PUMPKIN FRENCH TOAST

Fall is officially upon us, and you know what that means: it's decorative gourd season motherfuckers! In that vein, how about trying this tasty pumpkin inspired breakfast. Mmm ... I can't think of anything better on a crisp autumn morning.

PUMPKIN FRENCH TOAST BAKE
via the minimalist baker

Make the night before for an easy, early-morning preparation.
Serves: 10

INGREDIENTS

• 5 1/2 - 7 1/2 cups 1-inch bread cubes (I like challah)
• 7 large eggs
• 2 cups milk 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 cup pumpkin BUTTER (or 1/2 cup pumpkin puree)
• 3-4 tablespoons brown sugar for topping
• nuts, like pecan or walnuts (optional)

METHOD

1. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Just use enough slice to fill a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, pumpkin butter and pie spice until well combined. Pour over bread and push down with a spoon or your hands until it's all soaked and mostly covered. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees, uncover and top with brown sugar, additional pumpkin pie spice and nuts (optional). Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and no longer wet.
4. Serve immediately with maple syrup, honey or agave nectar. 
5. Store leftovers in the refrigerator covered for up to four days.

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Serving size: 10 slices; per slice: 

Calories: 122 Fat: 4 g Carbohydrates: 13.7 g Sugar: 7.4 gSodium: 145 mg Fiber: 1.3 g Protein: 7.8 g

Image via.

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Cheers!

It may be September, but summer ain't over yet - there's still time for one last float.

Dark Chocolate Bourbon Cherry Soda Floats

via how sweet eats

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 pint of dark chocolate ice cream
2. 4 ounces of bourbon
3. 2 bottles of cherry soda

METHOD:
Fill glasses with ice cream.

Pour in 1-2 shots of bourbon (or lots more). 

Pour in soda. 

Drink. 

Enjoy!

They practically make themselves.

Image via.

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lactation cookies

Yes, lactation cookies -this is a thing. Lactation cookies are chocked full of “galactagogues,” foods that promote or increase the flow of mother’s milk, also they're yummy. There are a few kinds of boobie milk cookies on the market, but why buy what you can easily make? Plus the recipe below (via Mama Natural) is especially healthy, full of organic good stuff, so there is zero guilt. 

Whip up a batch of these bad boys and enjoy some milk and cookies - literally. 

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 cups organic rolled oats
• 1/2 cup organic coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour (can use organic cornstarch or arrowroot flour)
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 TB fennel seed, ground (can replace with flax seeds)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 cup almond butter (can replace with sunflower or tahini if allergic to tree nuts)
• 1/4 cup, plus 2 TB coconut oil, melted
• 2 eggs (can replace with chia seed or other egg replacement)
• 2 TB raw honey 
• 1/2 tsp. organic vanilla extract (can use almond or orange as well)

METHOD

1. Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Put your 2 cups of rolled oats into a high speed blender or food processor. Blend until the oats are a flour-like consistency.
3. Measure out 1 TB of fennel seeds and grind in coffee grinder or with mortal and pestle until fine powder.
4. Put dry ingredients into large bowl and mix.
5. In a smaller bowl, put your almond butter, melted coconut oil, honey, eggs and vanilla extract. Mix well.
6. Pour the contents of smaller bowl into the dry ingredient bowl. Mix well with spoon or clean hands.
7. Grease a cookie sheet with coconut oil. Form small flat balls, about the circumference of a silver dollar. 
8. Bake cookies in oven for 15-20 minutes. Check for slightest browning on outside of cookie. Take out and transfer cookies to a cooling rack. 
9. Enjoy warm, or let cookies cool to room temperature. 
10. Eat up and let it flow. 

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Tips & Tricks

The weather is finally heating up, which means ... it's iced coffee time!

This is one of those genius-so-simple-why-didn't-I-think-of-it ideas. Freeze coffee to make ice cubes for iced coffee. Chill your coffee for a warm day treat with out watering it down-- so smart, right?

