Apples Archives – Jamieson Diaries

It’s that time of year again where we use all of the motivational speeches in the world to convince ourselves why we NEED to eat healthy and avoid the delicious Halloween candy that will be thrown our way. The only problem with this logic is…it hardly ever works because we don’t think of alternatives. Sure we may eat healthy for a little while, but we eventually give in to the copious amounts of snickers being shoved in our faces, and pretend like we have no clue what the word “calories” means. I was inspired by the company, Nuts.com to share some healthier alternatives to the usual Halloween candy and treats.”

I’m a realistic person who loves the yummy not so healthy foods just as much as the next person. It is because of this realism that I like to find the happy medium in situations such as this one. Having NO fun when eating healthier pushes most of us over the edge to binge eat, and having too much fun reverses months of hard work in just minutes.

With that being said, here are three healthy and easy snack alternatives to turn to this Halloween.

Jack-O-Lantern Oranges:

Yes, this is exactly what it looks like, oranges with faces drawn on them. Not only are oranges an awesome alternative for sweets because of how naturally sweet they are, but you get to be a child and draw/play with your food before eating it. Your Mom would be proud.

Apple Butter Teeth:

I love almond butter because it’s sweet, and is a great energy booster. For this snack you will cut an apple into slices and cut little “teeth” patterns into the slices. To make this look a little more “Halloweenish” I decided to add red dye to the almond butter to give a blood dripping effect. Not only does your food look creepy, but it tastes amazing.

*For some extra sweetness add a few dark chocolate chips on top, or melt it and dip half of your apple in it*

Banana Energy Pumpkin:

I call this little gem the energy pumpkin because it consists of whole wheat bread, almond butter, (I told you I love that stuff) and bananas. As you can see I dyed the almond butter black and the bananas orange for this particular Halloween snack. They are an amazing combo and when put together it serves as a natural energy boost. It is one of my favorite snacks to eat before heading to the gym.

These three healthy Halloween snack alternatives are great for everyone in the family to enjoy. What are some of your favorite healthy Halloween go to snacks? Share with me in the comments section! In the mean time, enjoy these guilt free Halloween snacks for the time being :-).

Happy first day of Fall, everyone! Fall is my absolute favorite season of the year. Despite it being the season my birthday is celebrated in, there are so many great activities and everyday life routines that improve due to it being fall. Today, I will put up my fall decor around and outside of my home, with a huge smile on my face, from pure happiness and satisfaction. If you are one of those people who don’t understand the “hype” about fall, here are five reasons Fall is perfection:

There are so many awesome, strictly fall activities, to partake in from September to mid-November. Bonfires are one of my all time favorite fall activities. Many people enjoy bonfires in the summer as well, but sitting around a nicely lit bonfire to keep warm in the crisp fall air, while making s’mores, and having a great time with family and/or friends is second to none. Two more of my favorite fall activities is going apple picking at orchards, and picking out pumpkins in addition to all of the other fun activities at pumpkin patches.

Pumpkin, apple, and sweet potato everything! Fall is not complete without the deliciousness of these seasonal favorites. You know how most people either like pumpkin pie or sweet potato pie? Well, I happen to love both, and look forward to eating a few slices of both pies on Thanksgiving day, and weekend. If you’re a fan of apples, fall is the primetime to hit up an orchard and pick some yummy apples right from the tree, and take some home to make a homemade apple pie or even apple cider. I think I am going to attempt to make an apple crisp of some sort with my apples this year. Stay tuned for more details.

Is it even possible to argue about any other season’s fashion that is better than fall fashion? Even people who don’t like fall (yes those crazy people exist) love fall fashion. From the rider boots, to the long sweaters, hoodies and leggings, fall has the BEST fashion. Not only does the fashion make you look and feel great, it is SO comfortable. How can you possibly beat beauty and comfort, all wrapped up in one? Exactly, you can’t.

Although I consider September 27th (my birthday) to be a heavily disputed national holiday, we can all agree Halloween and Thanksgiving are undeniably awesome holidays. On Halloween we get to play dress up, get free candy from our neighbors, attend awesome Halloween themed parties, go to haunted houses, and even make fun DIY (do-it-yourself) decorations (like the minions pictured above that I made two years ago). On Thanksgiving we get to eat seasonal, oh so yummy recipes, mingle with family and friends, watch some Thanksgiving football, and if you’re one of the crazies, go shopping at 2am the following morning on, Black Friday. Oh, and did I mention the fall scents for candles and hand soaps are the best? Your company will compliment the smells every single time.

*However, Christmas is the greatest holiday of all time. It’s in its own league because it’s so amazing*

The natural beauty of fall is what really sets fall apart from all other seasons. Have you ever stood in an area full of trees and bushes turning beautiful shades of yellow, orange, and red, and just took in the beauty happening around you? The realization of how astonishingly wonderful God’s creations are around us is a feeling that can’t be matched. To match the beautiful trees and bushes, the crisp air brings a cozy and clean feeling with it. The crisp air makes me want to cuddle up with my husband, and watch movies together while eating a yummy crock pot soup of some sort. The crisp air also tends to make the air smell much cleaner and not so polluted. Who doesn’t love pretty scenery, cuddling and clean smelling air?

If you have never really taken the time to admire the beauty of fall, I hope this post encourages you to appreciate it a little more. Although some of these things may not seem to be a big deal, always remember it’s the little things that add up and become the big things we remember in life. 🙂

Brie <3

[09.23.15]

Healthy Halloween Snacks

5 Reasons Fall Is Perfection