Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (5 Ingredients!)

I was desperately craving pumpkin anything anything delicious and mouth watering but…. I was out of sugar and most cookies call for at least 1 1/2 cups sugar :/ bummer. Then I thought I saw on Pinterest that you could mix a can of pumpkin with a spice cake mix. Bingo! Problem solved. FALSE, no spice cake mix here. I did have a yellow box mix so I thought what the heck I’ll improvise. And poof these muffins magically appeared and then disappeared as soon as Mr. Smith came home.  Success this time really was in a ‘can’…. of pumpkin that is!

xoxo

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

1 Yellow Box Cake Mix

1 Can Pumpkin

1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 Egg

1/4 Cup Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips

Directions

Mix together first 4 ingredients then stir in chocolate chips.  Spoon 3/4 full in mini muffin pans and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Serve warm or cool; with or without cream cheese frosting.

*Makes 48 mini muffins at approximately 47 calories per muffin // without frosting.

>>Clean & Healthy Banana Bread

I have been looking for some yummy sweet substitutes during for Lent this year since I have been trying to eat no desserts. Less than 1 week left and I think I did pretty good! I use to have to have a bowl of ice cream or a cookie ever night after supper but now I barely crave sugar :) I am definitely ready for birthday cake this weekend but I hope to keep up my healthy habits!

Here is one of my new favorite ‘clean eating’ recipes, I love it because there is no processed sugar or oil! I originally found this recipe here! I think it turned out delicious! The bread is super moist and pretty dense, and Cam likes to eat it cold for breakfast and I heat mine up for 15 seconds in the microwave.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Flour (or use Whole Wheat Flour)

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 Cup Sugar Free Applesauce

3/4 Cup Honey

2 Eggs

3 Bananas

(you could add in walnuts or dark chocolate chips if you are looking for some extra flavor!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9×5 loaf pan.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  In a smaller bowl, mix applesauce and honey. Stir in beaten eggs and mashed bananas.

Stir banana mix into flour mixture and then pour batter into pan.

Bake for 60-65 minutes and cool on wire rack.

>>Waffle Love {A Conference Tradition}

One of my favorite times of the year is General Conference weekend.  If you don’t know, I am a Mormon and twice a year our church gathers from around the world through TV, Computer Broadcast, Radio, Satellite, or in person in SLC to listen to modern revelation to be uplifted and spiritual filled with words from our modern day prophet. Conference is a special tradition in my family and Cameron and I try to make it extra special with having friends over to watch and making yummy treats of course! Hope you enjoy!

Homemade Belgium Waffles (with Healthier Substitutes)

Ingredients:

2 Eggs (or just Egg Whites)

2 Cups White Flour (or Whole Wheat Flour)

1 3/4 Cups 1% Milk (or Almond Milk)

1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil (or Apple Sauce)

1 Tbsp. Sugar (or Splenda)

4 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

*extra add ins:  1/2 tsp. Cinnamon and/or 1 tsp. Brown Sugar

Directions:

Preheat waffle iron and beat eggs and set aside. Mix flour, milk, oil/applesauce, sugar, baking powder, salt and vanilla till smooth.  Fold in eggs last. Coat your waffle iron with non stick spray and spoon on batter cooking till golden brown.

Serve with syrup, nutella, or for a healthier option top with fresh fruit  or homemade jam dusted with powdered sugar!

>>Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Diced Garlic Cloves (I use pre minced garlic)

1 Can Diced Tomatoes

16 oz Vegetable Broth

1 Package Bertolli Spinach Cheese Tortellini

2 Heaping Handfuls Fresh Baby Spinach

Dried Oregano (to taste)

Directions:

Heat oil and garlic till a simmer in medium/large sauce pan. Add in tomatoes, broth, and oregano; bring to a boil.  Add in Tortellini and cook 9 minutes on medium.  Add in Spinach last minute of cooking and serve with warm garlic bread.

This meal takes less than 15 minutes to prepare and cook and warms my heart and soul. Seriously, it has been my go to meal just about once a week the past 2 months and I’m still not tired of it! Give it a try! I found my inspiration HERE, but altered my recipe to my liking.

xoxo

>>Happy Halloween Forrest Gump

HAPPY HALLOWEEN Y’ALL!

We love Halloween round here! Fall is in the air, pumpkin spice smell… well pumpkin everything really, candy, dressing up, cooler weather, hiking. AHH I am so freakin excited!  We went as Russell & Mr. Fredricksen from ‘UP’ for our ward Trunk or Treat.  Then Saturday we headed to party with our dental school friends as Forrest Gump & Lieutenant Dan.  Here are some of my favorites from this October!

