This post was originally posted back on October 22, 2014. That seems like ages ago. We were still living in our tiny little townhouse, we had just started eating paleo and we weren't even married yet.

We were just little babes trying to figure out how to be adults in a brand new state. It's crazy to me to look back on old posts and see how much has changed.

One thing that hasn't changed is our love for these muffins. They are super easy to make and legit taste like dessert. I found that eating paleo and cooking for Adam is way easier when I plan ahead. It usually keeps us on a better meal plan and not so many snacks if we do this.


Adam and I are always looking for new breakfast options, so when Callie told me about these, we knew we had to try them! They're super easy to make and oh. my. gosh. they are so delicious. I hope you all enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (for paleo, make sure they have no added sugar or milk!) 

How to Make: 

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Line a muffin tin with papers. 
3. Beat the 3 ripe bananas with a mixer until well blended and no chunks. 
4. Add the coconut oil, maple syrup, honey, egg and vanilla, mix on medium. 
5. Add the almond meal, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and mix on low. 
6. Stir in the chocolate chips. 
7. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins. 
8. For extra, sprinkle chocolate chips on top! 
9. Bake for 18 minutes (or high-altitude baking for 23 minutes!) 
10. Enjoy! 

Oh hi friends! How the heck are ya? Long time no talk! July was such a blur. Here we are in August, holy moly. Happy August! July was so fun, full of lots of visitors, birthdays, adventures and time with family and friends. We are getting closer and closer to Christmas and I cannot wait! Yes, I'm one of those people who starts talking about Christmas in August, so sue me.

But anyways, it's August, a lot happened in July and let's catch up, shall we? 





July started with a BANG. One of my best girls, Callie got married in Napa in the dreamiest wedding ceremony I've ever seen. We actually danced until midnight, drank the most delicious wine and took thousands of photos. It was such an amazing weekend under the stars and between the vines.  I cannot wait to go back. 

While we were in San Francisco we celebrated Coti's 30 birthday! Whoo hoo, welcome the dirty thirty Coti, it rocks. So glad I got to celebrate you early! 




Following Napa is always hard. But in July, we cheered on the Rockies, I cheered on Adam while he ran the tough mudder and we enjoyed a long weekend in Breckenridge with friends. We capped the long month off with a trip with Adam's family to Estes Park. 



Estes Park is a dream situated right at the front range of the Rocky Mountains and at the eastern entrance of the Rocky Mountain National Park. It also borders the Roosevelt National Forest. It is a vision. 

We hiked Deer Mountain Trail, bought our body weight in salt water taffy and shopped main street.

We ate at Latitude 105 which has the BEST good eva. The atmosphere is eh, but the food is amazing.
We grabbed drinks at Estes Park Brewery, pizzas at Poppy's, Italian food at the Dunraven Inn, lunch at Mama Rosa's and drinks at Marys Lake 1929 Tavern.

Safe to say, we love great drinks and food.


The last day of our weekend was Adam's birthday! He fly fished with his dad and then we had a great lunch and finished the night with dinner at the Stanley. We ate dinner at The Cascades at the Stanley Hotel, best known for it's part in the Shining. It's allegedly haunted and there are rooms you can stay in that are more haunted for your chance to see a ghost or something. Happy 31st birthday to my hubs, you are the best thing in this world.

How was your July? What did you do? Tell me everything. Ps. If you're not signed up for the newsletter, you wanna be! A new one is coming out Sunday!

Happy Friday friends and Happy (almost) 4th of July! I am so thankful for this weekend. Today, I'm in Sonoma, basking in the glory of my friend Callies wedding weekend! It's so fun getting to get away with my hubs and spend some time with our friends.

This is Adam's first trip to San Fran/Napa and I am so excited to show him around. Last night, we were in San Fran with my best friend Coti and her hubs. Cocktails, delicious dinner and then this morning we all ventured up to Napa to get the wedding weekend started!

Insta-stories is the place to be this weekend people. You don't want to miss out on the action.

Can you believe it's July tomorrow! Holy moly, we are officially more than half-way through the year. 2017 is flyying. So, remember how I told ya'll my washer was broken? Update, it's still broken. They're coming back again next week. Kill me. What the heck am I supposed to do?

I'll tell ya, I'm getting away and calling my gf Ryann to go to her house. Ryann, you are a life saver.

