Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins

Because it's November and by now you've probably heard enough people pledge their loyalty to Fall as the most superior of season, I will avoid a long soliloquy about how I love oversized sweaters and would die for crisp temperatures and bonfires year round. But just know that I do and I most definitely would. Instead, I'll talk about traditions. 

Growing up it was a running joke that our family's tradition was having no traditions. I don't know if it's because my family likes to reorganize plans two hours before they're supposed to be carried out making it nearly impossible to actually uphold any sort of regular event or that we just didn't have any sort of sentimental value surrounding the idea of having them. This lack of emphasis on traditions might sound kind of sad to those of you that have super awesome traditions, but in our house the absence of traditions left so much room for spontaneity. One of my most favorite Christmas memories was the year we spent Christmas day at an indoor water park. The lines were short and the gift of being together and experiencing something became the present we actually cared about. 

Josiah on the other hand comes from a family that places a much stronger emphasis on traditions. When we first got married it was hard for me to understand the value that he placed on cutting a tree down the day after Thanksgiving or making donuts on Christmas Day. Don't get me wrong, I thought those things were cool (I mean, hello, donuts!), but it wasn't until recently that I fully understood how important it was to him and could relate to the importance he placed on them. 

Although Josiah and I have yet to create any of our own traditions together surrounding the Holidays, one tradition that we have started is a yearly Fall drive to see the changing colors. Each year our trip looks a little bit different. The first year we did it we lived in Illinois and so we headed up to Wisconsin for a day of exploring. Our second year we were living in Colorado so we made a trip to Steamboat Springs, CO where we spent the weekend and enjoyed some great brunching and browsing in the little shops. This year we're in Chicago so we took a drive up to Lake Geneva, WI. We spent the day walking around the lake with Henry and then grabbed brunch at a cute little place that had a dog-friendly patio. Because of the business of wedding season we almost skipped our trip this year, but the thought of forgoing this short-lived, but meaningful tradition made both of us far too sad. Despite our crazy schedule, we packed up the car and ended up enjoying a full day together and I am so, so glad. I now see why Josiah thinks so fondly of even the simple things that his family does year after year. Going forward I hope that no matter how hectic October becomes, we continue to prioritize that time together and are always able to maintain this simple tradition. 

Whether it's a yearly thing or just a this-year thing I encourage you to bake these muffins, grab the people you love, pack up the car, and drive (through your neighborhood or across the state) to take in some Fall views.  The sweetness of the chocolate combined with the comfort of pumpkin make these muffins the perfect treat for Fall. There are few combinations that trump chocolate and peanut butter, but chocolate and pumpkin comes pretty dang close. They're insanely moist and for sure going to become your favorite Fall road tripping snack. 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins

• 2 cups oatmeal 
• A pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1 cup pumpkin or butternut squash
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 3/4 cup coconut yogurt 
• 2 TBS coconut oil, melted
• 2 eggs 
• 8 oz of Enjoy Life dairy-free chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 375. Combine the oatmeal, salt, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon in one bowl and set aside. Next, combine the pumpkin or butternut squash, maple syrup, coconut yogurt, coconut oil, and eggs in another bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until they are all mixed together. Stir in the chocolate chips. Portion out into a greased muffin tin. Bake at 375 for about 16 minutes. Cool and serve. 

And here is Henry begging for some of the muffins. 

Fudgy Nut + Seed Brownies from The First Mess Cookbook

I used to think that life moved exclusively in a linear path. I assumed that everyone graduated college, got married, got their dream job, and then just sort of started their life from there. I lived my life believing that any deviation from this linear path, specifically in the lack of achievement of a dream job right away, was considered a failure. I'm a planner, so early on I remember planning out what the next 15 years of my life would look like if I were to head down the path of success and do things "right". I've quickly come to realize that this linear path does not hold the key to success. I've also come to know that most people aren't thinking 15 years into the future and by dwelling on that, I am missing out on taking in a lot of the here and now. 

As soon as Josiah and I got married I jumped in head first into photography full-time, but aside from the fact that I was just starting out in my business (which is certainly hard enough!) we made two cross-country moves which made the thought of ever building a strong clientele seem impossible. That, in combination with mine and Josiah's forever wanderlust souls made me begin to doubt whether this would actually fit into my 15 year plan. I doubted if this was the road to success for me. 

To give us a little more security during that time of doubt I divided my time between photography, my passion, and a day-job that quickly became something I dreaded. I put my head down and did the work in both worlds and waited until I could figure things out. The uncertainty of whether photography would be my forever career forced me to hold on to my day job for longer than I wished I would have and the resolution to "figuring it out" never came." But after many, many long talks and what seemed like long-term solutions, I decided to stop thinking about a forever career and to just start focusing on the next step.

Well the next step has presented itself. It's become increasingly difficult to maintain both my photography business and my day job and I know that although who knows what the next 15 years will look like, this is what I'm going to do for the here and now. As my business has grown Josiah and I have begun to put roots down in the Windy City and I am finally ready to let go of that day job. So the next step involves likely a lot more sleepless nights and a lot more hours behind a screen, but it also for sure includes a lot more cups of coffee and lot more episodes of The Office. So here's to planning less, taking one step at a time, and jumping in head first to something that equal parts fuels you and equal parts terrifies you. 

