Scrumptious Sunday....HEALTHY -tastes like pumpkin pie- muffins!

It's been FOREVER since I've posted a yummy recipe, mostly do to the fact that we lived in a hotel for 70+ days this summer and I didn't have a kitchen, but now that I have a kitchen again, I've started cooking AND am using all of our new kitchen gadgets we got for our wedding!
 
Yesterday, I made these super delish, HEALTHY, taste like pumpkin pie muffins. They have no refined sugars in them and use all natural and organic ingredients. I wish I could say all of my creations were that healthy! Ha!

 

I found this recipe on Tenley Molzahn's Sweet and Free page. Tenley was a former Bachelor contestant and lives a gluten-free lifestyle. While I don't do gluten-free, I do try to watch my sugars and refined carbs as much as possible. I'll admit, I was a little hesitant to make these as I thought they might be a tad gross, but they weren't- they seriously taste like pumpkin pie-hence the reason I'm sharing the recipe!

 

 

Here's what you need:

 

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup almond meal

2 eggs

1/4 cup organic applesauce

1/4 cup organic honey

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 Tbls. Chia seeds (I had no clue what these were until reading her blog. They are super good for you and don't change the flavor. I got mine at Trader Joe's for about $5 a bag.

 

I put everything in the Kitchen-Aid and mixed it for 15-20 seconds until it looked like it was mixed well.

 

It was my first time using the new mixer and I am in L-O-V-E! It mixes SO much better than my $10 Wal-Mart hand mixer! Ha!

 

I knew they wouldn't rise much, so I filled about 8 muffin cups pretty full-I sprayed mine with Pam spray and they came out just fine.

 

 

The batter was so yummy that even Gonzaga couldn't get enough! Ha!

 

Don't worry, the bowl went through the dishwasher to kill any dog germs :)
 

 

The muffins baked on 350 for about 30 minutes and then they were ready to eat! I ate one right away-it was just like warm, pumpkin, pie!

 

 

I figured the calories to run about 150 per muffin, but remember, it's all good calories and much better than all of the sugary pumpkin muffins you could make :)

 

 

Happy Muffin Making,

 

Ash

 

 

 

 

 

Easy Burlap Wrap Wreath

I've been on Fall Break all week.....it's been glorious!!! Since M and I teach in different school districts, we only had one day off at the same time (he only had 2 school days off, one being tomorrow), so we didn't go anywhere. After our CRAZY summer, it was actually really nice to stay home and work on the house. Our back splash goes in this week along with any final painting and then the house will be FINISHED!!! Praise. The. Lord.

Earlier in the week, I posted a picture of an easy to do burlap wrap wreath on the Blog's Facebook Page. It was seriously SO easy and it only took me 15 minutes to complete the whole thing- Best of all: It required no scissors, paint, wire or glue. I am 100% about simplicity in my life. I like things that are fabulous, but fabulous AND easy to create :)

Here's the how to:

Supplies:
grapevine wreath
wooden letter- I chose a pre-painted one from Michael's.
2 yards of burlap, cut into roughly 12 inches width
spool of wide, wire-rimmed ribbon



I used an old wreath and removed the flowers that you see lying beside it

Assembly:
Take the burlap and begin wrapping it around the wreath, tucking the first part inside the grapevine to secure it.

 

 

Continue wrapping at around the wreath until you have come full circle. Once, you've come full circle, tuck the excess into more of the grapevine. 2 yards was enough to do this so no cutting was needed, however if you have excess, just trim it away.

 

Then, take a spool of wire-rimmed ribbon and wrap it around the wreath-again, securing into the grapevine.

 

Lastly, take the pre-painted letter and use some of the excess string from the burlap to secure it to the wreath.

 

That's it! So simple and since there's no glue, you can re-do the wreath to make it work for other holidays as well!

 

 

 


Happy Wreath Making

Ash

Diaper Wreath....How To

I'm working on creating a super easy and adorable craft for a baby shower tea I'm co-hostessing on Sunday! I guest posted this on a blog back in the spring and wanted to share it again in case any of you are like me and have friends and family popping out babies everywhere!!! I LOVE it- it's totally giving M and I our baby feel and making us want a little bambino SOON-but not too soon! We need to be fully moved back in our house first- Ha!



Anyway, Happy Wreath Making!!!!

Here's the link to the post: Diaper Wreath How To



Ash