Now that we are back home, I am so excited that I can stay inside and be cozy on this overcast, freezing day, instead of feeling the need to get out and explore a new city. Today calls for a warm treat, and this Cozy Winter Fruit Crisp is exactly what I need. This dessert is filled with pears and apples and topped with a walnut oat streusel. This recipe is gluten free and uses minimal amounts of added sugars. Seasoned with maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest, and cloves truly makes this the perfect winter treat! Top with some vanilla ice cream to add some additional flavoring and sweetness!

This recipe LITERALLY only has 4 ingredients - chocolate, hazelnuts, pistachios, and dried cranberries. It is the perfect post holiday treat when you want something sweet, but not heavy like most holiday desserts. These chocolate bars are gluten free, and you can even change the type of chocolate that you use in order to also make them vegan/dairy free. And the best part is that they are incredibly easy to make! Not a hazelnut and/or pistachio fan? Feel free to change out the type of nuts that you use (keeping to the same overall quantity, of course). The versatility, yet simplicity  of this recipe are my favorite things about it!

The day after this past Christmas, Alex and I headed north to a resort on Lake Superior for a mini getaway to celebrate our 2 year wedding anniversary! The weather that week was even more freezing than normal. The coldest day had a high of -15°F (feels like -35°F), and the warmest it ever got was 2°F. Like, why?? On the way there we stopped at REI and gifted each other new, fancy Norweigan gloves as our “cotton” anniversary present...

It has been a busy last couple weeks, filled with traveling, the holidays, hosting, and working. We were so fortunate to have our friends Josh and Cate come to visit us for New Years. They live in the Bay in California – and when California friends voluntarily come to the artic tundra that is Minnesota during the winter to visit you and your husband, then you know they must really love you lol. Unfortunately was unusually colder than normal while they were here – staying below zero degrees Fahrenheit for the majority of the time, with the “feels like” temperatures ranging between -30F to -15. But they were troopers...

During this past week and a half, most of our evenings have been characterized by staying up late to watch the NBA Finals. I remember last year by the time it got to Game 7, I couldn’t sit down while watching because I was so nervous about the outcome! Fast forward back to this year, and it was unsurprisingly amazing to watch the Warriors face off against the Cavs for the 3rd consecutive year. When the Warriors lost Game 4, I was upset, because of 1) the game loss and the Warriors losing the opportunity to make NBA history with an undefeated playoffs record and 2) Alex and I were both scheduled to work during Game 5. Lame. But thankfully we got...

Happy Monday, friends! This past weekend was one for the books. My husband was on spring break from medical school, which means that we got to go on errands together, cook together, sleep in, snuggle (practically all day, oops) - and this past Saturday he decided to plan a surprise date day for me - full of fun activities and delicious foods. When school is in session, Alex's studies take up almost all of his time. So our quality time together during this stage of life looks different than other married couples, but I found the key is to not compare our relationship to others, but rather to do what is right for our own relationship. One of which, includes taking advantage...

How would you describe your perfect weather? For me, it an overcast and quiet day. Sitting on my bed, covered in soft blankets, and listening to the rainfall. Windows open, I would feel the cool air travel into the apartment, prompting me to wear fuzzy socks to stay warm. Sipping on hot green tea with lemon and honey, while surrounding by fragrant burning candles as I read one of my favorite books. My husband finds me odd that ...

Autumn is hands-down my favorite season, which is why I was so excited to experience my first REAL autumn here in Minnesota. I could spend hours just sitting outside, staring at the beautiful changing leaves as the cool breeze blew across my face. I read a quote once that said, "Fall is the beautiful moment between sweating and hypothermia." I couldn't agree more! The summers here...