Vegan Pumpkin Breakfast Bars

Yes, yes, I know...but the important part is that I update at all, right? Even if it's twice a year...

Anyway, now that we're living in a state where autumn exists, the kitchen seems like a cozier place and I've been spending more time there.

I also got tired of paying $5 for a box of 6 granola bars, so I decided to make my own. This recipe is similar to my cinnamon raisin granola bar recipe, except pumpkin flavored and accidentally vegan!

Ingredients: 
2 tablespoons organic coconut oil
7.5 oz. organic pumpkin (1/2 a can)
1/3 cup organic sugar
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup  all-purpose flour
2-1/4 cups organic rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. chia seeds

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 13x9 (or similar size) pan with cooking spray.
Combine the wet ingredients and sugar by hand or with a hand mixer.
Add the dry ingredients. Mix again.
Stir in the raisins.
Pour mixture into the pan and spread evenly with the  wooden spoon.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until edges are brown and top is golden. 

I'm considering printing these recipes (since they're mostly for myself anyway) after reading one of those articles about old websites everyone used to use like Xanga and Webshots that are now gone forever with along with all our photos and journal entries. Maybe I'll make a little book out of them some day.

For now, if anyone tries this recipe, I hope you enjoy it! 

Mallory :) 

Phenomenal Coconut Brownies

I don't use that word lightly - these brownies are indeed phenomenal. 

If anyone still reads this, they may have noticed that I don't blog quite so often as I had hoped and planned. Alas, they don't pay me to do this so I have to work 8+ hours a day elsewhere. However, I am happy that it has been 8 months and I am still blogging away, whenever I get the chance.

These brownies came out so amazingly perfect that I couldn't not blog about them. 
I found the original recipe on Pinterest, which brought me to this lovely blog: http://simonesmith.hubpages.com/hub/Simple-Homemade-Brownie-Recipe. Her recipe is coconut-free, so if you're into that sort of thing, by all means, use her recipe instead. 
I, on the other hand, am definitely pro coconut. In almost anything really, but especially in desserts with chocolate. 

Here is my adapted recipe: 
Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup of organic coconut oil
• 1 cup of organic sugar
• 2 large organic eggs 
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of cocoa powder 
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Coconut flakes (optional topping)

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil brownie pan and dust with cocoa powder. 

2) Mix together the coconut oil (melted)*, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Then add the cocoa powder, flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder.

3) Pour batter into a brownie pan (about 8x8). Top with coconut flakes, if desired. (I did half and half just in case the BF didn't like the idea). Bake for 25 minutes. VOILA! Brownies :) 

*(Mine is always melted because we live in Florida.....)

I didn't pre-plan and take many photos, but here's one of the finished product! Hope you like them as much as we did! 

Chocolate Coconut Crinkle Cookies

Hello again!
I know I said I'd be posting mostly "healthy" recipes and DIY things, but turns out most of my recipes are dessert related...
I like to think these cookies are fairly healthy as far as cookies go, since they are made with coconut oil instead of butter, and cocoa powder which I keep telling myself is in the health-food category. They also happen to be vegan! I didn't intend for them to be, there just happens to be no dairy in them. Don't get me wrong, I like dairy as much as the next 'Merican (most notably cheese), but it really is not good for you, like at all, so it's nice to unintentionally eat vegan once in a while.
So here's the recipe!

Ingredients: 

1 3/4 cups sugar (I used organic)

1 cup cocoa powder

1 cup applesauce

1/2 cup coconut oil (I used organic)

2 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cup flour (whole wheat or all-purpose)

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

powdered sugar for rolling

Directions:

Mix sugar, cocoa, applesauce, oil and vanilla in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and blend with a hand mixer. Put the mixture in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. (This allows the coconut oil to harden enough to make dough balls).

Preheat oven to 350℉. Pour powdered sugar in a bowl. Take dough out of fridge. Roll dough into small meatball-sized balls. Roll balls in sugar. Place on cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on cooling rack. 

On the cookie sheet ready to be put in the oven!

I brought some of these to work around Christmas time and everyone loved them! The coconut flavor is subtle to me, but if you absolutely hate coconut, then use another kind of oil. Also, you probably won't like this blog because I'm kind of obsessed with coconut things. My boyfriend is still undecided about the whole coconuts taking over the grocery story thing, but he really loved these cookies. Like I said, the coconut flavor is subtle. 

I hope you try them! :) 

Fresh out of the oven! They smell amazing!

DIY Deodorant

Since I previously talked about, I will post my recipe for DIY/Homemade Deodorant. Like I said, I've been making and using it for over a year (maybe 2?), so I think it's safe to say I like it.

Backstory: I don't know how it happened exactly (I'll blame the internet), but sometime a few years back, I started to become more concerned with eco-friendly products and organic food. So I bought some Toms of Maine junk-free deodorant. It smelled okay, and was more 'junk-free' than the Dove's I had been using, but it really did an awfully terrible job at stopping sweat/smell of any sort. And it kind of stung my armpits when I put it on. So, as I googled what else I could try, I can across a blog by a lady who had made her own. I think she had gotten the recipe from another blogger as well. It looked easy enough, so I figured I would give it a try. And what do you know? IT FREAKING WORKED. 

So here is the recipe that I have been using. I'll tell you some details about it below.

DIY Deodorant

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup baking soda

1/4 cup cornstarch

5 tablespoons coconut oil

Who would have thought 3 simple ingredients could literally make the best deodorant EVER.

Directions: 

Mix all ingredients together very well. Use a finger size scoop under each arm. If it's too hot where you live, you can keep it stored in the refrigerator. I just keep mine in the bathroom cabinet. 
*Note: I had to melt my coconut oil in the microwave before mixing, because it's winter here and everything is cold and terrible.

This deodorant smells amazingly coconut-y (if you like that sort of thing). I apply it once a day. The only time I've had an issue of it not being 'strong' enough or lasting long enough, was when there was a 90+ degree heat wave in September and I had to teach 25 6-year-olds for 7 hours in 'work' clothes in a second floor un-air conditioned classroom, with windows that only opened half way. I was fairly sweaty that week, but then again, so was everyone else. 

Of course, not everyone is the same so you might not have the same totally awesome results I did, but I hope you do! Give it a try! 

Finished product! :)