Pumpkin Spice Apple Butter

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! Outrageously good Pumpkin Spice Apple Butter! It tastes like the inside of an apple pie!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. 

Ridiculously delicious Pumpkin Spice Apple Butter! It tastes like the inside of an apple pie!

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!

DSC_1366

MAKE THIS. Then eat all of it. 

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

Pumpkin Spice Apple Butter! It tastes like the inside of an apple pie :)

Signature

 

Skinny Pumpkin Spice Brownies

When the weather starts getting colder, I turn into a pumpkin addict. I mean, I basically consider the day when Starbucks brings back their pumpkin spice lattes a national holiday and start planning my pumpkin-themed Thanksgiving menu a month in advance.

Quick Note: I’ve started a Facebook page for Apple of My Eye! “Like” the page to get updates on recipes, workouts, and more on your newsfeed! (I’d really appreciate it!)

While I’m really a summer girl at heart, I love and idolize the things that come with Fall. Boots, scarves, layers, you name it, I love it. (Except for actually being cold, I’m a wimp when the weather drops below 60 degrees.) That’s why I think it’s about time to start baking and cooking up a whole army of pumpkin-themed recipes, starting with these ridiculously easy skinny pumpkin spice brownies!

Skinny Pumpkin Spice Brownies with less than 125 calories each! And you only need one bowl and 6 ingredients :)

These brownies have a texture that’s in-between a brownie and fudge and are SO moist and dense! You can bet your pretty little face that I’ll be enjoying a few of these babies with my morning coffee for the next couple of days.

And yes, the brownies in the picture are cut to portion size!

Skinny pumpkin spice brownies. So dense and fudgey- almost like a cross between a brownie and fudge!

They have a yummy pumpkin flavor and I promise they aren’t just itty-bitty bites per serving. You get a sizable brownie!

I don’t know about you, but I love splurging with treats and could easily eat 4 of these and still be much lower in calories and fat than a grocery store brownie. Win! Keep in mind that these brownies have a different taste and texture thanks to the addition to pumpkin and lack of oil and butter- but in they’re own sweet-tooth satisfying way!

Another bonus? They only require one bowl and 6 ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand. 

*New format for pinning images on Pinterest! Nice and vertical :). I’d appreciate it if you pinned it!

Healthy Pumpkin Spice Brownies 

 

Fabulous Feedback from Fabulous Readers!

“Great recipe!! Thank you for sharing! I’m a pumpkin fanatic and I also added milk chocolate and butterscotch chips to the top because I had them in my cabinet. They made the brownies look even more ‘fall festive’! I’ll definitely make these again!”- Mon “Love these brownies! Made them for my little family yesterday and half of them are gone! Even my hubby who isn’t the biggest pumpkin fan is sneaking these! I love the heavier-fudgy brownie texture. Thank you for the great recipe!”- Andra

 

S’mores Fudge

Today was a cooking day, and let me tell you, being up on your feet for a couple of hours chopping and slicing can sure be exhausting. It might partially be attributed to my workout at the gym (oh leg day, you do me in), but really, I’m about ready to call it a day and get a good night’s sleep!  But, first, I want to share a delicious fudge recipe that I made today. Kyle’s mom has been making it for forever and I was lucky enough to snag the recipe! It’s everything you could want in fudge: creamy, chocolatey , and perfectly delicious! She makes a ton of batches around Christmas and I happily gobble up every piece she sends over. Since I always have a hard time not modifying a recipe, I decided to put a fun twist on a camping favorite (Kyle is an Eagle Scout after all, he needs his dose of the wilderness) and vamped up the recipe by creating a fudge-s’more hybrid!

DSC_1193

What I love about this recipe is that the marshmallows stay perfectly soft and pillow-y and there’s some in every bite. Each piece is a delectable slice of heaven!

Be warned, this recipe make oodles of scrumptious deliciousness, so share around with your friends and family and you’ll soon be the most popular person around town. Yippee! 

[yumprint-recipe id=’7′]

DSC_1173

 xo Christine

Healthy Cinnamon Roll Scones

There is probably nothing in life that I enjoy more than a warm baked good and coffee. I love the serenity and calmness that come with a sweet treat and a cup of Jo in the early hours of the morning when the world seems to still be asleep. I adore coffee shops and the small conversations that occur between strangers waiting in line, the friendly workers who always greet you with a cheery smile and kind remark, and even when they misspell my name on the coffee cup (is Christine really that hard?).  That being said, I definitely am not a fan of the nutrition on many of the items they have in that oh-so-tempting glass window. Which is why I set out to create a healthified recipe that combined two of my favorites: cinnamon rolls and scones! And seeing that these sizable bad boys have only 170 calories and 5 grams of protein, I can easily justify having one (or two!) every morning. DSC_1141

Trust me, you guys, this recipe is a total keeper. Being a healthy living blogger, I’ve had my fair share of womp womp womp recipes. Ones that I’ve tried to make as healthy as friggin’ possible by combining only low calorie and nonfat ingredients. And what do you know, you can’t mix things like kale and stevia and expect a magically delicious dessert to appear. I feel like when you do that, it beats the whole purpose of cooking something that you actually want to eat and would enjoy. If I wanted to eat kale and stevia, I would eat kale and stevia. If I want to eat a scone that doesn’t taste like poo, I shouldn’t put ingredients in that will disappoint me in the end. This recipe is all about balance and is relatively healthy (for a treat) and doesn’t lack in the flavor department!

  DSC_1135Other than that, I have a few random musings to talk about.

  • I just recently got hired to blog about my college experiences! Not on Apple of My Eye directly, but I will be blogging about various topics such as healthy living while in school, time management tips, relationships, and really anything that I’d like to talk about! Getting paid to do something that I absolutely love? Sign me up!
  • A while ago, I discovered the underlying reason on why I have a major celeb crush on Zac Efron. 

Plot twist: Kyle is actually a famous movie star who uses is downtime to lead a double life.

  • KYLE IS ZAC EFRONSpeaking of Kyle, I hope he knows that I’ve planned out our entire life together on Pinterest. Including, but not limited to, the breed of our first dog, our future kitchen decor, Christmas card poses, and how I will dress my kids. I promise I’m not crazy.
  • I have to decide if I want to add a French course to my first quarter schedule. I love languages and plan on minoring in French, but going down a medical route leaves me with a pretty hefty course load (almost the maximum number of units a student is allowed to take). While I know I would do well in the class and it would help my gpa, I have a tendency to overwork myself and drive myself to the ground. Since I’m required to take physics, biology, organic chemistry, and 3 labs (each ranging from 2-4 hours), I would really like to have a non-science related class, but am worried that it might result in me sacrificing time that I could spend concentrating on my other classes. Thoughts?

Anyways, that’s all I got for now! Question of the day: What is your favorite baked good? xoxo Christine  

 

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

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! 

DSC_1238

DSC_1068 

DSC_1070Ahhhhhh! 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 :)

IMG_1025Marvelous 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. 

Picture with Justin PoolMy 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!)

DSC_1080Marvelous 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. 

IMG_1100Marvelous 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 :)

DSC_1111Marvelous 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!

DSC_1073

DSC_1093

 

Hope everyone has a fantastic week!

xo Christine