Pumpkin Spice Quinoa Brownies

For when you want brownies and it’s the middle of fall. I added pumpkin and cinnamon to these brownies because I didn’t have applesauce, and  it felt like a no brainer because applesauce and pumpkin puree have a similar consistency. Plus, pumpkin has a sweet flavor and is loaded with fiber and nutrients.

Enjoy these soft, extra chocolatey brownies.

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I’ve been dipping my way through the month with my new snack recipe, Pumpkin Butter Dip!

During the fall months I usually stock up on different varieties of apples, and whenever I am snacking on an apple, I usually dip it in a nut butter. 

This recipe was created on a pancake Sunday, I thought it would be fun to swirl pumpkin puree and almond butter into the pancakes. And, since I had an open can of pumpkin puree, I decided to mix a dollop of that with my usual almond butter and this recipe was born

The taste of fall–Pumpkin Spice

What is pumpkin spice?

Pumpkin pie spice mix is traditionally made with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, although many homemade recipes (including the recipe below) include ginger and allspice, too. While many people associate beloved pumpkin pie recipes with Thanksgiving meals, Scientific American reports that pumpkin pie probably wasn’t served during Colonial times: “While we believe that American colonists were eating pumpkins simply because it would have been a prolific food source, their ovens would not have been capable of creating modern crusts as we know them.” Pumpkin spice’s modern rise to fame began in the 1950s, when McCormick first sold a blend on supermarket shelves. Since then, home cooks and popular brands alike have discovered myriad ways to make the most of these flavors, from cult-favorite lattes to family-secret pumpkin spice cookie recipes.

Want more Pumpkin Spice recipes to keep you inspired through the fall season?

Click here to browse 9 awesome pumpkin spice recipes to make this fall, courtesy of Thrive Market. 

 Thrive Market, 9 Pumpkin Spice Recipes to Make This Fall, September 29th, 2020, by Nicole Gulotta

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This week I was able to create another deliciously simple slow cooker recipe–Kung Pao Brocoli and Chickpeas.

This recipe was super simple to put together and with the addition of brocoli and cabbage it’s more of a well rounded plant based meal.

I got the inspiration from one of the recipes that I shared in my Facebook group for Crock-tober. I’ll be sharing more this week and through the end of October. Join us and get ready to make some amazing dishes in your slow cooker.

Crock-tober is in full swing!

And to start, I have this delicious Mexican Style Soup recipe. Think of it as, Chicken Tortilla Soup meets Vegetables.

This recipe was made entirely in the crock pot with the exception of browning the chicken and sautéing the vegetables at the beginning. But, you’ll only need one pan!

I’ll be posting a soup or crockpot recipe every week in my Facebook group, and you’ll get some great meal ideas for the coming colder months. If you want to join me in my Free Facebook Group for Crock-tober click here to join or reply to this post with the word, ME!

After Crock-tober, we’ll keep rolling with some fun happenings in November and December, so I hope you’re excited as I am. I hope to see you in the group.

Happy Fall! 🍂

It feels as if fall snuck up on me while I was busy getting moved into our new house in Washington, last week. I’m working on getting my space settled and organized as I write this! 😊

I want to get it done as quickly as possible, but that’s not realistic. The space we’re in is so unlike our last place, so furniture is being used where it wasn’t being used before. Luckily, I enjoy the process of creating a welcoming and comfortable space. When it all comes together, I’ll share a photo or two. 👍🏼

This week I’m sharing something fun to kick off the fall season with–it’s time for Crocktober!

Crock-tober will get us into the holiday mood by getting us excited to dive into into some fun and delicious recipes using our crock pots and soup posts. It’s all going down in my Facebook Group this month.

I’ll be posting a soup or crockpot recipe every week, and you’ll get some great meal ideas for the coming colder months. If you want to join me in my Free Facebook Group for Crock-tober click here to join or reply to this post with the word, ME!

After Crock-tober, we’ll keep rolling with some fun happenings in November and December, so I hope you’re excited as I am. I hope to see you in the group for the start of Crock-tober! 🍂

Lately, you may have found yourself reaching for sweet or salty foods, whether it’s for a quick burst of energy between Zoom meetings or to feel a sense of comfort at the end of a long day.

After all, sugar is the fastest and easiest source of energy! Too much of it can result in imbalances in our blood sugar. In fact, excess sugar can lead to an increase in disease-causing bacteria and in turn give rise to inflammation, mood swings, stress response triggers, and more

Here are five steps you can take to reduce sugar cravings and balance your blood sugar:

1. Eat protein and vegetables before consuming simple carbs. Doing so will fuel your body with nutrient-dense and fiber-packed foods and prevent overeating sugar.

2. Incorporate metabolism-boosting spices, like cayenne, cinnamon, turmeric, and cardamom, to help the body burn sugar faster and promote a healthy gut lining. Plus, these spices are perfect for fall!

3. Weed out simple sugars and artificial sweeteners by opting for complex carbohydrates like beets, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash, which are naturally sweet and in season.

4. Get a good night’s sleep. As you might have noticed, less and poor-quality sleep can make you feel hungrier than usual and increase your cravings for processed foods and refined sugar.

5. Vary your workouts with strength or resistance training exercises. While breaking a sweat is helpful all around, exercises that focus on building strength can help lower blood sugar by storing blood glucose in your muscles.

Remember, you don’t have to make theses changes all at once. Pick one from the list that seems do-able for you and give it a try for a day.

If you still want help with any of the tips mentioned and want a real game plan with how to move forward with your new habits, I’m available for a chat!

Click here to see if our schedules can colide.