Pumpkin Spice Muffins Oh My...

If you like the nutty texture and flavor of almonds, the creaminess, moistness and fragrance of pumpkin and the savory richness of dark chocolate, then these clean eating Pumpkin Spice Muffins are your new best friend.  Taken from the recipes of the Dessert Angel these are sure to be a keeper in your Fall rotation.  But be careful!  You'll want to eat them all in one sitting.

Check out the site of The Dessert Angel for all sorts of clean eating treats!  She has cookies, pies, muffins and more!

The Dessert Angel uses all natural ingredients such as almond flour & coconut flour instead of processed white.  She uses dates, honey, bananas & molasses as natural sweeteners.   That's the beauty of clean eating - no processed ingredients.  Just whole, good natural foods.  But again, be careful if you're on a weight loss journey!  It will come naturally as you start your lifestyle on clean eating, but it's not a free pass to eat the entire dozen in one sitting - even though you'll want to!

"I'm living large..."

That's right - we are in charge of our own accomplishments.  We are capable of achieving so much more than we think we can - we just need to believe.  We build walls around ourselves because of fear - fear of failure - even fear of success.  We need to tear those walls down and keep moving forward.  We fear we will try something and fail at it.  Guess what - we might.  Guess what else?  Who cares?  You tried.  That's a success right there.  Failure is never failing if you've learned from it. Use it to figure out what to do differently next time.  I personally have failed many times - I'm proud of that!  I've gone outside of my comfort zone,  tried new things and had a blast.  Sometimes with my head held high, sometimes face down, but I did it!  What have you tried before and failed at?

People say if you've never failed you've never really lived.  I'm living large!!!    :)

Just a little tip...

I know it's Monday right now but I want to tell you that I love Sundays!!!  It's my day of Rest and Relaxation!  I love to take the dogs for a walk, not worry about any housework and HAVE BREAKFAST!  You all know I love my Shakeology during the week for breakfast and on Saturdays.  But come Sunday - that's a different story - it's eggs, muffins, pancakes or as in this past  Sunday, Quiche!  I still try to be authentic in the way I eat and this recipe not only keeps the quiche "clean" but it is delicious!  Served with a side of bacon if you choose and some fruit and you've got yourself one delicious way to start your day!

Instead of using a pie crust for the base of your quiche, try using sliced Sweet, Russet or Red potatoes.  It tastes so good and doesn't leave you with the heavy feeling (or calories) that a pie crust does.  Pictured here is a Mushroom Quiche but the substitution for the crust can be for any quiche.  The sky's your limit!  Just make sure you slice your potatoes thin.  Layer them overlapping on the pie pan and lightly spray or brush the edges with olive oil.  Fill with whatever quiche  ingredients you like and bake!  Happy Eating!

Homemade Granola, Homemade Goodness

We all grew up loving the crunchy goodness of Nature Valley Granola bars.  Ah, Oats 'n Honey, Peanut butter, Chocolate chip.  They were all my favorite and a great go-to for a quick snack or breakfast.  Let's make our own!  It's easy and you can basically add what you like for your sweet tooth.  A handful of granola with fresh fruit is the perfect pick-me-up for your day!

Ingredients

3 cups Rolled Oats

1/2 cup chopped Walnuts

1/4 - 1/2 Cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 + cup unsweetened applesauce (might need a little extra for mixing)

1/4 cup of honey

2 tsps of cinnamon

1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325*  Whisk together your applesauce and honey.  Blend well with remaining ingredients.  Spread on a Parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake 45 minutes until it feels dry and has a nice golden color.  Allow to cool before eating.

*After granola has cooled a good bit, I add Dark Chocolate Morsels - about 1/4 cup to add the yummy sweetness of chocolate!  I LOVE CHOCOLATE!  Experiment with YOUR favorite flavor!