Fall is my absolute favorite season and mainly for the pumpkin treats (not going to sugar coat that). These pumpkin twinkie rolls literally have all the flavor of your classic twinkies but with a fall season pumpkin twist. This Pumpkin Twinkie Roll recipe is completely gluten free and next to zero sugar. I’m all for making my favorite childhood foods but with a healthier twist.

I know I emphasize a lot making my favorite childhood desserts healthy. I do this because growing up I struggled a lot with body dysmorphia, food obsessing, restricting and constant dieting. I had a very unhealthy relationship with food where I wouldn’t eat anything with sugar, high fat or anything that didn’t fit in my “diet”.  This started at a very early age. Until I grew up, educated myself and understood the power of food and what it truly does for you and your body, I was able to heal that relationship. You never have to restrict yourself but rather find healthier alternatives that truly benefit and fuel your body.

No need to go to the pumpkin patch to enjoy the sweetness of pumpkin treats! This is the perfect fall dessert and the easiest to bring for Thanksgiving dinner (also a great excuse to enjoy pumpkin flavor) or to enjoy at home with your coffee (maybe a pumpkin spice latte perhaps?). You will definitely want to make this one over and over again. It has spongey, moist, fluffy cake like texture for the roll and a sweet vanilla cream cheese filling inside. 

Adjust the oven rack to the middle. Pre heat oven to 350F.

Line a 10 x 15 inch baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer. Use whisk attachment. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale, thick and fluffy. About triple the volume. This should take about 4-5 minutes on a high speed setting (you’ll know).

Add the pumpkin puree and whisk for about 30 seconds until it's mixed in to the batter.

In a separate bowl sift together your oat flour, gluten free flour, xanthum gum, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. 

Add the dry sifted ingredients to the egg / pumpkin mixture and whisk for about 30 seconds until there are zero flour clumps. Scrape down sides of the bowl and remix so there aren’t any unmixed patches.

Transfer the pumpkin cake batter into the lined baking sheet and smooth it out into an even layer, tap the baking sheet on the counter a couple of times to help it settle / spread out. 

Bake at 350F for about 10-11 minutes or until well risen, golden on top, spongy to touch and inserted tooth pick comes out clean.

Take out the pumpkin cake of the oven and allow to cool at room temperature. 

Now it's time to make the frosting! Use a hand mixer or stand mixer, use the whisk attachments. 

In a large bowl whisk together the whipping cream and confectioner sugar until soft peaks form. YUM. 

In a separate bowl whisk cream cheese until smooth.

Add all vanilla filling ingredients together and whisk again for about 40 seconds until well combined and soft peaks form. 

Once the sponge part has cooled, leave the pumpkin sponge cake in the baking sheet and slide it onto the counter, CAREFULLY. 

Cut off any loose, awkward ends around the pumpkin sponge cake. 

Spread an even layer of vanilla icing all over the top of the pumpkin sponge cake, all the way to the edges. 

Turn the pumpkin sponge cake so a short edge is close to you. So carefully start rolling it. Be mindful with this part. I’ve made this recipe a couple times now and haven’t had an issue but was still super gentle. Make sure to roll the pumpkin sponge cake fairly tight to avoid holes in your roll. Your pumpkin roll should be roughly 10 inches, the size of the baking sheet. 

Dust the pumpkin roll with some confectioner sugar.

Cut the pumpkin roll in about 1 inch slices, wiping the knife in between each cut. 

Serve these tasty little Pumpkin Twinkies and enjoy! 

Especially this time of year, our sweet tooth definitely comes out! We hope you love this Pumpkin Twinkie Roll recipe and that it kicks your sweets craving without all the additional sugars.

Cozy up and enjoy the Pumpkin Twinkie Rolls with it's perfect warm beverage match - a Pumpkin Spice latte (or if you prefer tea, Rooibos Chai)!

Mahalo for checking out this Crimson tavernorlando x Aly Marie recipe!  For more on Alyssa, check out her Instagram @alymariee._ and Lifestyle Blog for recipes and more!

About 4 years ago I became a Brand Ambassador for Crimson tavernorlando. A couple years later, here I am, sharing my recipes and tips on their blog. Creating my own recipes and seeing others create them for themselves, friends and family is something I am super passionate about. I am grateful for the opportunity to share them, not only on my own platforms, but through the Crimson tavernorlando community as well. I hope it inspires others to get creative with your own recipes and live a healthier lifestyle without limiting your favorite foods.

