This is a simple meal prep recipe or weeknight meal! The eggplant goes through a quick but easy brining process before it's roasted in the oven. Once cooked, you simply top it with the shredded chicken and drizzle some pesto over the top!

This recipe is super special to me! It’s the first recipe I created that was going to be featured by the local coffee shop! I knew I wanted something with a fall flavor but definitely didn’t want to do pumpkin. I narrowed down my LONG list to these pretty little Apple Butter Donut Holes!

Every part of the process was special, from the developing, to the taste testing, to the day they were officially for sale!

Now that it’s fall again, I’m so excited to make them for friends and family!

Favorite fall flavor: cinnamon or maple 

Halloween Candy: I tend to take all the Kit-Kats from my kids

Fall activity: all of them, except for Halloween! 

Seasonal drink: salted caramel whiskey in my coffee 

Next read: Didn’t See That Coming by Rachel Hollis 

Candy Corn, yay or nay?: that would be a hell no. gross.

Movement…

We are all in a constant state of movement. Whether it’s our bodies physically moving, or the constant motion of our lives. For me, I try to make sure that my body moves a little extra everyday. I work out regularly, choose the stairs, park farther away from the door, all on purpose and all to keep my body and mind healthy. The kind of movement I want to talk about, though, is life movement. There are three directions our lives can be moving.

One, is forward, and this is the best direction possible, it means you are headed in the right direction and usually towards happiness. It’s important to know, that you don’t have to be sprinting! Every step forward, no matter how slow or small, is a step towards greatness. Maybe for you, it’s a promotion at work, a goal you’ve been trying to achieve, peace of mind, or even just a healthier happier life. Keep moving forward!

Moving backward, the worst direction can really feel like you’re being drug through life. It’s heavy, bogs you down, sucks the joy out of your life, and usually feels there is no end in sight. There is an end though, it’s that one baby step FORWARD that you CHOOSE to take.

The last direction is lateral. These movements can be positive or negative and that’s usually determined by perspective. Is it a lateral movement that could someday get you closer to where you want to be? Or a lateral movement that you take because you’re trying to “sidestep” something? It’s okay to step sideways here and there, but not okay to make a habit out of it. That’s called complacency. 

My hope for you is that you’re moving physically to keep yourself healthy and that your life is moving forward towards whatever it is you want. Take a step sideways if you must, but don’t ever stop moving! 

If you're making this as a family meal and not for meal prep, it's so good to combine it all and top with cheese then put it back in the oven until that cheese is nice and bubbly!

We love this dish in my house! It's easy to do as meal prep, but we love it for dinner too! Sometimes we pile it on a piece of buttered toast (definitely the kid’s favorite) and sometimes just scoop it into a bowl with some extra salsa! I think it would be good in a tortilla but haven't tried it that way yet!