Lost Summer

Get the look:

Even though I wore these printed pants a ton this summer, I somehow never managed to photograph any outfits with me wearing them. Although...considering this was the "lost summer" in terms of blogging, it's actually not that surprising. Luckily for this lovely pair, I wasn't ready to retire them after summer, so they are making their big blog debut about three months late! To make them more season-appropriate, I decided to style them with a light sweater to offset their summery feel. The next time I recreate this outfit, I think I'll throw on my denim vest as another layer for good measure.

Anyway...clothing aside, I officially have three weeks left as an undergrad. It's kind of a strange feeling, but it also hasn't really hit me yet. I know I'm going to miss certain aspects of school, but as of right now I'm not looking forward to studying for finals or any of that fun stuff. On a more positive note, I am really looking forward to going home for Thanksgiving this week and just taking some time to relax before the craziness of the quarter ensues.

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Outfit Details:

Crochet Sweater—Loehmann's (similar)

Printed Pants—ANGL (similar)

Watch—GUESS (shop)

Belt—Nordstrom (similar)

Bag—Fossil (similar)

Wedges—Cathy Jean (similar)

Metropolitan

Get the look:

I've been wearing this faux leather jacket a ton since I bought it for Halloween. It's been perfect for chilly fall days and helped make this dress feel a little less feminine. Also, as much as I've been complaining about taking photos at night, I do love seeing the city lights after work. Makes me feel all metropolitan...or something like that.

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Outfit Details:

Faux Leather Jacket—Target (shop)

Dress—Madewell (shop)

Cameo Necklace—vintage (similar)

Belt—thrifted (similar)

Bag—Fossil (similar)

Boots—Madewell (shop)

Cookbook: Low-Fat Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pie Muffins

Believe it or not, I never used to be a big fan of pumpkin pie. I always found it a bit too sweet and mushy for my taste. So, at holiday gatherings like Thanksgiving or Christmas, I usually opted for apple pie or any other kind of dessert. However, this year I've been on a big pumpkin kick—pumpkin tea, pumpkin ale, pumpkin cookies, and yes...chocolate chip pumpkin pie muffins :) I found this recipe on Pinterest about a month ago, and have already made them three times! I made this latest batch for a Friendsgiving my roommates and I are going to this weekend and doubled the recipe to make about 20 muffins. I'm a big fan of "healthy" baking, so these muffins are low in sugar and dairy-free (minus the chocolate chips—which are optional but highly recommended). So far, they've been a hit with all my friends and are pretty addictive. I may or may not have finished like four in one sitting the last time I made them–this is not recommended.

Low-Fat Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pie Muffins

(adapted from Ambitious Kitchen)

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup oatmeal

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup canned pumpkin (I used Libby's—the classic)

⅓ cup dark brown sugar

2 egg whites, slightly beaten

⅔ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

⅓ cup unsweetened all-natural applesauce

½ ripe banana, mashed

½ cup chocolate chips (add more or less based on preference)

Extra oatmeal, for sprinkling on muffins

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375-400 degrees (my oven is really old, so I had it set to 400 degrees) and line your muffin tin with 10-12 paper or foil baking cups.

In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt) together.

In a separate, larger bowl combine the other ingredients (pumpkin, brown sugar, beaten egg whites, almond milk, applesauce, and mashed banana) and stir until you have a smooth mixture.

Slowly add the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine, then fold in the chocolate chips.

Fill each muffin cup ¾ full so that each is even and sprinkle a tiny bit of oatmeal on top of each muffin. However, for a larger muffin top, fill them all the way up–this will yield about 10 muffins instead of 12.

 Place into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of muffins comes out clean.

These muffins are best served warm and stay fresh for a few days. Just to warn you, they have a pumpkin pie-like texture, so don't expect "normal" fluffy muffins. Enjoy!