I mean seriously?!

How?!

When did that happen?!

Well according to the calendar I guess it happened 18 days ago but still . . . where has this year gone?!

October . . . already?!

I just can’t seem to wrap my head around it?!

And I’m not really sure how I feel about it?!

I mean Christmas is my all time fave but I’m having some mixed emotions because this time of year is when we usually take our annual Swanston Family Vaycay to our beloved home away from home, Denver, Colorado.

And as excited as I am to dig in and get all kinds of festive fun happening up in here I’m having a hard time because my heart is aching for fall. Cool crisp mornings, fresh mountain air and pumpkin spiced everything!!!!!

There is something truly magical about that humble looking, ombre’ beige, spice blend that not only tastes all kinds of incredible but it truly makes my heart all kinds of happy.

The smell alone has me feeling all of those warm, fuzzy Christmas-y feels!

Now, here in Australia for some reason we haven’t yet discovered the joy that is well, pumpkin spiced anything so what’s a girl to do when her heart aches for fall, and pumpkin spiced everything yet sadly there is no vaycay or pumpkin spiced anything on the cards?! Or is it in the cards!? Either way, it ain’t happening!

So what’s a girl to do?!

She gets creative in the kitchen and comes up with her own deliciously simple, quick and easy, healthy homemade {sugar free} pumpkin spice mix that’s what!

Problem, solved.

Well apart from the whole vacation thing but let’s not get into that!

Today’s recipe is one that is super quick and easy to prepare made with just a handful of ingredients that I bet you have tucked away in the back of your spice cabinet, ready and waiting, simply begging to be transformed into one purely magical, heart-warming spice blend.

Ahhh I love this spice mix so, SO much – it really is like a little jar of happiness.

Don’t you just love the way food, both taste and smell, has the ability to magically transport you to another time and another place and bring back the most incredible memories and feelings that are so strong, it’s as though you could almost reach out and hug them?!

Well that’s what this spice mix does for me?!

One smell and I am whisked away to my beloved home away from home, enjoying quality time with my nearest and dearest, holding a steaming cup of perfectly spiced coffee in my hands, feeling the cool crisp mountain air on the back of my neck as I gaze fondly at the most miraculous looking snow capped mountains you ever did see.

This healthy, homemade pumpkin spice mix brings together all those familiar, nostalgic tastes and smells that come to mind when I think of Christmas (and Thanksgiving and well just all things fall for my American friends).

Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and a pinch of cardamon – it’s chai spice meets gingerbread spice. . . doesn’t it just make you feel all warm and fuzzy even just reading that combination of spices all together in one delicious little sentence?!

The smell alone is enough to transport me to another time and another place where the air is crisp, the mountains are capped with snow and everything just seems to sparkle.

Wanna come?!

You totally can and I’d love to have you along for the ride

All you have to do is throw together a handful of spices and you’re ready to go!

Once you have your healthy, homemade pumpkin spice mix ready, your kitchen smells like heaven and you’re feeling all of those warm and fuzzy Christmas-type feels you’re on your way.

Simply add a pinch to your morning coffee or your post workout smoothie.

Stir some into your yogurt and have for a yummy twist on a much loved, quick & easy, iconic snack!

Bake yourself a sweet potato, slather it in almond butter and sprinkle over a little of your pumpkin spice mix and have yourself one seriously tasty snack – trust me on this, just try it! You can thank me later

Or, you could add a heaping teaspoon to this {sugar free – paleo} maple vanilla banana bread, or these muffins, or these cookies, or this deliciously simple, perfectly roasted pumpkin for a sweet twist on a savory side dish . . .

All natural, quick and easy, deliciously simple, healthy, homemade, pumpkin spice mix . . .

A little jar of heaven scented happiness to call your very own;

From my heart to yours, enjoy xo

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Question of the day –

What’s your favorite, warm and fuzzy food related, holiday flavor, scent or memory?

Feel free to share recipes, or links recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make your healthy, homemade pumpkin spice mix (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

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The post Healthy, Homemade Pumpkin Spice Mix first appeared on Better with Cake.

I’m talking cravings so intense that they are all consuming and although you have no idea where they came from or if they will even work out, you just can’t seem to shake it off and, nothing that you eat seems to satisfy because you just can’t stop dreaming of it?

Well that’s how today’s recipe came about.

There I was minding my own business licking another jar of cashew cheese clean and it hit me cashew cheese truffles . . . delicious little pop-able balls of creamy dreamy cashew cheese  . . . it could totally work right?

Surely?

And how fun?! (← and yes, that really is my idea of fun – oh the exciting life I lead )

I’ve seen it done with goat’s cheese and I’ve seen it done with cream cheese so surely it should work with cashew cheese?!

I mean why not?!

It’s worth a shot, right?

So off I went to make myself some cashew cheese truffles, I was either setting myself up for an epic fail or culinary genius, only time would tell . . .

And ummm you guys . . . I don’t mean to brag but . . .

CULINARY GENIUS IT IS!!!!!!!!!!!

