recipe friday: pumpkin crunch

Boone helping momma make dessert

 Happy Halloween!  Here I sit with my cup of black coffee, eating paleo brownies smothered in real maple syrup (reward day), and looking forward to getting my little man dressed into his dinosaur costume!  He's going to be a Booneasauraus!  Love him. 

This is the last day of October, so I just had to sneak one last pumpkin recipe in here!  I am obsessed with pumpkins...they just taste so good!

Thanksgiving was a couple of weeks ago, though if you're in the States, then you are looking forward to it!  My contribution to this year's feast was a dessert that I have made for at least 3 years now, and I keep pulling it out because it's so darn good and 'tis the season.  I think I may make this for Christmas this year too because just once a year is not enough!

I affectionately call this Paula Deen's Pumpkin Crunch because I got the recipe from one of her YouTube videos.  I just love watching her in the kitchen whipping up dishes filled with butter and cheese and all those good things!

This recipe combines salty and sweet flavours and there is a little crunch in there from the caramelized cake batter layer!  Oh, heaven.  And it's not too pumpkiny in case there are those at your table who aren't pumpkin devotees (ridiculous).

Here's what you'll need:

1 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
2 sticks butter (salted)
16 oz. (small) can pure pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
1 cup white sugar

Frosting:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. (brick) cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup whipping cream (small carton)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
 

Here's what you'll do:

1. Grease a 9" by 13" baking dish.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat all cake ingredients until smooth (except box of cake mix).
3. Pour mixture into baking dish and sprinkle with yellow cake mix.
4. Top with chopped pecans and butter sliced into pads.
5. Bake for 1 hour.
6. Chill cake and top with frosting. Enjoy!
 

cover that cake in butter! makes the crunchy layer

Honestly, this is one of those desserts that your family and friends will mention every once in a while with longing.  That's when you know you have a winner that becomes a yearly tradition.

Hope that you and your famjam have a very lovely Halloween!

Blessings and Kisses!

recipe thursday: peach protein smoothie

It all started when I saw this box of beautiful, succulent, juicy Ontario peaches at Costco.  Now, I'm an Ontario girl and I get excited when I see the produce come into the stores.  It throws me back to when I used to visit my grandparents' farm and go blueberry picking in the summer and then spend the afternoon making pies and tarts!  Memories...

It was so hot and humid in our tiny apartment in September, and these peaches were just crying out to be used for something delicious and healthy.  So...peach protein smoothie!  So creamy and smooth with just the right amount of sweetness from the peaches and protein powder.
 

Here's what you'll need:

1 large peach
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 cups of ice (I used 2)

Here's how you'll make it:

1. Place all ingredients in high powered blender and blend!
2. Pour into 2 cups and enjoy!

My hubby and I enjoyed this several times over because it was a big box of peaches and a very hot and sticky September.  Now, I know that peaches are out of season, but this is just so good that I had to share...it would also probably work with frozen mango or peaches!

Blessings and Kisses!

recipe thursday: protein pumpkin cheesecake

This is seriously delicious and seriously high in protein!  I adapted this from a recipe for protein pumpkin bread.  I took out the sweetener because I didn't want any sugar in there and I had some super yummy calorie free pancake syrup in the fridge from Walden Farms, so I reasoned that if it turned out awful, I could just cover it in syrup!  

Well, after putting this in the fridge overnight, the texture and taste was just like pumpkin cheesecake - minus the graham cracker crust!

I will be making this recipe again and again! (In fact, I think I'm making it today!)

What you'll need:

1 can pure pumpkin (3.5 cups)
2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
4 eggs
3/4 cup egg whites
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
8 tbsp or 4 scoops protein powder (I used vanilla)



What you'll do:

1. Whisk all ingredients together until thoroughly incorporated.
2. Pour into greased pie pans or loaf pans.  I used 1 loaf pan and 2 pie pans.  You want the liquid to be about 1.5 inches deep in the pan.
3. Bake in oven at 350 degrees C for 50 min or until a toothpick poked in the centre comes out clean.
4. Let cool on counter and pop in fridge to chill if you want the cheesecake effect or you can eat warm too.
5. Serve with syrup, whipped cream, berries, yogurt...let your cravings guide you!

As I finish writing this, I am already fed my breakfast of pumpkin pie oatmeal (see previous post), sipping on my black coffee, in my workout clothes, and so pumped about the day ahead!  Adam and Boone are sleeping soundly but soon they will be up and then we'll head out to meet the No Excuse Moms of Halifax for a morning workout - then suit shopping for Adam!  He's going to look so handsome for his med school interview!  When you look good, you just feel good, so we want him looking great and feeling oh so confident on the big day!

Blessings and Kisses!

recipe monday: pumpkin pie oatmeal

Full disclosure:  I totally took this recipe from the Instagram account of fit2fat2fitwife.  She is always coming up with tasty and healthy recipes so shout out to her! 

