Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (Whole Wheat)

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Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (I use white whole wheat flour for this)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon real salt
• 1 cup of pureed pumpkin (canned pure pumpkin is what I use)
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup 1% lowfat milk
• 1/3 cup oil (I use melted coconut oil)
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (or dark chocolate chips)

Instructions

 Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly oil or coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. 

Whisk together the flours, flaxseed, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Combine the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, oil, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl and stir until well combined. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake 20-23 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool 5 minutes. Remove the muffins and cool an additional 5 minutes before serving. 

Notes: Just like Heather's famous Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, but in muffin form! 

Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes (Whole Wheat)

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Ingredients: 

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp oil
• 3 tbsp chopped pecans
• cooking spray
• warmed maple syrup, for topping (extra)

Directions: 

1. Mix all dry ingredients (first 5 ingredients) in a bowl.

2. Combine buttermilk, egg whites, canned pumpkin, 1 tbsp maple syrup, oil and vanilla in a bowl and mix until smooth. Combine wet ingredients with the dry and mix well with a spoon until there are no more dry spots then fold in pecans. Don't over-mix.

3. Cook as you would any other pancake. Serve with hot maple syrup.

Notes: These are amazing! Fall in your mouth. The crunchy nuts, aromatic spices, and hearty pumpkin flavor are purely perfect for this season. 

Scarecrow Bars

Source: this blog, via Pinterest

Ingredients:
1 box Yellow Cake Mix
1 egg
1/2 cup butter softened
3 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups rice krispies cereal
1 1/2 cups peanuts
1 cup candy corn

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Mix cake mix and butter until well mixed. Add egg and beat until all mixed together. Press dough mixture in to the base of a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 12-14 minutes until edges are light brown or until set. Add marshmallows to the top and return to oven for 1-2 minutes until marshmallows puff up. Remove from oven. Combine corn syrup and sugars in a pot on medium heat. Stir for a few minutes until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Add cereal, peanuts and candy corn. Mix well. Pour over marshmallow mixture. Let cool and cut into bars for serving.

Notes:
I saw these show up on Pinterest recently and I knew I wanted to make them for our Telluride trip as a fun road trip treat.  Can't go wrong with candy corn, peanuts, peanut butter, and marshmallows in my book.  De-lish!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Source

Ingredients:

2 C flour
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t baking soda
6 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 C canola oil
1 C sugar
1/4 C brown sugar
3 eggs
2 t vanilla
1/2 C sour cream
3 C grated zucchini
3/4 C mini chocolate chips
optional: zest from one orange

Topping:
2 T brown sugar
2 T white sugar
1/2 t cinnamon

Directions:

1. Mix dry ingredients. 

2. With a stand or hand mixer beat oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until combined and slightly fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until combined. Gently stir in the grated zucchini (and zest if you’re using). Combine with dry ingredients and chocolate chips.

3. Divide batter between 2 loaf pans (I used muffin pans) and sprinkle topping on top. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes.

Notes: A few weeks ago a went on a muffin craze, stocking up the freezer before school started for quick snacks/breakfasts. These are Melia's favorite. To increase the health factor just a pinch, I omitted the sugar topping, and used whole wheat flour.

Shepherd's Pie

Source: My momma

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 can kidney beans
1 can green beans (I like to use 2 cans of green beans if I need this casserole to go a little further)
1 can tomato soup (sometimes I don't have condensed tomato soup on hand so I use this handy dandy substitution)
3 cups mashed potatoes (I just used instant from the church drypack cannery, but you can make real mashed potatoes if you're so inclined)
cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:
Brown ground beef and onion; drain grease.  Add both cans of beans and tomato soup and stir to mix.  Pour meat/bean mixture into a 9x13" baking dish.  Top with potatoes and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes, until everything is warm through and the cheese is melty and bubbly.

Notes:
Nothing fancy, and likely not very authentic, but it's quick, easy, and quite delicious.  Funny story: the other day I decided that I'd like to make Shepherd's Pie for dinner, but I couldn't remember exactly how my mom used to make it (I hadn't ever made it before and hadn't eaten it for years).  I did some searching online, but nothing I found sounded familiar, so I called the source, my mom (shoulda done that in the first place).  She filled in the holes that I was missing, but before she did, she said, "Are you having Shepherd's Pie tonight?"  I replied that I was hoping to, yes.  Then she said, "That's what we're having, too!"  Ha!  Like mother, like daughter, I guess.

Zucchini Lasagna

Source

Ingredients:

• 1 lb 93% lean beef
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 onion
• 1 tsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 3 medium zucchini, sliced 1/8" thick
• 15 oz part-skim ricotta
• 16 oz part-skin mozzarella cheese, shredded (Sargento)
• 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 large egg

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan, brown meat and season with salt. When cooked drain in colander to remove any fat. Add olive oil to the pan and saute garlic and onions about 2 minutes. Return the meat to the pan, add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer on low for at least 30-40minutes, covered. Do not add extra water, the sauce should be thick.

Meanwhile, slice zucchini into 1/8" thick slices, add lightly salt and set aside or 10 minutes. Zucchini has a lot of water when cooked, salting it takes out a lot of moisture. After 10 minutes, blot excess moisture with a paper towel.

On a gas grill or grill pan, grill zucchini on each side, until cooked, about 1-2 minutes per side. Place on paper towels to soak any excess moisture.

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a medium bowl mix ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and egg. Stir well. 

In a 9x12 casserole spread some sauce on the bottom and layer the zucchini to cover. Then place some of the ricotta cheese mixture, then top with the mozzarella cheese and repeat the process until all your ingredients are used up. Top with sauce and mozzarella and cover with foil.

Bake 45 minutes covered at 375°, then uncovered 15 minutes. Let stand about 5 - 10 minutes before serving.

Notes: Such a YUMMY lasagna - I think I liked it better than with pasta! I kind of doubled the recipe while assembling so that it filled a 9x13 (and fed 4 hungry adults and 4 children with leftovers) by using canned sauce on the bottom and top layers, using more zucchini, and doubling the cottage cheese mixture. Be aware that it is time consuming to make - definitely not one of my usual 30-minutes-or-less meals.

Slow Cooker Coconut Rice Pudding

Source:  With Style and Grace, via Pinterest

Servings:  4-5

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup basmati rice – white or brown will also work (I used jasmine rice)
• 1 can light coconut milk
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or milk of choice
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup water - more or less for desired consistency
• 1/4 cup sugar (I added this for sweetness)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup almonds, chopped and toasted
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup agave nectar or honey, divided

Directions:

1. Turn the slow cooker on.
2. Add rice, coconut milk, almond milk, sugar (if desired), vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the slow cooker. If you need to add more liquid, add a little water.
3. Set to high for 2-2 ½ hours or low for 4 hours.
4. When ready, mix in raisins, almonds & coconut. Divide the rice pudding among four bowls and drizzle ½-1 tablespoon of agave nectar or honey, then sprinkle a few coconut flakes over top.
5. Serve and enjoy!

Comments:  Loved this rice pudding!  As I mentioned in the ingredients, I realized it didn't have any sugar in it, and I like my desserts to be sweet, so I just added 1/4 c. of sugar to the recipe.  Very tasty!  For my first time making it, I wanted to keep it simple, so I didn't put in the fun add-in ingredients (raisins, almonds, coconut, & honey topping), and it was good all on its own. . .I'll definitely try adding those next time, though!  (Bonus:  This is also a great dessert for those who eat dairy-free and/or gluten-free!)