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Autumn Inspired Pumpkin Risotto Recipe

by on ·RECIPES, SEASONAL

As you may have read in some of my recent posts, gluten has decided to team up on me, and wreak havoc on my body- inside and out, anytime I attempt to eat it. Goodbye pastas, pastries and bread. I love you, but you have hurt me, and it is time to say goodbye. Finding other items to eat has been a bit of a challenge. Do you know how much of our foods contain gluten! A lot of everyday food items! I had become accustomed to eating everything with toast, or on a bed of pasta to help fill me up. So when I discovered risotto, it was a good day for me!

If you had asked me a month ago what risotto was I would have been able to tell you two things.

1.) It was a dinner item that came in a bowl.

2.) Gordon Ramsey talks about it a lot.

Risotto is just one of those foods that I happened to never have up until recently. And it wasn’t until I saw a recipe for a pumpkin risotto that I became interested in it. When I learned it was a rice, and therefore gluten free- that was it! I had to try it.

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Outline October: Prep and Resources for NaNoWriMo

by on ·LIFESTYLE, WRITING

November is coming up and that means a couple of things! Get ready to see a lot of mustaches and beards growing in as No-Shave November continues to be a thing. And get ready to write a novel! That’s right, November is National Novel Writing Month, or also known as NaNoWriMo! NaNoWriMo is a site that encourages you to sign up, and write a 50,000 word novel rough draft in 30 days. That means you need to write an average of 1,600 words a day to finish! NaNoWriMo is a great way to get into novel writing, and accomplish a goal that you set yourself!

So October has become known by some as Outline October! You can go into NaNoWriMo with just an idea, sure. But having an outline or a template would sure help you stick to that 1,600 word minimum a day. This page lists some preparation tips, tools and other resources that myself and other NaNoWriMo’ers have stumbled upon in our research, and will help you in all aspects of novel-writing, from character creation to world building and beyond!

If you know of another resource that you think belongs on this list, comment below and I’d be happy to add it!

Hope this list helps all you newbie (or seasoned!) novel writers out there!

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Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe

by on ·RECIPES, SEASONAL

Roasted pumpkin seeds are a thing of nostalgia for me. There was at least one time a year that I had roasted pumpkin seeds for as long as I can remember. Pumpkin carving night. Which was always a day or two before Halloween. My mom would lay out newspaper all over the kitchen floor as my dad opened and scooped out the pumpkin innards and plopped them into a big ol’ pile on the paper. My younger sisters and I would then pick the seeds out and place them in a big ol’ bowl that my mom would take for us and bake while we went on to carve our jack o lanterns. Once all of our pumpkins were carved, my dad would take them all outside and gather us around as he placed a candle inside each one and lit them. And as we all stood there covered in pumpkin pulp, hands sore from the hours of meticulously carving, we would eat the warm pumpkin seeds while admiring our handiwork. Those magical holiday moments are so special, we remember them years later and pass those traditions on to our kids.

So- let’s make some magic together, shall we? 😉 Read on for my families roasted pumpkin seed recipe!

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The Benefits of Keeping a Journal

by on ·LIFESTYLE, WRITING

Not too long ago, you could say I was in a bit of a rut. Health problems and money issues were bogging me down, and the fact that my husband and I had just recently moved to a new state meant that my support group was far and away (of course we skyped and texted and talked on the phone, but sometimes you really just need a hug from your mum…) I woke up in the morning scared and unsure. I could tell something was brewing inside that was making me sad and was holding me back from accomplishing much more than just getting out of bed in the morning. I had lost touch with myself.

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DIY Pumpkin Face Mask

by on ·BEAUTY, LIFESTYLE

If you can’t tell from my other blog posts… I kinda like pumpkin. But that’s because you can use it in so many things! And I can make all those things myself! Case in point- this easy peasy, super nutritious diy pumpkin face mask! There are only two, all natural ingredients- and I bet half of those are sitting in your kitchen on a shelf already!

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Homemade Pumpkin Puree

by on ·RECIPES, SEASONAL

It’s almost fall! And it’s no secret that as a whole- our society has become obsessed with pumpkin, including me!

There is SO much you can do with a pumpkin! From face masks, to decorating, to recipes galore, a pumpkin has become a versatile autumnal staple!

Many DIY pumpkin projects start with a pumpkin puree. You CAN buy a can of the stuff, but I prefer to make my own. THat way I can support a local farmer, and incorporate fewer preservatives into my beauty regime and recipes. So I present to you, my recipe for pumpkin puree!

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Homemade Pumpkin Stock

by on ·RECIPES, SEASONAL
homemade pumpkin stock

Waste not, want not they always say! Don’t toss those valuable pumpkin innards, seeds or skins! We can use those to make a tasty pumpkin stock!

The beautiful thing about stock is you can literally put any damn thing you want in it! It will turn out slightly different every time but that’s ok! Variety is the spice of life. In this case, it’s the pumpkin-spice of life wink wink nudge nudge. Puns aside, pumpkin stock is awesome. You can use it to replace a chicken, vegetable or beef stock to give your recipes a festive fall kick! Imagine the possibilities! Pumpkin chicken noodle soup! Pumpkin risotto! Pumpkin goat cheese soup!

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