**Just a reminder for anyone in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area, Sarah and I are hosting a blogger meet-up at Six Plates on November 19th! Click here if you missed the announcement!
I had a rather low key Halloween weekend. I usually enjoy celebrating the holiday but I didn’t have any crazy exciting plans this year. I’ll share with you my costume from last year when I was abroad in London though!
I was Minnie Mouse…
…and my friend Mari was Mickey Mouse! We found the ears and gloves at the Disney Store. For our shoes, we wrapped yellow cloths around our shoes 
Saturday morning, I ran 2.2 miles and ellipticalled for 20 min. I hit a wall near the end because I was working out on an empty tummy!
Reunion #1: Waffle Mountain
…it had been FAR too long! ~3 days
Topped with…
- Almond Butter
- Microwaved apples + cinnamon + agave nectar
- Pecan pieces
Reunion #2: Yogurt Bowl
TJ’s Euro Yogurt (<3 <3 <3) and kefir. I threw in some Kashi Puffs, dried cranberries, pecans, and carob chips.
Yogurt > Milk
Reunion #3: Broccoli Slaw
I cannot believe I went almost a month (!!!) without broccoli slaw. I concocted a creamy dressing by combining TJ’s Sesame Soy Ginger dressing + plain yogurt. It worked out fabulously!!
I also threw in some goat cheese, dried cranberries, pecans, eggplant, and lettuce.
My roommate’s sister made some adorable brownie cupcakes that I wanted to show you all.
She used marshmallows, chocolate Twizzlers, candy corn, and Reese’s Pieces.
Hello!!
Reunion #4: The Oven
With my paper and exam over and done with earlier this week, the next couple weeks will be relatively more relaxed. Hooray! Which means….I’ll have more time to bake! Double Hooray!
I made Coconut Carob Pecan Oatmeal Bars which was adapted from this recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp agave nectar
- 4 tbsp melted butter (can sub oil to make vegan)
- 1 egg (can sub flax to make vegan)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup carob chips
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup pecan pieces
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Mix wet ingredients (agave, butter, egg, vanilla).
2. Mix dry ingredients (oats, flour, carob, coconut, pecans, baking powder, salt)
3. Combine wet and dry ingredients
4. Press batter into an oiled 8×8 pan. Use fingers/a spoon to pack it in tightly.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min.
**These bars came out perfectly, if I do say so myself. I have been wanting to make a crunchier bar (kinda like a cookie) but couldn’t find a good recipe until now. These flavors meshed so well together!
I think the butter did the trick! I rarely bake with butter but this baking experiment showed me that a little butter goes a long way! I’m trying not to shy away from butter so that my baked goods can taste better and be more satisfying! Ya know what I mean?!
Reunion #5: Tart Yogurt
As a Halloween treat, my friend and I went to Local Yogurt, a tart yogurt shop near campus. I wanted to go just to try the Pumpkin flavor!!
They had a whole slew of toppings but I decided to have my froyo naked
My friend got Peanut Butter!
It tasted like Pumpkin Ice Cream! Yum! I’m already thinking of how I can recreate this in my Magic Bullet tonight!
Quirky Q’s
1) Do you use butter/oil when you cook/bake? Why or why not? I usually only use a little olive oil for the sake of the pan, but I think I’m going to try and add some more to my cooking/baking for the sake of taste and satisfaction!
2) How’s was your Halloween/weekend? It was alright. I wish I could have handed out candy to little kiddies though
3) What’s your favorite flavor frozen yogurt and/or ice cream? Tart plain frozen yogurt and cookies and cream ice cream.
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Alright m’peeps! I hope you had a fabulous Halloween. I can’t wait to see/read how it went!
{ 36 comments… read them below or add one }
I missed your posts
When I bake desserts, real treats, I use butter. I think if I already am making a rich, indulgent treat, I might as well use the real stuff, and not chemical junk.
Halloween, not much fun, today,yucky.
And favourite ice cream..tough choice. Something creamy, chocolate,caramel,something like that
Cupcakes are ADORABLE! Happy Halloween!
Healthy Eating
Tasha
1.) Grapeseed oil or soy-free Earth Balance margarine
2.) STELLAR!! Watched lots of horror films and celebrated my oldest brother’s birthday and one of my sister-in-law’s birthdays.
3.) Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge (the Coconut Bliss brand)
Love the cupcakes! Too cute, and those bars look delish!
Reunions aplenty in my world too…almost a month without nut butters and oats is too long.
1) Do you use butter/oil when you cook/bake? Why or why not? I have an oil spray but aside from that, have never bought butter or oil. Never needed it as baking is a pretty new thing to me but going to get some because some recipes really need at least some!
2) How’s was your Halloween/weekend? one word: jetlag (though that was a sucky part- the FAB part was oats and nut butter, lol). My computer got a virus so is in for repairs which means I can’t blog. Boo
3) What’s your favorite flavor frozen yogurt and/or ice cream? Ben and Jerry’s Chubby Hubby!
LOYO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i recently had a plain with warm ginger pears that was HEAVEN.
– yes i use olive oil (sometimes canola or peanut in stir-fry type dishes). i definitely think it adds a little somethin’-somethin’!
– cute costume!
those brownies are adorable! Def brought a smile to my face
! And those bars are mouthwatering! So jealous of your cooking skills!
look really cute. I always use canola or extra virgin olive oil to cook. My fav froyo flavor is mango and I had a great Halloween Party that I hosted with the bf.
I love baking with coconut oil-it is majorly delicious. We had fun passing out candy and we had friends, my sis and her hubby over. My favorite ice cream is my homemade chocolate peanut butter! I just made a tray of coconut (with coconut oil) chocolate chip bars and MUST try your recipe soon! They look so yummy!
