Caramel Apples without Corn Syrup

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Caramel apples without corn syrup Caramel apples are a fun fall dessert, but most recipes use corn syrup or other weird ingredients. Not this one! You can make caramel apples only using real, whole food ingredients and they taste amazing! Here's how.

 

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Caramel Apples

Ingredients

6 medium apples

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup Sucanat or other unrefined cane sugar

1/2 cup honey

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toppings such a crushed nuts or coconut (optional)

Special Equipment

Food/candy thermometer

Wooden sticks for handles

Directions
  1. In a medium sized sauce pan combine heavy cream, Sucanat, honey, and butter.
  2. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently until all ingredients are dissolved.
  3. Once ingredients are dissolved, cook caramel, stirring constantly, until the it reaches 245°F.
  4. Remove caramel from heat, add vanilla extract, and stir to incorporate.
  5. Line a baking sheet with parchment, a silicone baking mat, or aluminum foil. Prepare apples by inserting sticks into stem ends and placing on lined baking sheet.
  6. Dip and roll apple in caramel until evenly coated. Once apple is coated, remove it from caramel and allow excess to drip back  into the pot.
  7. Place coated apple on baking sheet to cool. Repeat with remaining apples.
  8. Roll caramel coated apples in toppings, if desired. Place tray of finished apples in refrigerator to finish cooling.

How to Make Pumpkin Puree

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How to Pumpkin Puree Fall means pumpkin everything! If you're a pumpkin fan, why not make your own pumpkin puree at home? It's simple, easy, and you can use it the same way as you would the stuff from the can.

 

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Pumpkin Puree

Ingredients

1 or more whole pumpkins

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Remove stem from pumpkin and cut pumpkin in half.
  3. Removes seeds and pulp from pumpkin with a spoon, ice cream scoop, your hands, etc. Set seeds aside to clean and roast later.
  4. Slice pumpkin into smaller sections for roasting. If using a small pumpkin, slice into quarters.
  5. Place pumpkin sections skin-side down on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 40 minutes or until done. Depending on how thick your pumpkin is, it might take a little longer. You'll know the pumpkin is done when you can easily pierce the pumpkin flesh with a fork.
  6. Remove pumpkin from the oven and allow to cool.
  7. Once cooled, removed pumpkin flesh from the skin with a spoon (or your hands) and place in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

August Farmers Market Haul!

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August Farmers Market Haul  

One of my favorite places is the farmers market, especially during the transition from one season to the next. There are so many delicious fruits and veggies to choose from! Here's everything I got on my most recent farmers market trip in late August.

 

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October Favorites 2014 | Healthy Food, Recipes, and Lifestyle

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With October almost over, it's time for me to share all of my favorite things from the past month! Healthy food, healthy recipes, and a lifestyle item make this month's list. [x_video type="16:9, 5:3, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2" m4v="" ogv="" poster="" hide_controls="" autoplay="" embed='' no_container="true"]

October Favorites

  1. Sweet potatoes
  2. Lemon-garlic tahini dressing
  3. Honey-mustard roasted chicken
  4. Cinnamon Vanilla tea by Stash
  5. Julep Shailene nail polish (I've heard that Zoya Sansa is a dupe for this and also has a better formula, but I haven't tried it myself.)

October 2013 Favorites

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October 2013 Favorites

  1. Pumpkin Muffins.
  2. Covergirl Nail Polish In Lingering Spice.
  3. Covergirl Nail Polish in Timeless Rubies.
  4. Unreal Candy.
  5. Numi Organic Tea in Orange Spice.
  6. Numi Organic Tea in Gunpowder Green.

If you want to hear more about my favorite things for October, be sure to watch the video below!

[youtube=http://youtu.be/rZCPrqMhGLc]

What are your favorite things from October? Share in the comments below!

Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Overnight Oats

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You guys might think I'm pumpkin spice crazy, but, be honest, you like it! I got a few requests for instructions on how to make this so here you go! [youtube=http://youtu.be/ZRsyn8Dh674]

Ingredients

1/3 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 cup plain yogurt

1/3 cup milk

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1-2 tablespoon apple butter

1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon*

1/16 teaspoon ground ginger*

1/32 teaspoon ground nutmeg*

1/32 teaspoon ground clove*

1/32 teaspoon ground cardamom*

Almonds and raisins to taste

*This is more to show how little I use rather than as a true measurement. I never actually measure the spices. Basically, I do a little sprinkle, especially with the ginger, nutmeg, clove, and cardamom. You just don't want to overdo it.

Easy and Healthy Pumpkin Spiced Coffee

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Pumpkin Spice Coffee You know it's fall when people start going gah-gah over pumpkin spice flavored coffee drinks. Now I'm not going to say that I've never bought a fancy-pants coffee, but, for me, it's more of a special occasion than an every day ritual (for the health of my body and my wallet). Making your coffee at home will save you some cash and also give you complete control over what's going into your drink. Now there are recipes out there that use a homemade syrup or some other mix-in, but today I wanted to share another alternative that involves brewing the spices right along with your grounds. It's easy and can be whipped up quickly. Perfect for those of you who need instant gratification.

 

After several batches, this has been our favorite variation. As with any recipe, feel free to make adjustments to suit your individual preferences. I like to sweeten mine with maple syrup.

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Pumpkin Spice Coffee

Ingredients

1/2 cup coffee grounds

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions
  1. Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly until all of the spices are completely dispersed throughout the grounds.
  2. Brew your coffee as normal.

 

5 Fall Recipes

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5fallrecipes Just like everyone else, I'm super excited for fall! Today, I thought I would share five recipes that are on my list to try out. I've also created a Pinterest board dedicated to this topic, so I'll keep adding recipes as I find them. :)

  1. Baked Butternut Squash Chips. A fun way to use all of that fall squash!
  2. Maple Roasted Chickpeas. I've been wanting to try a roasted chickpea recipe for a while, and this sweet version might just be the first one.
  3. Beef Chili and Soaked Cornbread. Fall weather also means warm and cozy soups and stews. Since the tomatoes are gone for the year (sad face) I'd switch out the ones in this recipe for canned.
  4. Maple Pumpkin Butter. Maple + Pumpkin = Fall. The end.
  5. Caramel Apples Without Corn Syrup. This would be a great Halloween option for people who don't think you are trying to poison their child.

I hope you guys enjoy trying out these recipes as much as I will!

What is your favorite fall recipe? Share in the comments below!

Things I'm Excited About For Fall

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fall

  1. Boots. I've been in search of a good pair of riding boots for a couple years now, but they never fit comfortably over my large calves. These are extra wide and have some elastic, so maybe they'll do the trick!
  2. Pumpkins. While most people are having dreams of Starbucks, I prefer the real thing. Whether used for decor or eating, their quintessential for fall. Plus, making your own pumpkin puree tastes way better than the canned stuff and makes you feel especially fancy.
  3. Dark nail polish. I love my brights, but I'm definitely ready to rock the fall colors. Zoya Hunter is a great green and is right in line with this season's military trend.
  4. Sweaters. They're super cozy and this one has kitties on it!
  5. Apples. They're one of my favorite fruits to add to my plain yogurt, great for snacking, and come in tons of different varieties. They also make a great salad addition!
  6. Seasonal candles. I love this one from Aroma Naturals. It's a mix of orange, clove, and cinnamon and doesn't have any of the yuckies found in most candles.

What are you most excited about for fall? Share in the comments below!