The changing seasons brings many new transitions, not the least of which being my kitchen habits! I notice the change pretty clearly once the weather starts to cool and the leaves begin to fall off the trees. I wake up in the morning craving oatmeal instead of a smoothie, our lunches go from being crab salad sandwiches to soups and stews, and of course, how can I leave out the incorporation of pumpkin into as many baked goods as possible! I love autumn and winter cooking! It's so hearty, rich, and comforting! If I had to pick my top 10 favorite meals, I can assure you, at least 8 of them would be considered autumn/winter fare.
So for today's post, I'm going to be sharing one of my favorite muffin recipes for the season. I call them Autumn Harvest Muffins. They are incredibly easy to make, and always taste delicious. What I enjoy most about them, is that they are very easy to play around with, so you can add or substitute various ingredients to make them exactly as you want them.
Ingredients
* 1 cup of milk
* 1 cup of quick cooking oats
* 1 egg
* 1/4 cup of oil
* 1 cup of flour
* 1/4 cup brown sugar
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1 tbsp cinnamon
* 1 tbsp nutmeg
* 1/2 cup pumpkin (canned)
* 1/4 cup walnuts (chopped)
* 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 1/4 cup dried cranberries
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°c. Grease muffin tray or line with paper muffin liners.
2. Mix together milk and oats in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together all dry ingredients (flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg).
4. Pour milk and oat mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients, along with the egg and oil.
5. Spoon batter into muffin cups, each about 3/4 full.
6. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, and let cool for about 5 minutes before enjoying!
With only one more week left in August, it looks like summer is finally coming to a close. Overall, I would definitely say it's been a lot of fun, with plenty of warm sunny days and lots of great memories! After all, I got married this summer, so obviously it was a very special one for me!
But alas, every year summer can only last so long before the leaves start to turn, the weather cools down, and the kids go back to school in the fall. Even though I'm no longer a student, I still very much enjoy the idea of "back to school" shopping, although for me, it's more like "time for autumn" shopping instead.
When I was younger, I used to beg my mother tirelessly for an entirely new wardrobe full of the latest styles every time we went back to school shopping. Now that I'm comfortable with the knowledge that having good style doesn't necessarily mean being trendy, I am much happier continuing to build on my more classic wardrobe by working in versatile and timeless pieces here and there.
Now, in terms of making an effortless transition from summer to autumn, it's important to know what to store and what to buy.
Store
*shorts (denim, twill, cotton..pack them all away until next summer)
*brightly colored tops (anything in aqua, lemon yellow, coral, or magenta)
*linen (linen pants, tops, skirts, and shorts..appropriate for beach weather only)
*swimsuits and cover-ups (no longer acceptable as casual wear)
*sundresses (sadly, as pretty as they are, you'll have to put these away until next year)
*sandals and summer hats (no need for straw hats and flip flops anymore)
Buy
*denim (medium to dark wash, least one pair of skinny jeans, and one pair of boot cut jeans)
*fall colored tops (oxblood, plum, hunter green, navy, mocha, black, and charcoal grey)
*prints (herringbone, tweed, nautical stripe, fall florals)
*knit sweaters (relaxed, chunky, fitted...you can't go wrong)
*scarves and boots (cozy knits in fall colors and stylish yet functional boots in sturdy leather)
*jackets and blazers (perfect way to top off your look and keep warm as the weather cools)
Making the style transition from summer to autumn isn't quite as daunting as it may seem. Many pieces already in rotation throughout the summer can be adapted to the cooler weather by adding layers and accessories.
For example, a blue and white striped summer dress can make for a stunning fall look when paired with the right accessories!
Similarly, that perfect summer chambray dress can be worn with a classic tartan cape to create an effortless fall look.
*Featured outfit combinations available from ModCloth.
