Two of my Fall favorites, apples and pumpkin! They come together deliciously, making this Apple Pumpkin Dessert Pizza perfect for your Fall get-togethers.

Fall is in the air and I am so happy, it’s my favorite time of the year. Cool crisp mornings, sidewalks adorned with scarlet and gold leaves, the sweet smell of spice in coffee houses, cozying up in front of a warm fire, and the smell of baked apples and sweet pumpkin pie. Just a few of my Fall favorites.

Perfect to enjoy with a cup of tea or hot chocolate in the morning or conclude an evenings meal after a long days work. However you choose to enjoy, you’ll be happy to know that it’s super easy.

Just a little bit of mixing, slicing and spreading and you’ll have a dessert that will have you in “Dessert Heaven”.

You can make your own crust like I did or start with a pre-made one, makes a busy life easier. You can also sprinkle on your choice of nuts if you like, I didn’t because my daughter who has a peanut allergy begged me not to include them.

Nuts or not this is a perfect way to enjoy two favorite flavors of Fall.

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Apple Pumpkin Dessert Pizza

Servings 12

Calories 213kcal

Author Celeste @The Whole Serving

Ingredients

• Crust
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose wheat or plain flour plus more for dusting
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• Toppings
• 4 medium Granny Smith apples
• 1 cuppumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoonpumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons vegan or regular butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• Glaze
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond milk or milk of your choice
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Pour warm water, 100 to 110 degrees, into a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water and stir until well combined. Allow to sit until mixture is foamy, about 10 minutes.
• While yeast mixture is sitting, combine flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl.
• Make a well in the middle of the flour, pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil, stir with a wooden spoon until a rough dough is formed.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface, knead about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Dusting with extra flour as necessary.
• Brush a large bowl with olive oil and place dough in the bowl. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel, set aside and allow the dough to double in size, about 1 hour.
• While dough is rising peel and core apples, cut in half and thinly slice them with a food processor or mandolin. Cover and set aside.
• In a medium bowl mix pumpkin puree, brown sugar, spice, vanilla and salt until well combined.
• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 9x12 rectangle and transfer dough to a parchment lined sheet pan.
• Spread pumpkin over the crust and place apples over the pumpkin.
• Cut the butter into small pieces and place over the apples.
• Mix the brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice together and sprinkle over the apples.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
• While pizza is baking, mix together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.
• When pizza has cooled, drizzle glaze over pizza.
• Slice, serve and enjoy the wonderful flavors of Fall!!!

Notes

Make your own pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree.Find the recipeshere.

Nutrition

Serving: 6g | Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 41.8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4.7g | Saturated Fat: 1.6g | Sodium: 102.9mg | Fiber: 5.1g | Sugar: 22.2g

If you like this, here’s more you may like.

Apple Cinnamon Sticky Buns

Vegan Pumpkin-Date Bread

Pumpkin Cashew Pudding

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Slightly nutty, sweet and creamy, this Sweet Black Rice Pudding is a perfect way to start the day.

White rice, brown rice, black rice. What’s black rice?  It’s the rice that’s also known as “forbidden rice” because the royalty in ancient China possessed it and the common people were forbidden to have or eat black rice. I’m glad that’s no longer the case, I love this stuff.

Black rice is loaded with powerful disease-fighting antioxidants, fiber, it’s an anti-inflammatory, and it’s also known to help stop the development of diabetes, cancer, heart disease and weight gain.

A 1/2 cup serving of black rice has about 160 calories, 5 grams protein, 35 grams of carbs and only 1.5 grams of fat. Out of all the rice, black rice has the highest amount of antioxidants, protein and is a good source of iron.

My favorite way to have black rice is as a breakfast cereal served up with a bit of yogurt and fruit. It’s like having dessert for breakfast!

Black rice has a slightly nutty, sweet, creamy texture with a tender chewy bite. A bowl full of this goodness in the morning keeps me going all morning long.

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Sweet Black Rice Pudding

Servings 2 cups

Author Celeste @TheWholeServing

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup sweet black rice
• 1 cup almond or coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of maple syrup or brown sugar
• yogurt
• fruit of your choice
• granola

Instructions

• Place the rice in a bowl and cover with water. Rub the rice between your hands to remove some of the starches. Rinse using a mesh strainer until water runs clear. Proceed to the next step or return rice to a bowl and cover with clean water and allow to sit over night.
• Mix water, rice, milk and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
• Once it starts to boil reduce heat cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Add extra water if rice gets dry.
• During the last 5 minutes of cooking time stir in the maple syrup or brown sugar to taste.
• Spoon into bowls, top with yogurt, fruit of your choice and granola.
• Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Soaking the rice overnight will help to reduce the cooking time.

