Pumpkin Spice EVERYTHING.

Hey blogfriends,

I wanted to share with everyone a recipe that is near and dear to my heart, pumpkin spice cookies! My mother used to make these during the Fall season and it is probably my favorite cookie of all time... Gets me feeling all nostalgic-y! Even though that's not a word...

I made my brother a pumpkin chocolate chip cake for his 25th birthday and it was amazing. The best part is............it only has 3 ingredients!!! [insert "Hooray" sound clip here]. As far as desserts go it is also on the healthier side, which is bonus for me because i'm trying to eat better!

http://tvfoodanddrink.com/2012/10/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies-2-versions/

So these are NOT my cookies, I shamelessly stole them from the internet, but mine come out looking exactly like this, which is why I chose the picture. I did not take a good picture of the one I made but I will upload a picture of it anyway!

As you can see, even in cake form, it is similar!

So what do you need???

1. 15 oz can of pumpkin puree (I used Libby's. They also have an organic option!)
2. A box of spice cake mix (I used Carrot Cake. For a gluten free option use a gluten free cake mix! Still spice flavored though. Some people like Gingerbread, Carrot Cake, Spice, use what you like.)
3. Chocolate Chips! (I used dark chocolate)
4. 1/2 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice (this is optional, but recommended)

The directions are pretty straightforward. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, mix the pumpkin puree, cake mix, chocolate chips, and pumpkin pie spice together until well blended. Scoop about a tablespoon of the mix on a foil lined cookie sheet, bake for 10-12 minutes! Then bam stuff your face full of pumpkin-y goodness! Look another made up word! Anyway, these really are a great dessert to start transitioning into Fall (YAY) and they also aren't that bad of a treat so you should feel no guilt! Unless you eat the whole tray... Also can I just add that my love for pumpkin spice is NOT because I am a white girl....seriously. 

I just felt that I had to share with you guys this recipe...but back to real life!

My anxiety has been through the roof this week. I think it might be because I really stopped following my diet. I got lazy and cheated. A lot. A lot more than I was supposed to. I felt great the first 2 weeks of my diet and my anxiety felt less severe. I slept a lot better and even had more energy. My digestion was also on point too. As soon as I stopped following it as strictly, I had problems. Insomnia, anxiety, upset stomach, low energy, and overall just a sad mood. So obviously the food I put into my body makes a big difference. Sometimes I just let myself worry and dig myself a self-pity-hole and it's hard to climb out of it sometimes. I let guilt eat away at me until I just don't want to get out of bed. I don't let myself accept the fact that I have anxiety. It is real and it comes with a lot of REAL problems. I didn't ask to be like this. And I can't be so hard on myself all the time. I also can't pretend that my problems will go away on my own, I have to work everyday at it. I may not be able to work right now but that doesn't mean I won't ever be able to work. I can find something, it just has to be the right fit for me. My perfect job is out there and it will come to me when I am truly ready for it. In the meantime I need to keep working on myself a little bit everyday.

In conclusion, I hope you guys try this recipe, let me know how it worked for you!