Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Pumpkin Spice Season has begun!!!!
While I'm not a fan of the lattes, I do enjoy the candles and I like to include pumpkin in my recipes. Ever since I discovered these easy oatmeal cookies, I've been experimenting with other flavors and combinations. It takes a little trial and error, but I finally perfected a Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie recipe.

Ingredients

1 can pumpkin
3 cups oatmeal
3 tbs Cinnamon
2 tbs vanilla
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
pinch of salt
1/4 cup Coconut Sugar (or brown sugar)
1/2-3/4 bag Diary Free Chocolate Chips (you can use regular chocolate chips)
1 cup dried cranberries (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F
Mix together all dry ingredients, except chocolate chips and cranberries, in a large mixing bowl.
Add the vanilla and pumpkin. Mix until evenly blended.
Add Chocolate Chips and Cranberries if you choose, mix well.
Spoon the "dough" onto a foiled and lightly greased cookie sheet to form the cookies. These cookies do not spread or rise, so however you shape them is how they will come out.
Bake for 8 mins.
Let cool and Enjoy!

*store in the refrigerator

These cookies are perfect for a snack on the go or re-heat in the microwave for a sweet treat after dinner. I like to portion them out in baggies for easy access.

Are you excited for fall? Do you like all things Pumpkin Spice?

Homemade (sorta Paleo) Chocolate Covered Fruit and Nut Clusters

When I tried (and failed) to follow the paleo diet, I came across the wonderful chocolate alternative that is almond bark. Nuts were a common snack that I liked, but I craved something sweet. Per the usual, I started experimenting in the kitchen. And BOOM, these tasty clusters were born!

What You Need:

Chocolate flavored Almond Bark
Nuts of choice
Dried fruits of choice
Sea Salt (or a salt grinder)

I'm not giving measurements for this, because it really just depends on how much you want to make. This recipe requires some eyeballing of portions and preferences of tastes.

Tools:

Large microwave safe bowl
Spoon
Aluminum foil

Prep:

On a flat surface lay out a length aluminum foil or you can cover a cookie sheet with foil. If you don't use a cookie sheet, you want to make sure that you won't need the space for anything else for at least an hour.

Steps:

Put several blocks of the almond bark in the bowl and microwave for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute if needed. You want the bark to be all melted. Once it is, you can pour in your nuts and dried fruits, then mix until they are well covered. 

Spoon small clusters onto the prepared foil space or cookie sheet and sprinkle sea salt on top. Leave them to harden for at least an hour.

You do need to store them in sealed container, but they don't need to be refrigerated.

And there you have it! Chocolate Covered (sorta paleo) Fruit and Nut Clusters!

These are perfect when you just need a little something to pacify your sweet tooth, and not totally undo all the hard work you've done eating healthy. And because they don't need refrigeration, you can slip a baggie of them in your purse for a snack on the go!

Have you ever cooked with almond bark before? How'd it go?

Easy 3 Ingredient Nut Butter Cookies

'Tis the season for spreading the love and cheer at holiday parties and family gatherings, meanwhile hoping that our waistlines don't spread too much in the process. Amiright? 

Well, I've had to get really creative in the kitchen when my doctor put me on the Paleo diet at the beginning of November. Let me tell you right now that the hardest part for me is giving up the sweets. I have found some healthier and paleo friendly options though, and that has helped pacify my sweet tooth while I adjust. Sometimes it's a complete overhaul on a usually simple recipe, but other times, it's just substituting a few ingredients. Pinterest has been lovely for doing this.

Over the weekend, I remembered a stupid easy recipe for peanut butter cookies I used to love growing up. Just three ingredients, with the option for adding a chocolate garnish of sorts. An easy alteration and BOOM! Paleo friendly nut butter cookies, just in time for Holiday Baking!

Ingredients

2 cups creamy Peanut Butter (Almond butter, or cashew butter for Paleo)

1 cup sugar (or coconut sugar for the paleo version)

1 egg 

Optional

Hershey Kisses (or Almond Bark for Paleo)

Tools

Large mixing bowl

Spoon

Cookie Sheet

Aluminum Foil

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the nut butter, sugar, and egg in your large bowl until even. It will be a drier dough that should not stick to your hands when you touch it, but will form a ball without falling apart. 

Roll the dough into small, bite-sized balls and place evenly on your foil lined cookie sheet(s).

Bake for 5 minutes. Take the cookies out and let them cool partially. Here's where you can get creative. You've got three options, and the first two are paleo friendly.

1. You can take the traditional peanut butter cookie route and do the criss cross with a fork. Then bake for another 5-8 minutes.