Mood when you match your fav workout set with a sparkling summer seltzer!

WARNING: These drinks may cause extreme happiness!!!

I don’t know about you, but when I have a fancy looking drink in hand, or a fancy cup for my drink- my mood immediately goes up!

The beautiful thing about seltzers is they can be sipped after a hard days work, on the go or a fun midday pick-me-up!

I love a good soda as much as the next gal, but something about fresh fruit in addition to the bubbly fizz of these seltzers gets me excited to do the extra steps. (I’ll say this multiple times, I promise it’s worth it!) 

This summer we all came to an agreement to fantasize the little things in life & this absolutely includes turning a simple daily favorite into something extra special.  Luckily, with all the new seltzers and bubbly waters on the market, you are bound to find something to enjoy!

We took inspiration from the lovely colors of our BLOOM Collection & turned them into refreshing summer seltzers. Skip the drive-thru & enjoy the bloom lifestyle with us. 🌺

These recipes yield for one drink each, but can be doubled or tripled as needed. It's a fact that refreshing drinks taste better when enjoyed with friends!

Its 2022 and life is BUSY.  Between responsibilities, work life and making time for yourself can be challenging, never mind trying to eat healthy in between the chaos. While we are busy with our hectic schedules our body is the one taking a toll. Remember without health, professional success hardly means anything. It is impossible to give our 100 percent when our body is failing to keep up with its surrounding. Your health is literally all you got. It's so cliche to say but yet words have never meant more. 

It goes a little something like this. We wake up early in the morning, grab a cup of tea/ coffee to kick start our day and rush to our office/ work. We often rush out of the house with everything but packed meals and snacks. Work is hectic and we hardly make time to eat healthily. Skipping meals and over intake of caffeine is our day-to-day story. While keeping a balance between work and health might seem difficult, it isn’t impossible. There are multiple ways to include healthy eating in our lifestyle and I am here to make it simple and educate you on how to do so. 

Always have water on hand. Water should be your best friend. Drink at least 3-4L a day. Stay hydrated friends.

Plan ahead if you can. I totally understand also not having time at times in your life when everything is moving faster then expected.  What do I mean to plan ahead? On a Sunday morning plan for the week. Plan what your snacks look like and also your meals. Get a solid shopping list and execute on those meals ( meals and snacks are dependent on your current goals which I am not going to get into in this blog ).

These next few will be for the non planner and more chaotic time in your life aka me most times while having a business thats ever-growing it becomes challenging for me to plan ahead. 

Avoid buying in excess at the grocery store. A lot of times when my hunger kicks in I will swing into a grocery store and buy a half cooked chicken and some fruit. Sometimes it's also greek yogurt and granola. Nuts, such as almonds or pecans. Brazil nuts are also a great option.

Gas station stop? Pepperoni and beef jerky sticks - LOW SUGAR, this is an absolute must. Some beef jerkies and pepperoni are packed with hidden sugars. I always grab Gatorade Zeros or BioSteels as well ( electrolytes also with no sugar ). They really help curb hunger cravings and a sweet tooth.

Fast food, I also got you covered. Fast food is still fast food, yes. However if you're hungry you're going to eat so let's just adjust your fast food choices. My go to - is grilled chicken breast wrapped in lettuce with tomato. You can even get some buffalo sauce on the side or another sauce of choice. I will typically get two grilled lettuce wrapped chicken burgers. Some fast food places offer salads too, every now and then ill get one. I just find chicken burgers are easier to eat on the go! 

Mexican places like Mucho Burrito, Chipotle are one of my top top go to's. They are fast and who doesn't love Mexican. My favourite a rice bowl with double meat ( usually chicken ) double meat to keep it high protein. Half rice extra veggies, no sauce just extra guac for those good fats and some salt and pepper. Seriously SO good. 

Order in advance from a restaurant. Its not as cost effective as the options above, but if you have the means too this option is great. 

• Thai food - curry and rice 

• Salmon, steak, grilled chicken, grilled prawns, tofu + baked yam fries ( you have to request this ) with veggies. 

• Lettuce wrapped burgers

• Honestly anything higher protein - high protein makes you feel full longer and keeps your energy levels consistent. Carbs will make you tired and crash. 