If you liked this pudding then check out these recipes:

Pumpkin Cashew Pudding

Cranberry Pear Chutney

The post Sweet Black Rice Pudding appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

I’m Celeste from The Whole Serving, and over on my blog you will find delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes. Some of the favorites are Apple Cinnamon Sticky Buns, Mushroom Bul Go Gi Lettuce Wraps, and Vegan Queso with Spiced Tortilla Chips  just to name a few. I hope you stop by for a visit and find some that will soon become your favorites. Please leave me a comment so I’ll know you stopped by.

Quick and easy, moist and tender are words that I would use to describe this recipe, you’ll never miss the eggs.

I did however, omit the step of dipping the muffin into melted vegan butter before dipping into the cinnamon sugar, just didn’t want to add any extra calories. Dipping them in the butter before the sugar will get more sugar on your muffins, but dipping the muffins in the sugar while they are still warm worked for me.

Enjoy them with a glass of almond, cashew or any milk of your choice, a cup of tea or coffee. But let me warn you, it’s hard to eat just one or two or three or four.

It’s a big hit with my family, I made a second batch using my donut pan.

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Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins

Recipe fromTexanerin Baking

Servings 32

Calories 101kcal

Author Celeste @TheWholeServing

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups white whole wheat or plain all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unrefined sugar or granulated sugar for sweeter muffins use 3/4 cup
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup almond milk warmed
• 1/2 cup melted refined coconut oil or canola oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/3 cup melted vegan butter or melted coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease or spray mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the first five ingredients.
• In a large bowl mix the applesauce, warm milk, oil and syrup.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix until there are no dry spots. Over mixing will make your muffins tough.
• Fill the muffin tin almost to the top.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched.
• While the muffins are baking mix together the sugar ans cinnamon in a medium bowl.
• When muffins are done, allow the to cool slightly enough to handle them.
• Turn them out of the pan and roll them in the sugar mixture, coating them completely.
• If you are using the butter or oil, dip them in the butter or oil before rolling them in the sugar.
• Allow to cool completely on serving dish or if you are like me you may want to try a few while they are still warm.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, that's if you have leftovers.
• Have Fun and Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.7g | Protein: 0.8g | Fat: 5.9g | Saturated Fat: 2.4g | Sodium: 53.9mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 5.8g

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You may also like these popular post from my blog, The Whole Serving

 This awesome post has been shared with Homestories A to Z and Whipperberry.

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I wanted to prepare a super crunchy and flavorful snack. But the main idea was to be healthy, too. The first thing that popped into my mind was Chickpeas. I have some great recipes for roasted chickpeas that I want to share with you. Tested in my kitchen and family-approved, of course.

What are Chickpeas?

Some of you may not know what Chickpeas are. They look like Garbanzo beans, and this is what they are. Chickpeas are gluten-free, vegan, rich in plant-based protein and fiber.

First, let me tell you more about chickpeas and the health benefits they provide.

Roasted chickpeas recipes for the perfect gluten-free and nutritious snacks

If you are diagnosed with celiac disease, a grain-free diet is essential. 

In addition to this, if you are vegetarian or avoid gluten, these are great for you. Don’t have any food restrictions? You will love these recipes for their satisfying flavor.

Protein is essential for the human body. One cup of cooked chickpeas equates to a single serving of plant-based protein. And there is more! Chickpeas are a great source of folate, B group vitamins, calcium, zinc, and magnesium. What an easy, affordable way to get the protein and fiber you need each day!

Try to cut down on meat consumption? Make some dishes of chickpeas. Besides, it adds a significant amount of protein to your diet.

Make healthier food choices

First, if you want to lose weight you are probably advised to eat fiber-rich foods. The reason is they tend to be low in calories and high in nutrients. What is more, fibers make you feel full for longer. The protein content in cooked chickpeas is around 7.25 g per ½ cup. Being a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, they offer lots of health benefits.

Also, eating fiber helps to lower cholesterol and minimizes cravings, which is useful when trying to lose weight.

Healthy snacking is key to maintaining your ideal weight. Sadly, unhealthy snacks such as chips and cookies tend to be easily accessible with little prep required. In other words, it makes certain less-than-healthy foods more appealing to busy, on-the-go people. Healthy, homemade snacks are for everyone! These recipes will be viable for you, even if you have a busy schedule.

Adult and seniors’ eating habits depend on the foods that you eat as a child. That is why healthy eating is crucial during childhood! Helping your grandkids develop healthy eating habits is very important.

Kids, in particular, tend to prefer bright colors. Fruits and veggies added to the chickpeas will help keep snack time appealing! A bit of creativity can go a long way in the kitchen!

Healthy food substitutions with chickpeas

• Replacement for bread crumbs – it makes an excellent gluten-free alternative. 
• Replace nuts for people with nut allergies.
• Replace croutons on soups – it will add body and crunchiness.

