How to Make Your Own Roasted Pumpkin & Apple Butter.

Happy Wednesday, friends! I promised you last week that I would share my roasted pumpkin & apple butter recipe with you, because I love you, and you're worth it, and because you need this butter in your life. Every single fall day. And actually, it's not butter at all, it's just that consistency and it's perfectly used like butter. Only better. It's BETTER BUTTER. It's so easy to make, you guys. This recipe just kills me, because it's SO easy and the outcome tastes like something out of Martha's kitchen. I truly feel like a little southern belle, keeping a stockpile of this in my fridge during the cooler autumn/winter months. It's delicious on anything - spread on toast, mixed into oatmeal, dolloped on yogurt, eaten with ice cream, smeared on baked chicken - the possibilities are literally endless. Literally. Just grab a few mason jars (I love these and these for canning), your crockpot and let's do this thing!

Roasted Pumpkin & Apple Butter.
Ingredients:
- 1 Sugar Pumpkin
- 5-6 apples, different varieties
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/5 tsp. Nutmeg

Method:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Now throw your pumpkin in there. Just kidding! You have to wait for it to heat up - silly rabbit. But in all seriousness, don't bother attempting to slice that pumpkin - just put in on a baking sheet and roast it whole in the oven! It's seriously so much easier than almost hacking off your arm in an attempt to pre-slice it. There's no need. Once it's good and roasty, we can easily slice it and scoop out the seeds. So once the oven is preheated, place the pumpkin in the oven and roast it for 45 minutes. This is when you watch Netflix and chuckle to yourself about how domestic you are, ROASTING A PUMPKIN. Maybe Instagram it. It's that good.

Don't look too closely. I desperately need some new baking sheets. I have my eye on these.

2. After 45 minutes, remove the pumpkin from the oven. It should be incredibly easy to slice open, which is exactly what you want to do. I first cut off the stem, then sliced the whole pumpkin down the center. Allow it to sit on a cutting board and cool a bit.

I shared this photo on Instagram last week because I loved it so much. My little kitchen helper and his little apple-stealing paws :)

3. Once the pumpkin has cooled and is easy to work with, go ahead and scoop out the seeds and inner stringy meat. Put those aside in a bowl - you might want to do something with that mixture later! Roasted pumpkin seeds perhaps?

4. Then go ahead and scoop out the "good stuff" - all that inner pumpkin which is so creamy and sweet and earthy. You should sneak a taste; it's so good.

5. Place all the scooped out pumpkin into a crockpot. Set the crockpot over low heat.

6. Wash and dice up all your apples. I personally leave the skins on, because it's just extra work removing them. It doesn't make a difference when the butter is finished buttering - the skin will get all roasty and melty just like the rest of the apples. So only remove the skins if you have a thing about it. You don't need to. I did mention that this is the easiest recipe ever, right? Just making sure. This is where you chuckle to yourself again.

7. Toss the diced apples into the crockpot, along with the rest of the ingredients - maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. You will already be able to smell the goodness. Now close up the crockpot top and leave it alone!

8. Let the mixture cook forever. Like, at least 6-8 hours. I prefer cooking it on low for a long time, because it just gets that good, simmered situation going. I'm sure you could cook it on high for a shorter period of time, if you're in a hurry. I didn't mind taking longer with it, because it made my house smell like an autumnal haven of pumpkin glory. BONUS.

9. Once the mixture has completely broken up and reaches an even consistency, go ahead and load the mixture into your mixer or blender. You might have to do this in batches, depending on how big your blender is. I use a Vitamix (because God is good to me, and gave me loving parents who Christmas-gifted me a Vita, which I consider my child) but that's not necessary - any blender, stand mixer or hand mixer will work perfectly. Pulse the mixture on high for just a few moments, whipping it into a buttery consistency. Do not overmix.

10. Voila! Your butter is complete! Now load it into your canning jars and dole those things out like candy. If you can stand to give it away, this makes an amazing gift. I normally end up standing in the kitchen, eating the hot butter for like ten minutes before I can even bear to begin canning it. This recipe should make 4 16-oz. jars of butter. Unless one of those jars "suddenly disappears."

