WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

This salad is one our family favorites.  

It's my go to meal because it's so tasty and easy!

Dorito Taco Salad Recipe
1 lb. ground beef

1 head iceberg lettuce, cleaned and torn into bite site pieces

1 envelope of taco seasoning (do not add water)

1 medium sized tomato, diced

1 bag of nacho Doritos

1 bottle French Dressing

1 ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef. Drain fat. Toss with dry taco seasoning.  Set aside until cool. In a large bowl add lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. Then right before you serve it add the beef, Doritos and dressing and mix.

Miracles and Moments of Grace: Inspiring Stories from Moms by Nancy B. Kennedy

Book Description:  Hear touching and inspiring stories from women who have taken on the toughest, yet most rewarding, assignment of their lives--motherhood!

In Miracles & Moments of Grace: Inspiring Stories from Moms, fifty mothers--from new moms to seasoned moms--share their most memorable moments. From the hilarious to the heartbreaking, these stories reveal the depth of a mother's love and her delight at wearing the title of ''Mom.''One mother tells a lyrical bedtime tale of her daughter's adoption. Another shares a stark story of taking in a runaway Amish boy. The mother of an autistic boy shares her story of three magical days with him, and yet another takes a startling phone call from her adult son, who has made a heart-stopping decision.  "God believes in mothers," one woman says in relating the harrowing birth of her child. In these stories, God does indeed speak clearly to the heart of mothers. One mother awakens in the middle of the night burdened to pray for her son. Another mother hears a voice calling her to go to her pregnant daughter, no matter that they are separated by many miles. Lives are changed--and saved--by the faithful actions of loving mothers. The mothers in these stories all have one thing in common--they adore their children, they are in awe of them at times, and they wouldn't trade a single moment of their lives.

My Thoughts:   This is an interesting read with many different "voices." 

Fifty moms, from the newbie to the well seasoned mom, give their "take" on the ups and downs of motherhood.

I enjoyed all the memories but the one that caught my interest the most was the memory by Lori Gard, Mother's Day Mania.  In this memory Lori recalls a special Mother's Day  . . .  "The day carries so many expectations and so much pressure.  I'm not sure I can handle more that one day of special treatment per year -  it might just do me in."  

As you can see there is quite a bit of humor intermingled throughout these memories.

So, whether you're new to motherhood or a more experienced mom, this is a most wonderful read that will inspire you and, maybe, like me, make you know that you're not the only mom on the planet who experiences the griefs and joys of motherhood.

This would make an excellent Mother's Day gift for that special mom or grandma on your list and then write out on decorated paper your special memory of your mom or grandma.

About the Author:

I am a long-time writer and editor. For many years, I was a financial writer for magazines and newspapers, including the online Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, and for companies in the financial services industry, including Merrill Lynch. Before that, I edited the Wall Street Journal and Barron's for a Dow Jones financial data service.
My newest book, Miracles & Moments of Grace: Inspiring Stories from Moms, released from Leafwood Publishers in March 2013. In it, I share fifty stories of memorable moments from moms who are in all phases of motherhood, from new moms to empty nest moms. It is the third title in the series, following collections of stories from doctors and military chaplains.
My book of weight loss success stories, How We Did It: Weight Loss Choices That Will Work for You (Leafwood, 2012), tells thirty stories of personal weight loss success and examines the many paths people took to success -- every weight loss plan you can imagine from Atkins to the Zone.
My two children's books, Make It, Shake It, Mix It Up and Even the Sound Waves Obey Him, pair simple science activities with stories of faith. I also write articles and personal essays for books and magazines, including the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, many of which you can read at my website www.nancybkennedy.com.

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Leafwood Publishers 
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891124047
• ISBN-13: 978-0891124047

Summer Dream {Seasons of the Heart, Book One} by Martha Rogers

Book Description:  The first book in the Seasons of the Heart series is set in Connecticut in 1888, the year of what historians call “The White Hurricane.” The story reveals the power of God’s love to change lives and heal hearts. Summer Dream tells of a young couple’s love for each other and the obstacles that stand in their path of happiness. Until Nathan Reed resolves his anger with God and his family, he has no hopes of courting Rachel Winston, the minister’s daughter.