Salads make for a healthy, easy-to-prepare snack. You can use any ingredients you have on hand. For example, try adding lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, even a bit of chicken or cheese.

Also, salads make a pack-and-go snack that you can take along to work or school. Sprinkle some roasted chickpeas on top for extra crunchiness and nutty flavor.

The well-known hummus is a dip made of chickpeas and sesame paste or tahini. Eat it with a slice of bread or crackers. Actually, 2 tablespoons of the hummus on the bread or crackers average 100 calories. You can add hummus to a sandwich for a protein-rich alternative to butter.

Furthermore, to make healthy food choices you need to swap some ingredients for others. Use chickpeas to replace some or all the meat in soups and stews. Add them to a vegetable soup or stew to add nutrients.

For example, make hummus, which can be a dip or spread for your sandwiches. Falafel is mashed chickpeas with cumin, garlic, chili, and coriander. Separate the mixture into small balls and fry them until they are crisp.

You can make these with lots of flavors, but I couldn’t decide on just one flavor, so I decided that I would try six!

Holy Moly!  These are absolutely my newest favorite snack food!

Are you going vegan?

It means getting rid of meat, dairy, and all animal products in your meal plan. Going vegan may be an opportunity to maintain healthy eating habits and stay fit in every stage of your life. 

If you think of becoming a vegan, you should consider including chickpeas in your diet. It is a great way to gain more protein and fiber. Why not try it for a month? You could start with removing meat and dairy one day a week and substitute them with nuts, chickpeas, tofu, or other healthy alternatives. 

Add chickpeas to your everyday meals

Chickpeas will add some extra plant-based protein to your salad, soup, or stew. In fact, it is a type of carb that you can use in your low-calorie diet.

What is more, chickpeas are an excellent replacement for meat because of their nourishing taste. Aim to swap at least three times a week. Certainly, they add body to the soup, as well as protein and fiber.

Enjoy them in hummus, pasta dishes, salads, or roasted in a hot oven for a high-protein snack.

Want another type of carb that is different from rice and potatoes? Chickpeas are worth trying. Definitely, it is a way to make nutritious and healthy meals.

Your Grandkids will love roasted chickpeas

Salty or sweet – your grandkids will enjoy eating these like popcorn. They are even more addictive than potato chips.

Surely, this healthy kid-friendly snack will be the new favorite! Besides, you can use the leftovers in a veggie-filled sandwich or a wrap to add some extra crunchiness. Try some hummus instead of butter? It is going to be one satisfying and nutritious meal! Plus, it’s great for school snacks, too.

Make the best crispy roasted chickpeas recipe

First, cooking at home is a smart choice. Also, it is the way to avoid saturated fat, added sugar, and extra sodium. The main challenge is to make chickpeas stay crispy.

Without a doubt, there are lots of flavors that go together with them. I couldn’t decide on just one flavor. That’s right, I decided to try six!

Oh my Gosh! These are my newest favorite snack food!

In fact, they were SO easy to make and took no time at all. And wait for the best part! I had most of the ingredients I needed in my kitchen cupboards. Indeed, no fancy ingredients, no fuss. Just perfectly roasted chickpeas.

They were all super yummy, but my absolute favorite was the ranch flavor.

Not joking, I could munch on these all day. And I did. Surely, they are satisfying enough when you want a little something crunchy to eat! Moreover, these are perfect for eating while watching a movie.

Well, let’s get on to the recipes so that you can enjoy some, too! 

I’m sure they will turn you into a chickpea lover!

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Roasted Chickpeas Recipe

Author Made From Pinterest

Ingredients

• 2 14-15 oz cans of chickpeas also known as garbanzo beans
• 2 TBL olive oil can also use coconut oil

Honey Cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 TBL granulated sugar
• 2 TBL honey

Sesame Seed

• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 TBL sesame seeds

Garlic

• 1-2 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Spicy

• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

BBQ

• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tsp brown sugar

Ranch

• ¼ Cup Black Pepper
• 1½ Cup Parsley Flakes
• ½ Cup Garlic Salt
• 2 TBL Kosher Salt
• ¼ Cup Granulated Garlic
• ¾ Cup Granulated Onion
• 2 TBL Dill Weed
• This seasoning mix is used to make homemade ranch dressing. You can find the whole recipe HERE. It does contain some dairy products. You can reduce the amounts for the chickpeas recipe or make the whole recipe. It is the way to stay fresh in your fridge for months.

