made at home: pumpkin coconut blondies

Pumpkin Coconut Blondies 

1 can of organic pure pumpkin puree
2 sticks of unsalted butter
1 egg
1/2 cup of white chocolate chips
1/2 cups of dark chocolate chips
1 cup of coconut 
2 cups of flour
1 1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of sea salt 
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of allspice
1/2 teaspoon of ginger 
*Spiced glaze

  Combine all dry ingredients (besides sugar) into a medium sized bowl and set aside. Whisk the softened butter, sugar, and egg. Add in the pumpkin puree to the wet mixture, then stir in the dry ingredients. Fold in the coconut and chocolate chips. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30-35 minutes in a greased square pan. Let cool, then enjoy. 

  *Optional glaze using powered sugar and milk, adding cinnamon and cloves. Drizzle over the cut blondies to serve. 

  So, Thanksgiving and (almost) Fall has come and gone, but that doesn't mean pumpkin treats need to be placed on the back-burner. I mean, Fall is still here for a little bit, right?! This is the dessert I made to take to a family Thanksgiving this year, which was a huge hit. I tried to create an idea that wasn't the typical pumpkin spice sweet, so adding coconut made all the difference. I would suggest eating a small slice at a time, they are very sweet.... but I didn't follow that rule. 

made at home: pumpkin flax green smoothie

Pumpkin Flax Green Smoothie

• 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree (I use 365 organics brand)
• 3 tablespoons of ground flax seed
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg 
• 1/4 cup of yogurt 
• 1/2 cup of milk/or non-dairy milk 
• 2 tablespoons of honey
• a giant handful of kale 
• a few ice cubes 

  In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend together until smooth. Add more ice cubes to make as thick as desired, or more milk to make less thick. Serve after combining. 

  I have always had a love affair with smoothie making; taking all of these delicious ingredients and blending them together for a drink on the go. I've always loved adding vegetables to these creations, because these leafy greens can be disguised so easily.   Since the Fall season is in full-force now, cans of pumpkin puree are always open in my apartment. I decided to use some of one in an afternoon smoothie and it turned out wonderful. I would highly suggest adding a bit of pumpkin to your next green smoothie for a touch of seasonal joy. 

love like johnny and june

(dress: boomerang, shoes: in shop) 

  I always forget that the day after Halloween November begins. It's one of those sudden changes, like Fall is feeling to almost come to an end. Halloween is always one of my most favorite days; seeing everyone dressed up and creating costumes for myself. This year my boyfriend and I were Johnny Cash and June Carter. We both feel in love with the idea of dressing up like an iconic couple like Johnny and June... and well, of course we are both huge Cash fans. 
  The dress i felt is more of a "late June Carter" look, but I couldn't resist to buy it when I saw it on the rack at one of my favorite vintage clothing stores. The rest of our Halloween evening consisted of a show my boyfriend (Lazy Motel) was playing at The Brick and a few other bars around the Midtown area. I was sad when it was time to put this dress away for the evening, but I believe I've developed a new love for 70's evening wear. 

orange she sweet

(sweater: forever 21, boots: payless, everything else is either thrifted or vintage) 

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." -George Eliot

  October is by far one of my most cherished months out of the year. I tend to always save those save those special seasonal moments until the time is just right... not to try and rush to be the first  to experience them. This Tuesday was perfect for Carolyn's Country Cousins pumpkin patch, there was the sun in the sky and the wind in the corn fields. Pumpkins galore  cider doughnuts to be eaten, and animals to be petted surrounded the giant fields. I even more my newest addition to my wardrobe  a vegetable printed dress, in honor of being around my favorite vegetables. 

  The patch smelled of freshly cut grass and freshly baked goods. I could have ate three more doughnuts, and two more cups of rich cider. We found the perfect pumpkin to pick, and carve later this week closer to Halloween. I picked out small gourdes  a white tiny pumpkin, and a little green squash as well. Being surrounded by so much "Autumn" today makes me recall why I adore this season the way I do. 

i put a spell on you

   happy all hallows eve everyone! i hope you have had a spooky, wonderful, and safe halloween evening. i did not technically dress up in a costume today, i just decided to dress in mostly black and "darkish" and had inspiration from the film- the craft. after only watching old (and some new) horror movies, dressing up in costumes from my closet, and obsessing over jack-o-lantern cravings, i can't believe the halloween season has come to an end! with endings there is always a great beginning  getting prepared for thanksgiving! thanksgiving is my favorite holiday; i am so excited for all of the delicious food/desserts, all of the get togethers my family has that day, and the baking that happens the day before to prepare. 

   also, a happy birthday wish to my mother (i know she is reading this :), her birthday is halloween! we went to waldo pizza for dinner this evening, which is a favorite, local place of mine. they even have a full vegan menu for any non-animal product eaters. as a present, she got a new canon camera body, which i am so jealous of! i spent the rest of my night at home and watched the original halloween slasher film, that was on television. i feel as if that film was a great way to end this halloween season.

   i have also had the wonderful opportunity to do a guest post on leah's blog, here! a little recap on missouri town, 1855 festival i went to earlier this year. check this out, if you would like to! 

the dead are dancing

   it's the beginning of a brand new week and the start of the second half of my fall semester! the weather in kansas city was gloomy, but quite humid! it was extremely sticky outside and even at times i would be semi-warm in just what i was wearing. i spent most of the day catching up on school work (while being assigned a lot more, along with the deadline of a huge paper coming up. yikes!), cleaning around my loft, and starting up a facebook page for my blog, here! i would be so happy if you wanted to give it a "like" or share it! 
   as i was walking around my neighborhood today, you could get the feeling that halloween is right around the corner. there was such an eerie feeling in the weather today, it sort of gave me the chills. walking through alley ways in the city, seeing graffiti zombies and other halloween figures, and all of the overcast made today feel just as this time of year should feel like. i am almost complete with everything for my mary poppins costume this year, except for the little, red scarf tie that she wears. hopefully i can find that soon, or mary poppins will just have to do without! 

   readers, what is your favorite thing about it getting so close to halloween?