As the daughter of a small-town minister in Connecticut, Rachel Winston believes the only way she’ll ever have a husband is to visit her aunt in Boston for the social season until Nathan Reed arrives in town. Although attracted to Rachel, Nathan avoids her because he has no desire to become involved with a Christian after experiences with his own family. When a devastating blizzard paralyzes New England, Nathan is caught in it and lies near death in the Winston home. Through the ministrations and tender care of Rachel and her mother, Nathan learns a lesson in love and forgiveness that leads him back to his home in the South. Before he can declare his love for Rachel, he must make amends with his own family. Will he return to Connecticut before Rachel leaves her home to head west as a missionary in Oklahoma Territory?

My Review:  As the daughter of a minister I enjoy stories that tell the tale of pastor's daughters.  In Summer Dream we meet Rachel, daughter of a small-town minister with many decisions to make.  Nathan is a likable guy with many decisions of his own to make.  

Nathan and Rachel seem like the perfect couple and Rachel would like to marry so when Nathan leaves town to get some answers....Rachel would like to marry, even though, she feels that she is "called" to the mission field in the Oklahoma Territory. So, she decides that she will go visit her aunt who lives in Boston.  Low and behold!  Nathan makes an appearance!  But he seems more interested in Amy.

Then the "White Hurricane" hits Connecticut.  The "White Hurricane" was a great history lesson, as I have never read of this before.  

The storm catches Nathan off guard and nearly dies.  He is nursed back to health by Rachel and her mother.  This gives Rachel a chance to use some of her "missionary callings." 

I enjoyed Summer Dream because it is not just a romance but also a great historical read about the early days in Connecticut.

History mixed with God's abounding grace and a pinch of romance to make a grand read!

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

We don't like Kidney beans so I use navy beans.  

Sometimes I use pinto.

Hostage In Havana by Noel Hynd

Book Description:  When Alexandra LaDuca illegally enters Cuba on the trail of an unsolved mystery, she gets more than she imagined. The stakes? Her life … plus a decades-old mystery to be solved, a pile of cash, and an unlikely defector. Espionage and unexpected romance smolder together in this exciting thriller set in Cuba’s isolated capital.

My Review:  Noel Hynd brings another great read in Hostage In Havana the first book in the Cuban Trilogy!  

Fiesty U.S. Treasury agent, Alexander LaDuca (Alex for short) has found out that "The Dosi family is planning a counterattack....They've been hired to kill you." (p. 72) In the next few pages the action, the adventure and the romance are all spell bounding!

Alex has two missions that she must accomplish:  First, she must meet up

with Roland Violette, an exiled agent, who has traded names of undercover spies around the world for money, and bring him back to the United States. Secondly, she'll pose as Paul Guarneri's wife so that he can relocate hundreds of thousands of dollars that were hidden somewhere in Cuba by his father before the family escaped  "The Regime."

Then there's that assassin who uses the "a new bullet that was a head of the glass technology used by Mercedes Benz . . . Quite an efficient bit of shooting from a about four hundred meters at a fast-movingcar." (p. 73)

This read is a wonderful mix of smooth talking agents and rough cohorts that creates quite a spicy adventure!

If you've read the Russian Trilogy then you'll be familiar with Alex and the people she met that helped her with her spiritual journey.  If you haven't read the Russian Trilogy you won't be lost when you read this book.

This is one of those GREAT suspense novels that is a must read for summer!

*This book was provided for review by Zondervan*

The Russian Trilogy:

BUY BOOK HERE!

About the Author:

Noel Hynd lives in Culver City, California. He has over four million books in print throughout the world and is the bestselling author of the highly acclaimed novels The Enemy Within, Flowers from Berlin, and Cemetery of Angels, and the previous titles in the Russian Trilogy, Conspiracy in Kiev, Midnight in Madrid, and Countdown in Cairo.