Eat and eat and eat and eat. This butter is shown with my Pumpkin Beer Bread recipe. Which is just a really good direction to go with it :) Let me know how this roasted pumpkin & apple butter goes for you friends! Happy buttering to you!

Acai Berry Breakfast Bowl

Your breakfast is about to become very on-trend. Because everyone in the world is talking about smoothie bowls and I for one don't like to be left out of breakfast popularity. Those are the best kind of trends, amiright? So here you go, folks. The simplest, most ridiculously easy smoothie bowl recipe there ever was.

I first had one of these a few years back at Kale Me Crazy. And the entire time I was wolfing it down, I kept thinking, I have to remember everything that is in this so I CAN MAKE IT AGAIN. And ever since then, we've been making them at our house. It's kind of like a twist on the traditional breakfast parfait. You just swap out the yogurt for an almond milk/acai mixture. And let your mouth go numb with the yum. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

- 1 Sambazon Acai Berry Frozen Pouch - you should be able to find these in the frozen fruit section of your grocery store.

- 1 cup Almond Milk

- 1/2 cup Blueberries

- 1/2 cup Banana, sliced

- 1/2 cup granola

- 1/4 cup shredded Coconut, unsweetened

- Honey, drizzled

- a dash of Cinnamon

Method:

1. Place the pouch of acai in a cold glass of water for a few minutes to thaw. This will allow it to slide out of the pouch easily.

2. Once a little bit thaw, open the pouch of acai and pour into your high-powered blender. I am a sucker for my Vitamix, but any blender will work for this recipe. It's okay if the acai is still very frozen.

3. Add in the almond milk, and blend on high for 20 second, or until completely combined. The mixture should have the consistency of a smoothie. And it should be a grayish-purple shade that will make you want to paint your walls with it, nay, bathe in it. But you won't. Because you will want to eat it more.

4. Pour half the contents into a bowl, and cover half to use at another time. Like tomorrow. And voila, your first layer is complete! Now it's time to dress it up.

5. Add a layer of granola, then berries, then coconut. Top with a dash of cinnamon and drizzle with honey - the more the better in my opinion. And that's it! Your trendy, delectable acai berry bowl is ready for consumption! Enjoy, my friends!

TASTE: Banana-Oat & Date Muffins

Banana-Oat & Date Muffins 

Always in a hurry to grab something for breakfast and GO? This is a great morning muffin you can prep and bake ahead of time, freeze, and then pull out and take along with you in the car or on the subway. It's happy fuel for the morning commute. And for how delicious and comforting it tastes... it's pretty darn healthy. I mean, it's sweetened by bananas and dates. And just a bit of maple syrup. Please. Can we be any more granola?

Being back in the South has brought to mind some recipes that I had honestly forgotten about. You know how that happens? You go home and all the familiarity, the scent of home, the pattern in your steps... your past life just comes soaring back to you. That's what happened this week. I found myself fumbling around the kitchen for some half-spoiled bananas, pulled down my glass jar of oats, and voila, this recipe pretty much made itself. It's reminiscent of banana bread and therefore, highly heavenly and appealing. And homey-ish. This recipe is based largely on Gwyneth Paltrow's version, but I tweaked a few things here and there. You can rag on her all you want, but I really do love her recipes. I mean, the semi-normal ones that I've actually attempted to try. Now she's actually queen of the granola. We don't need to be queen of that. We just need to enjoy our muffins and get on with it. So lets.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups flour

- 1 cup old-fashioned oats

- 2 tsp. baking powder

- 2 tsp. baking soda

- a pinch of sea salt (Maldon!)

- 2 overripe bananas, mashed

- 1/2 cup olive oil

- 2/3 cup maple syrup

- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

- 2 tsp. vanilla extract

- 1/2 cup dried dates, pitted and chopped (about 6 dates)

- 1/4 pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped, plus more for topping each muffin

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line your muffin tin with liners.

2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, mix the mashed bananas, olive oil, maple syrup, almond milk and vanilla.

4. Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing together.