Instructions

• Drain and rinse your chickpeas. Remove any loose skins off of the beans. There is no need to be all of them. Remove the super loose ones.
• On a paper towel or towel, spread your beans and let them dry. I dried mine for about 1/2 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Line a cookie sheet with either foil or parchment paper.
• Evenly spread your dried beans on a cookie sheet.
• Bake for40-60 minutes. It will all depend on your oven. Check after 40 minutes if they are crunchy, then they are ready. If they are soggy, cook a little longer, but watch, to prevent them from burning.
• After baking, transfer to a bowl and mix with the 2 TBL olive oil or coconut oil.
• Then spread the seasonings of the flavor you are using and mix well.
• After coating with the honey cinnamon flavor, you can put the beans back into the oven for 5minutes. It will allow them to caramelize.
• With the ranch recipe, mix 2-3 tsp of the whole mix into your baked chickpeas and refrigerate the rest for other recipes.
• Yummy!

Helpful tips

1. To achieve the crunchy texture you are after, you have to remove the outer skin from the chickpea. Otherwise, the result will be chewy chickpeas, not crunchy.
2. Actually, if you use canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them in water before use. It is a way to reduce the quantity of sodium.  
3. Spread chickpeas on a towel and dry them.
4. Surely, the cooked chickpeas will last for 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in a fridge.
5. Add spices after roasting the chickpeas.
6. Keep the cooking water or the water from the can (if you use canned chickpeas). It is called Aquafaba and is known as the perfect egg replacer.
7. Also, chickpeas have to be spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. 
8. You can cook the chickpeas in an instant pot, slow-cooker, or on a stove-top.
9. Experiment to find your favorite combination of spices!

These roasted chickpeas recipes are:

• Super crunchy
• Flavorful and filling
• Perfect movie night snack
• Late-night snack
• Gluten-free
• Vegan-friendly
• Low-calorie snack
• Rich in fiber and protein
• So easy to make

The bottom line

In conclusion, chickpeas are a nutritious and healthy food to incorporate into your diet. Not only it packs a lot of plant-based protein, but also fiber to help you maintain healthy body weight.

Want to change your usual meal plan? Chickpeas will help you add texture and body to your dishes. What is more, add some crunchiness to your salad or sandwich and provide your meals with healthy nutrients.

In short, pick your favorite flavor from these six recipes and give it a try. It is sure to be a kid favorite that adults will crave, too.

Are you looking for other easy healthy snack recipes? Check out these recipes:

• Fresh Falafel Balls
• Cucumber Tomato Chickpea Salad
• Cold Rice Salad
• Easy Healthy Snack
• Healthy Slumber Party Snacks

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My daughter had a little bit of a meltdown last night. It’s football season, she is in Colorguard, and the schedule is intense. The straw that broke the camel’s back was an online chemistry quiz. She was up at 5am, went to early morning religion class, school, practice, straight to piano, grabbed something to eat, came home, ate her dinner, and then finally had time to take her online quiz. It was an open notes quiz, but when you are mentally burned out, what does that matter?

She bombed it.

5 times.

That’s when she lost it, and started to cry. I don’t blame her. We talked it through, emailed the teacher, made a plan. It will all work out.

When I am feeling like she did last night, I am so tempted to eat some comforting junk food. And the holiday season, while I love it, can be very stressful. And there is lots of comforting junk food available during the holiday season. I was looking for a recipe to indulge in that was “holidayish” and comforting, but would still leave me feeling healthy. Man, I found it!

Sometimes when I find a new recipe that I love, I just don’t know how to do it justice here on the blog. This is one of those recipes that is better than good. This is wowzer! I would eat it as a main course for lunch and dinner. No sides. Okay, so I kind of did do that. Word of advice; make a double batch. I will make double next time, and I will be making it just for me and my man. One recipe each, and it will probably be just barely enough! It is definitely going to be on my holiday table. I really hope you try it and can’t wait to hear from you when you fall in love!

Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body introduced me to this wonderful Cold Rice Salad for Fall. It is chock full of healthy goodness that tastes so good it would appeal to anyone! This recipe is not just for health nuts! And it is such a great recipe for the holidays, because you can make it ahead and serve it cold.

I love the nutty goodness of wild rice. You could use brown, or even black thai, but wild rice is my choice. I love the cranberry, nuts and hint of orange. This Pin Rocks!

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Cold Rice Salad for Fall

Author Adapted by Made From Pinterest

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients

• 1 cup wild rice
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 1/3 cup chopped toasted unsalted cashews
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

Dressing Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper

Instructions

• Combine 4 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Drain well and cool.
• While the rice is cooling, mix the dried cranberries, pecans, cashews, green onion, celery and red onion.
• Combine the vinegar, orange, garlic, mustard and sugar in a blender. While the blender is running, gradually pour in the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the rice mixture and toss.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Check out some of our other holiday recipes!

Pumpkin Crunch CakeTexas Roadhouse Rolls with Honey Cinnamon ButterSweet Brown Sugar Baked Ham

This amazing post has been shared with: Living Well Spending Less and Whipperberry

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When I hear the word granola, I think of my sweet Granny. When I eat this White Chocolate and Craisin Granola, I know it’s the kind of granola she would never have eaten. I, on the other hand, can’t seem to eat enough of it! Neither can my kids, a single batch of it disappears pretty quick at my house. We all love this stuff!

