Dark Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars With Sea Salt {Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free}

Hey, friends! You’re in for a treat today. Get it? Puns. I’ve put dark chocolate all up in some pumpkin and we’re calling it dessert. Do you want to make these for Thanksgiving? Maybe, YES. Peter (the sweet-tooth-toting-husband of mine) is here to say nice things about my baking. Someone is trying to get some major brownie pumpkin-bar points. I just love him. Enjoy!

Failure is a subjective and lovely term. There have been several occasions where my lovely wife, who you all get to hang out with almost every day, claimed she failed — that she could do better. These pumpkin bars are one such lovely “failure.”

My wife is extremely thorough, and I daresay a perfectionist. The recipes she brings you are vetted with dedication, and anything not up to snuff gets tossed out like my daily recommendations to eat breakfast for every meal. I’m the number one fan of my ideas getting tossed out, because if you’ve spent any time around here — you’ll know the variety and quality of food that emerges from our kitchen is absolutely to die for and I wouldn’t have it any other way. […]

Grain-Free Chai-Spiced Pumpkin Pie Tartlets With Coconut Whipped Cream {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo}

Last night I went to the beach to see the sun go down. My husband and I drove to the ocean in nothing but flip flops and light summer clothes. The car thermometer was still reading eighty five as we approached the Golden Gate Bridge. Finally, when we parked the car, the temp had come down somewhere in the seventies. I grabbed a scarf, removed my flip flops, grabbed his hand, and wandered down the beach towards the waves, toes squishing in the warm sand. We dipped our feet in the ocean and watched the waves get larger. The sun went down just like you’d imagine a summer night’s sky—fiery red with bits of orange and gold lining the clouds. We stood there waiting for the sun to finally tip its hat and dip under the horizon. We spotted dolphins playing in the waves. Dolphins. Because, clearly the beautiful sunset and the early fall beach night wasn’t epic enough. Dolphins. Not kidding. Just three little dolphins kicking it in the sunset like it’s no big deal (you can sneak a peek of this beach-y sunset on Instagram–although, my iPhone couldn’t quite capture the magic).

The moral of this story is: It’s still pretty much summer and I’m eating pumpkin pie. Also, dolphins!?! Nature is a gross show off.  […]

Pumpkin Polenta With Browned Butter & Sage | Guest Post From The Pig & Quill

I want to introduce you all to my lovely friend Emily! She writes the witty and oh-so-delicious blog The Pig & Quill. I dare you to go to her page and not drool all over your computer screen. Seriously. Do it.  Now excuse me while I go and try to figure out a way to take a bath in this polenta! 

Hi friends! Emily here. First off, so many thanks to that funny lady ya’ll like so much, Gina, for having me over to her place. Isn’t she great? All this talk about sometimes wearing pants and polar bears that can use the phone – and homegirl knows how to milk a nut, just saying.

Over at my usual digs, I do a little bit of clean cooking dirtied up with the occasional side of pig, young adult novel references and 90’s dance tracks, but today I’m here whipping up a gluten-free ditty that’ll feel right at home on your supper table come this holiday season.

My weekend started with a trip to Trader Joe’s, which, it turns out, is going GANGBUSTERS with pumpkin stuff. Cake mix to the left, ice cream to the right – all sporting big, imaginary “PIN IT” buttons (Arby’s Hat-style, of course), because if there’s one thing Pinterest has taught me to love, it’s Oreos melted cheese mason jars pumpkin. […]

Pumpkin Spice Cashew Milk {Gluten-Free, Vegan & Paleo}

The last time I made you nut milk, I made a lot of really bad jokes. I can’t help myself. I’m the girl that still chuckles at the word “nuts”. Nice to meet you. If you add the word” milk” after the word “nut”, I cannot keep a straight face. I’ve tossed around a few other title ideas such as “nut juice” or “creme de nuts” or “sexy pumpkin’ nut juice”. Oh, Lawdy. This is not getting any better. It’s getting much, much worse.  I will try to contain myself this post, but really… I make you no promises. It’s already gone to a strange place. My writing brain has kind of gone off the rails this week. Need I direct you to this Killer Pumpkin Granola post where I used shoddy storytelling to personify Pumpkin Pie Spice and her elicit (yet tender) love affair with Pumpkin Puree? Spoiler alert— they end up getting married in a ceremony performed by their mutual friend, Oats. Weird. So weird. […]