Skinny Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Walnut Streusel

October 8, 2013 by Christine Skari

I know, I know, this makes two pumpkin recipes in less than 3 days. If I keep it up, I’ll be turning bright orange and secreting pumpkin spice from my skin (I actually think the second symptom sounds a-okay).

But, YOU GUYS, there are some recipes you just can’t not share, like these Skinny Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Walnut Streusel. I mean, I just want to eat the name of the recipe itself.

These are everything you’d want a muffin to be: moist, dense, bursting with flavor, and topped with a tasty streusel and drizzle of sweetness. And guess what? All for under 150 calories a pop!

This may be a bold statement, but I think that these muffins, along with my Pumpkin Spice Apple Butter recipe, are two of my favorite pumpkin recipes of all time. For me, they both embody the comforts of Fall and I know that they will be making another appearance soon!

If my testimony isn’t enough, my friends are always glad to help. I’m lucky that I have plenty of willing taste testers around me, and none of them guessed that these little jewels were made with almost all whole wheat flour and only two tbsps of butter! The only comments I got on them involved “OMG these are so good” and even my non-pumpkin loving friend said that they were delicious!

As a matter of fact, the entire batch was eaten in one day.

Trust me, these look as good as they do in the pictures. Beauties!

Please pin this image if you’re pinning to Pinterst :)!

I’m also linking up to WIAW to share! Take a look at some other great eats:

Pumpkin Spice Apple Butter

October 2, 2013 by Christine Skari

I’ll admit it. I’m a complete Fall snob when it comes to cooking and baking. I’m obnoxiously obsessed with ANYTHING pumpkin spice/apple/salted carmel and embrace the cooler weather (which is relative since I live in California, please don’t hate me if you live anywhere that actually gets cold).

Now that it’s finally October, I can launch myself completely into the spirit of Fall-cooking without getting ostracized by my friends for being THAT girl who orders a pumpkin spice latte in September.

And man, do I have a fantastic recipe for you guys today! Think pumpkin spice. Think apples. Think butter! That’s right, pumpkin spice apple butter!

I can’t get over how delicious this recipe turned out. Honestly, it’s perfection! It has a sweet flavor that embodies the flavors of Fall and tastes like the inside of an apple pie. Another bonus? It goes fantastically on anything! Toast, bananas, oatmeal, ice-cream, you name it! I couldn’t help but sneak bites as it was cooking and loved the texture and flavor.

If the “it tastes like the inside of an apple pie” hasn’t convinced you, take the testimonies of a half dozen friends that randomly walked into my apartment as it was cooking. The air was thick with “oh my god”, “that’s DELICIOUS”, and “hold on, I need to make a bowl of oatmeal!”

The last one being my friend Ryan. I think that when a recipe can convince a 6″3 male college student that the thing he needs to do most in the world is make a bowl of oatmeal to top with your creation, it can be called a success. ;). This is him proceeding to feed everyone in his vicinity some of his oats hahah. Look at the glee on that boy’s face!

MAKE THIS. Then eat all of it.

If you’re going to pin this recipe, please pin this picture!

MIMM: Healthier Banana Nut Muffins, Dinner Dates, & Maui!

July 21, 2013 by Christine Skari

Happy Monday everyone! It’s especially marvelous for me since I’m headed to Hawaii today!

Since I haven’t posted in a few days, I have lots of wonderful things to share with you guys, notably this healthy (er) banana nut muffin/bread recipe! Trust me on this one, it’s actually REALLY good. I sometimes feel like people try to over-healthify recipes, which result in things that taste a bit like cardboard and take away from the treat itself. While these don’t have the nutritional profile of kale, they taste fabulous and are filling to boot. They’re even better as time goes on and the flavors start to develop. I’ve been enjoying one or two each day with breakfast or before a workout! Try them!

Ahhhhhh! Rogue muffin on the loose! Hide yo kids, hide yo wife.

Marvelous is relaxing beach runs!

Since I live by the coast in California, I’m lucky in that I get to escape a lot of the summer heat! I enjoyed a 4 mile run on the beach with my younger cousin. He’s actually ridiculously fast (think a personal record of 4:40 minute/mile), but asked me to take him on a nice and slow recovery run. The breeze was a dream and we got to watch a beautiful sunset! I love it when runs leave you feeling worked out, yet wonderful at the end

Marvelous is spending time with family!

I love family BBQs and spent some time with my younger cousins by the pool. There’s something about little kids that bring out the life and excitement in everyone.

My youngest cousin is sure to be a pro athlete when he’s older. He’s already learning how to use a foam roller ;). (It’s bigger than he is! Aww!)

Marvelous is date nights!

Kyle and I grabbed some asian food before seeing Pacific Rim. I actually thought it was a really fantastic movie! To be honest, I usually get bored during longer movies, but this one really held my attention because of its interesting plot and great effects.

Marvelous is a chocolate pie made with a twist- tofu!

I can’t stop raving about how delicious this pie was. Everyone was stunned to hear that this smooth and rich dessert was made with tofu as one of the main ingredients! I hardly could believe it myself- it tasted like it was made with heavy whipping cream! Unbelievable. Recipe to come soon

Marvelous is crafting with Kyle!

We spent some quality time shopping at Home Depot and making some backdrops for my photography. The project turned out really well and we got all of the supplies for less than $20! Score!

Hope everyone has a fantastic week!

xo Christine

{Healthier} Roasted Almond, Dark Chocolate, and Craisin Cookies

July 6, 2013 by Christine Skari

Let me tell ya, this fitness lovin’ and nutrition preachin’ diva has a sweet tooth.

I’m a firm believer that chocolate and sweets are good for the soul and that a healthy diet isn’t complete without them! When it comes to my health, I’ve managed to keep my head on my shoulders when it comes to my body image and my relationship with food- something I attribute largely to not depriving myself or labeling certain food groups as “bad”. That being said, I jump at any opportunity to create healthy recipes to keep my body properly fueled and at its best. When I whipped up these cookies, I knew I had a winner!

Kyle even prefers these to the sugar-ladden Reece’s peanut butter cup cookies I made him sample (hard life for that guy). Man-approved!

I was lucky to get them into the oven since the cookie dough was so good, but I’m loving the final product as well! The majority of dough is made from 100% whole wheat flour and good ol’ fashioned oats, which provide a good source of fiber and leave me much more satisfied than a normal cookie ever would. Not to mention the dark chocolate and craisins work in perfect harmony to create a sweet, but not overly so, healthified treat! I usually don’t eat anything out of the ordinary before lifting or cardio, but I’ve gotten into the habit of eating one as a snack before my workouts and I’ve noticed a definite increase in energy and more motivation to get my sweat on. Plus, eating cookies just makes me plain old happy :). So, let’s get to the recipe!

Let me know if you try the recipe out or have any questions/comments!

xoxo Christine