sheet and press down with a fork, forming a criss-cross pattern. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown. Yields 12 cookies. 

mini almond snickers bars

boyohboyohboyohboyohboyyyyyyyyyy. SNICKERS FOR YOUR FACE. They're raw, healthy, vegan, gluten free, tiny, naturally sweetened, delicious, and really magical. Oh, my heart. BUT they're healthy you guys! So that means that when you have them all out of the freezer to take pictures of them like the weirdo that you are and they get all melty and messy, you just eat them. It makes cleaning up a whole lot easier, ya know? Oh man you guys. These are so good. I may have had like 5 already today, but its taking every ounce of self control {left} in me not to go ravaging through the freezer and shoving two at a time in to my pie hole. MMM. 

It's been ages since I had a legit Snickers bar. The last time I had one I was probably all looking like a toothpick, red, and pimply. Although I could easily have one since they have them at the grocery store here, I honestly won't. Too much sugar and gross things in there, it scares me! Oh how I've changed. When I gave these to my family to try, my dad asked if they were real. Hmmph. Well if "real" means full of processed sugar, chemicals, additives, and fake flavoring, then no. They're not real. But if by "real" you mean birthed from the earth {ew, sorry.}, then YES. They're real. So real. 

I'm not sure I have my family 100% convinced. My little brother is the pickiest eater and when I said there were dates in them, he spit it out. Not because he thought it tasted bad or he sensed something weird in there. Just because I mentioned there was fruit in his chocolate bar. My bad. I made these bars twice- first time around, I had no patience, cut them like 8 hours before I should have, and things got oozy and cracked. It was like a caramely murder scene. Second go-round, I had my method all thought out and things went way better. Until I realized we were clean out of peanuts. NOOO I NEED MEH NUTSSSSSSSSSSS. So I compromised with almonds. I was all freaking out like "WHAT! I CAN'T PUT ALMONDS IN THESE AND CALL THEM SNICKERS! THAT'S LYINGGGGGGG!" But my mom lovingly assured me that almond snickers are indeed a thing and all was well in the world. 

mini almond snickers bars {vegan & gf}

yields 14 small squares

date caramel

1/2 c. chopped dates, tightly packed

pinch of sea salt

splash of vanilla extract

1 tbsp. pure maple syrup

shortbread

1/3 c. chopped dates, tightly packed

3/4 c. oats

2 tbsp. pure maple syrup

chocolate coating

1/3 c. melted coconu oil

3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tbsp. pure maple syrup

1/3 c. raw almonds {or peanuts}

Prepare the date caramel: In a kettle or sauce pan, bring water to a boil {enough to submerge the dates.} Place dates in a small bowl and submerge in water, soaking for 5-10 minutes until soft. Once softened, drain the dates preserving the date water. Add dates to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Depending on the strength of your processor, you may need to add some of the reserved water to get things moving. 

Prepare the shortbread: Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and pulse until combined. Press into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Top with date caramel, spreading evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle with raw almonds. Place in freezer for 6+ hours or overnight. 

Slice into 14 squares. And place back in the freezer while you prepare the chocolate coating by whisking all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth, letting sit for a few minutes and allowing to thicken slightly. Remove bars from freezer and dip in the chocolate individually, placing onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place back in freezer for 2+ hours or until set. Store in freezer. 

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. 

honey wholewheat cranberry nut bread

Happy 2014, wonderful humans! Can you believe 2013 has come and gone? My brain just can't wrap itself around that fact. 2013 was quite the year for me. It was our first full year in Africa, I had some really tough times with friends, I learned a LOT about myself and about other people {they suck. not all of them though.}, I discovered my deep passion for health and fitness, learned a lot about health, fitness, food, and photography, grew much closer to my wonky-tonk family, and expanded my blog considerably. I've had many, many lessons that I know will get me places in 2014. I'm so ready for a fresh new start and to leave the past behind me. Come at me, 2014! Also, thank you to all you lovely people who read my blog each and every witty and weird post. I heart you big time and I hope this new year is full of rainbows and butterflies. 

I'm not really one to make resolutions. Probably because I have a little trouble with keeping them, but I think that's all the more reason to make a few this year, however small they may be. 1) step out of my comfort zone more often and do things I normally wouldn't. 2) DO MORE FOR OTHERS. 3) run longer distances. 4) experiment more with baking vegan/GF. 5) finish 10th grade early. and 6) dedicate more time to my blog and all you lovely people. 

What are some of your resolutions? The most common is probably "eating better, ya da ya da ya da." AMIRIGHT? It's supposed that people lose motivation and are already slacking in their resolutions by the second week of January. So instead of going from the holidays and stuffing yourself to drinking 5 juices a day, I'd like to suggest easing into healthy eating. You're so much more likely to stick with it then! As we all know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And sadly, eating cookies or cake isn't the best way to rev up your metabolism first thing in the morning. I have a solution! MAKE THIS QUICK BREAD. It's super quick and easy, has only a few really basic ingredients, is healthy, and highly adaptable! For this one I used chopped nuts and cranberries, but you could chop up different nuts, use different dried fruit, and throw in some seeds for good measure. The world is at your fingertips. 

honey wholewheat cranberry nut bread

2 1/2 c. wholewheat flour

1 c. quick cooking oats

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. honey

1 2/3 c. milk {I used soy}

3/4 c. chopped nuts

3/4 c. dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease a loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk flour, oats, and baking soda. Add honey and milk and stir until combined. Gently fold in nuts and cranberries. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 35-45 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing.

chunky peanut butter oatmeal dark chocolate cookies

I've been feeling really crappy about my blog lately. I haven't been posting as much as I used to and my stats are nearly a third {A THIRRRRRRRRD!} of what they were at one point. It's kind of discouraging to see how much work I put into each post being rewarded with that. I've also been getting sick of people's comments on my healthy eating/exercising. I know that this is for me, not anyone else and it shouldn't matter what anyone else thinks. It doesn't. But it's disheartening to hear the things people say sometimes. When I told my mom about my blog stats deteriorating, she said "I think I know why." referring to my healthy recipes. If that's the case, c'est la vie. Because healthy eating is my passion and I want to share it with anyone and everyone, unless of course, they don't care about it. Then by all means, go on eating your crap-laden cookies and cakes and let me know how you feel a few years from now. 