Image via.
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Tuesday's Tips & Tricks

Hopefully the weather is warming up where you are dolls. If so, we are getting into prime iced coffee territory. I love using cold brewed coffee for the coffee portion, but what about the ice cubes? The ice cubes are a crucial component here.

Regular ice cubes just dilute the coffee unless you gulp it down right away, but that defeats the relaxing and savoring part of an iced beverage. So, why not freeze coffee and use that for your iced coffee? Genius! So simple, so obvious, so brilliant.

You could simply freeze plain (cooled) brewed coffee, or you could jazz it up a bit by adding vanilla or cinnamon, perhaps a little sweetener or cream if your feeling frisky. The possibilities are endless.

Image via.

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Pinteresting

Oh, just a few things I've been pinning lately ...

Aw, snuggle time       ///         effortlessly cool

/// truth /// 

beautifully wild      ///       om nom nom

/// literally all I want to do right now ///

subversive and lovely        ///         sure, why not?

Images 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

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Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken

One of my goals for after baby girl arrives is to get better at weekly meal planning, and I think utilizing my slow cooker will be a good tool in this endeavor. I'm still having a hard time cooking, but once the hormones settle I'm excited to give this recipe a try. 

Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken
Via No. 2 Pencil
Prep time:  10 mins  Cook time:  4 hours  Total time:  4 hours 10 mins  Serves: 4
Ingredients:

• 4 lemons
• 2-3 heads of garlic
• 1 whole chicken 4 to 5 pounds
• Fresh rosemary, or any fresh herbs
• All-purpose steak seasoning or salt and pepper

Method:

1. Cut garlic heads and lemons in half and lay in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Cut the bottoms off the lemons so they lay flat.
3. Add a sprig of rosemary, and any herbs.
4. Remove insides from chicken, rinse chicken and pat dry.
5. Season chicken well, inside and out, with all-purpose steak seasoning or salt and pepper.
6. Lay chicken on top of garlic and lemon slices and stuff the chicken with a garlic head cut in half, and a lemon cut in quarters.
7. Cover top of chicken with additional lemon slices and rosemary.
8. Turn slow cooker to high, and cook for about 4 hours, or until chicken reaches 165 degrees. Slow cooker cooking times may vary.
9. When chicken has reached 165, turn off slow cooker and let chicken rest for about 15 minutes. (Important: Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.)
10. Remove from slow cooker, carve and serve.
11. Liquid from slow cooker can be strained and served over chicken as a sauce. 

Sounds delish, and doable, no? 

Image and recipe via. 

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Baby Shower

A few weekends back I went down to LA for a baby shower ... my baby shower. Eek!

My mama and sister were sweet enough to plan and host. It was a completely DIY affair. My mama handmade the invitations, my sister and I cooked (mostly my sister - who am I kidding?), my sister crafted, and I took care of the table scape and flowers. It ended up being an intimate afternoon, mostly family plus a few sweet friends, even my 88 year old grandma came!

We did most of the typical baby shower things, I opened gifts, we played games, chit chatted, and I wore a polka dotted dress. It was a really nice day. I so appreciated all the work my mom and sister put into it, and was really touched by the love and support from my friends and family.

Oh babies ... so many reasons to celebrate.

Image via yours truly.
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Cheers!

It's Friday - let's celebrate with something tasty and green. Yummy, yes?

Shamrock Shake via cupcakes and cashmere 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of whole milk (less milk if you prefer thicker shakes)
• 2 large scoops of premium vanilla ice cream
• 1 tsp of peppermint extract
• 2 dashes of mint bitters (optional for flavor and color)
• 2 drops of green food coloring (if you're not using bitters)
• Whipped cream

Method:

1. Place all ingredients into a blender, in the order they are listed.
2. Turn blender on and mix until you reach your preferred consistency.
3. Pour into a tall glass and top with whipped cream.
4. Indulge and enjoy!

Image and recipe via. 

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Cheers!

It's Friday - I don't know about you, but I'm in the mood for something sweet.