Haha, you make the perfect mini mouse … very cute! ; )
I wish I could come to your blogger meet-up!
I love those brownie cupcakes!! So cute!!! We could totally use them in our bakery.
1) I usually cook with olive oil. It’s totally worth it for me.
2) Fun! Although I miss handing out candy to all the kids at my parents’ house!
3) Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream!!! Sooooooooo good.
Cute costumes! I love the big gloves
haha
And adorable cupcakes!! so funny.
omg you are a cute mini as well
love your food pictures– it all looks so good
xoxo,
shelley
Cute cupcakes, and outfit!
Those are adorable costumes! Yum, those cupcakes look great!
Awww you look so cute as Minnie Mouse! Great costume idea!
I usually use a little bit of olive oil in cooking, or a spray of pam. For baking I just use what the recipe calls for. If it’s a lot of butter I swap it out for Smart Balance 50/50 baking blend.
The cupcakes are super cute and creative! I hadn’t heard of chocolate twizzlers before!
I don’t use a lot of oil because my lack of a gallbladder doesn’t usually allow for much grease in the foods I eat.
Also, have you ever tried coffee ice cream? Oh-em-gee… it is so delicious and heavenly. Seriously.
you’re so cute in that costume!! perfect for a sweetie like you!
those brownie cupcakes are SOOOOOOOOOO adorable!!!
Q1: my latest favorite add-in oil is coconut oil, it gives a great flavor.
Q3: plain.
I have so much to say!
1.oh my gosh! Those Halloween costumes are so cute! I so want Josh and I to go as the mice sometime! We both adore Disney.
2. The brownie cupcakes are so freaking cute.
3. Love broc slaw and your bars look soooooooooo good. mmm.
4. Yes, I do use oil and butter in my baking. It depends upon what I’m making/who I’m making them for. Favorite froyo- vanilla fresh berry topped with TONS of fruit
Love the costume! You look so adorable.
And love those bars. They sound so incredible!
Glad you had a great weekend hun!
I definitely use real butter. I love the way it tastes in baked goods! Cute cupcakes
wow your roomies lil’ brownie guys look adorable & tasty! my fav flavor of frozen yogurt is strawberry or white chocolate mousse from tcby – so good!
Your costume is so cute and your roomie’s cupcake are adorable!
1) I don’t use butter or oil to bake because I substitute with pumpkin and apple sauce. Reason is I like my baked goodies healthier.
2)Halloween was alright. I passed out candies to adorable little kiddos plus I went for a free boo-rito at Chipotle. Yum.
3)My favorite frozen yogurt is the taro flavors. Yogurtland happens to be my favorite fro-yo store right now. Have u seen their cute Tokidoki cups and spoons?
You look too cute!
When I bake, I never used butter but I think that is going to change soon. I’ll be going back home and I bet my family won’t like my healthified baking. Hehehe. So I might use some butter soon.
Also, loved your previous two posts. Glad to know that your parents’ visit was lovely.
I have recently discovered Earth Balance Sticks for baking. Like oil, they produce more liquid. But, they are cheaper than buying organic butter and I don’t want to think about everything in non-organic dairy.
Haha, I have never seen a prettier Minnie Mouse! And the cupcakes are seriously freaking adorable!!
1) I use cooking spray to cook, sometimes steal my roommate’s olive oil. I use butter to bake!
2) I had a bad but fun lunch. See my recent post.
3) Green tea!!
You’re such a cute Minnie!
I am taking notes on your kefir uses–I need to figure out how to use it now that I got some!
So jealous of your Local Yogurt excursion–I might have to hit that up soon.
You’re such a cute Minnie Mouse!
You should use more oil/butter yes, believe me: it makes things taste better!:)
Have a great week girl!
xxx Julia (Taste of Living)
Your costume was so cute! I was a mouse for halloween because all I could find was a pair of mouse ears here. Yay for Quirky Q’s…
I use oil if I’m cooking but butter for baking homemade goodies. My halloween was so so but I still had fun going and getting ready. I love strawberry & vanilla swirl froyo, but I’ve never had the chance to try all the funky flavours because I haven’t found a froyo place close to where I live so I have to settle for the Neapolitan selection.
LOVE those cucakes! I could just eat one right up!
fav flavor yogurt is butter pecan I also love old school oreo
at this one place near me they have oatmeal cookie hard yog with pieces of cookie in it–i CRAVE that sometimes!!
I don’t use butter when I am baking for myself, but If I am making something that calls for butter for an event or party, oh yeah I do the real stuff!
youlook SO CUTE!
I can’t believe you saw Apple Pie ice cream at Target!! Now I’m going to have to stalk the stores to find some!
Love the waffles mountain and those adorable cupcakes!
Love those cupcakes! And I’m glad you’ll be having time to bake again. Those bars look phenomenal!
I try not to bake with butter/oil. It’s always grossed me out. I will use it sometimes, though if I think that applesauce won’t do the trick.
The weekend was a lot of fun! The kids had a blast which is what counts for me…
Awww I LOVE your costume!
SO cute! And those cupcakes are adorable!
My fave flavor frozen yogurt lately had been pumpkin…I’m pretty much obsessed!
Nice costumes
i have tasted cooked apples but didn’t know you could microwave them too, thx for the tip.
The brownies look excelent.
You are quite possibly the most adorable Minnie ever!
A. LOVE the costume. Disney movies are my fav.
B. I need to try those waffle mountains ASAP. looks.so.good.
C. PUMPKIN YOGURT!! jealous to the extreme girl
D. I’m also a little afraid of baking with buttah and oil, but like you said, a little goes a loooooong way!
making these right now
Thanks for the idea!
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