I am OBSESSSSSEEEDDD with Fall you guys!!! Like obsessed! I know every white girl says that but I really really mean it! September 1st, I bust out all of the decorations and different variations of Fall candles (pumpkin cinnamon, cinnamon pumpkin, Fall harvest, harvest in Fall, white pumpkin, orange pumpkin) basically a hundred of the same freakin’ candle but they all smell so different at the store! On a candle note, shout to my girl Angela Barkett with Pure & Simple Treats candles, I LOVE LOVE LOVE her Pumpkin Souflee Soy Wax Candle!! B-T-Dubs she didn’t ask me to say anything about it, totally my opinion, totally support her because she is local and local is ALWAYS better! Am I right or am I right?!?! Duh! 😉 
Ok so back to fall, every year on the first day of Fall I have a celebratory breakfast at like the crack of dawn and go to town eating some pumpkin pancakes, this is my kick off event if you will! This year it happened to fall 😉 right around the time the studio was opening but I still made it happen. Priorities right? I really wanted to get my point along to you guys and I think I am there so it is safe to move forward…
I’m going to be real with you guys, cooking has gotten SUPER pushed to the side over the last few months. Self-disclosure, my assistant has been making most of my meals, not in like “I am a snob” type of way, but in a “my time is spent doing other things” type of way. It has been so low on the priority totem pole and I just realized some things will have to be pushed to the side and maybe just for a season. We need to give ourselves grace right!?!? Well, Saturday after I taught Pilates, I went to lunch with the hubs and knew I needed to get a lot of work done, but also knew I was going to be working ALL Sunday, so I decided not to work and instead chill! I know I know, I am trying to get better at this, I fail all the time but I am a work in progress 😉 . I remembered a recipe a client had sent me for pumpkin cupcakes/muffins and thought that it sounds liked the perfect Saturday afternoon festivity to unplug and do a little baking! So off I went to Club Pub (Publix)!
I know a lot of you already know this but I also know I have a lot of new readers so just stay with me for a second. I have Hashimotos disease which sounds like I am the hunchback of Notre Dom but its not. Basically it is a variation of Hypothyroidism (slow thyroid) and with that comes gluten sensitivities. I had stomach problems my whole life but never knew why. I saw and endocrinologist for my thyroid, he told me to remove gluten and see how I felt. Well, a few days later, a stomach pains were gone, all bloat went away, constipations done-zo and I felt like a new person! So obvi I never went back and have really felt great ever since! I get the whole “Gluten-Free” thing is a trend and people think it is like the new “diet” but I am here to tell you if you switch to all gluten-free products you WILL gain weight. Gluten-free chips, cookies, and processed products are loaded with sugar! Gluten tastes really good and gives foods a good texture, when taken out a lot of these foods loose their good taste and texture so they replaced it with SUGAR! So please please be careful if you decide to make the switch. If you really want to eat “gluten-free” switch to veggies, fruits, and lean proteins with the occasionally gluten-free snacks and treats! 🙂
Speaking of gluten free snacks and treats, let me return back to what I was saying about my pumpkin cupcakes/ muffins! I made these are they were SOO good and a total crowd pleaser! They were super easy to make and not like “just add water” but also not like “we require a spice from a leaf of tree in the Swiss Alps under a rock”. Basically you dump and mix (my kinda recipe 😉 ). So all my gluten-free peeps out there, wanting to take part in the Fall baked good party, here you go!
Ingredients:
- Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix
- 3 Eggs
- 1 Stick (1/2 cup) Softened Butter
- 2 tsp Vanilla
- Pumpkin (15 oz can)
- Cinnamon (2 tsp)
- Pumpkin Pie Spice (1 tsp)
- Pillsbury Easy Frost Cream Cheese Frosting
Directions:
- Cream- Butter, Eggs, & Vanilla
- Mix In- Pumpkin, Cinnamon, & Pumpkin Spice
- Mix In- Cake Mix
- Pour- into muffin pan or baking cups.
- Bake- 325 for 25 minutes
*batter is thick, but bakes up to be airy!
Eat as muffins or ice with cream cheese icing for a cupcake 🙂
Happy Fall Ya’ll!!!