Vanilla Lemonade 

Ingredients:

• For the Simple Syrup:
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Water
• 3 slices of Lemon Peel
• 1 Vanilla Bean
• 1 generous pinch of Kosher Salt
• Cheesecloth, to strain syrup
• For the Lemonade:
• Juice of 6-8 lemons, strained
• 8-10 cups of water
• 1 cup of vanilla/lemon syrup
• Lemon slices to garnish

Method: 

Slice the vanilla bean in half and with the back of your knife scrape out all the seeds.

Bring sugar, water, vanilla bean and pod, lemon peel and salt to boil on your stove.

After sugar dissolves gently simmer 5-10 minutes to really get the lemon peel flavor in there.

Remove from heat, strain through a few layers of cheesecloth set over a large measuring cup and cool. You can speed up the process by placing the measuring cup in a large bowl surrounded by ice.

Once the syrup has cooled; add it to a large pitcher along with the 8-10 cups of water and strained lemon juice. Garnish with a few lemon slices.

Pour in a tall glass over ice and enjoy.

Image and recipe  via. 

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Tuesday's Tips & Tricks

One of my biggest pregnancy cravings these days has been ... smoothies! They satisfy that itch for some tangy goodness, plus are a great way to get several of your fruits and veggies in for the day in a single setting. Here's one of my go-to concoctions.

Mango, Spinach, Banana Smoothie 

Ingredients

• Handful frozen mangos
• 1/2 banana
• Generous handful of baby spinach
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup tangerine juice
• Optional: vanilla greek yogurt - if you want a creamier smoothie
• Optional: agave nectar - if you want a sweeter smoothie 

Method
Throw everything into a blender and blend until all ingredients are evenly combined into one smooth mixture. Pour into a tall glass and, if you're feeling frisky, top with some whipped cream.

You can also substitute frozen berries for the frozen mangos, add fresh berries to the ingredients above, or change out the type of juice - coconut water is really good as is blueberry juice. You really can't go wrong with a smoothie. Do you like it? Then that's a successful smoothie in my book. What are your favorite smoothie combos?

Images via yours truly.
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Light & Fluffy Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry muffins - such a weakness for me. Especially now with the pregnancy they are right at the top of my cravings list. So I might just try to work up the energy to whip up these beauties via jennas everything blog, adapted from Kelsey Banfield’s book “The Naptime Chef: fitting great food into family life.”   

Light and Fluffy Blueberry Muffins 

Ingredients (Makes 12 muffins)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup + 2 TBS sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 tsp baking powder
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 4 oz (1 stick) butter, chilled
• 1 large egg
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries

Method 

1. Heat oven to 425 F and prepare a muffin pan by greasing it or lining it with paper liners.

2. Mix together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and zest.

3. Cut the butter into small cubes and incorporate into the dry ingredients using a pastry knife, until the mixture has the consistency of small pebbles.

4. Separately, whisk together the milk and egg; stir them into the dry ingredients. The batter will be very lumpy.

5. Gently fold in the blueberries with a spatula.

6. Distribute the batter evenly into the 12 muffin cups.

7. Bake for 15-17 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The muffins are done when the tops golden and have a little spring on top when touched. Serve hot!

Image via. 
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Tuesday's Tips and Tricks

Here's a fun winter-time tip: Freeze whipped cream on a cookie sheet, use cookie cutter to cut out hearts and serve with hot cocoa. Wouldn't this be the perfect way to jazz up a cup for kids? Or adults, who am I kidding? 

Image via. 
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Cheers!

It's friday - let's make something warm and cozy to sip while couch potato-ing up. 

Boozy White Hot Chocolate 
via little ferraro kitchen

Ingredients:

• ½ cup white chocolate chips
• 2 oz rum or Frangelico (or your favorite liquor)
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ginger
• ½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp cardamom
• Marshmallows for topping
• 2 cups whole milk

Directions:
Once the heated milk is hot enough but not boiling, add rum and pour into mugs. Top with marshmallows. In a small pot, on medium-low heat, add all the ingredients except for the marshmallows and rum. Use a whisk to mix everything together and slowly melt the chocolate.