Honestly these truffles turned out waaaayyyyy better than I even imagined.

Light and creamy, deliciously dreamy, cashew cheese bombs that are infused with a hint of perfectly caramelized oven roasted garlic and a subtle sweetness of fall inspired pumpkin all encased in a crisp and crunchy salty pistachio crumble . . .

Seriously you guys I have no words!

These pumpkin pistachio cashew cheese truffles are insanely delicious!

And not only are they insanely delicious but they really are super easy to prepare. Although I should warn you they do require some patience as you have to wait for the cashew cheese to chill before you get your truffle on but, other than that they are easy peasy cashew cheesy.

Ummm sorry about the lame joke but you guys I blame the truffles, they are so insanely delicious I think I may have slightly lost my mind.

I can not be held accountable for the lameness of my jokes . . .

Mind = blown!

Seriously you need to get in on this asap;

All you have to do is whip up a batch of cashew cheese which will only take you a matter minutes, once you’ve soaked your cashews that is.

Once you have your creamy, dreamy, deliciously pumpkin-y, garlic infused cashew cheese ready, simply pop it in the fridge or freezer to chill so it gets nice and firm and a little more “workable” then it’s truffle rolling time!

Once you have your tasty little cheese bombs rolled and ready, all that’s left to do is add the finishing touch – the all important crisp and crunchy, salted pistachio coating.

Crisp and crunchy on the outside, creamy, dreamy, smoky, sweet, pumpkin infused, cheesy deliciousness on the inside.

I mean come on, what’s not to love?!

Oh and I forgot to mention that these babies also happen to be vegan, dairy free, gluten free and paleo friendly you know just in case you’re into that sort of thing

Seriously you guys I don’t know what more I can tell you except that you need these in your life asap!

Eat them simply just as they are in all their creamy, dreamy, crisp and crunchy, smoky, sweet, pumpkin infused, pistachio coated explosively delicious glory . . .

Or serve them with some of your fave seed crackers,

Come to mama . . .

All natural, super easy, creamy, dreamy oh so cheesy, smoky, sweet, crisp and crunchy healthy, homemade pumpkin infused, pistachio coated cashew cheese truffles . . .

You know you want in on this – “Everyday I’m trufflein'”

Make them. Eat them. Love, love, love them!

Pumpkin & Pistachio Cashew “Cheese” Truffles {Vegan, Dairy Free & Paleo Friendly}
Makes approx 16 light and creamy, crispy crunchy, seriously dreamy, pumpkin infused cashew “cheese” truffles

Ingredients –

1 cup of cashews, raw unsalted

1 1/2 cups of water (for soaking your cashews)

3 large cloves of roasted garlic – could sub raw garlic if you don’t have any roasted garlic on hand and don’t want to make any but, I highly recommend the roasted. That stuff is gold!

1 teaspoon of salt flakes

1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper

1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 Tablespoons of pumpkin Puree

1/2 cup of pistachios roughly and finely chopped

Optional for serving –

Seed crackers – I love these Zucchini & Almond Crackers made by Fettle Fine Foods

Method –

1 – Place your cashews into a bowl and pour enough water to ensure they are completely submerged. They tend to swell up as they absorb the liquid so make sure there is a little wiggle room for them to do their thang. Set aside for at least 2 hours. I had mine sit overnight.

2 – Drain and rinse you cashews then place them, along with all remaining ingredients into your blender or food processor and process until creamy, dreamy and well combined.

3 – Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly, add some extra garlic or salt pepper as you wish. Place your cheese in the fridge for an hour or so to cool and firm up – Or you could pop it in the freezer for 30 mins to speed things up a little.

4 – Line a baking sheet (or plate) with baking/parchment paper and set aside.

5 – Once your cashew cheese has cooled and is in a more solid state, take approximately 1 Tablespoon of cheese and use your hands to roll it into a delicious little ball then place it onto your prepared baking sheet. Repeat until you have used up all your creamy, dreamy cashew cheese. FYI – The naked truffles are kind of sticky so you may want to pop on some gloves if you have them handy.

6 – Once you have your truffles place them back in the fridge (or freezer) to keep them nice and cool while you set up your pistachio station.

7 – Place your pistachio crumbles onto a small plate then take one truffle at a time and gently roll it in the pistachio crumb pressing gently as you go until it has a nice, even coating. Place back onto your baking sheet and repeat with remaining truffles.

8 – Store in an air tight container in the fridge until ready to serve, they should keep well for up to 7 days but I seriously doubt it will last that long.

9 – Serve with seed crackers or simply just as they are in all their creamy, dreamy, pumpkin infused, crispy, crunchy pistachio coated glory.

Enjoy xo

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Question of the day –

What snacks are you lovin’ lately?

Feel free to share recipes, or links to your fave recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world once you have made your truffles (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

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The post Pumpkin & Pistachio Cashew “Cheese” Truffles {Vegan, Dairy Free & Paleo Friendly} first appeared on Better with Cake.