On Turning 26

Today is my 26th birthday. I am now in my LATE TWENTIES.

I do not feel as if I have lived 26 years but I also feel as if I have lived BEYOND my 26 years. Does this make sense?

• I do not feel like I have been walking this planet for 26 years. How is that?!
•  I do not feel "wise enough" to be 26. 
•  I definitely do not feel like I look 26. I get mistaken for a high school or college student regularly.
•  Sometimes I don't act 26 either. Yes...unfortunately I sometimes act like I am 21, 56, and 10. (though not usually all at once)

However, I feel MUCH older than 26 most of the time.

• The music of my generation? Meh. I love the oldies. I love classic rock. 
• My knees and ankles crack/creek on the reg. 
• I do NOT bounce back from a night of drinking. It stays with me. 
• I carry Werthers Originals around. And Ibuprofen, and sometimes fiber caps. You just never know, people. 
• I am ALWAYS cold.
• I am in bed by 10pm and up by 5:30am on most week-days.
• High heels are no longer my preferred shoe. I now prefer real leather to man made materials and flats to platforms. 

I have nothing to complain about. My life is actually wonderful and this birthday is just another example of my many blessings. I woke up to coffee made by my roommate, text messages from my many friends and family members, Facebook notifications, and wonderful weather. 

(the Texas weather did bless me with some awesomely awful allergy issues and a slight fever but WHATEVER, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!) 

25 was a year of change and growth. 26 will, I am sure, follow suit. 

Guiltless Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oat Treats

I'm sure you have all noticed but pumpkin is here.

Now the weather in Texas wouldn't lead you to believe such a thing but the sheer influx of pumpkin items available tell me it is finally fall y'all. My FAVORITE season has arrived.

After dinner last night while browsing Pinterest, I came across some no oil and no butter pumpkin chocolate chip oat cookies. Thanks to my baking pantry (an entire top shelf of my pantry devoted to flour, sugar, and magic) I had everything I needed for these little morsels.#ididitallforthecookie (please tell me you have seen Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake discuss hashtags. too funny).

 

I wouldnt call this a cookie. They are actually a PERFECT breakfast treat with coffee. Like a cross between a muffin and a cookie...a mookie? a cuffin?
Not too sweet, not too pumpkin-y but enough to satisfy a sweet tooth thanks to the semi-sweets inside. I used MyFitnessPal and the recipe to total up nutritional facts and it seems each cookie is around 125 calories and 2 grams of fat. (The recipe made me 10 cookies although I could have made them smaller.) That is not too shabby for something to curb a pumpkin sweets craving!

NEXT TIME, I will get pictures during the process.

I adapted this VERY slightly. You can find the original recipe at http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/10/24/healthy-pumpkin-chocolate-chip-oatmeal-cookies/.

Thank you to Sallys Baking Addiction for concoting these beauties!

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)                   

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl whisk together pumpkin, egg, and vanilla until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices, chocolate chips, and dried cranberries. Fold together the wet and dry ingredients until just combined - do not overmix. The cookie dough will be thick.
3. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheets and slightly flatten to the shape you want your cookie. Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for at least 3 minutes and transfer to a wire rack. Cookies stay fresh at room temperature for 3 days in an airtight container.