WIAW: Recipe Explosion

so remember how i told you that i'd have plenty of recipes for you when i got home for break? well, i've been cooking and baking like crazy ever since i got home! i'm pretty sure i've made a different cookie every day not to mention i've been cooking a few dinners for my family. i love having a kitchen!!


prepare yourselves.. cause i've got a lot of recipes comin' atcha!

first up: homemade pumpkin spice latte!
as you guys know i'm just a *little* obsessed with pumpkin at this point. i've demolished one of those huge cans of pumpkin in less than a week. and there's no signs of stopping.
this drink is really easy to make, and if you leave off the whipped cream it's vegan!

ingredients:

• 2 cups almond milk (or other milk of choice)
• 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 
• 1 cup brewed coffee of choice 

directions:

1. heat the milk, pumpkin, and sugars over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until milk is steamed and mixture is hot. 
2. stir in vanilla and pumpkin pie spice and remove from heat. 
3. in two {large} mugs, pour 1/2 cup coffee, and then pour 1 cup of the pumpkin mixture over it. top with whipped cream (if desired) and an extra shake of pumpkin pie spice. 

up next: shrimp, brussel sprouts, and goat cheese pizza.

i made this for dinner a few nights ago and i can honestly say this is the BEST homemade pizza i have ever made. it doesn't take too long thanks to the premade pizza dough (i highly recommend using trader joe's - it never fails me!) 

ingredients:

• 1 premade pizza dough (i used trader joe's whole wheat)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• sprinkle of salt, pepper, and garlic powder (you can omit the garlic powder if it's not your thang) 
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 cups shaved brussels sprouts
• 1 tbsp coconut oil (and salt & pepper) for sautéing
• 1/2 pound frozen peeled cooked shrimp
• 3 cups sliced mushrooms + 1/2 cup water for cooking
• 1/2 cup romano and parmesan cheese (i used a mix of both, but you can use whatever you prefer)
• 3 ounces goat cheese

directions:

1. preheat oven to 450 degrees. 
2. roll out pizza dough on a floured surface into a semi-round shape (as you can see i'm not too great at that). place on a pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and brush the olive oil over the crust. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and top with parmesan cheese. 
3. heat a pan to medium heat and add the brussel sprouts and coconut oil. once the brussel sprouts are soft, add the shrimp and cook until shrimp are hot. season with salt & pepper to taste. 
4. meanwhile, in a different pan, add mushrooms and water and cook on medium-high heat. cook mushrooms are tender (they will be a brown color) and set aside. 
5. add brussel sprouts, shrimp, mushrooms, & parmesan and romano cheese to pizza dough. crumble goat cheese on top and bake for 10-15 minutes. 

and thirdly, parmesan kale chips!

i've never cooked with kale before but this was SO much easier than i thought it would be. the key is getting a bag of washed and chopped kale from trader joe's - it makes everything so much easier!

ingredients:

• 1 bag chopped kale
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3-4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• salt & pepper to taste

directions:

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. spread kale out on a baking sheet. drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan, salt, and pepper. toss the kale around to make sure it's fully coated (i just used a pair of tongs). 
3. bake for 15 minutes or until crispy. 

i have a few other recipes for you - a classic holiday shortbread recipe, my mom's sugar cookies, and a few more! so be on the lookout :) 

on another note... this girl just found out she got an A- in chemistry! to say i'm stoked is an understatement!! i have never worked harder in my life for anything and to see that it paid off makes me so freakin' happy. 

besides cooking and baking like crazy, i've been snuggling with these cutie pies LOTS and catching up on my TV shows. i've made it through 8 episodes of Once Upon a Time in 24 hours. hey, isn't that what break is for? ;-)

and this just cracks me up every time. i have the prissiest little chubby cat ever.

thought of the day: 

what's the best thing you've made recently?

favorite thing to do when you have free time? i love to read, watch TV, do my favorite workouts, cook and bake, and spend time with family and friends!