{Pumpkin Cake Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting}

Years ago....when I worked as a nurse on a post-surgical floor....one of my nurse friends would make THA best pumpkin cake squares and bring them in every fall. I was obsessed with these. I mean....I didn't even cook but I begged her for the recipe and made them all the time when I lived at home with my parents. They were far from healthy but I can still remember the taste like it was yesterday. 

I had to re-create that recipe and make it a tad healthier so I could start making these for my family. I nailed it....just saying. Ha! These things are so good. I like to store mine in the fridge because I prefer them chilled but I will let you decide how you like to eat yours! These are perfect for any fall get-together and I think they would also be yummy with some chopped walnuts on top!

Pumpkin Cake Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting
adapted from: Simply Taralynn

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon 
• 1 tsp. pumpkin spice
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 4 large organic eggs
• 1 tsp. coconut oil
• 1 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 4 tbsp. light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. organic honey

Cream cheese frosting:

• 5 oz. organic cream cheese
• 3/4 cup organic vanilla yogurt
• 2 stevia packets

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Add flour, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, baking powder and baking soda to large bowl. Stir well. In a separate bowl, add applesauce, eggs, oil, pumpkin, sugar and honey. Combine well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until mixed thoroughly.

Pour batter into a 9x13 Pyrex dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove and allow to cool while you make your frosting.

Add room temp. cream cheese, yogurt and stevia to small bowl and mix well with an electric mixer. Once combined...taste for sweetness and add more stevia to your liking. Add frosting to pumpkin bar once they are nice and cool.

Cut into squares and enjoy!! :)

Try these out and let me know what you think!!! Hope you love them as much as we do!

{Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Mug Cake}

Pumpkin Spice and chocolate in one dish....heaven!! This is dangerous my friends. I love the idea of a mug cake but have terrible luck finding one with good ingredients, not a ton of sugar that doesn't taste super dry after I cook it. I was craving something pumpkin last night and threw a few ingredients in a mug and I was SHOCKED that it turned out so good!! This is now my go-to fall dessert! I love the creaminess of Truwhip on top of this but you could really use anything you like as a topping and I am sure it would be delicious!

Pumpkin Spice Mug Cake

1/4 cup whole wheat flour 

1/8 cup organic cane sugar

1 egg

3 tbsp. organic canned pumpkin

1 tsp. pumpkin spice 

1 tsp. dark chocolate chips

Add all ingredients to a mug sprayed with non-stick spray. Stir well. Microwave for 2 minutes. Top with Truwhip, organic vanilla ice cream, almond butter, vanilla Greek yogurt or extra chocolate chips!

DEVOUR!

Hope you love it as much as I do! :)

{Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies}

Happy Halloween Everyone!!! This is by far one of my favorite holidays. I love costumes, candy and this time of year!! It is rather perfect in my eyes! Although I don't dress up like I used to....I love seeing my kids dress up and seeing how excited they get!!

These cookies are a true winner in my book. I always like to find ways to sneak healthy foods in my kids and this one was by far the easiest!! Did I really have a 2 year old and 4 year old devouring oatmeal like its no ones business?? YES!! I asked them every morning if they wanted a COOKIE for breakfast and they were jumping up and down and fighting over who got theirs first!! My 4 year old thought I had gone a little crazy for allowing her to have cookies at 7 a.m. but she sure wasn't going to point that out!!

I enjoyed these re-heated for my morning snack all week. They were soft and delicious!! Hope you and your kids enjoy these too!!

Makes me want a cookie right now actually.....The best part is that they only take about 10 minutes to bake!!!

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

• 3 cups quick oats
• 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 organic eggs
• 1 (heaping) tsp. pumpkin spice
• 1 (heaping) tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• Toppings: dark chocolate chips, walnuts

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients (except toppings) in a medium bowl. Stir until combined well. Drop by spoonful on to a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. 

Add desired toppings by slightly pressing them into the top of each cookie. I used dark chocolate chips and chopped walnuts but be creative and use whatever you would like!

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove and enjoy warm!

I keep these in a airtight container in the fridge and re-heat as 

needed!

ENJOY!!!

{Clean Eating Pumpkin Bars}

If you haven't jumped on the pumpkin bandwagon yet....this is the time!!! These are super delicious and EASY!!! The perfect dessert this time of year. Is it crazy that I have a pumpkin spice latte in the morning, pumpkin bread for snack and pumpkin bars for dessert. It may be time for an intervention!! :)

Clean Eating Pumpkin Bars

adapted from: Elana's Pantry

{Makes 12 bars}

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup honey 
• 2 organic eggs
• 1 cup almond meal/flour
• pinch sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place all ingredients in medium sized bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour into 8 x 8 glass baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

{Clean Eating Pumpkin Bread}

I am a HUGE fan of pumpkin bread!! Love it! Every year when September hits....I am craving pumpkin bread!! I will have to say though...all of the pumpkin bread recipes that I used to eat were LOADED with sugar!!! Oh and loaded with oil!! Although that bread was delicious...I like to stay away from white sugar and vegetable oil these days!! I decided to come up with my own recipe for pumpkin bread and it turned out FABULOUS! The kids have been devouring this bread as well which is awesome! Every ingredient is nutritious! You can feel great about eating this and serving it to your family! Eat for breakfast, for a snack, or topped with some organic whipped topping for dessert!!

Clean Eating Pumpkin Bread

• 2 cups oats (Processed into a flour consistency using a food processor)
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 large banana (mashed) **about 3/4 cup
• 4 oz. unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and stir until combined. 

Place batter in loaf pan sprayed with coconut oil/ olive oil spray. **Can top loaf with a sprinkle of oats before baking to make it pretty!!**

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

{Clean Eating Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup}

Pumpkin Spice Lattes are my favorite hot drink from Starbucks! I mean who doesn't love pumpkin spice anything!! The only problem with the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes are a.) they are expensive, b.) I don't live super close to a Starbucks and c.) who knows what all is in that syrup they use!! The only way I can control what I put in my body and have it any time I want is to make up my own syrup!! So that is just what I did!!

Clean Eating Pumpkin Spice Latte

adapted from: Annies Eats

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups Sucanat (any organic, unprocessed sugar will do)
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. pumpkin spice 
• 3 tbsp. pumpkin puree

Combine water and Sucanat in small sauce pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sucanat is dissolved. Add cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree and stir to combine. Let simmer for about 5 minutes and then remove from heat. Let completely cool. Strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer (if desired). This will remove the larger spice particles from the syrup. Place in container or jar with lid. Refrigerate.

Clean Eating Pumpkin Spice Latte

• 1/3 cup strong coffee or 1 shot espresso
• 2/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (warmed)
• 2-3 tbsp. pumpkin spice syrup (recipe above) **start with 2 tbsp. and add more depending on how sweet you like it!
• organic whipped topping (optional)

Combine coffee, milk and syrup in mug. Stir well. Add whipped topping if desired!