Healthy Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

I hear the word healthy and and immediately think its going to be a pain to make. There are going to be ingredients that I don't have. I really wanted some pumpkin pancakes and so when I found this recipe I was so excited. Its super easy and I had all of the ingredients. They are light, fluffy, and so soft. I may have eaten too many but they're amazing!

Healthy Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes
Makes about 12 pancakes

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 cup Pumpkin Puree
2 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
2 Eggs
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 cups Almond Milk
2/3 cup Mini Chocolate Chips

1. Heat the griddle over medium heat. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside. 

2. In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, and almond milk. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips. 

3. Butter the griddle and pour your batter onto the preheated griddle. Cook until the edges are dry and there are bubbles in the middle and then flip. Continue to cook for a few more minutes until golden brown. Re-butter every time you put more batter on the griddle.

Recipe Source: Ambitious Kitchen

Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

For the last month I've been obsessed with finding some chewy cookie recipes. I've been making and eating cookies like its going out of style and its been delicious so far. Today's recipe is an amazing chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. They are soft, have the perfect amount of chocolate, and they are chewy, so chewy. And they're big enough that one is enough. You can have 2, I wont judge you, but they're big. Big, chewy, and amazing!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Salt
3/4 cup Butter, melted & cooled
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Egg
2 1/2 cups Old Fashioned Oats
2 cups Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and set aside. 

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the butter and sugars. Beat for 1 minute on medium. Add in the honey, vanilla, and the egg. Scrape the bowl and add in the flour mixture. Mix to just combine. 

3. Add in the oats and the chocolate chips and mix until just combined again. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours. Using a 1/4 cup scoop place them on a cookie sheet and bake for 12- 14 minutes, until the center looks just set and not wet.

Recipe Source:  Just So Tasty

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Italian is one of my favorite types of food. You can't eat lots of pasta and breaded, deep fried food when your trying to be more healthy but this, this recipe is lightened up and still delicious! We use whole wheat bread crumbs and we bake the chicken. I also put it over whole wheat pasta to keep it more healthy! Its moist and delicious and you'll have one less thing to feel guilty about!

Baked Chicken Parmesan

2 Chicken Breasts, trimmed and pounded thin
3/4 cup Whole Wheat Breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3/4 cup Mozzarella Cheese, grated
1 cup Marinara Sauce
Olive Oil Cooking Spray

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with cooking spray.

2. In a shallow dish, combine the breadcrumbs, italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese. Brush the chicken with olive oil and place in the breadcrumb mixture, and place on the prepared baking sheet. 

3. Lightly spray the tops of chicken with more cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes, turn the chicken over and bake for 5 more minutes.

4. Remove from the oven and pour sauce on the chicken and top with 1 1/2 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese.  Bake for 5 more minutes to melt the cheese.

Recipe Source: Skinny Taste

Our Favorite Turkey Meatloaf

When the weather starts to change the meals I make seem to change too. I want more soups, homemade rolls and bread, casseroles, more hearty meals. This is one of my family's favorite meals. Its strange to me because meatloaf was never my favorite meal as a kid. I think its the sauce that covers the meatloaf. Its sweet and tangy. A perfect meal for a cold night. Your family will love it as much as ours!

Our Favorite Turkey Meatloaf

Meatloaf
2lbs Ground Turkey
1 cup Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs or Ground Old Fashioned Oats
1 Egg, beaten
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Ketchup

1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1 teaspoon Onion powder
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

Sauce
3/4 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Apricot Preserves
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 5x9 bread pan. In a large bowl place the meatloaf ingredients. Mix well with your hands until well combined. Pour into the prepared pan and spread out. Bake for 1 1/2 hours.

2. In a small bowl mix together the sauce ingredients. Halfway through baking spread half of the sauce on top of the meatloaf. Let sit for 15 minutes after baking before slicing. Use the rest of the sauce for serving with the meatloaf.

Recipe slightly adapted from Pip and Ebby

Pumpkin Nutella Cookie Bars

Do you remember how pumpkin is amazing and cookies, oh cookies, I love cookies and Nutella. Nutella in anything makes it better. All together baked into a delicious bar. Crispy on the outside, a sweet chewy cookie, and smooth creamy Nutella in the middle. Oh. My. Gosh. I Love it. Its a great fall treat!

Pumpkin Nutella Cookie Bars

1/2 cup Butter, melted
1/3 cup Pumpkin Puree
3/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1 Egg Yolk
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup Nutella

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x9 baking dish.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the melted butter, pumpkin puree, and both sugars. Beat until smooth. Add in egg yolk, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and vanilla and mix to combine. Add in the flour and mix until its smooth.

3. Divide the batter in half and press half into your prepared pan. Bake for 8 minutes.

4. Melt the Nutella in the microwave until its runny. Pour over the crust when you take it out of the oven. Spread so it evenly covers the crust.

5. With the rest of the dough, make little patties in your hand and place them on top of the Nutella, using all of the dough. It may not cover all of it but thats ok. Bake for 17-19 more minutes. Let cool completely before cutting.

Recipe Slightly adapted from: Crazy for Crust

My Favorite Pumpkin Posts!

I have complied a bunch of my favorite pumpkin recipes I've made over the years into this one post. Make one or make a few, you wont regret it!

 One at a time...

 Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Pumpkin Mousse Trifle

Pumpkin Pancakes

 Better Than Pumpkin Pie Cake

 Pumpkin Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

Pumpkin Brownies

Pumpkin Brownies

This month the recipe I'm sharing on Reality Daydream is a pumpkin brownie recipe. Its soft and the flavors pop. You can taste the rich chocolate and it doesn't overpower the pumpkin. Its a delicious dessert perfect for the fall. Go get the recipe and lets make us some Pumpkin Brownies!

Pot Roast{Crockpot}

Sunday dinner growing up was always different, but my favorite, the Sunday's I loved most, were ones where we had pot roast and my mum makes a great pot roast! I use a different recipe than she does because I like a little more flavor. So I think mine is even more delicious than hers. Ha. 

It makes the house smell great all day. The meat is tender and juicy, the carrots, onions, and potatoes are cooked just right and full of flavor. Try this for your next family meal. You wont regret it!

Pot Roast{Crockpot}

3lb Pot Roast
2 cups Hot Water
1 packet dry Italian Dressing
1 packet Onion Soup Mix
1lb Carrots, sliced into 3 inch pieces
2 lbs Potatoes, cut into quarters
1 large Onion, quartered and separated

In a medium bowl combine the hot water with the onion soup mix. Place the carrots in your crock pot. Put the pot roast on top of the carrots and sprinkle the Italian dressing over the top. Place the potatoes and onions on top. Pour the onion soup over everything. Set the crockpot to low and cook for 8 hours.