We went on a little road trip for a few days and you better believe I was that weirdo chick wearing hippie pants and TOMS, walking around with bananas and homemade energy bites in her bag. I don't care what people think if I have salads for every meal while we're eating out. I don't care if they judge because I drink fresh green juice. I don't care if they think I'm a freak for losing my mind over the sale they had on super cute bowls. {"My oats will look SO cute in there." -my mind.} Or if they rip on my cookies being free of eggs, butter, sugar, and flour. Trust me, I'll hear no end from my brothers. "WHY DON'T YOU JUST MAKE NOOOOOORMAL COOKIES?!" "Because I don't want you to clog your arteries and eat yourself to your death. PLUS. Don't you want to live to be 230?" That's why. 

But no matter what the heck you do, someone will always judge you for some reason. Healthy eating and healthy living isn't about other people. It's about doing something for YOU. So do it and be done with what people think. Eat your salads and enjoy your vegan, soy-free, nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free cookies. Dance with jubilee when you find a really great sale on bowls or find huge bags of flax seeds for cheap. Celebrate with a chocolate protein shake when you survive leg day. Do good for your body and be happy. THE END. 

Ok, rant over. Time for cookies.

I'm experiencing with vegan baking. DISCLOSURE: I'm not going vegan. Mostly because my parents seem like they would excommunicate me to an island or something. But I just think it's fun to mess around in the kitchen and come up with recipes that are suitable to different dietary needs. And I like to see how much nutrition I can pack into a thing before it starts tasting like twigs and grass. These cookies don't taste like twigs and grass, I can very much assure you. They're really simple and CHUNKY. I love chunky cookies. Forget those little thin ones. I like something you can really sink your teeth into. TA DA. I present to you… Chunky peanut butter oatmeal dark chocolate cookies. Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, processed sugar-free, and 100% fantabulous. 

chunky peanut butter oatmeal dark chocolate cookies {vegan, DF, GF}

1 3/4 c. oat flour
1/3 c. rolled oats
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 tbsp. melted coconut oil
1/4 c. creamy peanut butter
3 tbsp. pure maple syrup
2 tbsp. dairy-free milk
1/4 c. dark chocolate chunks {I used 85%}

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large combine all ingredients and only about half of the chocolate chunks. Roll dough onto balls {it should make about 12} and press remaining chocolate chunks into the tops of the cookies, smushing down slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack before transferring to an airtight container.

wholewheat pumpkin spice yogurt bundt cake

Once upon a time, it occurred to me that I could easily make my own pumpkin puree. I've seen cubed pumpkin in the produce section since we got here, and was always whining that we didn't have canned pumpkin. Basically, pumpkin has been staring at me straight in the face and I've been without for the last two years because… Why? I don't know. Isn't that sad? Two years pumpkin-less and it could have been easily remedied like a looooong time ago. I'm a little slow. 

Since I had this marvelous pumpkin revelation, I threw a bunch of bags of pumpkin in the cart, boiled it, pureed it in the blender, and BOOM. Pumpkin puree in 20 minutes. I'm happy to have a tub of the stuff ALWAYS in the fridge for last minute situations. It's marvelous and I'd be lying if I said I didn't eat it out of a bowl, sprinkled with cinnamon and an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. Oh, you guys, just stopittttt. 

Now that I have pumpkin at my disposal, you better believe I shall pumpkify all the things. I hope you don't mind I'm only a couple months late to the party. We'll have pumpkin recipes up the wazoo through Christmas, I can very much assure you. YAY! (???) Kay, so this cake? It's amazing. I always ALWAYS want sweets in the morning with my coffee {it's hereditary.}, which explains all the breakfast recipes on the blog. Since I'm always craving sweetness, I like having cake, cookies, bars, brownies, whatever available. But I want them to be healthy enough to eat for breakfast and not feel like crud later, know what I'm saying? Yah, you do. 

This cake is super dense, and dare I say it, moist from the large amount of pumpkin puree and plain yogurt. It's not overly sweet, but perfectly spiced and glorious. AND Healthy enough for breakfast! REJOICE. Although it is fantastic for breakfast, I have to say… It's weird eating a pumpkin cake at 7 am in the morning whilst sweating your buns off. It's kinda not right. Like when you're at the gym and about to lose your marbles with excitement because you think you hear rain banging against the roof. And then your friend is like "No, that's just sand." Africa lyfeeeeee. OOOH well, at least I have this cake. 

wholewheat pumpkin spice yogurt bundt cake 

2 c. pureed pumpkin

3/4 c. plain yogurt

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. dark brown sugar

1/4 c. pure maple syrup

3/4 c. quick cooking oats

1 1/2 c. wholewheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. mixed spice

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Butter and flour a bundt pan and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients until smooth. Add in dry ingredients and mix until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely before flipping out onto a plate.