Ginger Cookies

Although my mom and brother love it, I don't care for pumpkin. I know how much everyone seems to love it, but I've never been a fan, so ginger is my favorite fall flavor. Back before my food allergies, I had this amazing ginger snap recipe that I loved, and since gingersnaps are one of my favorite types of cookies I set out to find a Paleo one. After looking at several recipes via Google I settled on these ginger cookies from The Detoxinista. Along with being sugar, dairy, and gluten free they also use any eggs, therefore they're that perfect recipe to make when you feel like baking but just happen to be all out of eggs. I've made them a couple times now and modified them a tad to fit my taste. One batch makes around 15 cookies, so if you have any ginger lovers in your house they're not going to last long!



Ginger Cookies
modified from The Detoxinista

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup almond flour
2 tablespoons coconut oil, softened

1/4 pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined.

2. Chill in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using rounded sized tablespoons of dough, roll into balls and flatten slightly into disks.

4. Bake for 8 minutes, or until firm around the edges but soft in the middle. You can also cook them a little longer for a more crispy cookie. Let cool 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Serve and enjoy!

The Autumn Leaves

I've taken barely any fall photos this year, which is really sad considering it's my favorite season. Work has been keeping me busy, and then on my days off I haven't felt like braving the cold + plus I've been somewhat uninspired when it comes to photography lately. Well more on the transfering, editing, exporting, etc side.

Anyways, we went on a walk last week I got this fall photo with my new iPod Touch. This shot makes it into my list of all time favorite leaf photos I've ever taken. And I think the fact that it's my lock screen photo proves that. ;)

(taken with iPod Touch 5th Gen. and edited with VSCOcam)

Little Women

“November is the most disagreeable month in the whole ear,' said Margaret, standing at the window one dull afternoon, looking out at the frostbitten garden.
'That's the reason I was born in it,' observed Jo pensively, quite unconscious of the blot on her nose.
'If something very pleasant should happen now, we should think it a delightful month,' said Beth, who took a hopeful view of everything, even November.”

My first introduction to Little Women was this past winter when my sister, mom, and I watched the 1994 film. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to read the book a few months later. I thought the movie was good, but the book is even more wonderful. Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are so real and relatable and that's what I think is so great about it.

After reading it the movie seemed so rushed, especially the end with Laurie and Amy. The whole ending flows much better in the book. I think the movie is great, but it would be awesome if they made it into a mini-series. Then they'd be able to fit in more of those details.

I'm Back + Some Selfies

Wowzah, it's been two weeks already since I posted last. I got a job in retail recently which started on the third, and although I've had a few posts all ready in my drafts, I've been just too wiped out to even think about posting them. My brain was totally fried by the end of the first day and the three days of cashier training left me crazy exhausted. But for now I'm only working a few days a week, so I'm planning on posting a couple times a week.

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Two weeks ago I pulled out the tripod and gathered my camera and remote in the front yard to take some seflfies. It had been seven months since I'd taken any, so I decided it was time to take some updated shots.

I decided to go with a red and black color scheme, which are two of my favorite colors to wear. The plaid scarf was a gift from my mom on my birthday this past spring and the bow headband, AKA my new favorite hair accessory from Forever 21.

Cinnamon Muffins

Until discovering this recipe, I had never been able to make a gluten-free muffin with quite the same texture as a regular muffin. Most of the recipes are much more dense, especially the ones with coconut flour, but this these cinnamon muffins are light and airy.