Image and recipe via.
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Cheers!

It's friday - and we're in the thick of the "holidays" to boot.  Anyone feel like eggnog?

Spiked Eggnog

Ingredients:

• 4 cups whole milk
• 5 whole cloves
• 12 eggs yolks
• 2.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups Bourbon
• 4 cups cream
• fresh nutmeg to garnish

Method: 

• Heat milk, cloves, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and cinnamon in a saucepan, on low until the mixture comes to a boil.
• In a large bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar and whisk together until light and fluffy. Whisk hot milk mixture (very slowly) into the eggs. Pour mixture into saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3 minutes, or until thick. Do not bring to a boil. Strain to remove cloves, and let cool. Stir in Bourbon, cream, remaining 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Garnish with fresh nutmeg and a pinch of cinnamon.
• Refrigerate overnight before serving.

• Enjoy!

Image etc via.

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Eggnog Waffles

We're on the fast track to the holidays now folks. Let's get in the mood (like we needed help) with this festive breakfast idea.

Eggnog Waffles (makes 6 large waffles)


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups eggnog (low-fat or full-fat)
• 2/3 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbs spiced rum

Method:

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together eggnog, oil, eggs and rum. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Don't overmix. Let batter rest for 30 minutes. 

Cook waffles in a waffle iron. Yum!

Image and recipe via. 
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Tuesday's Tips & Tricks

Looking for the perfect morning after Thanksgiving breakfast? How about pumpkin pie french toast?

Healthy Pumpkin Pie French Toast yields: 2-3 servings

Ingredients:

1. 2 organic eggs
2. Ezekiel bread - 5-6 pieces
3. 1 cup organic pumpkin (I used canned pumpkin in BPA-free can)
4. 1/2 cup organic unsweetened almond milk
5. 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
6. 100% pure maple syrup
7. Pumpkin seeds
8. Coconut oil

Directions:

• Whisk together eggs, almond milk, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice in a mixing bowl.
• Dip and coat both sides of bread with the mixture.
• Add coconut oil to the skillet or griddle so bread won’t stick. (Add more oil as needed)
• Over medium heat, cook on pan until golden brown. Flip and cook both sides.
• Use pumpkin cookie cutter. (optional)
• Top with organic 100% pure maple syrup, more pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin seeds.

Image via, recipe via. 
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Parmesan Baked Tomatos

Lately I've been craving my fair share of pizza, but ... eating pizza all the time might not be the most sustainable option. So I've been looking into other satisfying alternatives. 

Parmesan Baked Tomatos
via My Kitchen Affair 

You'll need: 

• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1/3 cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan
• fresh oregano
• salt
• freshly ground pepper
• olive oil

Method: 
Preheat the oven to 450 F (230 C). Cut the tomatoes lengthwise into approximately 1/3-inch (1 cm) slices, place on a baking sheet. Top with Parmesan, oregano, salt and pepper (season according to your taste). Drizzle with some olive oil and bake until tomatoes are tender and the cheese is melted, for about 10-15 minutes.

Image etc via. 
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Happy Weekend!

Hello weekend, my old friend. What do you dolls have planned? After the excitement of last weekend, I think I'll be taking it early. Maybe go for a long walk in the cool air, get a chai latte, perhaps even go crazy and get a mani pedi - you know, if I'm feeling wild.

I hope you all have a great few day too. Meet me here monday? xo!

Real time births and deaths.

When should you have your coffee?

Really sweet. Warning: you might cry. 

Poverty in America.

Lovely thoughts on the season (holidays here we come).

Devastatingly sad.

Because you'll need a laugh after the last one.

Oh Lana.

How to cook everything.

This is cool.

The hate is crazy.

Courting friends. Have you done this?

A beautiful essay on marriage. 

Image via.

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quick and comforting

Looking for a quick and comforting side dish? How about this cross between a baked potato and french fries? Simply cut potatoes almost all the way through, drizzle with olive oil or butter, sprinkle some sea salt and pepper over top, then bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes. Easy, no? 

Image etc via. 
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