Pumpkin Spice Granola

 Pumpkin and its respective spices are so warming. They make me feel like putting on slippers and big sweaters and drinking hot chocolate and pretending I'm still living on the East Coast, waiting for the first snow fall. In reality, I'm living on California's beautiful central coast, completely enjoying the fact that I still wear short sleeves in November. And the only time of year that I actually miss living back east is Fall, when the leaves are golden and red and the air smells fresh and crisp. 

So, what do I do? I bake. A lot. I make biscuits and pumpkin pie. And I bake granola. With pumpkin. Thanksgiving may be over, but the season of putting pumpkin in every single thing I bake isn't. 

Gluten-Free Vegan Butternut Squash Biscuits

I need more scones in my life. And more biscuits. And the bakery items on campus are just not cutting it. Seriously, I don't know where they're getting the idea they can call anything they're making "scones" or "croissants". They taste more like dry, sugary clumps of hard dirt. Okay, that was a bit harsh. But they're pretty unsatisfying. 

Praline Pumpkin Pie - and being thankful for good friends & coconut milk.

         Thanksgiving was celebrated early by my friends and I this weekend, when we got together to enjoy each others company - to laugh, drink, and eat - before our short but much needed Thanksgiving break. One night I made croissants from scratch, which was both time consuming and rewarding, and will receive its own post once I really get the process down. Last night I made pumpkin pie - a classic. We had such a feast, I was overwhelmed with how much tasty, high quality food I was eating, and how many wonderful people I was surrounded by. 

 

It's fall, and all i can drink is tea.

        I love smoothies during the summer, when tank tops and shorts are the normal wear. But when fall comes around, I want to bundle with scarves upon sweaters, mittens, and beanies. (I live on the central coast, what am I talking about?) Well at least I think it's cold outside, and all I want is hot coffee and tea. Enter in the hot, steaming elixir, which is like a smoothie-tea infusion... that sometimes tastes like coffee?