(insert wise title here)

Day 4 of the 30 day challenge - still feeling strong! But then again, it's only day 4 ;)
It's only 7:15am, and I'm getting this recipe out to ya'll, drinking my morning coffee, and heading out to the 8am Moksha class with the lovely Amy!

My 1st 30 day challenge, nailed it! Holy frig it was an awesome experience! My 2nd 30 day challenge I thought I should amp it up, so I joined a bootcamp at UPEI Andrew Sports Science Center, did yoga, and for the last 10 days I also did kickboxing 3 days a week at Largo. I felt like a freakin' warrior! An exhausted warrior, but still. I nailed it! Accomplished! My 3rd 30 day challange, I ended up with something like 68 days straight PRIOR to the challenge, so by the end of it, I had a ridiculous amount of hot yoga classes practiced within 100 days. As for this challenge, I am challenging myself to less, I am challenging myself to find my yoga again, to take a deep breathe, to not be so concerned with calories burned, but to enjoy these 30 days and finish with a smile and perhaps some more definition in my biceps, but not to physically or emotionally exhaust myself from doing too much, maybe even .....*gasp* give myself a break. Imagine, thats the state I am in, completing a 30 day challenge, would be giving myself a break..... hmmm?

Day 12 of my Pumpkin Challenge, only 3 days to go! YAY!!!

Today's recipe might be by far one of the best vegan treats I have ever made, AND they turned out on the first try! I have never worked with rising dough before, so this was new to me and a challenge I was willing to take!!

These were a huge hit and I had many requests for the recipe!

I have been craving cinnamon rolls for like a month now, yet who can justify eating 600+ calories, and like 29 grams of fat for one silly cinnamon roll...Not I! But oh hot damn, I decided, why not revamp an old classic to make it healthy and more calorie-wise AND while I'm at it, add some freakin' pumpkin and use it as Day 12 of my challenge! Well holy-osmosis! It worked! And I will be making these again, and again, and again!! eeeeek! uber pumped right now!

This would be the dough...rising! I'm pretty proud of this, considering I've never done it before!
Apparently I forgot my flash was off....relax, it's just a little rising dough, I didn't want to disturb it with a flash...it'd be like waking a baby! Picture was far too dark...I'll skip this step!

 

 

Next up, kneeding and spreading the dough, followed by adding the "middle"

 

 

 

Pre-oven!

 

 

And the Finale!

Drum-roll please....

 

WTF! Whoever thought of this was brilliant!! What an unreal combination! mmmm!!

Yes, Jenny, she is brilliant! nah, just kidding, I adapted the recipe from a blog I follow, sideofsneakers.com

 

VEGAN PUMPKIN ROLLS

 

Ingredients

For Dough
 
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 tbsp active dry yeast
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all purpose whole wheat flour
• 1 Tbsp no sugar added maple syrup
• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil (I'm sure you could sub this for other oils?)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

 

For Filling
• 1/2 cup pure pumpkin
• 1/4 cup splenda brownsugar blend (or use regular brown sugar)
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Whisk yeast into warm water. Set aside.
2. Mix pumpkin, maple syrup, and coconut oil.
3. Stir in yeast mixture.
4. Slowly add flour, about a third at a time.
5. When you can't mix the dough together anymore, move to flat floured surface and knead gently until a ball forms.
6. Place in oiled bowl and cover with towel. Set in a warm place for about an hour; up to 2.
7. After dough has risen, punch down and roll out into 1/4" thick rectangle.
8. Spread pumpkin on surface of dough, reaching as close to edges as possible.
9. Sprinkle with brown sugar; then cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice
10. Roll dough into log.
11. Slice into 1 to 1 1/2 inch slices.
12. Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Beware! These are friggin' good!

 

JG OUT!