Pumpkin Brownies

When I moved back home to the Twin Cities I started working for my dad doing some super badass carpentry jobs.  Just so you know, nothing will boost your self-esteem more than being a girl smothered in painty clothes walking through the Home Depot at 7 am.

Anyway, physical grunt work took all of my energy, and my workout routine that I maintained for over a year kicked the bucket.  This didn't take much of a toll on my body since I was still doing very physical stuff at work.  In fact my skinny jeans from high school started to fit again.  Geez, was life ever hard!  Then work started slowing down for me, since I'm too inexperienced/short to do a lot of the jobs that my dad has had lined up.

This isn't a pity post, but since I stopped working for my dad full time I have developed more body insulation than necessary.

This is what 1 lb of fat looks like, tasty!

My solution?  Pick up my workout routine again- I have a wedding dress to fit into!  Sometimes I need to remind myself that even though I eat a healthy and balanced diet, I need to remain active in order to stay slim (and vice versa if I worked out but ate a lousy diet).  I made these brownies to mark the end of my laziness.  Counterintuitive?  Yes, but these brownies are relatively healthy compared to the classic brownie.  They are low fat, natural, but kind of high in sugar (especially if you eat half of the brownies- oops).

Anyway, I have recommitted myself to picking up my fitness routine once again.  That way I can remake these brownies again and not feel guilty :).  Tomorrow is always a fresh start!

I loved these brownies (obviously), but Alex didn't seem to be as crazy for them as I was.  I think that it had to do with the fact that I told him that they were healthy before he even had a bite, so he was probably seeking out potato or rutabaga undertones.  I give them a 9/10.

A while back I went to every craft store in my area to hunt for animal cracker shaped cookie cutters.  Definitely worth it.

Recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie

• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp + 1/16 tsp salt
• Heaping 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp almond milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional- I didn't add any)

Preheat oven to 330 degrees

Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately and then combine together.

Line an 8x8 pan with coconut oil and spread the batter over the pan.

Bake for ~25 minutes or until a knife can be inserted into the brownies and come out clean.