Let's back in the good stuff, shall we? Friday favorites are calling my name. Sometimes when I write this post its to boost my mood, sometimes its so there's something on the blog. But today, it's because there is SO much good stuff in the world and I just have to share.


ONE If you want to catch up on the point of this weekend in Napa, check out my recap & travel guide here! Callie is one of my dearest friends and college roommate. This weekend is dedicated to her.

TWO Lets be Instagram besties. Like I said, big things coming at ya this weekend. You do not wanna miss out. Plus, Adam is running the tough-mudder in three weeks and it's an obstacle course with all kinds of crazy crap, in the mountains. Guys, I'm telling ya, insta-stories.

THREE I turned 30 almost a month ago and I'm obsessed with this new age and new year. Wanna know why I was terrified? Read about it here. But, today I am 30, flirty (not really) and thriving (trying!). Here's to make 30 even better than 29.

FOUR I shared my Austin Travel Guide on the blog this week. Austin is the best. My friends are the best and I highly suggest you book a trip there ASAP. If anyone wants to plan a trip together, let me know.

FIVE Wanna travel more? Hit up my post on Grand Cayman. I also suggest booking a trip there. Talk about dream land. I'll be working on another Napa travel guide soon. Cant wait to show ya.

SIX My best friend started a t-shirt company Posie + Co. She's doing a giveaway on her Instagram - go go go! PS. I'm determined to win the giveaway, but I like a challenge, go enter!

SEVEN I'm currently obsessed with Maren Morris and James Arthur. I can't stop. I go between their two albums on Spotify. To make your life easier, I combined them and put it in a playlist. See below. You are welcome!

MAREN & JAMES

A playlist featuring Maren Morris

EIGHT Nordstrom is about to have it's anniversary sale and in preparation, I shared all my favorite Nordstrom summer picks. Make sure you come back the week of July 13 for all my amazing anniversary picks. I talked to my stylist at Nordys yesterday and we have some AMAZING stuff coming for ya!

NINE My girlfriend Ally runs the cutest online shop Fleurish Letters + Design. I interviewed in her a full post here. Do not miss it. Plus, if you need a gift for ANYTHING, she is your girl. Trust.

TEN It's 4th of July weekend, its the weekend and it's a holiday. PLUS my sister in laws birthday is on the fourth. I love this week. Enjoy people. Glad to live this great country. See ya on the other side!

Have you ever met someone who you instantly know you're going to be friends with? That is how I immediately felt about my friend, Callie. This post is dedicated to Calista. Callie and I have been friends since she walked into freshman seminar at Pepperdine. Since then, we've been sorority sisters, roommates, she was at my law school graduation, engagement party, she was a bridesmaid in my wedding and now, I get to be in hers.

We've experienced a lot of life together. But I think her wedding is going to be the icing on top of this cake. Let me tell you a little about Callie. She's the best friend, fiance, daughter and teacher. She talks loud, sings louder and is kinder than anyone you'll ever meet. She cares deeply about the ones she loves and works harder than anyone I know. Everyone wants a friend like Callie. 

This past weekend I had the honor of joining her and a group of her friends to help celebrate her upcoming nuptials. It was such a wonderful weekend spent laughing until we all cried, literally, inside jokes, tons of pictures, time in the sun, wine and long talks. It was so wonderful getting to know all of Callie's friends and family. The best part about her friends, they treated me like we'd been friends for years. I know this wedding is going to be amazing.

I've never been to Napa Valley before. The closest I've gotten is pictures, stories and my imagination. So, what I learned is there is more than one valley, more towns than just Napa and so much wine to be had.

We stayed in Calistoga, which in my opinion is the best. Talk about a dream location. In my 3 days spent in Calistoga I ate the best food, drank the best wine and swam in the best hot springs. Luckily for you, I've got all the hot-spots. Let's get to it.


WHAT YOU NEED: 
Great friends, a swimsuit, a big floppy hat, some sundresses, comfy shoes, sunglasses, matching shirts with the hashtag on it, yoga gear and sunscreen. Plus, make sure your camera has lots of room on it., pictures are a must.

I absolutely over packed. I wish I was kidding. We went for a weekend and I brought a suitcase bigger than required by a European vacation. But, in my defense, it was my first trip to Napa and I had no clue! Really, all ya need is a few dresses and some great friends. The rest will fall into place.