With age comes aches, pain and some wisdom. My body has some very definite ways of letting me know when I have eaten too much refined sugar. My shoulders start to ache so bad that I loose range of motion in them. I get that fabulous sugar high that comes with the horrible sugar crash. I’m guessing that there are plenty of you who by choice or necessity  have cut down on how much sugar you consume. About 4 months ago my daughter and I did a 8 week sugar cleanse. Going sugar free took all the ache’s and pains away, I regained full range of motion in my shoulders again. I feel great, but what about my granola?

Giving up this awesome granola just wasn’t an option for me, so I worked to create a healthier, sugar free version that tastes just as good as the regular version! I feel like I have accomplished the impossible; creating a granola recipe that my Granny would eat because it’s healthy and one I love to eat because it tastes as great as the original.

Now we can all have our granola and eat it too, enjoy!

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White Chocolate & Craisin Granola

Author Tracy van Overbeek Made From Pinterest

Ingredients

• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 3/4 cashews roughly chopped
• 3/4 almonds roughly chopped
• 1 cup coconut
• 1 1/2 cup craisens
• 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp if using coconut oil instead of butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup flax seed
• 1/4 cup honey
• 6 oz. white Ghirardelli white chocolate - shaved pieces or small chopped pieces
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1-2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325.
• In a large bowl, combine oats, cashews, almonds, coconut, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter or coconut oil, honey and brown sugar until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour mixture over oat mixture and stir to combine.
• Spread granola on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake granola for 15 minutes at 325. Remove granola from oven and break into pieces. If granola is still soft bake 5 more minutes. Let the granola cool, break into pieces and add the white chocolate & craisins.
• Optional you can use other nuts i.e. walnut or pecans.

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Sugar Free White Chocolate & Craisin Granola

Author Tracy van Overbeek Made From Pinterest

Ingredients

• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 3/4 cashews roughly chopped
• 3/4 almonds roughly chopped
• 1 cup coconut
• 1 1/2 cup craisens
• 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp if using coconut oil instead of butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup flax seed
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup Malted Rice Syrup
• 6 oz. sugar free white chocolate shave or chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 cup Truvia Sugar Free Substitute - can use more or less to taste
• 1-2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325.
• In a large bowl, combine oats, cashews, almonds, coconut, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter or coconut oil, honey and brown sugar until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour mixture over oat mixture and stir to combine.
• Spread granola on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake granola for 15 minutes at 325. Remove granola from oven and break into pieces. If granola is still soft bake 5 more minutes. Let the granola cool, break into pieces and add the white chocolate & craisins.
• Optional you can use other nuts i.e. walnut or pecans.

The post White Chocolate and Craisin Granola appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

One other thing that I REALLY want to remember about this summer is the recipe that we have to share with you today even though I don’t really like pickled things.  Pickled beets, Pickled eggs, Pickled Watermelon Rinds. Yeah, they don’t do anything for me.  So why would I choose to try out a recipe that calls for pickling vegetables?

.

Two reasons.

The first being that I was drawn to all of the vibrant summer colors of the fresh vegetables that this recipe calls for.

The second reason being the challenge that the author, Smitten Kitchen, says about this Sandwich Slaw.  And I quote:

“If you’re one of those people who saw the word “pickled” in the title and said “Ugh, no, sorry, not for me,” do know, I was the same not too long ago and encourage you to fight the good fight for as long as you can, because once your tastes cross over to the vinegar side, there’s little going back.”

That would be me.

Putting my pickled prejudice aside, I bravely embarked on attempting to make this Pickled Vegetable Sandwich Slaw.

The recipe states that these will be lightly pickled within an hour and fully pickled within a day.  This will also last in your refrigerator for up to one month.

That is if no one eats it.

Which they will.

Because I did.

Yeah, me who doesn’t like pickled things.  This adds an uh-mazing zest to a sandwich and could also be eaten solo as a side dish.

It’s that good.

So try something brave today and make this Pickled Vegetable Sandwich Slaw.   Just click on over to My Kitchen Escapades where I have shared the whole recipe.

You just may become a pickled fan.

Like me!

Hope everyone has a great Labor Day!

Monday Link Parties today!

I Should Be Mopping the Floor

The Princess and her Cowboys

Creating Really Awesome Free Things

Boogieboard Cottage

Pursuit of Functional Home

Rain on a Tin Roof

DIY Showoff

Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms

A Pinch of Joy

Jam Hands

Flour Me with Love

 Check out these other great lunch ideas!

The post Pickled Vegetable Sandwich Slaw appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

I know what you are thinking right now.

“What?  You don’t like watermelon? I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like watermelon!”