Write to Zondervan authors or their estates in care of Zondervan. Your mail will be forwarded as soon as possible, but please note that the author might not be able to respond personally. Email zauthor@zondervan.com or send postal mail to:

Noel Hynd

c/o Zondervan

ATTN: Author Care

5300 Patterson SE

Grand Rapids, MI 49530

Quiet The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Book Description:  At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion; who favor working on their own over brainstorming in teams. Although they are often labeled "quiet," it is to introverts that we owe many of the great contributions to society--from van Gogh’s sunflowers to the invention of the personal computer.

Passionately argued, impressively researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet shows how dramatically we undervalue introverts, and how much we lose in doing so. Taking the reader on a journey from Dale Carnegie’s birthplace to Harvard Business School, from a Tony Robbins seminar to an evangelical megachurch, Susan Cain charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal in the twentieth century and explores its far-reaching effects. She talks to Asian-American students who feel alienated from the brash, backslapping atmosphere of American schools. She questions the dominant values of American business culture, where forced collaboration can stand in the way of innovation, and where the leadership potential of introverts is often overlooked. And she draws on cutting-edge research in psychology and neuroscience to reveal the surprising differences between extroverts and introverts.Perhaps most inspiring, she introduces us to successful introverts--from a witty, high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who quietly taps into the power of questions. Finally, she offers invaluable advice on everything from how to better negotiate differences in introvert-extrovert relationships to how to empower an introverted child to when it makes sense to be a "pretend extrovert."This extraordinary book has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how introverts see themselves.

My Review:  Quiet  The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain was such an eye opening read for me. 

I am an introvert...no it's not a bad word!  It simply means I like quiet and time to process my thoughts.  And yes!  I can talk too.

While reading Quiet I learned so much that I had misunderstood.  Not just about myself but about others, too.  For example, on page 226, "Is something wrong with me?....Probably the most common - and damaging - misunderstanding about personality type is that introverts are antisocial and extroverts are pre-social.  But as we've seen, neither formulations is correct; introverts and extroverts are differently social."  This statement gave me SUCH freedom.  

We, as people, are all created differently and uniquely.  One of my uncles is energized by people.  He loves to talk and talk to people he doesn't know.  He loves to be surrounded by people and is energized by their thoughts and talking.  On the other hand, my dad, his brother, loves to work in the garage building wonderful pieces of furniture or toys.  I love them both and they both have a special place in this world even though one is an extrovert and one is an introvert.

Reading this book was like drinking a tall refreshing glass cold lemonade.  Just the right amount of "sour" with the tingling, refreshing feel of "sweet."  

I loved the conclusion of this read...the "blueprint."  Ms. Cain tells us to put ourselves in the right lighting.  Some of us need Broadway lights and some need a lamplit desk.  

I was impressed with the insights of this read.  A great read for all...no matter if you're an introvert or an extrovert!

*This book was provided by Waterbrook/Multnomah for review*

Meet the Author: 

Hi, I'm Susan Cain, author of the forthcoming book, "QUIET: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" (Crown Publishers in the U.S., Viking/Penguin in the U.K., Jan. 2012).

Before I became a writer, I practiced corporate law for seven years, representing clients like Goldman Sachs and General Electric. Then I started a negotiation consultancy, training all kinds of people, from hedge fund managers to TV producers to college students negotiating their first salaries. My clients have included Merrill Lynch, Shearman & Sterling, One Hundred Women in Hedge Funds, and many more. I went to Princeton University and Harvard Law School.

From this you might guess that I'm a hardcore, wonderfully self-confident, pound-the-table kind of person, when in fact I'm just the opposite. I prefer listening to talking, reading to socializing, and cozy chats to group settings. I like to think before I speak (softly). I've never given a speech without being terrified first. And somehow I know that everything I've ever accomplished, in love and in work, I owe to these traits, annoying though they may sometimes be. I've explored this paradox in my book.

I live on the banks of the Hudson River in an 1822 captain's cottage with my beloved husband and sons. My favorite activities are reading, writing, lounging around cafés, and doing the mambo with my family. I use a lot of old-fashioned expressions. A few times a year, I try to like cooking. I'm insatiably curious about human nature. I'm a proud member of the Invisible Institute, a small authors group whose members include Pulitzer Prize winners, New York Times bestselling authors, and some of the most inspiring human beings in New York City.