Sometimes I'm not even hungry I just know I should eat. I will swing into a supplement store, even Jamba Juice at times. You can always sub out the sugary items ie. frozen yogurt for more fruit. Instead of fruit juice sub for coconut / almond / oat milk. Added protein is a must - sometimes I even do extra protein. 

Low cal, zero sugar drinks. My go-to, Zevias, Bio Steel, Gatorade Zeros, Bubbly. A big jug of electrolyte water is my go-to. Love me some grape BioSteel.

My number one tip for the busy on the go individual ( or anyone ) is supplementing. If you aren't having full home cooked meals all the time, it's important to supplement.

• Get a good greens, I use AG1, its incredible

• Omegas

• Adrenal / Cortisol manager 

• Vitamin B complex 

• NAD plus IV therapy. These are life changing, ultimately its an extension of supplements. Helps manage chronic stress, enhance athletic performance, anti aging effects, increase energy levels ( it really does its absolutely insane how these make me feel ). 

I highly recommend getting a full blood panel of your hormones done. Often times ( from my own experience ) things can be off and/or unbalanced. Being in a constant state of flight or fight in life can really have an effect on your cortisol hormones. I personally have an auto immune disease and hypothyroid so I try my best to eat and supplement accordingly. Most people just ignore it, I have to in the past. Once you realize and tap into understanding and experience just how good you can feel and how well your body can run with the proper fuel, it just becomes a habit, it becomes natural and easier to make mindful, healthier eating choices anywhere you go. 

Like I said above, your health is all you have. Take care of your mind and body, and you will see the changes reflect in all other aspects of your life. What you put into your body is more important than you think. Eat well, live well.

About 4 years ago I became a Brand Ambassador for Crimson tavernorlando. A couple years later, here I am, sharing my recipes and tips on their blog. Creating my own recipes, sharing healthy lifestyle tips and sharing with others is something I am super passionate about. I am grateful for the opportunity to share them, not only on my own platforms, but through the Crimson tavernorlando community as well. I hope it inspires others to get creative with your own recipes and live a healthier lifestyle without limiting your favorite foods.

I don't know about you guys, but I am weak when it comes to child hood treats. They are so delicious. I grew up eating pop tarts! If you're a 90s kid, you probably have too. As I got older and got into more of a healthy lifestyle, I haven't really had pop tarts since. This recipe I am about to share with you is unbelievably easy to make - almost as easy as unboxing a pop tart and putting it in the toaster.

Making my favorite unhealthy recipes into healthier recipes that accommodate to my adult dietary needs is something I am super passionate about. So the gluten free and sugar free options are not necessary, but for myself I prefer it. I have a gluten sensitivity and I try my best to keep my sugar intake low.

These pop tarts only require TWO ingredients, they quickly air fry to golden flake-y perfection, and then get drizzled in a super simple, classic sweet icing. Oh. And don’t forget the sprinkles.

Roll. To get started with these gluten and sugar free pop tarts, roll out the two pie crusts to about a quarter of an inch thick onto a lightly floured surface. You may have to add a little of your own gluten free flour if its sticky and wet. 

Cut. Then, slice the pie dough into four rectangles or into equal squares. 

Fill. Next, spoon out two heaping tablespoons of tart filling in the middle of half of the dough rectangles but leave ½-inch around the edges. 

Crimp. Immediately lay one of the other rectangles on top, crimping the edges with a fork to seal the edges. Put two small holes in the top of each tart to release steam.

Preheat. Meanwhile, set the air fryer to 360 degrees F to preheat.

Spray. Then, spray the basket of the fryer with cooking spray and place each tart inside, leaving room on each side for air to circulate. 

Fry. Finally, arrange each tart in the air fryer basket in a single layer without touching each other. Then, cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges are a golden color. After that, transfer to a cooling rack.

Mix the icing. Last, use a small bowl to mix the ingredients for the icing. 

Cool. Let the tarts sit for about 30 minutes to cool completely before icing them. 

Frost. Last but not least, frost each pop tart and add some sprinkles! ENJOY!!

Mahalo for checking out this Crimson tavernorlando x Aly Marie recipe!  For more on Alyssa, check out her Instagram @alymariee._ and Lifestyle Blog for recipes and more!

