Spinach Walnut and Pancetta Pasta

Oh how this pasta reminds me of Italy :) Simple, elegant, and utterly delicous. Please go make this pasta now, and top it with lots of parmesan cheese!!

Spinach Walnut Pancetta Pasta

don't have pancetta? Use bacon!

Also if this link comes up in French, just scroll down and press in English!

Pumpkin

So grocery shopping happened last week. I go down EVERY aisle because I have to look at every single new product...even though I'd never buy it ;) but it gives me great idea's to make my own delicious creations!

ANYWAYS I am rollin down the baking aisle and stop at the pumpkin. I got so excited because I realized I hadn't had pumpkin since Thanksgiving! Who says we should only have pumpkin flavored things around holidays anyways??? It has a wonderful flavor, you can do SO much with it and extremely healthy to boost! 

I was looking through my saved recipes and came across some great pumpkin recipes check it out Here!

The picture I took and the recipe I am posting today are these pumpkin oat muffins (I bet you guys can tell I am a LITTLE obsessed with healthy muffins). These muffins are moist, filling, light, and fluffy! Pumpkin is one of those ingredients (as well as bananas) you can mix into breads and cakes and it becomes extremely moist without adding a bunch of oil! :) I followed this recipe pretty much exactly as is expect I subbed in 1/4 cup apple butter for the oil and did a little less then a 1/2 cup of sugar. Look at this article, it's a great read if you want to try and substitute things, you have to be carful! 

Baking Alterations Rules

Pumpkin muffins

I'm headed to Chicago this weekend for one of my best friends Bach parties...It should be a good one! :) 

Enjoy yours!

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

Man the past couple months or so have been crazy! I've been totally slacking on the blog posts....I guess that'll happen when you are trying to plan your ENTIRE wedding that is happening in four months by the way!

I had one the most memorable weekends of my life this past weekend, I drove all the way out to Ohio with my good friend/bridesmaid to celebrate my bridal shower! :) My maid of honor/best friend/child hood friend since kindergarden threw it for me and I couldn't of asked for a better party! She surprised me by having everyone make something from this blog. I must say the stuff they made came out delicious!!  That is the whole point of this blog, so people can find easy delicious/healthy food to cook for others!! I'm still beaming :) I'm not sure how many people read this blog but I sure love writing in it!

ANYWAYS....on to these muffins. A couple weeks ago we had a memorial day party and WAY to many strawberries were purchased. What to do with extra strawberries I asked myself??? Well first I tried out the lemon blueberry jam with strawberries instead of blueberries and it turned out fantastic. I still had strawberries left so I googled some recipes and this muffin recipe popped up! I really do love making muffins that are not loaded with sugar and calories yet still are extremely tasty and healthy all at the same time. It just proves over and over again you can still have things that are labeled "bad for you", one just must put a little more time and effort into it. 

These muffins are a great breakfast or afternoon snack. They also aren't too sweet you feel like you will go into a sugar coma! The recipe calls for applesauce but I used organic apple butter and it still turned out great! I also wanted a little fat in them so I subbed a quarter of the applesauce for coconut oil.  Either way if you use the oil or not these muffins are fantastic. Now get baking ;)

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

Pecan butter

I hope everyone had a good memorial day weekend! We enjoyed it by cooking some hamburgers on the grill, drinking and playing croquet. :) Has anyone every played? It's actually a lot of fun!

After a weekend drinking and eating all I want to do is cleanse myself with healthy delicious food and exercise:) It's the middle of the week so I'm getting there/feeling better!

I made this pecan butter on memorial day and it turned out AMAZING. I mean I've made homemade peanut butter and homemade almond butter so I OBVIOUSLY had to try this...I got the idea from HERE.

If you like pecans, I would suggest making this, it's simple and a healthy protein! : ).  I just toasted my pecans in the oven for 8 minutes at 350 instead of tossing it in the pan like they do. 

Pecan butter

Garlic Dill White Bean Dip

Every big holiday my family would gather at my grandparents house and it would always involve a hodgepodge of appetizers, sandwiches, and finger foods galore. One of my favorite things that was always there was dill dip. It was some weird tradition my grandma started and I loved it! I was quite the picky child so when I would see that dip it's all I would eat! I of coarse dipped them with potato chips not vegetables....

Fast forward 20 years and my eating habits have changed a bit :) I still love normal dips based with mayo and sour cream but I try to switch it up with lighter mayo and instead of sour cream I use greek yogurt! I'm telling yea f you haven't tried to switch them DO IT...It taste just the same! Greek yogurt dips. 

I didn't always love beans but now I can't get enough of them. Black, pinto, chickpeas, and white beans are all so good, and good for you! This garlic white bean dill dip reminds me of my childhood love for dill dip but heartier and healthier :) Enjoy with pita chips and fresh veggies!

If you don't have time to roast the garlic I just used garlic powder and it was still delicious!

Garlic Dill White Bean Dip

Salad dressings

Did you know salad dressing was ridiculously easy to make? All you need is oil, vinegar, and spices!

Making your own dressing is a MILLION times better than buying the crazy crap they have out there on the grocery shelves. I'm a huge chipotle fan and my fiancée found the salad dressing recipe for their salad.

It's so good it makes me want to cry......a little dramatic but it's OUTRAGEOUSLY yummy. You'll thank me later...

Honey Vinaigrette

Eggs

Eggs are great. There are so many ways to eat them it's a lil CRAZY.  These are some great recipes. 

Growing up my dad used to make over easy eggs for us like it was his job! I also ate a lot of hard boiled eggs. I think my favorite now is scrambled or poached. I know the runny egg freaks some people out but poached eggs are AMAZING...please watch this video and you are going to make them all the time with that nifty trick!

Last night I was thinking about what I wanted for lunch. Everyday I know what I'm going to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner the night before...I'm a wee bit indecisive so this process helps me so the next day I don't freak out because I can't decide what to eat because I want to eat EVERYTHING.

I stumbled across a ton of recipe for mini egg muffins. They are a great on the go healthy breakfast or lunch. There are so many different things you can add to them, this recipe is just one of dozens! The other great thing about them is they keep well in the fridge for awhile or even longer in the freezer!

Egg muffins

I'm throwing a wild card at you and I myself thought these eggs were a little weird but they are anything but! The combo of the spicy tomato sauce and texture of eggs was out of this world. Also a great hang over cure ;) Please try!

Eggs in purgatory