Birthday Thoughts, A Story, & Pumpkin Cranberry Cookies

October 31, 2016October 31, 2016 / ktbuchs87 / 3 Comments

I start my 29th-year today and I think I have some feelings about it. Good ones, don’t worry. Also, I have a story to share and I promise if you sit through all of that I will reward you with cookies.

Indulge me. It is my birthday after all 🙂 Pumpkin Cranberry Cookies | Life Healthfully Lived Continue reading →

Zucchini-Sweet Potato Muffins

August 19, 2016August 18, 2016 / ktbuchs87

This recipe was totally made because I had a few random zucchini’s and sweet potatoes I needed to use up. I thought muffins would be nice and then halfway through making them ON THE HOTTEST DAY OF THE WEEK, I realized I was dumb. But that’s ok, they were tasty enough that I forgave myself for turning on the oven. Zucchini Sweet Potato Muffins | Life Healthfully Lived Continue reading →

Apple-Banana Muffins

October 23, 2015October 23, 2015 / ktbuchs87

I like to eat, eat, eat, eeples and baneenees.

If you have no clue what I am talking about, you need to spend more time in pre-school.

Last week I went to the apple orchard with my dad and came home with a whole peck of apples. I’ve already made a huge batch of my squash apple butter, eaten as many raw as I can, and a tart is in the works.

I also wanted to try making a bread with my apples and I had a few over-ripe bananas sitting on my counter so I thought an apple/banana combo was in order. Two baked goods in a row on the blog… Lucky you!

While my baking is getting better, I still run into a few problems now and then. When I made my first batch of my bread concoction, the flavor and texture were right but it did not hold together very well. My second time around I tweaked a few things and decided to make them into muffins instead of one loaf.

Success!

I ended up with a yummy fall inspired muffin that also happens to be gluten free, dairy free, egg free, and refined sugar-free. Pretty impressive if I do say so myself!

Apple-Banana Muffin

1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup coconut flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3 tbsp date sugar or coconut sugar
1/2 cup almond milk
2 large ripe bananas (the riper they are the sweeter the muffin will be)
1 tbsp molasses or maple syrup
2 tbsp macadamia nut butter or almond butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large apple, shredded (more subtle apple flavor) or small diced
16-18 whole pecans, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a muffin tin with paper liners
Combine all of the wet ingredients and mix well until you have a smooth batter.
Combine all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir to combine. The batter will be a little stiff, that is ok.
Add in the shredded or diced apple and stir to mix everything together
Spoon a little over a tablespoon of the batter into each muffin well and press down just a little. Press one pecan onto the top of each muffin.
Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is slightly brown and batter is set.
Let the muffins cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

These are kind of like fall in a muffin wrapper and that isn’t a bad thing. You could also try making this into two mini loaves if you really wanted bread.

Anyone have fun plans for this weekend? Adam and I are planning on just hanging around our neighborhood and relaxing. Oh and if you’re keeping count, only 8 more days until my birthday. Delicious food presents welcome…

Happy weekend friends!

DIY Wednesday: Cream Cheese Frosting

October 7, 2015 / ktbuchs87

My birthday is on Halloween. I think because I was born right in the middle of fall, the love of all things fall is sort of woven into my genes. Usually for my birthday, my mom would make spice cake or carrot cake and one year I think she made a hummingbird cake…. but I could be wrong about that one. Anyway, the cakes that she made would beg for cream cheese frosting and that was just fine with me.

I love cream cheese frosting. Most other frostings are WAY too sweet and I can only take a few bites before I start to get nauseated. But cream cheese frosting? Skip the cake and get me a spoon. It’s a little sweet, a little tangy, and all delicious.

I haven’t had cream cheese frosting in years because it’s basically cream cheese, butter, and sugar. Since I don’t do dairy or refined sugar anymore, cream cheese frosting isn’t really at the top of my list of things to eat. With fall baking underway, I thought it would be a good time to try recreating this frosting without any dairy or refined sugar. Lucky for me, it wasn’t that hard to do! Just a few ingredients, a little planning ahead, and you have a delicious cream cheese frosting that is ready to top carrot cake or any other fall favorite.

Oh, and if you think it’s easier to just grab a tub of cream cheese frosting at the store? Think again. Not only is it full of chemicals, sugar, and preservatives, but it doesn’t actually contain any cream cheese…. Explain that one to me! Do yourself a favor and make this simple, dairy-free frosting without the high price and chemicals.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight
2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 more if you like a tangier frosting
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp coconut butter NOT coconut oil

Drain and rinse the soaked cashews and place in a blender or food processor. Add the lemon juice, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Pulse a few times until the cashews are broken up into little pieces.
Add the water and blend the cashews until you have a smooth cream. Add the coconut butter and blend to combine everything. Taste and see if you need to add more sweet or more tang.
You can use the frosting right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. If you do store it in the fridge, take it out 20 minutes before you want to use it to let it warm up a bit.

To test out the frosting, I made some carrot cake cookies. Because if you have frosting you have to have cookies right? I just threw some things together and the cookies actually turned out pretty good. I’m going to tweak them a bit and then put them on the blog so you can enjoy your homemade frosting!

I’ll have a new recipe for you on Friday and then Monday I hope to do a recap of the awesome wedding weekend! It was a great time and I am so happy for the new Mr. and Mrs. Meyers!

Friday Recipe Round-Up

August 21, 2015August 20, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Yay Friday! This week has been a doozy for me. A ton of projects were suddenly due all at once and I have been working to get all of those done. On top of that, this weekend is my sister’s bachelorette party so I have been getting things ready for that! Seriously, how is it possible that my baby sister is getting married?! We were literally just playing with our Barbies and Polly Pockets. Like yesterday. For reals.

Anyway! Because it’s been a crazy week in the Dawson house I don’t have a new recipe for you today BUT do not start sobbing yet! I do have a round-up of all the delicious recipes I have found on all the blogs I follow.

I will have new stuff for you next week, but in the meantime enjoy these recipes as well as all the ones I have over on my recipe page!

Key Lime Pistachio Truffles from The Clean Dish

I am really having a thing with key lime lately. It is the perfect summer treat and there are so many ways to make it. These truffles look amazing!

Grain-Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread from Predominantly Paleo

About this time of year, we’re pretty much drowning in zucchini. It’s delicious but the same old zucchini bread can get a little tiresome. I love this chocolate twist!

Avocado Lemon Basil Pesto from Kathy Hester

Along with key lime, I have been having a love affair with pesto this summer. My fridge has not been without a jar of the stuff for more than 2 hours. The lemon basil in this is amazing, but if you can’t find any regular basil still makes a tasty pesto!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Magic Shell from The Lemon Bowl