what's for breakfast this morning {clean-eating pumpkin spice granola}.

i love eating healthy... but i especially love when eating healthy tastes good.  kinda important in my book.  i don't think you should have to sacrifice deliciousness just to take better care of your body.  i posted my homemade clean-eating granola recipe a while back, but here is a fall-inspired variation.

yep, that's right.  pumpkin spice granola, for all you pumpkin-lovers out there.  this recipe isn't super sweet like traditional granola, but that's partly what makes it healthy; it's not loaded with sugar.  i use some canned pumpkin, pumpkin spice for the fall-ish punch, and maple syrup for the sweetness.

it's really yummy, and it makes your house smell like pure awesomeness.

bonus.

clean-eating pumpkin spice granola

* 3 c. old fashioned oats
* 1/2 c. raw almonds, chopped
* 1/2 c. raw walnuts, chopped
* 1/4 c. pumpkin seeds
* 1/4 c. ground flaxseed
* 1/2 c. pumpkin puree
* 1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce
* 1/4 c. maple syrup
* 1 T. (less if you want) pumpkin pie spice
* 1 t. vanilla

- combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.  whisk together wet ingredients and combine.
- pour evenly onto a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes, stirring every so often with a spatula so it won't burn.

voila.  it's like healthified pumpkin pie in a bowl.
you're welcome.

what's for breakfast {whole spelt pumpkin muffins}.

before i swapped out my pantry and started on this clean eating endeavor, i researched different recipes for hours.  i'll have to do a post soon on why i gave most processed foods the heave-ho (okay, we don't do as well as i'd like to on the weekends... but still...) and why i make everything from bread to granola to crackers from scratch.  for now, i'll stick to the post on these muffins.  so, i have a few staples in our house at all times, and one of them is organic whole spelt flour.

spelt is a much finer flour than whole wheat, so it's a great substitute for baking!  baked goods don't come out as dense and heavy.  when i saw this recipe on one of my new favorite websites, 100 days of real food, i knew i had to try it.  a good recipe for clean eating pumpkin muffins was one of my must-finds for the fall.

and these are goooooood.  

they have no sugar, which is amazing, and they bake up nice and fluffy.  they're a must try... clean eating or not!  

one day bella had three.  don't judge me.

whole spelt pumpkin muffins

* 1 1/2 c. whole spelt flour

* 1 T. pumpkin pie spice

* 1 t. baking soda

* 1/4 t. baking powder

* 1/2 t. salt

* 2 eggs

* 1/2 c. honey

* 1/3 c. butter, melted

* 1 c. pumpkin puree

- mix together dry ingredients.  make a well in the center of the mixture and add eggs, honey and butter.  combine.

- gently fold in pumpkin puree, being careful not to overmix.  pour batter into greased muffin pan and bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.

i just made one batch this time, but soon i plan on doubling this recipe so i can freeze half of them for us to eat on busy mornings.  seriously, these are so good and good for you!  

light a fall-ish candle, pour yourself a hot cup of coffee and enjoy one warm from the oven (if you have kids, preferably while they're napping).  

happy baking!

what's for breakfast this morning {homemade pumpkin spice coffee creamer}.

it's a chilly(er) day here in maine.  it's september and there's football on our television.

hey, fall.  welcome back.

i'm a huge fan of all things pumpkin but one of my all time favs?  pumpkin spice coffee.  i've had two already and it's not even "officially" fall.

i should also mention that i have been motivated to get our family eating more cleanly.  no white flour, very little to no white sugar (sorry, this recipe has a couple tablespoons!) and lots of fruits, veggies, lean protein and good grains.  i've been researching different recipes for a couple weeks now and today a clean-baking extravaganza took place in my kitchen.  this pumpkin spice creamer made it smell like heaven... in the fall.

seriously... this will be what gets me out of bed in the morning.  here's the recipe:

homemade pumpkin spice coffee creamer

* 1 c. half&half (i used fat free, but you can use whatever you prefer)
* 1/2 c. pureed pumpkin
* 2 T. sugar
* 1 T. vanilla
* 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice
* 1/2 t. cinnamon

- in a small saucepan, whisk half&half, pumpkin and sugar over low heat until warmed.
- remove from heat and add vanilla and spices.  cool, pour into a mason jar and store in the fridge.

how easy is that?  and once you have the ingredients on hand, you'll have enough to make this a few times.  i'm all for that.  next time, i'll be doubling the recipe.

so get in the fall spirit and whip up some of this yummy pumpkin goodness.  your coffee mug will thank you (and i'm pretty sure you'll thank yourself).