WHAT TO DO:

• Hot Springs: A lot of our Saturday was spent being lazy by the hot springs. I didn't realize the huge pool was actually a hot spring. It was incredible. The hot spring has to be like 85 degrees, I'm actually not sure, but it's so nice and warm. It's crazy to think that even when it's 80 degrees outside that an 85 degree pool would feel great. 
• A little workout: In the AM on Saturday  Callie's sister Ellie organized a private yoga clsas on the house deck. I highly recommend this. Especially after a few (or 9) glasses of wine on Friday night, nothing felt better than some yoga outside. 
• Wine tasting: You are in Napa Valley after all! We tried so many new wines and I was in my heaven. I cannot believe I've haven't done this sooner. 
• Great food: See below!
• Wander downtown Calistoga, Yountville or Sonoma. They are picturesque. Next time I'm spending so much time in all three. They are so darling.

WHERE TO STAY:  
We stayed at Indian Springs Resort and it was incredible. We had this amazing bungalow with multiple bedrooms, a kitchen and a family room. It also had this huge deck where we did yoga in the morning. It was a perfect spot for lots of girls, couples or even families. Indian Springs had this huge hot spring pool, mud baths and the entire compound was stunning. I felt like I was in paradise.

When/if you've been to Napa Valley, where do you stay? Whats your favorite local? I'm going back twice more this summer and need some recs! Send them this way!


WHERE TO EAT: 
Well, luckily for me, Napa Valley has a ton of food, because man, I love food and we did a lot of eating. Whenever I would ask what kind of food the restaurant had, people would say, "California food." I didn't know what that meant at first, but holy moly, it's safe to say California food is my new favorite food. What I learned is California food is fresh, delicious and food I absolutely crave.

I was only there for two days, so didn't have the chance to eat at a ton of places, but the places I tried were absolutely incredible! What are your favorite places to eat?

The Boon Fly Cafe: We stopped in to Boon Fly on our way into Napa Valley. It is a part of Carneros Resort and Spa. It is so dang delicious. It's known for it's modern rustic cuisine in a contemporary roadhouse atmosphere (direct quote!). They are known for their amazing donuts. Take my advice and get the donuts, it's worth a splurge. I got the most delicious hamburger I've ever had. Oh and of course, champs. Hamburgers, corn beef hash, donuts and all the egg breakfasts you can imagine.

This weekend I get to go to Calistoga to celebrate one of my best friends Callie. She is getting married this summer and what would a wedding be without one last sendoff, complete with wine and girlfriends. Next week I'll be sharing a how-where & what to do in Napa Valley post. You won't wanna miss it!

Calistoga is tucked into the base of Mount Saint Helena at the top of Napa Valley and it offers all the rustic charm of a 19th-century western town. We are staying at the Indian Springs Resort. Feel free to check it out here, I'll share more details next week. Oh, and don't forget to follow me on Insta Stories, you'll get a sneak peek! 

I've never been to Napa Valley before so I am thrilled. In my head, I expect Napa Valley to be rolling hills, stunning views, small town feel with grapes flooding the region. I imagine the sun always to be shining, the breeze to be cool and the sun hot. Have any of you been to Napa Valley before? Whats your favorite part?

The hardest part about packing for a place you've never been is the unknown. How many shoes do I bring, how many fancy dresses v. maxi dresses. Do I bring a jacket? Two? Heels or wedges. The packing battle can be hard. But don't you worry folks, I've got the tips and the perfect packing list for you.


THE NEW TRIP TIPS: Tips to packing for a place you've never been:

1. Start early: I'm one of those annoying people who starts packing days in advance. I start laying stuff out on our guest bed just so I can start mentally preparing for the trip.

2. Check the weather: You gotta make sure you don't bring sweaters when it's 90 and bikinis when it's snowing.

3. Scope out your location: If you know where you're going to dinner, scope out the scene and get a feel for where you're at. For example, Nobu in Las Vegas is going to be very different than the farm house in Napa. No-one wants to be in jeans when it should be fancy.

Luckily for us, Callie's sister had a great itinerary she emailed us ahead of time, so doing my research was easy peasy. The weather this weekend is going to be warm. High-80's during the day and mid-50's at night. We're doing a mix of yoga, hiking, wine tasting, lazy dinners in and nice dinners out.

THE PACKING LIST: Lets get to the fun part, the clothes.