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Crown
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307352145
• ISBN-13: 978-0307352149
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1.1 x 9.6 inches

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

Mix all ingredients together.  

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Eyes of Justice (A Triple Threat Novel) by Lis Wiehl and April Henry

Book Description:  The Triple Threat Club has solved intense murder mysteries before…but this time it's personal.

Cassidy, Allison, and Nicole fight for justice every day-Cassidy as a crime reporter, Nicole as an FBI agent, and Allison as a federal prosecutor. Together they're a Triple Threat to be reckoned with. 

But when a ruthless murderer kills one of their number-and the authorities seem intent on keeping them out of the investigation of the crime-their desire for justice goes into overdrive. They find an unexpected ally in a quirky private investigator named Ophelia whose methods confound the wise.

Yet just when it seems police have the killer in custody and justice is within sight, he somehow strikes again. Not knowing whom to trust, the team  engage in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with the killer. Nothing can be taken at face value…and nothing will ever be the same. 

A riveting Triple Threat mystery that will leave readers shocked and satisfied.

My Review:  Ever since I read Hand of Fate by Lis Wiehl and April Henry I've been hooked on the Triple Threat Club.

The three friends, Cassidy, Nicole and Allison call themselves the Triple threat Club ever since they shared that wonderful dessert with more.chocolate.than.the.law.should.allow!  Their friendship and love of all things chocolate has endeared them to my heart...like long-lost-friends.

But wait...ahhh! oh!no! one of the three is killed and the other two are out to find the killer...ahhhh!  I sure didn't see this coming and not sure I like it but oh!too!real!

Now the team of two friends are in a deadly and intense "game" of cat and mouse...seeking a killer who seems to know their every move.

The reader is taken through the judicial system, what really happens in an FBI office and taken through the "hoops" of the TV station.  Very realistic and yet, imaginative!

There are more twists and turns than a dark mountainous road on a rainy evening!  Just when the reader thinks "I know who did it!", boom another twist. 

I love how the authors weave a great story combining chick lit, suspense and a not-preachy but stay-on-the-right-track read.

This is a stand alone read but I suggest that you read the others too...it will give you the background for the tight knit friendship and why we will all mourn the loss of one of our Triple Threat Sisters.  Even though the authors have brought in another to replace the deceased, I am curious if there will be any more Triple Threat mysteries?  I'd love to see this series continue!

Meet the Authors:

Lis Wiehl is a New York Times best-selling author, Harvard Law School graduate, and former federal prosecutor. A popular legal analyst and commentator for the Fox News Channel, Wiehl appears on The O'Reilly Factor and Imus in the Morning, and was co-host with Bill O'Reilly on the radio for seven years.

April Henry: I write mysteries and thrillers. I live in Portland, Oregon with my family.

When I was 12, I sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to Roald Dahl, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He took it to lunch and showed it to the editor of an international children's magazine - and she asked to publish the story! (For no money, which might have been a warning about how hard it is to make a living writing.)

My dream of writing went dormant until I was in my 30s, working at a corporate job, and started writing books on the side. Those first few years are now thankfully a blur. Now I'm very lucky to make a living doing what I love. I have written 13 novels for adults and teens, with more on the way. My books have gotten starred reviews, been picked for Booksense, translated into four languages, been named to state reading lists, and short-listed for the Oregon Book Award. And Face of Betrayal, which I co-wrote with Lis Wiehl, was on the New York Times bestseller list for four weeks.

I also review literary fiction, YA literature, and mysteries and thrillers for the Oregonian, and have written articles for both The Writer and Writers Digest.

In 2012, look for two books: The Night She Disappeared, a teen thriller, and Eyes of Justice, co-written with Lis Wiehl.

The Chase by Diann Mills

Book Description:  To the FBI it's a cold case. To Kariss Walker it's a hot idea that could either reshape or ruin her writing career. And it's a burning mission to revisit an event she can never forget. Five years ago, an unidentified little girl was found starved to death in the woods behind a Houston apartment complex. A TV news anchor at the time, Kariss reported on the terrifying case. Today, as a New York Times bestselling author, Kariss intends to turn the unsolved mystery into a suspense novel. Enlisting the help of FBI Special Agent Tigo Harris, Kariss succeeds in getting the case reopened. But the search for the dead girl's missing mother yields a discovery that plunges the partners into a witch's brew of danger. The old crime lives on in more ways than either of them could ever imagine. Will Kariss's pursuit of her dream as a writer carry a deadly price tag? Drawing from a real-life cold case, bestselling novelist DiAnn Mills presents a taut collage of suspense, faith, and romance in The Chase.

