Healthy Peanut Butter Carrot Cake Muffins // Recipe

Hi all! Today I am sharing a recipe I threw together after realizing I had nearly a whole bag of shredded carrots just sitting in the fridge. Not only that, but when am I not craving a little treat? (the answer is that I am always craving a treat!) Luckily, these muffins come in at only 91 calories (sans frosting), and just 108 calories with the frosting!

Sunday Social-Food Edition

1. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Probably an assortment of vegetables. Not kidding. So that is my answer-one thing-my garden items? Hahaha cheater!

2. What's your guilty pleasure/comfort food?

Definitely it is chocolate. Such a “girl” thing, but I am obsessed.

3. What's the weirdest/craziest thing you've ever eaten?

I ate a night crawler once. Tell me in the comments if you have ever ate a worm too! The taste is so weird; it is a little spicy! TMI haha.

4. What foods do you avoid at all costs?

Basically only mushrooms and seafood (shellfish allergy). Everything else is fair game for the most part.

5. What meal reminds you of your childhood?

Big breakfast meals! Homemade sausage gravy and biscuits, with bacon! My grandma used to make it all the time!

6. Share one of your favorite recipes and the story behind it.

I have so many! This isn’t a fair recipe. I am just going to generalize and say potato soup; I mean you can’t go wrong there! My mom and grandma both make the best I have ever tasted, so here is a recipe very similar to how they make theirs! I just want to point out that once you get one bowl, plan on eating 2 more :)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 large carrots, peeled, chopped
• 2 to 3 cups diced ham, about 1 pound
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 4 to 5 cups peeled and diced potatoes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup half-and-half or whole milk, more if needed to thin
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
• sliced green onions, for garnish, optional
• shredded Cheddar cheese or Cheddar-Jack blend, for garnish, optional

Preparation:

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, and ham. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute longer. Add vegetable broth and water and potatoes; cover and cook for about 25 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Whisk flour into the heavy cream until smooth; stir into the hot mixture. Stir in the half-and-half or milk. Taste and add salt and pepper, as desired. Mash slightly to thicken and add more milk if needed.

Serve garnished with parsley, sliced green onions, or a little shredded cheese.
Serves 6. 

Thanks for reading!

XO, Kelsey  

P.S- Hautelook is having a sale on Million Dollar Tan until Monday, check it out if you are looking for a self tanner! Go to the site here, and see my review here! 

Apple Pie Sandwiches?

Source: bakerella.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Yum.

Source: blogs.babble.com via Caroline on Pinterest

Why must things like this exist, when I am trying to study?

Source: tasteofhome.com via Caroline on Pinterest

and this? Apple pie sandwiches. MMM. I am not even hungry, but apparently looking at food on pinterest is the better option right now. Three exams this coming week, and I am NOT looking forward to them. But, I got something exciting in the mail today! Hopefully ya'll will be seeing it in a post soon : ) I think you'll like it! Besides being swamped with college girl things, I have been missing from here because my internet at my apartment complex went out, for two days. It's back, but keeps cutting in and out, so I can't get anything productive done. Booooo to you internet provider.

I am still not hungry by the way. 

Also, still not digging how I will be going back to studying after this...

Live it up for me this weekend everyone, live it up.

Xo, Kelsey

**Update picture: I figured I would give a BIG hint at what I am excited about from the mail...

 I think this may give it away ;)

So Summer is Almost Over.. Sort of...

Right? To me it seems like summer is coming to an end. Maybe it is because I move into my new apartment on the 18th, or that classes start the 27th, but it seems like summer is about dunzo (Laguna Beach anyone?)-------->
Anyways. I have already started looking into "fall"-esque things. Clothing, decorations, food, makeup, etc. So in honor of my possibly too-early planning/thoughts/wants, I wanted to do a post about some of the stufffffff.

MAKEUP:

• Something minimal. A barely there look, just fresh faced-you, but enhanced!

•   Still natural, a little bronzer here and there, and maybe a light wash of color on the eyelids, but with a bold lip. I am really liking purple hues! 

        

I like the shade "14" from the above link. I think if you put a layer on, used a tissue or paper towel to dab some of the color off, and then put another LIGHT layer over top, it would not only look nice, but would also last longer because of the layering!

Mac "Captive" lipstick would also be so pretty!

Frosty beige/gold based lipsticks also are nice for fall... something like this:

Makeup Forever Rouge Artist Natural "N2 - Iridescent Beige"

But don't get me wrong, a great pink will still be awesome for fall-or all year around!

Clothing:

Definitely my go to look, hands down, will be something like this...

via

 I mean how classy, sophisticated, and gorgeous! I would love to rock the vest and jacket, with the tie barely peaking out! Oh, and that hat? Don't get me started! Where can I find this whole look?!

............YEAH GIRLLLLL. I am completely joking; this look is hideous to me... but I am sure someone brilliant could alter it and sort of replicate it : )

Anyways, on to something more me:

Source: cmslater21.polyvore.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: pinterest.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: staysassy.livejournal.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

 

Source: beautylish.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

May or may not be drooling over all these...could I win the lotto for instant shopping money? Please? No? Alright. I'll just have to wait. 

Did I mention this was going to be a lengthy post? Welllllll I hope you stick around till the end!

Food:

Pumpkin Cinnamin Rolls with Caramel Frosting 

No, I am not kidding. This exists. MMMM.

Find this yummy recipe here.

Apple Cranberry Currant Crumble Pie 

Uhm... imagine this with vanilla bean ice cream.

Find the recipe here.

Leftover Mashed Potato Soup 

I love anything potato so...sign me up.

Find out how to make this delcious-ness here!

 

Oh my... hot apple cider. My love, yum.

Did I mention I am officially turning my blog into a food blog? Well, I am not. But still, this food is enough to make me do it.

 Click me! Click me! to see how to make this : )

I have to end this post now-I not only am hungry and thirsty at this point, but I want like $25 lipstick and probably $2000 worth of fall clothes. So... stopping now. 

Feel free to leave a comment so we can TALK! Or, just let me know how hungry you are now.

xo, Kels