Hello everyone! How is your week going so far? I am feeling a bit worn out this week with two recent weekends away. Both very enjoyable and worth it, but being away from home always tends to wear me out. It seems like this fall really crept up on me with a lot of weekend plans!

The first weekend was up north to Charlevoix/Petoskey area for camping with Alec.

I was thinking a few weeks out that we should cancel the trip and book a hotel or Air BnB instead because I was worried it was going to be really cold and/or rainy for camping in mid-October in northern Michigan. Would not be fun! BUT we ended up having amazing weather (60s/70s and sunny!) and perfect timing for peak fall colors!

Clear blue skies and gorgeous colors for the win!

On the way up north I snacked on a Thunderbird pecan goji pistachio bar. I am definitely a fan of these! I also have tried and like the cashew fig carrot flavor and hazelnut coffee maca flavor.

Our first night, we got some delicious sandwiches from Lake Street Market in Boyne City. 10/10 would recommend for some good sandwiches in the area! This one had roasted turkey, muenster, roasted tomatoes, and house-made red pepper hummus on multigrain bread. Can’t go wrong with a well-made turkey sandwich in my opinion! Followed by some dark chocolate which I *obviously* bring along on camping trips for usual evening snacking.

Mornings at the campsite we had cold steel-cut oatmeal with peanut butter, flax meal, honey, and chopped honeycrisp with cinnamon. Also some hot chai tea. Both mornings were stunning as we enjoyed the sunrises, fall colors, and view of Lake Charlevoix!

Back at home I used up more butternut squash from my grandpa’s garden and some fabulous Iowa corn courtesy of Alec’s mom in this tasty veggie sauté. Seasoned with plenty of salt + pepper. Turned out to be an excellent combo!

Delish Greek salad with mixed greens, chopped cuc + tomato, roasted red peppers, beets, slivered almonds, feta, and chickpeas. Homemade Greek dressing for all the flavor goodness. What are your favorite Greek salad toppings?? I am all about all the beets!

Post Saturday morning run apple pancakes with almond butter + maple syrup. More honeycrisp w/ cinnamon on the side. Plus the essential coffee w/ almond milk. Fabulous way to start the day!

Pre-game tailgate food before the Michigan-MSU game. GO BLUE! Thanksgiving-themed spread of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, and fried stuffing (the best!). Followed by some amazing pumpkin pie!

I made a new-to-me brownie recipe using brown butter and coffee grounds (instead of the espresso). These were super tasty and I would highly recommend! Be sure not to over-bake them – let them stay nice and gooey in the pan when you take them out of the oven! Would go very well with some gingerbread or peppermint ice cream…

Fresh, crisp salad with mixed greens, cucumber, red bell pepper + tomato, all drizzled in homemade balsamic vinaigrette. I made this one evening to bring to dinner with our church small group.

My second recent trip up north was to the Leelanau Peninsula with three of my good friends from college. We try to do a girls’ trip every year and this time did not disappoint! Our “hybrid bed and breakfast” had some light breakfast options each morning of fresh hard-boiled eggs from the chickens on the farm, apples, and scones (or cherry almond muffins the other morning). So tasty!

Served alongside plenty of local, organic coffee and tea offerings. We definitely enjoyed our stay here, along with the scenic farm setting and complementary Sunday morning yoga session!

Both mornings we ended up going out for a late brunch. This dish at Farm Club was AMAZING. Featuring heirloom beans, olive oil, garlic, plenty of thyme, seedy multigrain bread, and a side salad. Will for sure be making another stop here in the future.

Other delicious eats from the trip included a Greek and quinoa salad with the tastiest salmon at Poppycocks, some hearty and delicious baked oatmeal at Red Spire Brunch House, and wine tasting at Rove and Bel Lago. Time with friends always seems to go by too fast!

When I got home, Alec made this fresh and flavorful quinoa bowl with sautéed broccoli + corn w/ shredded parmesan. Such a good combination! Served with a side salad for a lighter yet satisfying post-travel dinner.

Everyday Enjoyment:

Falling back: I am very happy that it is now lighter earlier in the mornings with the time change… while I am generally a fan of sunlight all-around I would fully take the option of more sunlight in the mornings vs. evenings. While I do enjoy the longer days in the spring/summer, I do enjoy some aspects of the darker evenings that are starting up! I am one who has a hard time staying inside when it is light/sunny/nice out, so I appreciate that the darker months ahead mean more time inside for things like reading, cooking/baking, watching the occasional movie or show, and lounging around in pajamas!

Michigan football AND basketball: This is one of my favorite times of year for sports, because college football is still going strong AND we have the start of college basketball already. What could be better than Michigan football being 8-0 and Michigan basketball expected to have a great season as well? Another thing I enjoy about late fall/winter is that Alec and I both really enjoy watching college football/basketball so it gives us something fun to do and to look forward to on a regular basis throughout the season.

Holiday season baking ideas: While I unfortunately haven’t had much time to bake lately, I do want to try and make a couple fun baking items before the holiday season is over. Some fun ideas I’ve come across are this caramel apple cheesecake pie, chocolate sweet rolls, and gingerbread millionaire bars. I will also probably make my favorite dessert – chocolate bread pudding – at Christmas, along with scones which I have been wanting to try making for a while! Who knows what other treats may be making an appearance??

What are you looking forward to baking this Thanksgiving and/or Christmas?

Enjoy the rest of your week!