Yeah, I’ve heard that all my life.  I don’t know what it is, but watermelon does absolutely nothing for me.  People will tell me…Oh, if you just had a really good one, then you would like it!  Or….if you just had a really cold one, then you would like  it.  Put it in a cold river, then you would like it.

Nope.

Don’t like it.

So why would I be posting about watermelon?  Because my family loves it!  My favorite son LOVES watermelon!  He could eat an entire watermelon for dinner.  In fact, I think he might have tried that once.

P.S. In case you are worrying about me saying that I have a favorite son, truth is that I only have one son.  So he has been my favorite son for his whole life.  It’s kind of our thing.

So how do I pick a good watermelon for my family to eat?

Taking direction from The Food Channel I look for these five things:

1.  I look for watermelons that are nicely shaped and ones that feel firm.  Make sure that they don’t have any cuts in them either.

2.  Pick your watermelon up to see if it feels “heavy”.  Watermelons are 90% water, so the riper ones will have more water and weigh more

3.  I look for watermelons that have a bright skin and vibrant green color

4.  I used to not pick a watermelon that has a yellow side but have since found out that this yellow spot is a good thing and should be creamy looking.  This is where it laid on the ground to ripen instead of being picked too early.

5.  When “thumping” your watermelon, a solid sound means it’s not ripe enough, if it’s too ripe, it will sound thick but if it sounds hollow, that’s the one you want!

Below is a picture of the coveted “yellow spot”!

Now that you’ve found your perfect watermelon, how do you cut it?

Here are two EASY ways to get a beautifully cut watermelon!

The first method comes from a pin that I pinned from Fifteen Spatulas.  First cut the bottoms off both ends of the watermelon:

Then stand it on one end:

Taking a knife, slice down and cut off the rind:

After removing all of the rind, cut into disks and then into strips and then into cubes:

Look how beautifully cubed the watermelon turned out!

Next up is a great way to cut watermelon if you have little bodies with little fingers as this takes out all the mess of eating sliced watermelon!   This great idea comes  from Mama Say What.  The above method of cutting does a better job with larger melons.  This next method works best for small to medium sized watermelons.

Cut your melon in half:

Lay the watermelon flat side down and cut into strips about 1 to 1/2 inches wide:

Then turn your watermelon and cut in the same size strips in the opposite direction:

What you will end up with are  watermelon “strips” perfect for just picking up and eating!

Well, I’d love to sit around and eat watermelon with you (NOT) but my favorite son is calling.

Change the way you cut a watermelon, because This Pin Rocks!

It’s a Par-tay with these great sites today!

The Recipe Critic  – Home Stories A to Z – ShareAtopia – A to Z Celebrations – Lady Bug Blessings – Chef in Training – Memories by the Mile – Nap Time Creations – Hun What’s for Dinner? – Cupcakes and  Crinoline – Sugar Bee Crafts – Mandy’s Recipe Box

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I know I should begin with an introduction of some type since this is my first time posting on MFP,  however that makes me feel like an awkward, insecure teenage girl trying to convince people to like me and my blog, My Kitchen Escapades.  So instead, I will just have to win you over with my recipes because my food does a better job of convincing people to like me than my personality.  Honestly.

1. Food…..and mountains of it! — Not only are you feeding your family but also the endless supply of friends and neighbors who know you keep mountains of food at your house.
2. Entertainment — This comes in so many different forms depending on a child’s age and interests, but it all boils down to one critical point:  if your kids get bored, they come and find YOU!!!
3. Work — Everyone home 24/7 = Everything a mess 24/7 if everyone doesn’t do their part to survive.
4. Time — It can be 15 minutes or it can be a whole afternoon but those moments of time you spend together as a family is what your kids will remember when they reminisce about the Summer of 2013.

The kids and I had so much fun creating all the different variations of this same recipe base.  I made one double batch of the base, but used these five different mix-ins to create all our favorites.  Actually, I created SIX varieties, because my oldest son only likes plain granola bars.  Have fun with this base and mix in all the great stuff your own family loves!  I’m sure you can come up with amazing variations that will make mine seems as boring as my son’s plain ones

**UPDATE 3/7/14**  I have received many questions about using coconut oil instead of butter, and agave instead of honey, so I created a revised recipe using those substitutions!  Just click here for the instructions and tell me what you think.  I can’t tell the difference!  Carole

No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars

(recipe makes a 9×13 pan)

recipe by Carole Jones of My Kitchen Escapades

2 cups quick cooking oats (or pulse whole oats in a food processor a bit)

1 C rice crispy cereal

1/4 C shredded coconut

1/4 C butter

1/4 C honey

1/2 C brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix -In variations listed below

1.  In a large mixing bowl, mix together the oats, cereal and coconut.  Set a small saucepan over medium high heat and melt the butter.  Add the honey, brown sugar and salt.  Stir together then leave it alone as it comes to a boil.  Once the boil has reached all the way around the edges of the pan, begin timing.  Allow this mixture to boil for 2 minutes and 15 seconds.  During this time, you may need to turn the heat down a bit so it doesn’t overflow, but be sure it keeps boiling.