2. You can make a small divot in the center of the cookie with your thumb or a small measuring spoon. Bake for another 5-8 minutes and spoon melted almond bark into the divot of a partially cooled cookie.

3. You can flatten out your cookies ever so slightly and press a Hershey Kiss, or a large chocolate chip, into the center (flat side down) and bake for another 5-8 minutes.

The cookies pictured have melted almond bark on them. 

So easy right?
What is your favorite holiday cookie recipe? Have you ever had to alter one for a diet?

Healthy Peanut Butter Coco-Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Between school, blogging, working out, and housework I've been a busy bee lately. That means meal prepping is very important in keeping up with a healthy diet. These cookies have become one of my favorite go-to snacks, especially in between my classes. And today, I'm going to share my recipe with you.

Here's what you need:

2 cups Old Fashioned Oats

2 Ripe Bananas

1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter

2 tbs Unsweetened Coco Powder

1/2 cup Dried Cranberries

2 tsp Unsweetened Apple Sauce

1/2 tsp Vanilla

1/4 - 1/2 tsp Salt

Makes: about 20 cookies

Calories per cookie: about 74

Prep:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

I like to line my cookies sheets with aluminum foil because it cuts down on clean up time.

Very lightly grease your cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray.

Make the cookies:

Step 1: In a large microwave safe bowl, mash the bananas into a liquidy goop.

Step 2: Add the peanut butter and microwave for 45-60 seconds and stir until well mixed.

Step 3: Mix in the coco powder, cranberries, apple sauce vanilla, and salt next.

Step 4: Mix in the oatmeal about 1/2 cup at a time. The "dough" will be thick and drier than you think it should be. That's ok!! It's supposed to be. 

Step 5: Dish out heaping teaspoon sized portions onto your cookie sheet and shape them up so they actually look like cookies.

Step 6: Bake for 8 mins. 

Step 7: Let them cool before you eat them and burn your tongue like I did.

Please note that you will need to store these in the fridge if you don't plan on eating them all in the next day or two.

I like to portion out these puppies in baggies for an easy grab in the mornings before class and for busy study sessions.

What's your go-to healthy snack?

(not quite Chipolte) Burrito Bowls

The northern suburbs of Atlanta really had me spoiled food wise. I didn't realize just how much I'd be giving up when I moved to the middle of nowhere Missouri and how far I'd have to go to get what I want. Chick-fil-a is about a 20 min drive, and Chipolte is about a 30 min drive. AND THAT IS JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE! So, I learned how to make my own version of a Burrito Bowl at home.

A Make-Up-For-A-Cheat-Meal Smoothie

Linking up once again with Kay and Allie for Tough It Out Tuesday!

Saturday I had a cheat meal. Ugh! It was the first time I've ever gone over my allotted calorie plan for the day and I felt a little guilty. Just a little though, because that chicken burrito swimming in white queso was sooooo very delicious. Anywho. Sunday I felt like I needed to make up for this overindulgence and made us a smoothie for lunch.

Easy Breakfast, Because He Gets Up Earlier Than Me

Philip gets up at 4:00 am every day to get ready for work. Even when I was working I never got up that early. He actually likes working those hours, as it gives him more time at home when I'm awake, and during the summer, he's home with plenty of sunlight left to play in. And he's taking good care of me and the CCC (crazy cat crew).

I get to make him lunch and dinner, but he fends for himself in the mornings. He usually has cereal, pop tarts, or his gross version of oatmeal. I've gotten him to eat much better since moving here, and breakfast should be included in that. So I found a way to pre-make eggs so he can heat them up in biscuit with cheese to make a more satisfying morning meal.

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2: Spray a muffin tin with butter flavor cooking spray. You can use other flavors, but the butter is the best.

Step 3: Crack one egg in each cup. You can either leave it whole, or take a fork and scramble them in the cup.

Pro Tip: Save your egg shells to put down your garbage disposal. It helps to clean the blades and keep them sharp.

Step 4: Salt and Pepper to taste. Then sprinkle cheese on top.

Step 5: Bake for about 12-15 mins.

Step 6: Let cool and store in a container in the refrigerator.

Step 7: Your oven should still be on at 350 degrees.

Step 8: Bake your biscuits for the time indicated on your package. Or until golden brown.

Step 9: Let cool and store in a container or baggie. These can be stored at room temp or in the refrigerator.

In the mornings, he heats up the egg, places in the middle of the biscuit with a slice of cheese. Easy peasy.
You can also get microwaveable bacon and/or sausage to add to your breakfast sandwiches.