pumpkin for all!

Let’s role play a conversation you would all be having with me if we could actually “speak” to each other every day…… Ready, GO!

You: Chelsey, you do realize that it is only September 25, right?
Me: Why yes! Two days into fall, isn’t it glorious?
You: You’ve been kind of pumpkin crazy lately… you’re going to get sick of it waaay too early in the season.

Now, after that statement, I would do one of the following when faced with something someone says that I dislike greatly:

1. Give you the stare down — it includes this evil glare which only the husband witnesses on a daily basis.
2. Completely ignore you and walk away (yes, I really do this.).
3. “La la laaaaa…. I can’t heeearrr youuuuu!” 
4. Get really defensive and argue.

In other words, don’t mess with me and my pumpkin…. ever!

You’re in luck this morning. You may be wondering what you’re going to make for your Saturday morning breakfast. I have not one, but TWO recipes you could make. Either one will leave you skipping gleefully for the rest of the day. First up is muffins, second up is pancakes, and third (did I say THIRD? Yes… Yes I did!) up is a sauce which will make you believe you are eating caramel apples for breakfast.

Pumpkin “Surprise” Muffins

What you’ll need:

• 1.5 cups gluten free flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup agave nectar (or 1/2 cup sugar or maple syrup)
• 3/4 can pumpkin (about 10-12 ounces)
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp flax mixed with 6 tbsp warm water, left to sit out for 5 minutes)
• 2-3 tbsp. peanut butter, divided

How it’s done:

• Begin by making your flax eggs. Mix two tbsp flax with 6 tbsp warm water in a small bowl. Set aside to be mixed into batter later. It would also be wise to preheat your oven to 350 degrees at this time.
• Mix your dry ingredients into a large bowl — flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon.
• Mix your wet ingredients together in another bowl — agave nectar, pumpkin, vanilla, applesauce, and flax eggs.
• Combine the two mixtures and stir until smooth.
• Line a cupcake pan with 10 liners. Evenly distribute half the mixture into the 10 liners. Take a dollop of peanut butter, place on top of batter and repeat for the remaining muffins. Evenly distribute the remainder of the mixture on top of the peanut butter dollops.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes.

This next picture is mostly for Kelsey because look at the muffin on the right! It has a huge muffin top just like I’ve been trying to get! Yippee!

He may look like an ordinary muffin….

But he sure ain’t no ordinary muffin… Dollop of peanut butter anyone?

Directly following the photo shoot, this muffin top eye candy was promptly ripped off and devoured. Sue me.

• 1/4 cup gluten free flour
• 1/4 cup gluten free oatmeal
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup pumpkin (Libby’s, of course!)
• 1/3 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp flax
• 1 tsp vanilla

How it’s done:

1. Mix dry ingredients — flour, oats, flax, baking soda, cinnamon.
2. Mix wet ingredients — milk, pumpkin, vanilla.
3. Combine.
4. Heat a large skillet with cooking spray to medium high heat. Drop three good sized portions of the batter onto the skillet and heat for 3-4 minutes. Flip, smush (just a little!), and heat the other side until cooked thoroughly.
5. Devour.

 
• 1/4 small apple, chopped
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 2-3 tbsp almond milk
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

How it’s done:

1. Chop your apple and combine with vanilla, maple syrup, and cinnamon in a microwaveable cup or bowl. Microwave for 90 seconds.
2. Once that is heated, set aside and place 1 tbsp peanut butter with 2-3 tbsp almond milk in another microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds.
3. Stir the peanut butter and almond milk with a fork until smooth and combine with the maple syrup/apple mixture. Stir until “smooth” (it won’t be completely smooth because of the apples obviously).
4. Heat for another 20 seconds.
5. Try not to eat the sauce before it makes it to your plate.

Who is to say pancakes and caramel apple sauce isn’t healthy? It totally is! There is a good chance I won’t eat for the rest of the day (joke) — I can’t even finish my coffee my stomach is so full.

Question: What is your favorite Saturday morning breakfast?

PS: Don’t forget to enter my LARABAR GIVEAWAY! It ends Monday, September 27 at Midnight! Thanks to all of you for the ridiculously positive feedback!

Tagged as: breakfast, caramel apple sauce, pumpkin, pumpkin "surprise" muffins, pumpkin pancakes, Saturday morning