I've been kind of obsessed with healthy and protein-packed pumpkin recipes because it's October and all.  I had my first Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbuck's and while it was good, I don't think it was worth the price tag.  Most times when I go out these day, I end up thinking to myself, "I could make better at home and save the difference!"  Soooooo, I have purchased many a can of pure pumpkin and gone to town experimenting with yummy recipes.  

I love this oatmeal!  It delicious, healthy, and so versatile as you can put in endless add-ins depending on your mood or goals (my fav is a scoop of vanilla protein powder).

 Here's what you'll need:

2 cups oatmeal (steel cut or old fashioned)
3 cups unsweetened almond milk (other milk works too)
1 1/2 cup water
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 small (15 oz. can) pumpkin puree
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 1/2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

Optional add-ins:
sweetener (1 cup Truvia, Stevia, etc.)
nuts
apples
protein powder (my fav)
butter
brown sugar
 

 Here's how to make it:

1. Place all ingredients into crockpot and whisk until mixed.
2. Cook on low for 3-6 hours, depending on your desired consistency of oatmeal. (I did my last batch for only 3 hours and it turned out just perfect for me!)
3. Let cool and enjoy!
4. Place left-overs in fridge and you'll have enough for breakfasts for a week!

Since I try to get a serving of protein into every one of my 5 meals of the day, I put a scoop of protein powder on top of my oatmeal, a little water, and mix - then heat in microwave and top with a few berries!

Hope you enjoy!  What are some of your favourite fall recipes?!

Cameron Family Fall Trip: Day 3

Keltic Lodge Resort and Spa, Ingonish, NS

breakfast buffet - may have overindulged a little

my beautiful men

and then I went back to the make-you-own waffle bar

fish cake/ eggs benny/ scrambled eggs with salsa/ baked beans/ cheese/ bacon

 This was the final day of our Cameron Famjam Fall Trip!  We were intending to stay another night along the trail, but by the time we finished the Cabot Trail and stopped for lunch, we realized that it was only 4 short hours drive until Halifax so we decided to save some money and gun it for home!  

This day was pretty much perfect!  It started with me getting up at 6, going to the gym, showering, getting ready for the day, writing postcards, and blogging - all before Adam and Boone got up! 

Adam was feeling better after all that sleep and we headed down to the marvelous breakfast buffet!  One of the best breakfasts I've had in a long time!

After breakfast we did a little hiking out to Middle Head, then hit the road.

The drive was gorgeous.  Sunny perfect weather illuminated the majestic hills and the changing colours on the leaves were breathtaking.

Perfect fall vacation!

lunchtime on the Cabot Trail - Boone's sitting at a high chair like a big boy

my view from lunch - mini putt course on the Cabot Trail

last dinner of vacation - Boone's gotta eat too

deep fried cheesecake - perfect vacation finale

Cameron Family Fall Trip: Day 2 con't

Yay!  Boone and I got out of the hotel room, got in a sweat session at the gym, and then took a little walk around the grounds and snapped some pictures!

Adam got a little nap in and then we headed down to the dining room where we enjoyed a burger (Adam) and a club sandwich (me) followed by a dessert of fruit crumble (Adam) and chocolate cake with raspberry butter cream frosting (me).  

There was live music and the singer dedicated Puff the Magic Dragon to Boone as Boone slept in a chair beside us.

All in all, a very nice day here at the Keltic Lodge Resort and Spa in Ingonish!

Not to mention, the king-sized bed was so comfortable...we must get one for home.  Lots of room for the 3 of us!

Now, I have gymed, showered, make-uped, and I'm ready for breakfast and day 3 of our Cabot Trail adventure!

to dye or not to dye

au naturel

I am at a crossroads.  My hair hasn't been touched by dye in over a year now because I was pregnant and while I enjoy the natural texture and highlights of my natural hair, I hate the greys!

I started going grey right around when I got married.  That was a very stressful time.  I was overloaded with courses in my last semester of my undergrad (first undergrad haha), working 3 part-time jobs to pay for my wedding, planning my wedding, preparing to move out of province, and carrying on a long-distance relationship with my betrothed!

Ya, stress.

Anywho, I got married to the man of my dreams but shortly afterwards I noticed some shiny, silvery hairs appearing around my temples.

I wasn't too alarmed about it.  I have naturally very dark hair, so any lighter hairs are really noticeable.  And I was a respectable 24 years old and a married woman - grey hairs are appropriate for my station in life.  Well, vanity got the best of me and I have been using boxed wash out dyes every since.

$3 at Dollarama!

I always get the kind that washes out in 28 shampoos because I don't want roots and instead, this just fades away so the effect is more natural.  And I always buy whatever is on sale or stock up if I'm at Dollarama!

with darker hair and very early in my pregnancy

What I don't like about the boxed dyes is that my hair ends up looking very monotone without natural looking highlights and lowlights.  Maybe one day I'll splurge and get a professional job...

So, now I can't decide, just let it go and let nature take it's course or give in to society's pressures and try to turn back the hands of time and cover up my greys?