Some Favorite Fall Recipes!

With the weather getting cooler and spending a little more time inside, I’ve made it a goal of mine to get more creative in the kitchen!
Cooking has always been a love of mine; but I’ll be honest… I hate wasting a perfectly good day inside when the weather is beautiful outside!
Cooking healthy, nutrient dense foods is a top priority of mine. Not only does it make me feel good (mentally) knowing that I’m fueling my body with all the “good” foods, but also physically too!
Obviously “everything in moderation” is important when it comes to food…but cooking with whole foods and minimizing process foods is always a good habit to have! So here are some of the most recent recipes that I’ve been dabbling with, and have been a success in the Morris household!

Copycat Peanut Butter Pumpkin Reese’s
Sweet treats have a special way to my heart…I hate to admit it…BUT IT’S TRUE! I made a version of these copycat Reese’s back around easter time and LOVED THEM. So, why not make them festive again and turn them into Pumpkins!
I know I’m not the only person who likes the seasonal Reese’s anything (hello more peanut butter filling(: )

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
Yup, another pumpkin recipe! Tis the season to make everything pumpkin.
I love making this recipe as both a bread and muffins! They’re so tasty (and guilt free) that Kwin and I usually finish the batch off within days.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust (Dairy-Free + Gluten-Free)
Who else has tried countless cauliflower pizza recipes, and had MULTIPLE failures? I know I can’t be the only one…
Pizza is Kwin’s favorite meal, so trying to make a “healthier” version for us both to enjoy has been a goal of mine. Well I’m pleased to announce that Rachel Mansfield has done it AGAIN! This recipe was a huge success, and is now a staple in our household meal plan.

Spaghetti Squash Taco Bake
Such a quick and easy recipe to make! I love spaghetti squash, Kwin on the other hand isn’t the biggest fan. Win for Megan! He absolutely LOVED this recipe!

15-Minute Crispy Chicken (GF, DF)
How could one go wrong with a good crispy chicken tender? Like HELLO CHILDHOOD FAVORITE!
The breading of store-bought chicken tenders are usually disgusting and leaves me feeling so sluggish/gross afterwards. Rachael Devoux is a genius when it comes to making “healthy” swaps on favorite recipes. Thanks to ‘Simple Mills’ crackers for the breading mixture, plus Flax Seeds (added protein &Fiber!) and this is also a new favorite.

Simple Cashew Chicken Stir-fry
I tried this one out on a limb because Kwin was craving a ‘Chinese’ dish. It was super easy to make and very tasty!

VEGAN CURRY RAMEN NOODLES
OH MY GOSHHHHH this recipe is a must! Especially with the cooler weather coming in and soups making more of an appearance on the meal plan. My mom made this for us after Fitz was born; and Kwin&I about died.
Ramen noodles use to be a guilty pleasure of mine growing up.
If you like curry… MAKE THIS…you won’t regret it!

General Tso’s Tofu
Another ‘Chinese’ dish for Kwin; and we both really liked it! If you aren’t into Tofu, you can easily swap it out for a different plant based protein or even chicken!

Ultimate Vegan 7-Layer Dip
HOLY COW, this seven layer dip was AMAZING! Tastes just like a seven layer dip…except with some homemade vegan sour cream!
This would be a huge hit for a football game or any other type of get-together.

Sweet Potato Toast
Such a simple breakfast alternative to toast! The sweet potatoes provide extra micro and macronutrients profile that a piece of toast is lacking.
This has become a new favorite of mine- topped with Almond Butter or Avocado is what I like best(:

A little copyright note… I am not a food blogger, nor do I take aesthetically appealing photos of my food (let’s be honest I’m usually too hungry for that and forget!) All the pictures in this blog are from the original recipes! So all rights go to the original authors(:

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Current Recipe Favorites

Hey guys! I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite recipes that I’ve been making lately, as well as some of my favorite cookbooks!
I’d like to say start out by saying that I’m definitely not a recipe creator by any means… so I can’t take credit for “creating” any of these delicious meals! But they’re tasty, and for the most part on the healthier side.
I hope you enjoy!

1. Banana Blueberry Muffins– Looking for something sweet and easy to grab? These muffins are delicious! They’re easy to make and have become a staple in our fridge lately.

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1. Vegan Eggplant Lasagna– I love this recipe because it’s dairy free (which my GI system appreciates) and it’s also just a “healthier” twist on one of Kwin’s favorite meals. Using eggplant for the noodles instead of zucchini (like most recipes call for) is SUPER BENEFICIAL because it it’s as watery as zucchini! I also usually still put in shredded vegan mozzarella between layers to give it more of a cheesy taste.

1. Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce- This is from an Ebook that I purchased written by Ellen Fischer. I was a little hesitant to try this recipe at first, but let me tell ya…it hits the Creamy Alfredo Sauce craving right in the butt!
   • Ingredients: Big head of Cauliflower, 4 garlic Cloves, 1 C. SOAKED cashews, 1/2 C. Nutritional Yeast, 1 tsp Onion Powder, 2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1.5 TBSP Cornstarch
   • Recipe:
     • Steam cauliflower for about 10 minutes, or until tender
     • Blend Cashews with 3 cups of water on a high speed blender, until smooth like cashew milk
     • Add cauliflower to blender with cashews and the rest of the ingredients listed above. Blend until creamy smooth
     • Transfer sauce to a large pan and heat on medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Taste and add appropriate seasons- This is where I usually will add some oregano, basil and other spices to give it more of an authentic Alfredo sauce taste!

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1. Copy Cat Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs– Oh man, I made these for Easter and they taste exactly like the OG Reeses Peanut Butter Cup! Just a little “healthier” twist on them! Rachel Devaux is always creating a “healthier” twist on so many classics. These guys are Dairy Free, Gluten Free, and Refined Sugar Free!

Favorite Cookbooks or Websites For Recipes!

• The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out
  By: Angela Liddon
• Oh She Glows Every Day: Quick and Simply Satisfying Plant-based Recipes
  By: Angela Liddon
• The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom
  By: Melissa Hartwig Urban
• Body Love: Live in Balance, Weigh What You Want, and Free Yourself from Food Drama Forever
  By: Kelly LeVeque
• Minimalist Baker (website)
• From My Bowl (website)
• Rachael’s Good Eats (website)
• RachLmansfield (website)

Being stuck at home is not always a bad thing! In fact, it has allowed me extra time to get creative in the kitchen and try some new recipes that I previously wouldn’t have tried.
I hope this sparked your taste buds and got your mouth watering.
Use this is a resource of inspiration; And maybe it even gave you that kick in the butt you needed to get in the kitchen yourself and get creative too!

January Thaw, NOW BRING ON THE SNOW STORMS!

Well, January in Michigan was NOTHING like a Michigan January should be. I think at least half of the month was 30+ degrees! SO NOT NORMAL. A little thaw was nice, but bring on the snowstorms!

While in New Zealand Kwin and I were so excited to getting home (to the 2 1/2 feet of snow) so we could do all the winter activities! That first week of being home we managed to Fat Bike at the Single Track VASA trail almost everyday! We were kicking ass with our 1 mile a day biking! 

Kanyon also got some new glasses to protect her eyes during our activities! 

We were also able to cross country ski a ton; It’s my favorite when there is a lot of snow on the ground! Trails are a little slower…which is definitely my preference 🙂

Would you just look at how beautiful these sunsets are! We were defiantly spoiled these past couple weeks! Sunset paddle boarding and hiking, a must do on nights like these.

It just doesn’t feel like winter without snow…but one good thing that came out of the most recent warm episode was POND SKATING!

The combination of:

Rain+Wind+Below Freezing Temperatures at night= Perfectly Smooth Ponds!

Something exciting that happened this January:

Stand Up For Great Lakes ‘Crossing Lake Huron’ documentary (by Corey Adkins) was the feature film in the Thunder Bay International Film Festival! It was so awesome watching the documentary and getting all the emotional feelings from the crossing again! Not only that…but seeing Kwin, and all the other team members get a standing ovation for their tremendous efforts brought a couple tears to the eyes again.

If you’ve never been to the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary museum in Alpena,MI it’s definitely somewhere to check out! Learning about the history of “Shipwreck Ally” in Lake Huron is awesome!

January- Goals Check In

Kwin and I love being active and preach living a happy and healthy life! This includes setting goals and challenging yourself  to be a better person everyday!

This month, my challenge was:

• NO MEAT: To some people this would be extremely challenging, and to others it would be extremely easy! Growing up I ate meat at almost every meal, but after much research I’ve slowly started to cut back. I don’t think I will ever completely get rid of meat (because I believe everything in moderation)…but I wanted to see how I could do. Honestly, it was easy and I really enjoyed it! It challenged me to get creative with other foods: Tempeh, Lentils, Quiona, etc.

Goals for the 2018 year:

• Reading everyday before bed: I did OKAY on this…definitely something I need to continue getting better at! I still tend to browse through my phone and social media a little too much. So February to be more successful at this I will plug my phone in somewhere else NOT NEXT TO MY BED!
• Yoga 3x per week: Man, this was definitely a great goal to set! Yoga has helped me physically and mentally in SO MANY WAYS.
• Being more Green: This is A LOT harder than expected! Especially being that it’s the middle of winter, and it gets dark so early (which means lights on in the house more.) I love my new reusable produce bags [I got theses] that I’ve been using at the grocery store, and switched over to reusable laundry lint balls too [Got mine form Woolzies]! Making small steps, but better than nothing. This month I want to get better at unplugging outlets that I am not using!
• Blogging more: Still struggling with this one. I feel like what I want to blog about would not be very relevant to people…but I need to get past my fear and JUST DO IT!
• Biking: Kwin and I have a goal of getting better at biking this year, so we have either been fat biking outside…or using the new Bike trainer in the basement. Getting 1 mile a day has been pretty easy (with a .5mile penalty for every day missed). I’m really hoping that all this biking helps (M22…inspiration point…you are my motivation!)