5. Toss the chopped dates with the 1/4 cup chopped pumpkin seeds and fold them into the batter. Mix well. Make sure that the dates and pumpkin seeds don't fall straight to the bottom of the batter.

6. Fill each muffin tin about 2/3 of the way full with the batter. Sprinkle each muffin with a pinch of the extra pumpkin seeds.

7. Bake until the muffins are browned and a toothpick comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes.

Worth the Muffin Top.

I promise, you will love these deceivingly decadent muffins. The pumpkin seeds add a bit of salty crunch and the dates add a hit of soppy, southern mapley-ness. The hardest part is only eating one at a time!

TASTE: Blueberry-Apple Baked Oatmeal

Blueberry Apple Baked Oatmeal

Yum yum yum yum. I don't know about you, but I love eating oatmeal in the mornings. Heeeaaaallllthy. But I pretty much loathe making it. It just feels like it takes, like, 7 whole minutes. I know, I sound like an ugly rushed American. But in the morning time, especially lately, I've been waking up famished and wanting food NOW. So oatmeal? Doesn't really fit into the "quick and easy" breakfast category. But this oatmeal (introduced to me by my lovely dear, newly-British friend Carrie), is wondrous, because you can prep it the night before and just pop it in the oven in the morning. Then, voila! You have a delicious, healthy, toasty breakfast. And if you have a husband who wakes up before you... he can put it in the oven so that it's hot and ready right when you wake up :) Thanks, Stevie!

Ingredients:

- 3 cups Rolled Oats

- 2 Eggs

- 1/4 cup Agave

- 1/4 cup Butter, melted

- 1 Apple, chopped

- 3/4 cup Blueberries, fresh or dried

- 1 cup Almond Milk

- 1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp. Salt 

Method:

1) Chop the apple. Combine in a bowl with the blueberries. Set aside.

2) In a large bowl, combine the oats, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and combine with the almond milk, agave and melted butter. Stir the wet mixture into the oat mixture, adding in the apples and blueberries until evenly combined.

3) Spoon into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until set. Yields 9 servings. Or 2. Depending on how much you eat :)

Breakfast of Champs!

I really hope you love this. Because I do - a lot. And if you're interested in a fun twist of flavor on this basic oatmeal recipe, you can check out my exotic Mango Coconut Baked Oatmeal. That's right. You can get a little crazy with it and this will still taste incredible.

Happy breakfasting!

Taste: "Good Morning!" Green Juice

Good Morning Green Juice.

It's almost the weekend! To celebrate, let's add some healthy color to your morning routine! This is such a delicious way to get revved up and start the day. It's even better then a cup of coffee. That's right, I said it. I love drinking this in the morning because it feels really good to get in so many fruits and veggies so early in the day! Plus, it looks suuuuper green, but I promise it doesn't taste like grass. It tastes really tangy and refreshing (thanks to that hot hit of mint, mmm.)

This recipe serves two and is best if made in a high-powered blender, like a Vitamix, or a juicer.

Ingredients:

- 2 ribs of kale

- 1 handful of spinach (about 1 cup)

- 1 cup baby carrots (5-6)

- 1 green apple

- 1 red apple

- 1 lemon, skin and pith removed

- 3-4 sprigs of mint

- 1-inch piece of ginger, peel removed

- 1/3 cucumber, peeled

- 1 cup water

Method:

1. Place all the ingredients into Veronica the Vitamix (it's a bond, people), and secure the lid.

2. If you have a Vitamix: Select Variable 1. Turn the machine on and quickly increase speed to variable 10, then turn on High. Blend for 45 seconds or until the desired consistency is reached.

If you have a juicer/food processor: You might have to do this in batches. My food processor is only a 2-cup, so I would probably have to break this up into three separated batches. Or you could try to use a powerful blender, but just make sure all your ingredients are roughly chopped (the carrots might pose the biggest problem.)

Seriously, this is going to make you feel like a superhero. Now go and conquer your week!

Keeping your weekend green! And let me know what you think!

*This recipe was featured this week on Flat8 Magazine's website! Make sure to visit the site and check it out! Their content is so fun :)