The only 15 year plan I'm making now is to enjoy these these fudgy brownies anytime and anywhere. This recipe is from The First Mess cookbook and it's not only insanely delicious, but it's packed full of nutrient dense nuts and seeds to keep you full and happy. 

Fudgy Nut + Seed Brownies from The First Mess Cookbook

• 3/4 cup of smooth almond butter
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 3/4 cup of unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of 70% dark (dairy-free) chocolate, broken up into chunks
• 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons of coconut flour
• 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
• 3 tablespoons of nuts or seeds (I used a mixture of almonds, and added some coconut flakes)

Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. Grease an 8x8" square baking pan and set aside. 

Place a medium saucepan over very low heat and add the nut butter, maple syrup, apple sauce, and vanilla and stir until the nut butter is melted and the ingredients are combined. Then add the chocolate chunks and cocoa powder and stir continuously until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut flour, baking soda and sea salt until everything is combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the nuts, seeds, and toppings that you like on top. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the brownies are firm, and lightly cracked on top. Cool the brownies completely in the pan, and then transfer them to a wire rack by gently lifting the sides of the parchment paper to release. Cover and place the brownies in the fridge for at least 1 hour. This is crucial in order for the brownies to set, and hold together while cutting. 

From The First Mess Cookbook

Thai Peanut Cabbage + Chickpea Salad

When you think of "camping food" you probably think hotdogs, s'mores, and potato chips, not a veggie and plant protein filled salad. However, that's where this recipe proved itself to be a necessary one to have in my repertoire. The second best part of this recipe is that you can make it in advance and because the cabbage and carrots are so cruciferous, they hold up well to the dressing for extended periods of time. (The first best part of the recipe is peanut butter, obviously). I threw this salad together in a giant bowl and then threw some saran wrap (which I actually despise because I find it impossible to work with) over the bowl and transported it to my parents camper where we (mainly my mom and I) ate off of the salad throughout the weekend. It kept me from falling into the trap of neglecting my veggie consumption because we were on a trip. Although I definitely indulged in a s'mores (arguable one of life's greatest pleasures), I definitely felt good about that decision because I was filling up on nutrients and not just sugar. Because balance.

It's important that I note that we were more accurately glamping, so there was a refrigerator and such, so if you don't have access to such things this may not fit into your camping excursion. Although I would imagine you could portion it into mason jars and keep in a cooler for a one or two day trip. If anyone tries this, let me know. But whether you're camping or not this makes a great meal prep for quick dinners or work lunches. I highly recommend just buying your cabbage shredded to make your life a heck of a lot easier. Or if you have mad shredding skillz, this is a chance to use them. 

Thai Peanut Cabbage + Chickpea Salad

Dressing: 

• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon honey 
• Sriracha to taste 
• salt and pepper to taste 
• 1/4 cup of grapeseed oil (or other neutral flavored oil) 
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter

Salad: 

• 5 cups roughly shredded green or red cabbage (I used a bag of mixed shredded cabbage and carrots from Trader Joe's) 
• 1 large carrot, peeled 
• 1 red bell pepper 
• 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves 
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves 
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped for garnish 

For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Place the shredded cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, and chickpeas in a bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Chop the cilantro and basil and garnish. Finish by topping the salad with the roasted peanuts. Serve and enjoy! 

Toasted Coconut + Almond Berry Baked Oatmeal

I hope your Fall is off to a great start! October has long been my favorite month of the year. It kicks off with my birthday on the 1st and then almost always beholds a mix of weather that gradually leads us from the excitement of summer and into the coziness of fall. Oversized sweaters, apple cider, and ALL the coffee make the looming doom of winter a little easier to ignore. This recipe is the very definition of cozy. I'd call it a warm hug for your stomach if I said stuff like that. But I don't say stuff like that so we'll just call it amazing and you'll just go make it and see what I mean. Things are pretty hectic for us during the fall so I like to keep breakfast quick and versatile so I can keep my morning routine moving. This recipe is best prepared on a Sunday afternoon (with a hot cup of coffee) and then stored in the refrigerator to eat off of during the weekdays. In the summer we tend to pour almond milk over the oatmeal squares and eat it cold out of the refrigerator, but on cooler days I take a second to heat it up and enjoy it that way. 

Toasted Coconut + Almond Berry Baked Oatmeal

• 2 cups whole rolled oats

• ½ cup hemp seeds

• ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted 

• ⅔ cup coconut flakes, toasted

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ¾ teaspoon sea salt

• 1 egg 

• ¾ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 

• 1/2 cup maple syrup

• 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil

• 1 banana, chopped

• 1 cup strawberries, sliced

• 1 cup blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray an 8x4-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Place the coconut and almonds on a baking sheet and cook for 5 minutes or until golden. When done reserve 2 tablespoons of the almonds and coconut flakes and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the oats, the remaining almonds, hemp seeds and coconut flakes, and the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In a medium bowl, combine the almond milk, egg, maple syrup and coconut oil and whisk to combine. 

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir to combine.

Layer the bananas and strawberries in the baking dish and spread the oat mixture on top. Sprinkle with the blueberries and the reserved toasted almonds and coconut flakes.

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the top is crisp and the middle is set. Remove and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Adapted slightly from Love and Lemons