My monthly goal for February is to cook 1-2 NEW MEALS every week! I tend to get into a slump at times…especially with cooking! Thank goodness for Pinterest though, I’ve already got a lot of new recipes on the list! If any of you have must try recipes though I would love to hear them!

Puppy snuggles are the absolute best! Thankful that my mother-in-law (Chocklabs.com) breeds the cutest pups ever!

I hope that everyone’s 2018 started off great and January was a success! Now, lets make February a huge hit too!

2018 Goals! What new and old things will this year bring!?

2017 was one of the best years of my life! It was a year of continued growth, and full of traveling and many adventures. It was a year of developing new friendships and pushing myself past my comfort zone. And the best yet, 2017 was the year I married my best friend and our life long journey together began.

Like I’ve said before, I don’t like to make ‘New Years Resolutions,’ because I feel like everyday we should be working toward bettering ourselves! Plus, lets be honest…after the first few months the excitement of the resolutions usually fades away. Instead of ‘Resolutions’ I like to start new goals and continue with ones I previously had been working on.

Now, what’s a better way to stay accountable to these goals than sharing them with you all?

Megans 2018 Goals

• Be more Eco-Friendly: Kwin and I have always tried to live more of a “green” lifestyle. We love our planet and all the beauty that it provides us! Our house runs on geothermal energy and we bought a small wind turbine (plan on installing it this upcoming spring) to hopefully create some wind energy (northern Michigan is known for it’s windy weather). We also have decreased our trash we accumulate by recycling more and having a compost bin! This year I want to be better about using recyclable produce and grocery bags at the stores, unplugging things from outlets when we aren’t using them, and continue to use non-chemical household items (one of my favorites are the Norwex brand, check them out here!)

• Read More: growing up I hated reading, especially during school-when you were usually forced to read books that you didn’t enjoy. However, as I’ve gotten older my love for reading has returned. My goal this year is to spend 5-10 minutes before bed reading a book, and not surfing through Instagram and Facebook!

• Yoga: Stress occurs in everybody’s life, and how we deal with it differs amongst everyone. Some people sit and meditate, listen to music, go for a run or maybe even stress eat! I’ve tried them all, but not until last year did I realize how amazing Yoga really helped me. I use to think it was boring, slow, and a waste of time..but just like reading, as I’ve gotten older I’ve learned to really appreciate it! Yoga allows you to escape from reality and get in your own world, to stretch and recover, and become more familiar with yourself. I’m really excited to start incorporating this more often!

• Build my blogging platform: What exactly do I mean by this? I love writing blogs, but sometimes feel like what I have to say would have no importance to anyone. I need to get out of my comfort zone and just DO IT. I plan to write more blogs and be more proactive with what I am posting. I hope to make connect with companies that I believe in, and maybe develop partnerships. I want my blog to grow into a place that inspires others regarding health, nutrition and an overall happy lifestyle.

• Increase my cooking creativity and eat more wholesome foods: Kwin and I try to eat 80/20 (healthy/non-healthy) foods, but like everyone we get caught eating processed foods occasionally. After being in New Zealand and seeing the fresh ingredients that people were using to cook with I became inspired! I love cooking, but have a tendency of making the same things and using processed/easy ingredients. This year I hope to not buy as much processed things (like black bean burgers) and instead make my own, and get out of my comfort zone (yes, again) and make new things! RECIPE SUGGESTIONS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED!

• Continue to live a well balanced life: In the past I’ve struggled with obsessing over exercise and foods. 2017 I found myself, I found balance…AND IT FEELS GREAT! Kwin always says “train for life” and I completely agree with him! I hope to continue with what I have learned this past year and continue to live a happy, healthy and active lifestyle.

• Increase my knowledge about holistic health: Being a nurse, I am fairly educated on the ways of western medicine (what it taught in nursing/medical school). However, this is not the only form of medicine out there! Holistic medicine has always been extremely interesting to me; especially herbal medicine, acupuncture, and essential oils. This year I hope to read more and become more familiar with the alternative measures to living a happy and healthy life. Ways that doesn’t completely revolved around pills. I want to be able to teach to my patients and help them make lifestyle changes to help PREVENT them from coming into the hospital!

Although 2017 was an amazing year for myself, I have a feeling that 2018 is going to be even better! Happy New Year everyone, and I hope that all your goals and New Years Resolutions help guide you to living a happier and healthier life.