2.  Add the vanilla and then pour the mixture over the oats, using a rubber spatula to get all the sugar mixture out of the pan.  Mix the ingredients together until the oats are completely coated.  Add in your desired mix-in then press very firmly into a lightly greased 9×13″ pan.  If you like your bars thicker, you can use a smaller pan.  If you do not press firmly enough, the bars will fall apart when you eat them.  Place them in the fridge for 20 minutes then cut to size.

Chocolate Chip

Add 1/2 C of mini chocolate chips to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan, allowing it cool just a bit or you will end up with melted chips.  Sprinkle on a few extra chips over the top after they are pressed into the pan.

White Chocolate Cranberry

Add 1/3 C of white chocolate chips and 1/3 C of Craisins to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan, allowing it to cool just a bit first or you will end up with melted chips.

Candy Bar

Add 1/3 C of Heath bar pieces, 1/3 C of mini M&M’s and 1/3 C of chopped pretzels to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan.

Peanut Butter

Add 2 Tb of peanut butter to the finished sugar mixture before pouring it over the oats.  Once mixed with the oats, add 1/2 C peanut butter chips before pressing into the pan.

Raisin Nut

Add 1/3 C of chopped raisins and 1/3 C of chopped pecans to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan.

Here are a few more recipes you should try from Carole:

Parmesan Chicken Bake

Sauce Pan M&M Cookies

Almond Poppy Seed Coffee Cake with Almond Streusel

 

 

You can also find me on Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

 

Link Parties: The Shabby Nest/Chic on A Shoestring/Whipperberry/Truly Lovely/Naptime Crafters/Shaken Together/Simply Designing/The Answer is Chocolate/My Romantic Home/VMG206/While He Was Napping/The Frugal Gals/The French Country Cottage/Serenity Now/Somewhat Simple/Craftionary/Just Us Four/The Pin Junkie/Living Well Spending Less/Thirty Handmade Days/Be Betsy

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You know what I hate? I hate it when I go to make a salad, only to find out my lettuce has gone icky. Don’t you agree? I really enjoy a good salad, but I haven’t been having much of it lately, because it is winter. It is not because it is out of season that I haven’t been having salads, but because in the cold weather I am not in the mood for salad.

So I have been buying lettuce, but by the time I get around to making a salad, the lettuce has gone bad. I have been seeing pins for different ways to store lettuce all claiming to be wonderful and I wondered….which one is the most wonderful?

So, I hosted my very own longer lasting lettuce contest. The contestants  began as three heads of Romaine Lettuce.I washed and dried each leaf and then stored them four different ways. After two weeks, I found that all of the methods were effective, but one was my clear favorite.

Contestant number one was Lettuce in a Ziploc Bag with a paper towel wrapped around it.  This came from Pinch My Salt.This method was very efficient. It didn’t take up much room in the fridge, and there was very little browning after two weeks. I like this method for sandwiches, where you will be pulling out one leaf at a time. The remaining lettuce stays crisp and ready to go.

Contestant number two was Lettuce in a bag that you blow air into like a balloon and then tie it. This idea was from GrowVeg.comThis had pretty much the same result as the Ziploc bag, but you would have to have a larger bag for a larger amount of lettuce and it takes up more space.

Contestant number three was lettuce cut and prepped in a bowl with a paper towel laid on top and covered tightly with plastic wrap.I liked this method because the lettuce is ready to go. Again very little browning or wilting. What I didn’t like was that it takes up a lot of space in the fridge.

Contestant number four is the winner for making salads! Thank you Hickory Holler Farm for the idea of storing lettuce in a Mason Jar.While the results between all four methods were pretty similar, this lettuce stayed crisper than the others. But that is not why it won according to judge (me :)). It won, because you can pack quite a bit of lettuce in that jar! Since by design the jar is tall, it uses some of the vertical space. It even fits in the door of my fridge.

I love that the prep is done, and the lettuce is ready to go. That is really helpful to me on a busy weeknight.

If you will not be using all the lettuce in the jar for salad, I recommend putting the remaining lettuce in a ziploc bag with a paper towel, as shown above. Once the mason jar is open and the lettuce is exposed to more air, this method becomes less effective.

I now like having a jar or two ready to make a salad with dinner.

In anticipation of the warmer weather Spring is soon to bring us (and I’m counting on it. Man, I hate Winter), I wish you some happy salad making.

These Pins Rock!

Want your lettuce to last even longer? Try our Longer Lasting Fruit and Veggie Wash!

