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Now… what on earth does all that have to do with pumpkin spice pancake syrup? I promise these 2 unlikely subjects do in fact actually connect. I don’t know how your vacation planning sessions roll, but mine tend to start with a wicked brunch – you know the kind where there’s something sweet (hint pancakes), bacon or sausage, and scrambled eggs. After we’re properly fed, we spread out the laptop, iPad, phones, and of course pen and paper across the table and get busy trying to figure out how we can possibly cram everything into 1 short week!...

Pizza is probably my all time favorite food, I say ‘probably’ because who can choose just one favorite? And what’s not to love with a crust filled with a variety of toppings and gooey, melty cheese! We started a tradition a number of years ago where we would hike in the mountains of Kananaskis or Banff National Park, Alberta. Then we would head home absolutely starving, and devour homemade pizza (usually and Pizza Margherita)....

Pure summer flavor and perfect for all your salad needs! This strawberry vinaigrette has been on repeat in our house all season long and we simply can’t get tired of it. It’s naturally sweet and full of berry flavor which makes it so good with my Strawberry Spinach Salad. Making your own salad dressing sounds like 1 more thing you don’t need to do. But don’t worry because you can make this in just minutes in the blender....

We are pretty big fans of all things taco around here! You’ll find recipes for my Taco Bowls, Taco Salad, Taco Soup, and assorted other yummy taco-inspired recipes. There’s something about taco flavors that everyone loves, and it’s my go-to recipe anytime I don’t know what to make. How to make this recipe step by step I really hope you enjoy this easy Taco Casserole recipe! If you do get a chance to make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you in the comments....

I make some sort of veggie scrambled eggs every week because it’s a quick and easy breakfast that’s both filling and nutritious. Yet I never seem to write down the recipe for these creations. This is probably because I never measure, and I’m always using whatever I have on hand. But there are a few combinations we return to over and over again like this scramble. Or another one of my favorites, Scrambled Eggs with Spinach, Feta, and Pine nuts....

We spend a lot of time hiking in the alpine country with tall mountains and snowy glaciers. So the Wild Pacific Trail was a complete change from the normal, and incredibly stunning! The trail winds along the coast, peeking in out out of coves with jaw dropping views of the ocean. As you hike along there’s countless stops to be made at the numerous viewpoints. There’s also benches at many of the view points, so definitely make sure you have a little time to stop and soak in the beauty....

I’ll take savory over sweet any day for any meal, which is a little strange since I’ve always had a sweet tooth in the past. But something’s changed over the years, and I’d choose to eat anything to do with cheese/bacon rather than a muffin, without a second thought. I had the idea for this breakfast pizza during the cauliflower pizza crust craze a couple of years ago. (Cauliflower crusts are a lot of work, and I though ‘why not hashbrowns since they’re come ready to go’?...

Do you have some bananas turning black on the counter? No judging here because I currently have a whole bunch that needs some attention! Luckily this cake is just the thing. And since my last batch has already disappeared, I’m going to use up those bananas with another banana cake. You’ll love this banana cake for any special occasion because it’s classic flavors everyone loves. It’s especially good served as an afternoon coffee or tea with friends....

Vanilla ice cream may well be the best ice cream flavor in my opinion! It’s just so versatile and goes with just about anything you can think of. Or make this ice cream into a sundae with my Berry Sauce, and melt some chocolate chips for a chocolate drizzle over the top. Try this with my Coconut Caramel Sauce or anything else you love with vanilla ice cream. You’ll find even more suggestions below, but there really are endless possibilities with vanilla ice cream....

It’s hard to describe the what Ethiopian Berbere spice tastes like. But suffice it to say, if you like a bit of heat and any kind of curry, you’re more than a little likely to fall in love with this heady spice mix. The most intriguing part of this spice mix for me is the unique chili flavor. It’s both parts earthy and fruity in nature. The more I try and describe it, the more I feel like I’m just rambling....

Fresh Pineapple Crisp with Coconut Whipped Cream is a little different than a usual crisp, it’s not baked. It is just fresh fruit, a macadamia nut topping, and coconut lime whipped cream. What does that mean for you? It means that in 20 minutes you can have a great dessert that is healthy enough to eat for breakfast. I love the combination of flavors in this dessert. The pineapple tastes light and fresh paired with the brightness of lime zest....

When it comes to desserts, I lean towards chocolate pretty much every single time. However if I’m looking for something sweet earlier in the day, vanilla is my usual go-to. There’s just something extra good about vanilla scented baked goods with my morning coffee. Chocolate so often competes with coffee, and it’s hard to find a good pairing. But vanilla on the other hand, well… that’s where the magic happens....

I’ve been using this simple Oatmeal Cleansing Scrub for years, and I love the results! In it’s simplest form, it’s just 1 ingredient. But you can also add different extras for more benefits which you’ll find below. It’s a very gentle scrub that leaves your skin smooth and soft. It’s also very easy to make, and you can store it for months. This makes a great natural treatment to take traveling because it’s dry, and doesn’t need to be refrigerated like other fresh treatments....

And it sort of worked because I started actually writing instead of staring at the screen. But then I got distracted again when a racoon came loping across the back pasture, then rambled around our back porch just a few feet from where I’m sitting right now. So of course I picked up my phone and took a quick video of him, which then led to even more distraction. I mean… I’ve never had a great attention span, but I might want to work on this a little!...

This soup is my favorite kind of cozy because it’s packed with vegetables, but full of flavor. Plus what’s more cozy than a chicken soup? Well for me the answer is chicken soup with an Asian twist – just add some garlic, ginger, and turmeric and I can’t stop eating it! Another bonus with this recipe is it freezes really well. In fact I still have 1 frozen package leftover, just waiting to be our lunches for a week....

Instant soups were a big thing when I was growing up. And while I’m not sure they are anymore, everyone I know has memories surrounding them. Tyler tells me stories about him and his brother crushing up the noodles and sprinkling the seasoning packet over them before eating them dry. And my favorite memory was the time my cousin and I had a race to see who could eat their instant soup the fastest....

Lunch has always been my weakest link when it comes to healthy habits. I find it all too easy to breeze straight through lunch, and just work until the end of the day. In fact that particular habit started so far back, that’s it’s more deeply ingrained than I’d like. However when Tyler and I got married, it gave me a sense of responsibility and I kicked it into gear in the lunch department....

It seems like overnight the weather has turned from summer into the crisp, cool mornings of fall. And while I’ve been loving my frosty Acai Smoothie Bowls all summer, lately I’ve been craving something a little less chilly for the cold mornings. I also happened to be craving banana cream pie at the same time so… obviously we were due for another smoothie bowl right? I made the smoothie base for this bowl with room temperature ingredients....

The recipe title Chocolate Covered Cherry Smoothie pretty much tells you everything you need to know about this addictive smoothie. But what it doesn’t express is just how good this really is. It’s hard to define, and I don’t seem to have words for how much I love this smoothie. Suffice it to say, the sparkle in Tyler’s eyes and the way his face lit up when he tasted it, told me I’m not alone in my new addiction....

I never even knew about Potatoes O’Brien until I tried them at my mother-in-law’s house. I was crazy about the flavors from the first bite. I’ve often made my breakfast potatoes with green onions added in. But there’s just something extra good about the flavor the bell pepper adds. Traditionally there’s both red and green bell peppers in these breakfast potatoes. However, I’ve never been the big of a green bell pepper fan, so I went with all red in this version....