My Review:  Diann Mills believes that "her readers should expect adventure."  So, quite frankly, if you don't love action and adventure DON'T read this book!  I adore action, adventure and suspense in a christian read!  So, you guessed it!  Diann Mills has become one of my "most favortist" authors.

Now in, The Chase, the action begins on page one!  As the reader opens the book and begins reading...two things are immediately established...there will be sadness and there will be triumphant.  

Kariss is one of those characters who is so believable that the reader wonders, "Have I met her in real life?"  And Agent Tigo?  He's the kind.of.guy we all would like to have watching our back!

This adventure takes quite a toll on the reader!  I experienced so many emotions while reading The Chase...fear {um, quite real!}, sadness {can people really live this way} and triumphant {God allows the good guys to always overcome!}.

Such a fantastic read!  I was truly wishing for book 2 when I finished this book!

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan 
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310333172
• ISBN-13: 978-0310333173

Happy Easter!

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

WOW! {Warm Oven Wednesday}

Beauty To Die For by Kim Alexis & Mindy Starns Clark

Book Description:  Juliette Taylor walked away from her career as a supermodel twenty-five years ago. Now approaching fifty – an emotionally complex milestone -- she co-owns a beauty supply company that makes skincare products for salons and spas. Her niche is pampering Christian women who usually spend more time caring for others than for themselves under the slogan:Isn’t it time someone took care of YOU for a change? When Juliette arrives at the Palm Grotto Spa to host a spiritual retreat, she runs into an old modeling colleague, Raven, who had always been disliked in the industry for many reasons. She isn’t there for the retreat; in fact, her presence at the spa is somewhat mysterious.Not long after Raven makes a cryptic threat to Juliette, the unsympathetic back-then beauty is found dead, poisoned by something in the green clay of a chai soy wrap. The following morning, a banner for the retreat has been unceremoniously altered:It’s your turn to be nurtured, to be restored . . . to be murdered. Suspicion is directed at Juliette who has history with Raven and certainly knows how to use beauty products. But for murder?! Now she must find the real killer before the police really take care of her.

My Review:  I always enjoy books by Mindy Starns Clark, so was excited to read a mystery about beauty and spas, as well as, christian romance.

Juliette is a likable woman who was once a lonely supermodel.  Juliette now has her own creative line of face cleansers and lotions.  These high end facial products are used at a pricey but lovely spa.

Juliette is on her way to the spa and for a weekend of giving to other women who help others all the time.  But at the airport she meets up with Raven.  Now, Raven, is a diva, a days gone.bye.supermodel, with a bad attitude.  Unfortunately, it seems that Raven is on her way to the same spa as Juliette.

Juliette makes it to the spa as does Raven...only it seems that Raven may have more enemies than friends when she ends up dead after a spa treatment.

This suspense novel starts out great and keeps the reader guessing...who killed Raven and how?

This emotional look into the lives of models and how lonely a super model can be is quite interesting.  The mystery is well written and keeps the reader guessing.  

This is Christian chick lit at its best!

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433672936
• ISBN-13: 978-1433672934

THE GUEST BOOK by Marybeth Whalen

Book Description:  When Macy Dillon was five years old her father encouraged her to draw a picture in the guestbook of a Carolina beach house. The next year, Macy returned to discover a drawing by an unidentified little boy on the facing page. Over the next eleven years the children continue to exchange drawings … until tragedy ends visits to the beach house altogether. During her final trip to Sunset, Macy asks her anonymous friend to draw her one last picture and tells him where to hide the guest book in hopes that one day she will return to find it—and him. Twenty-five years after that first picture, Macy is back at Sunset Beach—this time toting a broken family and a hurting heart. One night, alone by the ocean, Macy asks God to help her find the boy she never forgot, the one whose beautiful pictures touched something deep inside of her. Will she ever find him? And if she does, will the guestbook unite them or merely be the relic of a lost childhood?

