chunky monkey muffins {gf}

gluten free baking successess are amazing- especially for someone who doesn't bake gluten free often.

i love getting to the point where i am comfortable enough to explore and develop recipes on a whim. there was a time when a recipe was my life line - i would follow it to a T for fear of turning out an inedible meal or muffin. then gradually, after much practice i became more confident in the kitchen, using recipes only as a guideline, often times venturing off from the written recipe and creating something a little different. then a few years later i began creating original recipes - some wildly successful others major fails. this one my friends was one of the successes - a gluten free success which was even more exciting and pretty tasty too.

for anyone still hesitant to stray away from the original recipe - don't be! jump right in and experiment, that's really the best way to grow in the kitchen. keep trying until it turns out just right and before you know it you will be able to create recipes without even giving it a second thought, it will eventually become second nature to you.

maple cider glazed brussels + delicata {gf}

i have a hard time understanding why so many people have an aversion to brussel sprouts - they are super adorable and easy to prepare.  personally, i like my brussels roasted. i am also a fan of hiding "undesirable" veggies in quinoa patties or rissoles. this recipe is a loosely deconstructed version of my delicata rissole - which is still one of my favorite recipes to date.

 i do know one thing for sure, this recipe will definitely be making an appearance on thanksgiving.

creamy potato carrot leek soup {gf}

 the thing i love most about soup is that the simplest of ingredients can be turned into an amazing, soul hugging, nourishing soup. this soup is extremely easy- combining a few very inexpensive ingredients with minimal time and you will find that you have created a healthy and comforting meal.

who says eating healthy has to be difficult & expensive?

this soup definitely proves it doesn't have to be.

classic vanilla cake

i had the pleasure of babysitting my two nephews a few weekends ago.

it was so much fun! they are brothers and 7 years a part, it is funny to see how they interact - Aiden the youngest, he's 3 emulates everything his big brother Xavier does.

we went on a nice long hike, every rock Xavier climb, every down tree he jumped his little brother was right behind him making his way over and onto the trees and rocks....with a little help from his auntie of course.

so as a treat i decided to bake them a cake - a simple classic vanilla cake frosted blue with lots of fun sprinkles...not only did we enjoy cake but we also made popcorn on the stove and Xavier made his first, completely from scratch pizza - dough and all! i couldn't be more proud.

fall spanish pardina lentil soup {gf} // seeded baguette

over columbus day weekend justin and i were apart for most of the weekend - every year he is a vendor at the grass drags event which runs all weekend long morning until night and is an hour and a half drive from our home. needless to say he is exhausted when he comes home and is simply ready to crash.

so when monday rolled around we enjoyed ourselves a very, very lazy day.

our monday included our ritual "sunday" morning breakfast, lazing in our pj's, a bottle of champagne and 

this soup! a soup so incredibly easy to make, making it the perfect late lunch for lazy weekends.

chocolate pumpkin mini bundts {gf}

pumpkin everywhere!

this is the time to indulge in pumpkin everything- that is of course if you like pumpkin.

everywhere you turn you are bound to see loads of recipes inspired by the mighty fall pumpkin - some savory, some sweet; pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie filling and fresh pumpkin all find their way into most recipes this time of year- and i love it.

coconut quinoa stuffed kuri squash {gf}

today i want to share with you a "new" to me squash - the kuri squash!

sometimes i feel totally silly - up until about a year ago i learned that many of the winter squashes it perceived to be fall decorations are actually edible...and really delicious.

each time i stop by picnic rock i am sure to ask ginny and lauchie what they have new for me to try out - it just so happened ginny picked up the kuri squash for me to try and it just so happened i bought one the week before to decorate the front door for fall - huh who new, pretty and edible.

well now we both know - well that is of course if you didn't know this before

sorry, i'm rambling - lets move on to the recipe, that's far more interesting!

pumpkin black bean soup

it is a beautiful time of year.

the smell of woodsmoke in the air.

breathtaking crimson, gold and orange leaves whose colors deepen with every day that passes.

i love starting a pot of soup on sunday morning, letting it simmer away until mid afternoon then serving a piping hot bowl with a big hunk of crusty bread.

baked donuts // fall classics 3 ways

oh i love donuts - in moderation of course.

thankfully i have shown some self restraint when it has come to my donut making ways.

since receiving my donut pan last christmas this is only my second time making donuts.

i have noticed a trend though - when i bust out my donut pan i tend to make 3 different kinds of donuts in one fell swoop - this time around i decided i wanted to take your classic holiday pie and cake flavors and turn them into donuts - great idea right? right!

well, i thought so anyway and i am sharing with you my insanely delicious take

 on the classics -3 ways.

farro + sweet dumpling squash tartlettes

simple ingredients, simply prepared.

 taking just a few ingredients and turning them into something spectacular is so satisfying.

i love that these tartlettes are simple enough for a week night meal and elegant enough for a holiday meal sure to impress your guests - vegan or not.

simple rosemary roasted beets

i feel often times beets get a bad rap - and i have no idea why

they are beautiful in color, delicious when roasted and remarkable in stews.

it wasn't until recently that I have truly begun to appreciate the beet for all its worth.

it is a simple vegetable that is, in my opinion prepared just like that: simple.

 

when this batch came out of the oven, justin who has always proclaimed he was just "not into beets" popped one into his mouth and was instantly converted into a lover of beets.

 

now if i could only get him to love or even just like eggplant & artichokes  - even just a little.

rustic pumpkin toasts

sometimes i just want toast - prettied up toasts, plain toast, pb & jelly toasts.

after making the rosemary & olive peasant bread i was totally craving a big ol slice toasted with a whole lotta goodness piled high. almost like an open faced sandwich that thinks it's classy.

a classy little rustic pumpkin toast is what it turned out to be.

a few of these beauties served along side beluga lentils & butternut squash and

you could say i was one happy girl