Pumpkin Bars

These pumpkin bars came together easily and were so delicious and moist. I opted for the honey option and reduced it to 1/3 cup. Some in our house feel that pumpkin bars must have cream cheese frosting, so I made a pan of each. Yum!

Sunday Pumpkin Waffles

We enjoyed some pumpkin deliciousness this morning in waffle form.  These Sunday Pumpkin Waffles are great any day of the week.  They came together quickly, but next time I will measure out the dry ingredients the night before for a shortcut.  The recipe made about 6 servings in my waffle maker.  The kiddos were full after one.

 

Back at it...

Hello!  I'm back to the blogging world.  2015 has been a year of changes for our family.  We added kiddo #5 in January, started a major home remodel in June and had new health concerns that affect our kitchen.  With 2 kiddos now needing to eat strictly gluten free, we are basically becoming an all gluten free household.  I still want to eat a Paleo type diet, but have had to experiment with some recipes to suffice the kiddos palates.  Having healthy, nutritious foods in our home is still a value to me, but I will be making some GF treats. That being said, I plan to tag my posts as being gluten free, Paleo or both.  I decided to rename my blog to "Nutritionally Focused" since I will not be posting only Paleo recipes.

I'm excited to share many of the yummy things we've been eating and hope to share how I've set up my new kitchen when it's complete.  Here's a peak at my mostly done kitchen.

Under Construction

Due to a complete kitchen remodel, I am taking a blogging break. Can't wait to share how I set up my new kitchen!  Happy cooking.

Sausage Seasoning

Here is my custom mixture that I add to any ground meet to make it taste like sausage.  It's difficult to find sausage that does not include ingredients I'd rather not eat.  This is a great alternative.

2 Tbsp sea salt
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning

Mix together and sprinkle 1 tsp on 1 lb of ground meat.  Turkey and beef are my favorite.  Store in a spice jar or air tight container.

Loaded Chocolate Milk

Here's a great snack or dessert idea.  I've tried different combinations, but here's my favorite!

1 cup full fat coconut milk
4 small dates (1-2 medjool dates)
1/2 Tbsp flax seed
1 Tbsp cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla

Place all ingredients in the Vitamix and process on high until very smooth.  Pour over ice & drink with a straw.  Makes 1 serving.

Whole30 Menu Plan Week #4

So, this last weekend was very busy & I was not able to plan this weeks meals.  What I have decided is to borrow meals from the last 3 weeks.  Lazy or efficient?  You can decide.  I throw it into the doing the best I can category!