3. Sundress with the cutest jacket. It's Napa! I can only imagine the darling pictures we're going to want to take. A bright sundress for those hot afternoons will be perfect. Plus, a jacket for when it's breezy. I really don't want to get sunburned! You all know how much I love the color black, but I feel like in Napa, black is a no-no. I'm focused on bright colors and floral patters.





5. Pajamas. This week I'll be bunking with about 10 girls, most of who I don't know. Probably not appropriate to show up in Adams old ripped t-shirt and boy shirts. Luckily Madewell saved my life and came out with sleepwear. Now I can look my age even when I'm sleeping. PS. Madewell's intimates are the PERFECT gift for a bride too - just sayin.



6. All the other goods: I am not a good light packer. I am notorious for bringing things that never leave the suitcase. But I hate getting to a location and wishing I would have brought one more jacket or shirt. These are all the last minute throw in items: swimsuit (I'm obsessed with this one piece!), a jean Jacket, cute tennis shoes, a pair of slides, that one t-shirt dress that you know goes with everything and a light cozy sweater.






Happy Thursday friends! I hope the rest of your week runs smoothly! I cannot wait to share my Napa trip with you next week! Make sure to follow along on Insta-Stories!

It's officially Christmas week everyone! I don't know about you, but I am feeling unusually festive for a Monday morning. This weekend, Denver graced us with -5 degree temperatures forcing Adam and I to stay inside, watch movies and for me, bake!

We watched Home Alone, one of my all time favorite christmas movies and it made me realize how horrible Kevin's family is?! I mean, that scene in the kitchen, yikes! And, one thing I don't get - does Kevin ever tell him family about what happened while they were gone? I mean, the cops just left him house and didn't think to come back and tell his mom and dad? Seems a little unrealistic to me.

So, now that we've gotten Home Alone straighten out, let's talk about things I love. I love christmas, I love hallmark movies (who is with me here), I love baileys and last but not least, donuts. It is no secret that I love donuts. If you follow me on Instagram (kgrace01) you will see that I post a new donut picture about once a month. I cannot help myself. Those sugary little circles are my favorite.

My best friend Coti is obsessed with donies. When we were in college, we would go at 2am to the donut store to get the fresh, warm donuts right out of the oven. Man, I miss the days when 4000 calories at 2am didn't go straight to my hips. Also, my donut dish is from my paleo guru, Callie. This recipe is dedicated to Coti and Callie, my two best girls always making sure I'm making the best recipes. <3

My love for donuts is almost always squashed when I try to make them paleo. They are good, but just not as good as regular, white sugar donuts. I made some apple cider donuts a while back and Adam has never asked me to make them again, which is usually a good hint that he was crazy about them. I never really mastered paleo donut making, until now.


I found inspiration for this recipe on Paleo Hacks, one of my go-to recipe blogs. I used different flour, more of some ingredients and less than others and I am so pumped about how these little babies turned out.

Because it's Christmas, I decided on some to crush some candy canes and sprinkle them on top. Cute and SO festive, am I right? Ya know what else would be good? Melt those candy candy kisses and drizzle that on top! Oh man, I know what I'm making this weekend.

This little babies would be a perfect treat for Christmas morning. Can you just imagine. I would have to make like 12 dozen, my fambam would gobble these up. Without further ado, let's get to the good part.

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• salt
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
2. Combine dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt) in a large bowl.
3. In a microwave-safe dish, melt coconut oil completely; Whisk eggs and coconut oil together. Add the other wet ingredients (applesauce, honey, vanilla) to that same bowl and stir.
4. Mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients.
5. Grease donut pan with nonstick spray; Add dough to donut pan, pressing down so the dough is tightly packed and smooth.
6. Place pan in oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until dough is no longer soft.
7. Remove from oven; Flip your donut pan upside down and the donuts should pop right out.
8. Allow at least five minutes for them to cool before icing them.

The Icing: 

1. On the stove, heat the chocolate chips and coconut together, stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
2. Eat warm or refrigerate to allow the icing to harden
3. Enjoy!

The best part about these little donuts is that you don't feel like you're eating that many because they are so tiny. So like 9 tiny donuts equals one right? Cool, glad we are on the same page here. Don't mind me, I'll be in the kitchen coming up with all the different things to drizzle on top of these. I wonder if you can melt baileys and mix it with chocolate to make a boozy syrup. I'll report back.

Happy Monday! Happy one week until Christmas! Happy 2 weeks until 2017! Let the countdowns begin!