About 4 years ago I became a Brand Ambassador for Crimson tavernorlando. A couple years later, here I am, sharing my recipes and tips on their blog. Creating my own recipes and seeing others create them for themselves, friends and family is something I am super passionate about. I am grateful for the opportunity to share them, not only on my own platforms, but through the Crimson tavernorlando community as well. I hope it inspires others to get creative with your own recipes and live a healthier lifestyle without limiting your favorite foods.

OK guys, I take my guac very very serious. I have made tons of different guacamole and have come to realize the most authentic guac is the best. This is for real the only recipe you will need. 

Avocado is a staple food in our house and has been for years now. It's also a really good way to get your healthy fats in. I love adding avocado to smoothes, avocado toast, eggs, fajitas, tacos. I for sure have avocado in one way or another daily. This recipe is best to snack with fresh veggies and tortilla chips, but also pairs wonderfully with a meal! Add to your at-home tacos and burritos - or on my personal favorite - Avocado toast with some eggs and extra sprouts and radishes!

Having this recipe as a base you can easily add in corn, spice for spicy guac, if you wanted to add some heat.

So in this particular recipe we held off on cilantro, not everyone in our household is a fan unfortunately for me because I am cilantros number one fan. 

I hope you enjoy this guac as much as we do!

Peel the avocados and cut out the pit. Dice the avocado. I honestly prefer it a little chunky but its your personal preference.

Finely chop or, better yet, press the Garlic using a garlic press. 

Add in Red Onion, Tomato, Peppers diced. 

Add Salt.

Squeeze Lime all over. 

Mix it up, garnish / add Cilantro if desired. 

Pair the final guac with your favorite chips, veggies, or meal! Enjoy!

Mahalo for checking out this Crimson tavernorlando x Aly Marie recipe!  For more on Alyssa, check out her Instagram @alymariee._ and Lifestyle Blog for recipes and more!

I think my absolute favorite thing about creating recipes is the challenge I get when I take an old unhealthy one and remake it with a healthy twist. 

My biggest weakness is my sweet tooth. I am big on creating healthy treat recipes that taste amazing, but don’t sway me from my goals. I also like to keep things simple; having recipes that are super straight forward that don’t require 347 different ingredients is nice too!

With this Banana Cream Pie Recipe, we love that it's as sweet as it is health-conscious! There's options to sub out the ingredients for various options that best suit your tastes and preferences, but at the end of the day, you don't have to omit the yummy flavor of pie out of your diet to feel healthy.

Have no regrets about indulging your sweet tooth with this guilt- free, 100 calorie per serving Banana Cream Pie recipe!

In the mood to mix it up? An amazing twist on strawberry shortcake can also be accomplished by simply replacing the bananas with fresh strawberries!

We used Gluten Free, Low Fat, and Sugar alternatives with these ingredients, but feel welcome to change these out with others if that suits your tastes better!

This recipe is about 100 calories per serving!

Mahalo for checking out this Crimson tavernorlando x Aly Marie recipe!  For more on Alyssa, check out her Instagram @alymariee._ and Lifestyle Blog for recipes and more!

For as long as I can remember, banana bread has been one of my top favorite snacks and treats. This one has a bit of protein in it, is gluten free, and still so dang delicious!

Eating banana bread brings me back to my childhood when my Mom would make banana bread loaves in mass and we'd toast small pieces for breakfast or a midnight snack. I especially love this recipe for not only bringing back a little piece of nostalgia, but also for re-creating that fresh-out-of-the-oven warmth in a personal portion.

If you're looking for a little snack, dessert, or breakfast, this recipe is an awesome and quick to make single serving or sharable option. Another thing you'll love is that this recipe is made up of ingredients that are healthier for your body than traditional banana bread recipes - with all the yummy flavors and deliciousness we all love!

Mahalo for checking out this Crimson tavernorlando x Aly Marie recipe!  For more on Alyssa, check out her Instagram @alymariee._ and Lifestyle Blog for recipes and more!

Whether you're a local to Oahu resident or someone stopping by the island for a vacation, getting 'ono (delicious) food is a way to engage in the local culture as well as support local business! With this in mind, we wanted to highlight Yelp's Top 10 Black-owned Restaurants on Oahu for you to try!

We hope you love trying out these local spots! We sure will on our end! 

Comment below which foods you're most looking forward to trying!