Baked Oatmeal Brownie (Gluten Free, Egg Free, No added sugar)

How good does this look?? It is intended as a "breakfast" which it very well could be, but in this house I also use it as a dessert because CHOCOLATE! My kids love it. There is also NO added sugar however there is maple syrup which yes is "sugar" but you know what I mean. Guilt free in my book! And yes you have permission to eat it for breakfast as well.

2c milk (use plant-based milk to make it dairy free!)

1/2c maple syrup

1/3c peanut butter (can warm to make it easier to mix)

1tsp vanilla extract

2c rolled oats

1/4c cocoa powder

1tbs flaxseed meal

1 tsp baking powder

1/3c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8x8 pan. Mix all ingredients well except for chips. Pour batter into greased pan then sprinkle chips over top. Bake 40-50 min until toothpick comes out clean in center. Cool and serve!

The oats, flax, and pb make for some high powered plant fiber and protein source to keep you feeling full and energized longer that most simple carb breakfast or dessert foods. You can add more syrup for a sweeter flavor, or swap for honey if you choose. Let me know if you like it!

"Almond Joy" Chia Pudding (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, No added sugar)

Have you ever made chia pudding? Does that sounds weird to you? Well it is weird, but it's so delicious, and also super healthy! There are endless varieties of flavors you can make and it's the perfect snack or even breakfast that you can whip up to have ready in the fridge any time. This recipe is a great imitation of those indulgent Almond Joy flavors we all love--chocolate, coconut, and almonds.

PUDDING:

3tbs chia seeds

1 tbs maple syrup OR honey

1tsp vanilla extract

3/4c coconut milk

1tbs cocoa powder

TOPPINGS:

sliced almonds

coconut flakes

mini chocolate chips

Mix all pudding ingredients and let sit x5 minutes. Mix again to break up any clumps. If too thick, add a little bit more milk. This will thicken more as it sits. Divide up into portion sizes and top with layers of the toppings as you like. Store in fridge. Best to wait a few hours before eating.

So yummy, and so simple! Chia seeds are oh so healthy for you and full of much needed fiber that has many benefits for your body. Let me know how you like this one!

My Crazy Boys

The Pierces have been busy recently! There is always something that needs to be done or something to get ready for.

Not too long ago I finally got Bradley in to see a Pediatric Cardiologist. Long story short...he told his pediatrician recently that he was able to "manually" increase his heart rate when sitting still. Of course this is not normal, so she did an EKG that showed possible atrial enlargement. That earned him a referral to a specialist to make sure everything was ok! It took a few months to get in, but they were able to do all testing at that same appointment!

They did another EKG, and had him increase his heart rate while he was on it so they could watch. He made it jump from 70 to 170! Thankfully it did not show atrial enlargement on that scan, but they still wanted him to move on to do an echocardiogram to see the function and structures of his heart.

We saw the cardiologist one more time after that and right away gave us the results--everything is normal! He's just a weirdo who can easily manipulate his vagal nerve to increase his heart rate. She recommended he stop doing that. Ha!

Next was Jacob's open house for 2nd grade! He got to show us his classroom, his desk, and the projects he is working on. He loved introducing us to the friends and teachers we saw there.

Here he is standing next to his "mini me" art project.

Last Friday we went to our first Halloween event--a haunted evening at the Point Breeze Lighthouse. It's such a beautiful setting right on the shore of Lake Ontario, and one of our favorite quick spots for a picnic or trying to see the northern lights. We also got to enjoy some hot cocoa, cider, and donuts!

Lots more Halloween events coming up this weekend! The kids will have a tons of candy by the time it's over.

I also finally managed to get some great family photos! We didn't do any over the summer, so I wanted to get some done right in our backyard while we have the beautiful autumn colors on display. They turned out so nice and I can't wait to pick my favorite for our Christmas cards

Here are a few nice ones I got of the boys together! See how big they are getting?!

Lots more to catch up on, check back soon for updates!

Jacob's Trip to the Dentist

Last week Jacob had to go to the dentist to get a couple small fillings. He was so brave and did amazing. Such a big boy!

First they put the topical numbing solution on and let it sit for a few. He didn't like that, he said it was "hot".

Then they came in and did a great job of distracting him from the tools and noises while they quickly worked. It was over in a just a few minutes and he got to pick out a prize!

Hopefully no more cavities for a while! 

Hiking NY

This week my friend Jessica and I got a bunch of hiking in! We started out with a short hiking day on Wednesday. We put in about 4 miles of easy to moderate hiking at Eternal Flame, as well as the next hike at Hunter's Creek.

Eternal Flame is well known for the natural gas leak behind a small waterfall that stays lit. It's a pretty short and easy hike along a scenic creek bed. Hunter's Creek was a more rustic and primitive hike through the forest with a small creek running through it.

We did our own cairn here by the flame. Cairn is a gaelic word meaning "heap of stones", and in hiking it can symbolize the correct trail, or simply mark your presence there.

 On Thursday we planned an all day hike of much longer distance and more elevation changes. We started at Letchworth State Park in the morning and began halfway through the Gorge Trail to see the Lower, Middle, and Upper Waterfalls. They were just beautiful! Toward the Upper Falls and the train bridge there was a thunderstorm moving in toward us...

...where we then proceeded to get DRENCHED by a downpour for about 30 minutes of hiking. We connected to a different trail for our way back through the forest. Thankfully the rain moved off, but it left our trail very muddy!

We made it back to my truck in decent time after about 8 miles hiking and had lunch before our next hike!

After lunch we hit the road for another scenic but more intense hike at the neighboring Stony Brook State Park. This hike follows along a beautiful creek with many small waterfalls down in a Gorge. At the end of the Gorge Trail, we connected to a different trail on the East Rim which led us up and down many elevations at the top of the Gorge.

This hike totaled about 4 miles, bringing us to a total of 12 miles of hiking on Thursday!! We headed home in the evening feeling sore but satisfied with our adventures.