But as I finished everything, I had to admit to myself: I just didn't want to do the burpees. And I felt it was only right to admit it to you, also. I cheated and skipped the burpees because they are just the worst.
So glad I got that off my chest.
Anyway, yesterday, before the turkey madness, I ventured out for a five-mile run/walk to campus and back, a peaceful and challenging way to start the day. We spent the rest of the morning playing games, cleaning house, and relaxing before heading to Terry's aunt's house for dinner. The night was fun, and I managed not to stuff myself silly.
Today we dedicated the time to just enjoying ourselves. I baked up a storm (a fancy dessert just for the two of us plus two different kinds of muffins) while watching Love Actually and The Avengers. (What? Do those not make sense together?)
For the muffins, I made the following:
- Pumpkin-Walnut Muffins (I followed Lisa's recipe, but I used 1/4 C applesauce + 1/4 C oil instead of all oil)
- Pumpkin-Maple-Cranberry Muffins
For this second batch, I made several changes, and I thought it would be easiest to just rewrite the recipe, but it's still based on Lisa's recipe.
Pumpkin-Maple-Cranberry Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup applesauce (organic unsweetened from TJ's)
- 1/4 cup oil
- a little less than 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup pumpkin*
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
*Since I made two batches, and the pumpkin comes in 15-ounce cans, I just used about 7.5 ounces for each batch, a little less than 1 cup, and it was fine.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Whisk the dry ingredients together (through salt), then add the eggs, applesauce, oil, syrup, and vanilla. Stir in the pumpkin, then add the pecans and cranberries. Spoon the batter into greased (or lined) muffin pans. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
These muffins are ridiculously moist and flavorful. I love the depth of flavor and different textures. Thanksgiving is over, but you can still bust out the pumpkin recipes!
My other big endeavor today was making Courtney's Creamy Vanilla Butterscotch Pudding Dessert, but I added a brownie layer to the bottom! I simply baked a very thin layer of brownies (TJ's Truffle Brownies--in a 13 x 9 pan instead of 8 x 8) for about 18 minutes. I let it cool completely and refrigerated it until it was just slightly stiff. Then I made the rest of the recipe as called for. We're testing it out tonight, but I assume you really can't go wrong here. Terry was the one who came up with the idea of adding the brownie layer. Because he's a genius.
Post-baking, I hit the gym for some very light incline walking before we headed over to our neighbors' house for a delicious meal. A fantastic way to end the day.
And in the spirit of not lying to you, I have to say that I meant to post last night but opted for sleep instead. If I had posted, it would have gone something like this:
I am so thankful for you, my readers! You have made me feel part of a special community, and I am so blessed to get to do something I love and interact with such fantastic people. Some of you I have never met, but I still feel a terrific bond with you, and I look forward to a time when we can hang out and eat sweet potato fries together or go for a run. To my friends and family who read regularly--I don't think I can express how much it means to me that you support me, laugh with (and at, because that's important too) me, keep up with what's going on and care enough to ask me about it when we see each other, and challenge me to continue to try to improve.
All of you inspire me to live a better life, and I am so grateful for you. Thanks for being such a vital part of BLWB!
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