My Review:  THE GUEST BOOK by Marybeth Whalen is a summer read...well, it's set in beach house/beach front setting.  Actually, it can be read any time of the year but sometimes it's so nice to read a story that actually coincides with the season.

Macy Dillon is an artist.  When she was five she left a picture in the guest book of a Carolina beach house.  The next year when her family returned there was a drawing left on the facing page by an unidentified buy.  So, for the next eleven years Macy and "the boy" leave each other pictures until tragedy ends her visits to the beach house!  Macy frantically scribbles a note to the boy on her last day at the beach house, "You can hide the guest book under the loose floorboard in the closet of the room I've come to think of as mine..."

An then twenty-five years later Macy takes her own little broken family to the same Sunset Beach.  

Macy's faith is failing.  She has made some mistakes. She is raising a sweet child, Emma, whose father left when Emma was born.  Her job seems so dead end and she feels empty.  And then she and her mom decide to go back to the beach house where their family shared so many good times.

Macy wants Emma to experience the good times of the beach house, too, but she truly has hopes the "boy" who exchanged pictures with her all those years just might be there too.  

An interesting Christian romance with true ups and downs of life.  Life isn't perfect but God can bring it all together when you trust in Him.

Meet the Author: 

• Marybeth Whalen is the wife of Curt and mom of six children. The family lives outside Charlotte, NC. Marybeth is the author of the novels "The Mailbox," "She Makes It Look Easy" and the upcoming "The Guest Book". She also serves as director of She Reads, an online book club focused on spotlighting the best in women's fiction. Marybeth spends most of her time in the grocery store but occasionally escapes long enough to scribble some words. She's always at work on her next novel. You can find her online at www.marybethwhalen.com.
  
  
• 
  
• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan 
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310334748
• ISBN-13: 978-0310334743

The Traitor's Pawn By: Lisa Harris

Book Description:  FBI agent Jack Shannon heads to Corpus Christi to discover who's selling government secrets to the Chinese. When a senator is shot and his companion---who happens to be Jack's first love---is kidnapped, the case and Jack's past become entangled. Will he be able to rescue Aubrey and stop the traitor?

My Thoughts:  Since we're all living in a unprecedented time and have LOADS of time on our hands...well, mostly.  It's a great time to read!

This is such a great action, suspense, and somewhat romantic thriller that I could hardly put it down.  Which was great because I didn't have to.  😊

Not only does this story take place in Texas but it has all the markings of a deal gone wrong.

When FBI agent Jack Shannon needs to find out who in the world is selling government secrets he heads to Corpus Christi, Texas.  But he is in for a surprise and not necessarily a good one.  When Aubrey, his first love, is kidnapped Jack goes into ballistic mode (okay, I made that phrase up) but you know, he's off the leash and ready to fight to free Aubrey.  

Lisa Harris is a favorite suspense author of mine.  She writes like the reader is running on the pages of her story.  Every once in awhile the reader has to put the book down to grab a fresh breath of air and a sip of coffee for strength .

What a story!

*This book was provided for review by Revell Reads*

Title: The Traitor's Pawn
By: Lisa Harris
Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 336
Vendor: Revell
Publication Date: 2020

WOW! {Warm Oven Wednesday}

Sometimes I just need something chocolate! 

 And this is one of the best chocolate muffin recipes I found on Pinterest!

*of course, I didn't have some of the ingredients so changed it up a bit =)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed (No coconut oil so used canola =)
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 cups white whole wheat flour (I just used regular flour, turned out fine)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate ( I didn't have dark chocolate so used chocolate chips =)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and spray a muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. In the bowl of a stand-up mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine juice, oil, and brown sugar. Blend on medium-low until mixture is well-combined.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and cinnamon.
4. Add flour mixture to oil mixture and blend on low to combine. Scrape down bowl and blend again until moistened. Stir in chocolate.
5. Divide batter into muffin cups and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched.
6. Place the muffin pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Invert muffins onto the wire rack to continue cooling or serve them ooey gooey warm