Updated: Brûléed Maple Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust

We are hosting Thanksgiving AGAIN this year, and my dreams are coming true.

One of my most favorite parts of being an adult is having control over our holiday plans. This year we will be joined by seven friends and two kiddos . Having friends, my chosen family, surround us on holidays feels like the highest honor to me. I am BEYOND excited! Feeding friends and family is one of my favorite ways to say, I love you!!!

That being said, I want to make sure everything we eat is as yummy as possible, so it was time for a pie run-through. I’ve been making Brûléed Maple Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust for YEARS and look forward to it every time. I made several adjustments to the original recipe, making it dairy free and even tastier than I remembered!

The Big Payback - 2017

The Big Payback is a day of giving online to support non-profits in Middle Tennessee! Starting at midnight on Wednesday, May 3rd, donors have 24 hours to make gifts to 775 participating nonprofits, including schools and religious institutions, which are located in or provide services in the 40 counties of Middle Tennessee. Find out how you can get involved and support your favorite non-profits that make our communities sparkle! I included a list of my favorites and why I love their missions!!

Easy Homemade Vegan Naan

Great things about naan. 1) What's better than warm, chewy bread, slightly charred (my FAVORITE), lightly brushed with butter? Not many things, which is why you need to make homemade naan as soon as possible! 2) Naan pairs well with anything. Dip it in hummus or olive oil, pair it with soup or Lentil Chickpea Stew with Tomato + Coconut Sauce. 3) It is easy to make. I've got the perfect recipe for you. Also, through much trial and error, I found four integral parts to making perfect naan. All you need are the ingredients!

Music City Ultra Trail 25K (27K) Race Recap

This Saturday, I participated in the Music City Ultra Trail 25(7)K. I wasn’t originally going to do this race, I had planned on venturing out on some new trails somewhere close to Nashville while my running group participated. I had heard rumors about the insane course this race offered and was trying to avoid running it. Not very courageous of me!! I LOVE exploring new running routes and I needed some time on quality hills to prepare for Gnaw Bone 50K in may. This race offers three things; 1) awesome climbs 2) great practice for technical skills 3) it helps SAVE THE EARTH!

Track Thursday - Healthy Running is FUN!

Many people do their speed sessions on Tuesdays, and while I really love being a part of a big group of friends who encourage each other through grueling sets of 800ms, it works best for me to do my speed workouts on Thursdays. I do my longer midweek runs on Tuesdays. I was super proud of my Track Thursday this week. I felt great and recovered beautifully. Healthy running is exhilarating. I forgot how fun it is!

Easy Vegetarian Pho Broth!

Our go to fast(er) food places are Chipotle and Vui's Kitchen. This summer while I was training for the Chicago Marathon, I had a slight case of food poisoning the night before and then again after my run. It was the only long run I did inside, you know, easy access to bathrooms... I needed something that would be easy on my stomach, and Vui's pho was just the remedy. I now associate it with magical healing powers. Making broth from scratch is something I have always wanted to do and was also a goal for this year in my life, this was a great starter recipe to fulfill my goal! (One more thing!! Hello to my precious friend Jess, from college, who requested this recipe!!)

Lentil Chickpea Stew with Tomato + Coconut Sauce

Nashville has had more 'April' weather than 'February' these past couple of days. The trees are blooming, daffodils are popping up EVERYWHERE, and the sun feels warm. Last night I went for a run and heard frogs down by the river's edge. I don't like it. This recipe is an 'Ode to Winter Weather'. The perfect warm, hearty meal to cozy up with during a snowstorm....

Vegan Dark Chocolate Peanut & Cashew Butter Hearts

Trust me when I say this - homemade nut butter cups are LIGHT-YEARS more delicious than your average Reese's Peanut Butter cup! They are pretty easy to make and just so happen to be dairy free and gluten free. I used my Vegan Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Eggs recipe and made two tiny adjustments...

Vegetarian Nachos with Homemade Enchilada Sauce

I've said it before, but one thing that gives me great joy, is tricking people into thinking there is meat in something. I served this lovely mixture of lentils and barley simmered in homemade enchilada sauce at our Christmas party in 'dip' form. Two meat eating males thought there was definitely meat in this mixture. MU AH AH AH! THERE ISN'T! But aside from that, have you ever made your OWN enchilada sauce?? It is RIDICULOUSLY delicious. (This might be the prefect thing to make in time for that big Ping Pong Championship happening tonight) Also included in this post, is the perfect nacho chip....

Fresh Greens + Satsuma Oranges + Burrata = Super Salad

Last weekend, I managed to scarf down two doughnuts before we left the parking lot of the Franklin Farmer's Market. I felt like I needed some greens to balance me out. The crisp, crunchy greens paired with the sweetness of satsuma oranges would be good enough on its own, but add in creamy burrata with flakes of salt sprinkled on it and a drizzle of tangy balsamic vinaigrette?? DREAMY!