Pumpkin Dark Chocolate Chip Brownies

Fall is my favorite season, and so is anything pumpkin!!!  After planting mums around our yard today, the boys came in and grabbed chocolate chips from the pantry, I guess this was my clue to bake something for dessert!  I would much rather bake for my boys, than buy them dessert that usually contains many processed ingredients.  Don't get me wrong, they sure have their fair share of donuts, but when it's up to me, I would rather bake for them. I came up with this recipe tonight and tested it out! When they came out of the oven, they looked delish and they were picky kid (and husband) tested  and mother approved!

Ingredients:

1 can organic pumpkin

3/4 cup organic coconut palm sugar

6 oz non fat plain greek yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

2 cups white whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

Mix the first 5 ingredients together in mixer, add the remaining dry ingredients and mix well.  Fold in a handful of dark chocolate chips.  Pour in a 9x9 baking dish (I sprayed mine with nonstick baking spray.)  Top with a few more dark chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out mostly clean.  DO NOT OVER BAKE!  

Beta T25 & Meal Plan & Vacay

T25, 21 Day Fix and VACATION~ Vacation, that word sounds amazing, and I love to take them, but they can cause complete fuzzines to our fitness routines!  I said over and over, not this time. Welllll let me tell ya, I still MESSED UP!!! I ate healthy, but my workouts were few and far between.  I was too busy thinking about getting up early with the boys and heading out for a nice stroll around Siesta Key making memories to even think about getting a workout in!  I wanted to soak up the sunshine with them and just have some good ole family time!  Finn's favorite thing was hopping in the golf cart and heading to the Village every morning for some famous Mini Donuts, bright and shiny early!  How could we say no??? That was one of his favorite things to do on vacation (& swimming)....and no, I did not join him in eating them, just a taste once or twice :)  Waking up today and getting back at it was a little on the rough side though, but it felt so good when I was finished.  I never really slack on my workouts these days, so I sure was kicking myself when I had to modify my workout once or twice, okay maybe threeee times this morning!!!

Chris and I have been doing T25 for quite a few weeks now, but since we did not do this program on vacation we decided to take a step back and start at the first week of Beta.  I am so glad to be back in a routine with T25. I sure missed it!  Everyday is something different, keeping it nice and fresh and sweaty:) It is seriously 25 minutes from start to end, and it is one heck of a workout!  25 minutes, yep, that's it!   I use this workout, but I incorporate the 21 Day Fix meal plan with any workout I do. I just honestly LOVE this program too! The nutrition aspect to it is very eye opening, yet so SIMPLE to follow.  It makes it easy to stay on track without counting all those calories but still get results.  It is honestly GENIUS and better yet, on sale this month, so if you are looking to join one of my online health and fitness accountability groups, now is a WONDERFUL time!

I often get asked about the 21 Day Fix and meal planning, so here is what's cookin' this week in the Avondet house.  The colors on my meal plan are based on the 21 Day Fix food categories.  Red is lean protein, and green is veggies, which you will see the most of.  

FaLl ChALlEnGe

FALL!!!  ooohhhh la la, my favorite time of year is quickly approaching!  This is such a bittersweet time of year.  The summer is coming to an end, but Fall is by far my favorite season!  I just don't look forward to what follows, but I won't even begin to think about that quite yet!   But seriously who doesn't love the fresh crisp air, the smell of spice, baking with pumpkin, and do I dear say, FOOTBALL around here?!  AND blankets and snuggles and comfort food.... I could seriously go on and on and on!  :)  Halloween has also secretly become one of my favorite "holidays" because of my boys.  I LOVE the excitement on their faces, and the thought Finn puts into what costume he wants.  Every year, never fails, we get a few catalogs of Halloween costumes in the mail.  He carries the catalogs around for weeks, yes, weeks!  At first, he wants to be a little of everything!  Then we talk about each one, and he makes his decision.  I am happy to say, he has picked his costume out for this year. Stay tuned for more of that;)

Though comfort food and family dinners is one of my favorite things about fall, I have learned to lighten them up quite a bit!  This fall will also be a little different from years past beacause this is my first year running challenges through Beachbody.  I started this back in the spring, and absolutely LOVE doing them!  It is not about me, I simply love doing them for others and helping those that really put forth the effort to live a healthier life.  If you want help keeping those dreaded winter lbs off or are looking for a whole new transformation, this would be a great opportunity for you!

My fall challenge starts September 15th and will go for 60 days.  The fall challenge group is a private FB group with daily motivation, inspiration, and helpful tips and tools to keep you accountable and successful with your Beachbody workout of choice!!!  No better time than now to join this fun and exciting group!