Oatmeal Obsession

When it comes to food I have a tendency to get hooked on certain things. Bonus points if it’s something I can make on my own—because getting hooked on something from a restaurant can become quite the expensive and unhealthy habit.

Oatmeal is my latest obsession and I’ve nailed down what I think is the perfect "recipe." After a brisk commute to work there’s nothing better than a hot bowl of oatmeal to accompany a coffee. And with the right amount of healthy ingredients you can really cut back on the amount of sugar you add and still appease your sweet tooth.

Directions and ingredients are below. Enjoy!

1.      Add 1 cup water to 1/2 cup quick 1 minute Quaker Oats - microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes

2.      Once cooked—add chopped apple pieces, a pinch of light brown sugar, pumpkin spice Milk and Honey granola and dried cranberries (or substitute for your favorite toppings!)

3.      Enjoy!

Wishful Wednesday: I wish I could eat cupcakes every single day

I'm a sucker for a good cupcake. No matter what size and no matter what flavor (within reason), I can't say no. 


My favorite cupcakes in the city are from a bakery in Lincoln Park called Sweet Mandy B's. Their cupcakes are simple when compared to all the different varieties of cupcakes that one can find these days, but they're perfect in their simplicity. They don't need bacon bits or sprinkles or crazy flavor varieties to be special. They just are. 


This past weekend, I tried out a recipe I found online that claimed to be THE Sweet Mandy B's cupcake recipe. I'm proud to report that the the icing tasted eerily similar to the real thing. The cake was a bit off, but not in a bad way, just in a way that's slightly different from the original. 

While I didn't hit the nail on the head, it was, after all, only my first try. And I have to say that I have found my go-to cupcake recipe for the next time I'm called upon to whip up a batch of buttercream goodness. Whether they taste exactly like SMB's or not. 

Wishful Wednesday: Warm socks, my own bed and the perfect fall muffin

I’m in New York this week traveling for work. I usually love work travel, especially in this city. But it’s rainy and cold here and after a 6 am flight this morning and a day full of meetings, I’m exhausted. I think I’d like nothing more than to be at home, reading on the couch, wearing warm socks and eating one of these. I borrowed this recipe from the blog Circle B Kitchen and tweaked it slightly. These muffins are perfectly sweet and filled with the flavors of fall. Enjoy one for me.

Pumpkin-Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

For Topping:

1Tbs all-purpose flour
5 Tbs sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbs unsalted butter, softened

For Muffins:1 1/2  cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 can pumpkin
3 oz vegetable oil
1 1/8 cups sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped into small-ish pieces

Directions:

Blend together flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a small bowl with your fingertips until

mixture resembles coarse meal.    

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease muffin pan with cooking spray.

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice into a medium

bowl.

Whisk together pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs in a large bowl. Add flour mixture, stirring until

well combined. Fold in apples and the raisins.

Fill muffin tins with batter and sprinkle with topping mix.

Bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of muffin comes out clean, about 20

minutes.

Monday Cravings... Naptime

Mondays…

No matter how much sleep I seem to get the night before I am always tired and there never seems to be enough coffee in the world to shake my drowsiness.

Today I’m dreaming of the perfect bed, covered in the perfect cozy throws in which I could nap the day away. I love naps and I would love to nap in of these spectacular spaces… Aren't they just divine?

all images via Pinterest