{original recipe source}

what's for dinner tonight {pumpkin dinner rolls}.

i have always wanted to make my own bread. like, on a weekly basis. to be able to make my family sandwiches and toast with fresh bread. to have the smell of bread baking wafting through our home. to break from a busy day to taste my handiwork topped with melted butter with a cup of hot tea... ohhhhh yes. sounds heavenly doesn't it?

although nothing on a regular basis, i've made a couple loaves of bread before bella was born, but when i saw this recipe on a blog i follow, i knew i had to make my first attempt at dinner rolls.

{source}

and boy, am i glad i did.

pumpkin dinner rolls may sound like a strange concept to some of you, but if you're anything like me they sound like little gems from heaven. i love pumpkin. and i love fresh bread. so really, to me they are the perfect idea. these little rolls are so moist and tasty that i could sit and eat half of a pan in one day (but don't worry, i haven't). even bella loved them... i couldn't give her halves of the rolls fast enough last night at dinner; i think in total she ate two which is a pretty big amount for our peanut-of-an-eighteen-month-old!

these are the perfect accompaniment to soups and stews for the fall or winter, or a delicious side to your holiday dinners. and i certainly enjoyed them as a while-bella-is-napping-snack :)

here's the recipe:

pumpkin dinner rolls

* 3/4 c. milk (i used skim and these still tasted delish!)
* 1/3 c. brown sugar
* 5 T. butter, divided
* 1 t. salt
* 2 pkgs active dry yeast (1/4 oz each)
* 1/2 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
* 2 to 2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
* 1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
* 1/2 c. canned pumpkin
* 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice

- in a small saucepan, heat milk, 4 T. butter, brown sugar and salt to 110-115 degrees (i used a candy thermometer to measure temperature). set aside.
- in a large bowl, dissolve yeast in your warm water. stir in milk mixture, followed by 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. beat until smooth.
- stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
- turn onto floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes. pour a small amount of olive oil in the bottom of a large bowl and coat. place dough in bowl, turning over once to coat. cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until doubled in size.
- punch dough down. divide into 20 pieces, shape into balls. place in a greased 9x13 pan, cover and allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until doubled.
- melt remaining butter and brush over dough. bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

serve warm with butter and bask in the satisfaction of making your own bread... and just how delicious it is :)

what's for breakfast this morning {pumpkin pancakes}.

one word: YUM.

i pretty much love anything pumpkin, so when i got this recipe for pumpkin pancakes from a friend (who found it on http://www.allrecipes.com/... if you have trouble thinking of things to cook, this website is your new bff) i HAD to try them.

if you haven't already noticed from former recipe posts, i am a fan of cooking for the season. this is especially cozy in the fall/winter months; and especially fun during the holidays. nick&i love making big breakfasts, so thanksgiving starts the trend of big seasonal breakfasts that we wouldn't usually eat on any other run-of-the-mill-saturday-morning. we make bacon, egg and cheese biscuits, cinnamon rolls, waffles... and last saturday morning: pumpkin pancakes.

pumpkin pancakes

* 1 1/2 c. of milk
* 1 c. pumpkin puree
* 1 egg
* 2 T. vegetable oil
* 2 T. vinegar
* 2 c. flour
* 3 T. brown sugar
* 2 t. baking powder
* 1 t. baking soda
* 1 t. ground allspice
* 1 t. ground cinnamon
* 1/2 t. ground ginger
* 1/2 t. salt

- mix together milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar.
- in a separate bowl combine remaining ingredients. stir into pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
- heat a lightly oiled griddle or skillet over medium heat. pour approximately 1/4 c. batter onto griddle for each pancake. serve with warm maple syrup.

(i still had some pumpkin pie spice on hand from thanksgiving, so i used that in place of the allspice since i didn't have any.)

nick usually isn't a big fan of anything pumpkin but he LOVED these pancakes. they are fluffy and pumpkiny and are just melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

enjoy.