Pumpkin Pandemonium

Yes. I realize that title was a stretch. But just work with me here.

Since fall is in full swing (at least with this 65 degree weather it feels like it is!) I thought I'd do a quick pumpkin recipe round-up for all who are itching to get that pumpkin smell through their house!

Here we go...

Pumpkin & Dark Chocolate Muffins

Pumpkin Graham Smoothie

Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Almonds

 

Pumpkin Waffles 

Pancake Muffins

Here is a fun recipe to try when you want that maple taste from pancakes but you need to eat on the run - try a maple pancake muffin! (original recipe found here)

Maple Pancake Muffins

1/2 cup wheat flour

1/2 cup white flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 T. sugar

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 egg

2 T. maple syrup

2 T. butter

chocolate chips

Mix together the dry ingredients in one bowl (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar). In a separate bowl whip together the milk, eggs, butter and maple syrup. Gently combine and spoon into a sprayed mini muffin tin. Top with a few chocolate chips and bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes. Let cool and enjoy your pancake in muffin form!

(about 60 calories per muffin)

All Day Long

Last week I started a summer internship for KSL, working with the HR department to create a wellness program for the employees. I already love it and am so excited for what the summer will bring!

With that internship, though, comes sitting at a desk from 9 to 5. This is my first time ever doing a desk job like that for a full day. So based off my large amount of experience (ha) I thought I'd share some things that we should ALL be doing ALL DAY LONG, whether you have a desk job or a busier day.

1. Drink Water: I take a water bottle with me to work and make a goal to drink it all the way once before lunch and once before I leave to go home. There are so many benefits to drinking water, and having a water bottle at my desk makes it easy.

2. Move: Every hour or so I make sure I take a break. Sometimes that means simply standing up and stretching, or other times I go walk a couple flights of stairs to get my body moving. It is good for your body and your mind!

 

3. Eat: You've heard me talk about eating small meals throughout the day and never skipping breakfast. Lots of people skip meals and end up eating their largest meal at night. Even if you aren't going over your calorie limit for the day from that late night meal, you're cheating yourself of extra burn during the day. Without fuel, your metabolism will slow down to the slowest it can go. So when you eat breakfast on the run, skip lunch and then get home and eat a big meal...you just revved up your metabolism for a few short hours before bed. Think about how much more you could be burning if you kept your metabolism up all day. So eat a good breakfast, eat small snacks through the day, and come home to a normal sized dinner of lean protein and vegetables. 

 

4. Smile & Laugh: Enjoy what you do, or find things that you can enjoy even if you're not the happiest in your current situation. Life is too short to not smile and laugh your way through it. 

~What do you do every day that helps you live a healthier life?

 

Liquid Diet: Part 1

Am I on one? Nope. (even though I just had jaw bone surgery #2 in a week yesterday…)

Do I recommend them? No way.

But are these drinks & smoothies still delicious? Yep!

Between my juicer and my mom’s new Nija blender, we have been hard at work this week. Or I guess the machines have been! It all started when my sister brought over a bag full of oranges from her co-op. She wanted some fresh OJ to take home to her husband.

Out of 14 oranges we filled this mason jar and were also able to fill a few cups for ourselves to try out. Look at that color! Hello orange julius! But with straight up oranges.

I heard my brother in law chugged the whole thing when my sister got home. And was then on a vitamin-C high the rest of the night. Yes, it can happen. It sure tasted good!

Next up was another variety of an Orange Julius. Nothing is better than oranges at Christmas time, right?

For this, all you need is some milk, 2 or 3 oranges, half a banana, and some ice cubes.

Pop those ingredients in your blender, and blend until smooth. So easy. So delicious.

(please ignore my brother’s foot so delicately placed by the blender on the counter…)

He was a fan!

More juice and smoothies comin’ at ya on Friday!

Why I Eat the Whole Thing

Eggs.
 


Sometimes they are given a hard time. Ya know, too much fat, high in cholesterol, salmonella…okay, that one is pretty bad. But you get the point.

However, I am here to tell you that on average, I eat 6 whole eggs a week. The whole.dang.thing. And I love them.

Why? Well check this out!

• 5.5 grams of protein per 68 calories (not that I worry about calories too much, but that is a mighty fine source of protein right there!)
• they are a good source of choline, which acts as a bile in our bodies to help move the fat in and out of cells and get out of our body (convenient for a girl who doesn’t have a gallbladder…therefore doesn’t have a good supply of bile!)
• more than 90% of American's are deficient in choline, which also acts as an anti inflammatory
• the good fat in eggs helps with brain function – we could all use a little of that!
• the old fear that it raises cholesterol? No more. After a 25 year study, investigators in this study found was that saturated fat in the diet, not dietary cholesterol, is what influences blood cholesterol levels the most. Eating an egg or two a day can actually help you!
• Due to certain proteins in the egg yolk, eating eggs may help lower risk of a heart attack or stroke by helping to prevent blood clots.
• packed with vitamins and minerals
• …delicious…

And in the end, this of this: their eggs-quisite nutritional value should not be surprising when you remember that an egg contains everything needed for the nourishment of a developing chick.

I had never thought of that, but it is true!

Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

~What’s your favorite way to eat eggs?
**I love them hard boiled. But I also often make them scrambled with tons of veggies! Yum!

~What are 5 things you’d like the Easter bunny to bring you? 
**All I want are some sunny days!

I Like to Oat...Oat...Oat

Do you remember that song? Pretty sure it can go on forever...but it always made kids laugh!

This week, my challenge was brought to you by some fond memories of Valentines Days in the past. Since I was a little girl, my mom has always brought her kids breakfast in bed on Valentines Day, along with a cute note telling us how much she loved us. I had no idea how lucky I was until one day at school I was talking about it, assuming every mother did that, and my friends all freaked out saying they wished their mom's did that! Yes, I would wish that too if I were them :)

 

So besides that fact that my mom ROCKS, this week's challenge has a little something to do with breakfast and sharing the love :) I don't want to just challenge you to eat breakfast, although that is a very worthy goal if you don't eat it every day already. This week, I challenge you to...

eat oatmeal for breakfast at least twice!

Of course, I mean the real stuff too :) Why twice, you ask? Well, first off because it is a very good breakfast option. It has good fiber and carbs that will keep you full. Also, because there are SO many ways to eat oatmeal that if you try one way and don't like it, you should try another! There are recipes all over online with hundreds of ways to make your oatmeal to your liking. 

 sliced banana, oats, cinnamon

 yogurt, almond butter, oats

When I make my oatmeal, pretty much every morning, I take the following steps:

1. I take about 1/2 c. dry, old fashioned oats and put them in a bowl

2. I cover the oats with water so it is barely above them, and pop the bowl in the microwave for a minute

3. When it comes out, I put in a big spoonful of yogurt, followed by a spoonful of natural almond butter

4. I mix it up

5. DEVOUR IT!

It truly is delicious. Another combination I enjoy is sliced bananas and yogurt or sliced bananas and cinnamon. There are lots of different combos that work! You can even play with adding the fruit you choose (bananas, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, apples) in with the dry oats when you microwave it. I do that frequently with the bananas to make them softer and mix better.

Some other toppings to try: nuts, honey, cinnamon, peanut butter, make it with milk instead of water (adds creaminess!), jam, coconut, raisins, canned pumpkin, cottage cheese, cocoa...the possibilities are endless!

Have fun!

~Do you have any good oatmeal ideas? What's your favorite?