Maple Pumpkin Blondies with Pumpkin Pie Frosting

Despite all the recipes I've made with pumpkin, I'm not its biggest fan...  I hold true to the statement I made almost exactly one year ago.  While I'm neutral to pumpkin's flavor, I seem to like everything else that goes with it, like cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar sweetness, etc.  I could smell a jar of cinnamon alllll day long  :)

But I know YOU like pumpkin, so I thought I'd make blondies for ya.  These are chewy and sweet, nothing boring or dry here!  In fact, these blondies are dense and rich just like typical blondies, except these are all-natural and actually good for you!

Hint:  If you close your eyes, it feels like you're eating cinnamon rolls.

Chocolate Buckwheat Pancakes

It was only a matter of time before I added chocolate to these pancakes.  Okay, really now, I made these the day after the original version but didn't want to annoy you by posting two pancake recipes in a row.

But now that I think of it, how could that possibly be annoying?

Homemade Dark Chocolate Almond Butter

My heart, and all the love that lies inside it, definitely belongs inside a jar of peanut butter.  When I go to the grocery store, I'm drawn to the nut butter section.  Even if I don't need to restock the peanut butter section in my pantry, I like to look at the perfectly stacked jars and all the different brands.  I read the jars' labels, check out the differences in nutrition facts, and see where the peanuts are grown.  It's crazy how much peanut butter can vary.  But then my eyes were drawn to the other jars.  White Chocolate Peanut Butter?  Chocolate Hazelnut Butter?  Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter?  What?  Like, I've seen you for a while, but now you're multiplying and pushing my all-time-love off to the side!

I picked up a jar of Chocolate Almond Butter.  In about three seconds of questioning it, I wanted it.  I first picked up a jar of Maranatha, but it contained milk and soy and sadly had to put it back.  I then picked up Justin's Nut Butter but I wasn't feeling the whole "2 teaspoons of sugar in 2 tablespoons of nut butter" thing...  so I grabbed a jar of the basic natural peanut butter (even though I totally didn't need it) and checked out.  On my drive home, I was making my own Chocolate Almond Butter recipe in my head.

The second I stepped through my front door I dropped my grocery bags and walked straight to the pantry.  I grabbed the ingredients I needed and got started.  In just 10 minutes, I was awarded with this sweet and chocolatey (yet sugar free and allergy free) buttery goodness!

Maple & Butter Pecan Krispy Treats

These Maple & Butter Pecan Krispy Treats beat those lame-o storebought treats, by a long shot!

These are flavorful.  These have texture.  These are... healthy?

Oh yes.  Sweet, rich and decadent treats that are also whole grain, refined sugar free, low fat, gluten free and vegan (but you would never know!)

Banana Bread Pound Cake

It's starting to get chilly outside, and I'm not a big fan.  I like when you can run out the door without thinking, oh crap, I left my jacket inside!  Especially since I find myself running out the door a lot.  Cold weather inadvertently reminds me of comfort food.  Food that you can snuggle up with on the couch in a comfy robe.  My comfort food?  Banana Bread.

Banana Bread and I go way back, I talked about it on the first post of this blog!  This is one of the few desserts that my entire family likes (even my father, the savory-food-lover, and my sister, who seems to be on the anti-dessert brigade).  Thankfully, this Banana Bread Pound Cake was enjoyed by all, savory- and sweet-lovers!

Buckwheat Pancakes

Every time I think of pancakes, I smile.  Not because they are totally freaking awesome moist and taste incredibly delicious, but because I remember how I used to eat them as a child.  I would drown my pancakes in that fake Aunt Jemima stuff to the point where there was more syrup on my plate than pancakes.  And I never understood why people used plates either, I needed a bowl to hold all that syrup!  Kind of like how I wonder why restaurants serve rice on plates with forks rather than bowls with spoons... it just makes more sense to use a bowl.

So last week when someone requested me to make pancakes, I smiled.  Not because a silly image popped into my head of me holding a bottle of syrup directly over my pancakes, but because I realized how far I had come in my healthy eating journey.  When I was five, I ate the all purpose flour, butter and corn syrup, whereas today, we will be indulging in healthy buckwheat flour, no added oils and pure maple syrup!

Fudgy Peanut Butter Swirled Black Bean Brownies [and Opening Up on My Food Allergies/Intolerances]

I'm a pretty quiet person, but I'll speak my mind if you let me.

I'm somewhat shy, but once you get to know me I won't shut up.

I'm an oddball, and most people don't get me at all.

I like washing dishes, cleaning my room, wearing pajamas all day (wait, I think everyone likes doing that), baking alone in complete silence, and most of all, making and eating desserts 24/7!  In case you were wondering, that includes dinner (but I don't think I'm alone on that one either...)

But today, I'm opening up about something other than my quirkiness.

To put it plainly, my life as a human being, and baker especially, has been ruined!

Whole Orange Almond Cake

It's incredibly gratifying to watch peoples' expressions when they eat my desserts.  It usually starts with a gasp after it is first revealed, as I like to present cakes and such on clean, sophisticated plateware (you eat with your eyes first, right?).  I sometimes hear an "eep!" from excitement when I set the plate down.  I soon see a grin that stretches from ear to ear after the first bite is taken.  I love it most when someone actually closes their eyes.  It is like a short-lived, yet personal bonding moment between them and their tastebuds.

Decadent Chocolate Layer Cake with a Special Chocolate Frosting ... for my 20th Birthday!!

And unlike last year, I don't have any exams today.  Phew.  But seriously guys, I'm turning twenty today.

TWENTY.  The big 2-O ... I've been on Earth for two entire decades?  Damn, I'm old.

So obviously, I celebrated with cake.  A chocolate cake.  Duh.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pound Cake with a Special Peanut Butter Icing

Dense, moist, rich, sweet.  Sounds like a pound cake, right?

Whole grain, refined sugar free, sans butter.  Sounds like something that would pair well with steamed broccoli, yes?

Well, just because this pound cake is comprised of healthy ingredients sure doesn't mean it has to taste like it!