We love linking with:  The Hopeless Housewife – Kitchen Meets Girl –Housewives of Riverton – 733 Blog – Southern Lovely – Adorned From Above – The Life of Jennifer Dawn – Gooseberry Patch – Someday Crafts – Wonderful Wednesday – Lady Behind the Curtain – And Sew We Craft – Ginger Snap Crafts – Lil Luna

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Just a little info about my particular palette preferences.  (Say that ten times fast!) I don’t care for tomatoes.  Now I know that might surprise some people. Yeah, those people that LOVE tomatoes.  People who love tomatoes can’t understand why I don’t like them.  Once I had a friend who told me that if only I tried  a tomato straight out of the garden then she was positive that I would like tomatoes.  “They are SO much better than store bought” she said.

Months later someone gave me some tomatoes straight from their garden.  Remembering what my friend told me, I decided to try to cast my tomato prejudice aside and try yet one more time to like tomatoes.  I heartily took a bite. I heartily spit it out.

Do you spell tomatoes with just an “o” or do you add an “e”.  I think I like the “e”.   Random.  I know.

This gets weirder in that I like tomato soup, salsa and ketchup.  I think it must be the texture. Yuck.

But I digress.  What does this have to do with today’s post?  When looking for a new recipe for the Super Bowl, after I saw the recipe I almost didn’t make it.  Why?  You guessed it.  Because it had tomatoes in it.  But it looked so dang yummy that I mustered a gust of tomato energy and bought the ingredients to make Texas Caviar from Weekday Chef.   I was not disappointed.  Although this included tomatoes (with an “e”), it was fresh and had a great citrusy taste because of the lime juice and I LOVED IT!  I heart black eyed peas so I used those instead of black beans.It was my most favorite new recipe that I tried last Sunday.  I am so glad to report that This Pin Rocks!

Print

Texas Caviar

Course Appetizer/Dip

Author Weekday Chef

Ingredients

• 1 15 ounce can white corn, drained
• 1 15 ounce can black eyed peas, OR black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 Roma tomatoes diced
• 1 bunch finely chopped cilantro
• 2 Tablespoons small red onion finely chopped (optional)
• 1/2 green or red pepper seeded and chopped
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1 avocado - peeled pitted, and diced
• A dash of Lawry's or Johnny's seasoning salt
• A few shakes of chili pepper
• 3 Tablespoons Zesty Italian or House Italian Dressing

Instructions

• Mix all ingredients together and chill until ready to serve.

We excited to be linking with these great sites today:

Katie’s Nesting Spot – The 36th Avenue  – Live Laugh Rowe – Glued to my Crafts – Gingerly Made

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I still need to make a cute label for them and wasn’t going to worry about it until it got a little closer to Christmas.  However, I was blog surfing the other day (Me? Spending hours on the computer? Really? No way!) and found this darling label for my vanilla bottles.  And the best part about it is that it is FREE!

I am so excited to just be able to print these off and Voila!  My bottles will be done.  Aren’t these cute?

Just hop on over to Live Laugh Rowe to print the label for your bottles. AND she’s offering a great giveaway to help encourage  you to make your own vanilla.

Thanks so much Kelly! You’ve just made my life a little less crazy around the holidays.

This Pin Rocks! 

The post Make Your Own Vanilla Part Two – The Label appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Only three things are needed.  Bottles, vanilla beans and Vodka.  So easy!I  bought my bottles online from Specialty Bottles for .74 cents a  piece, and the vanilla beans at Amazon.com.   I have never bought Vodka in my life so felt a little unsure of what I was supposed to get, but it all looked the same so I just got the cheapest that I could find.   While purchasing the Vodka, the cashier did the RUDEST thing!  I had gotten my I.D. out to prove that I was over 21 and old enough to purchase liquor and SHE DIDN’T EVEN ASK FOR IT!  Sigh. Note to self.  Time to dye my hair.

The directions from the pin said to use 2-3 beans for 4 oz of vodka.  I just used two and that worked out fine.  I cut the vanilla beans in half and then cut each half all the way up the middle to expose the fleshy inside of the bean.

Into the jar it goes and pour the 4 oz. of vodka in.After capping the first fifteen bottles,  I looked at them and it appeared that at the bottom they were already starting to “steep” and the vodka was turning a beautiful amber color. How exciting! The bottles are supposed to steep for at least a month before using so I have made these in plenty of time.  And one of the best things about this is that when the hectic-ness (is that  a word?) of the holidays hit,  I will have these all ready to go to give to neighbors and friends.  What a stress reliever!  In fact, I think this might turn into a yearly tradition for me.

This made me so happy today and I would definitely say that This Pin Rocks!

UPDATE:  Here is a quick pic of my vanilla after a week of steeping.  This is so fun to watch and I can’t wait to give them out as Christmas presents.

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