>>Copycat Swig Sugar Cookies

Two weeks ago, my new friend Denise introduced me to probably the best sugar cookie I have ever had… in my life.  AND if you know me, I love cookies and probably have eaten my fair share of sugared ones, so I am what one would call… an expert in sugar cookie tasting ;)

Denise told me that these cookies are a knockoff of a restaurant in St. George, Utah called Swig. How in the world has no one introduced me to this? Of course I learn about this little slice of heaven after I have moved out of Utah…

Anyways, she used a knockoff recipe from HERE and so of course I went home and made 2 dozen of my own. All I am saying is that this chick made some fine cookies. 

For copyright purposes, I am just going to direct you to HER BLOG for the recipe but please please go check them out! 

Much love & many calories!

x o x o

>>Freedom Cupcakes

Happy 4th of July everyone! Today, I woke up in the mood for cupcakes and since we had a wonderful holiday to celebrate our freedom and country, I thought there is nothing better than some festive Freedom Cupcakes.

I also tried my hand at cupcakes in a jar and it turned out great! So easy to make and a great gift for anyone!

We had some friends over for brunch to celebrate with blueberry pancakes and had such a great day with them! I hope everyone had a great holiday and took some time to enjoy our country and the freedom that we have!

Cupcakes in a Jar:

Take your favorite white cake box or made from scratch mix and evenly separate it out into three bowls.

Dye one bowl red, one blue, leave one white.

Bake your cupcakes and after they are cooled,  cut in half.

Layer the cake in the jar in the order you wish adding frosting in between layers.

Top with frosting and sprinkles!

>>Southern Fried Beignets

 The other day I was missing my southern food BIG time. I can’t find anything like it out here in the desert. I have been trying to eat healthy but my body wanted deep fried yummy sugary coated goodness so I made these puppies! Cameron’s life (and probably cholesterol) was changed for ever.  He devoured the whole plate.

Put some SOUTH in your mouth!

1. Cover small skillet with 1/2 inch of oil.  We used canola.

2.You will know it is hot enough if you take you take and flick a little bit of water into the oil and here it sizzle.

3. Form small beignets using Pillsbury crescent roll dough and cut in small triangles.

4. Place dough in oil until lightly brown and then flip. This should only take 30 seconds or so.

5. Carefully remove and set on plate with a paper towel to absorb the oil.

6. Coat with your favorite topping like powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar!

>>Clean Eating: Apple Pie Oatmeal

Working on eating clean and healthy whole foods is so hard when all I want is to make a tub full of nutella fudge filled with processed sugar.

So I made this for breakfast.  I love eating oatmeal but sometimes we need to spice it up a little.

Apple Pie Oatmeal

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 cups water

1 cup oatmeal

1 small apple chopped

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 tablespoons honey

Directions:

Bring water to a boil and add in 3/4 apple, honey, and spices.

Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Top with last 1/4 of  apple and serve warm.

>>Homemade Salsa & Costa Vida Burritos

We have been craving that yummy Costa Vida that we seem to only be able to get in Utah (not really but we don’t have one close to us) and so we decided to make our own with a twist! Moving forward with some vegetarian meals of the week we tried a Costa Vida inspired meal that we made two nights in a row because it was just THAT GOOD! Try it!

Burritos

Ingredients

Uncooked flour tortillas (we think they taste better than the ones on the bread isle) *You can find these in the refrigerated section by the cheese.

Black Beans (you could use canned or cook them ahead of time but it takes a while so prepare accordingly)

*Lime Rice (see below)

*KT’s Salsa (see below)

Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

KT’s Salsa

Ingredients

1 Green Bell Pepper

3 Roma Tomatoes

1 Jalapeno Pepper

1/2 Onion

FreshParsley

S&P to taste

1 Pinch of Sugar

Directions

We mixed everything up in our chopper detachment on our Ninja blender, I didn’t even have to chop anything!  Just a few good pulses and it was salsa ready!

Lime Rice

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Butter

1/3 Onion Diced

1/4 Cup Celery Diced

1 Tbsp Lime Juice

2 Cups Chicken Broth (you could also just use water)

1 Cup Rice

1/3 Bunch Cilantro Chopped

Directions

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil.  Add in rice, turn to low and cook till light and fluffy.  Stir in cilantro.

xoxo