Cinnamon rolls with the flavors of fall! These rolls on their own have a subtle pumpkin flavor and are free of dairy, eggs, and refined sugar!

I know my posts have been a little less frequent than normal these past few months. To be honest, I’ve had a difficult time keeping up with everything. I started this blog a little over four years ago as an easier way to share the recipes I was posting on Instagram. I didn’t intend for it to happen, but within the first couple of years, my little blog grew into a profitable business. At first it was exciting because you’re making money doing what you love. You can work from home—in your pajamas—and just create content. It’s, like, the best job ever!

But it’s not as easy and straightforward as it sounds. In fact, it’s hard. I know people on the outside look at being a food blogger, or any blogger for that matter, as a bit of a joke job. Like, what do you do all day, bake cupcakes and cookies and take pictures of them? You post a couple of recipes a week? So what, anyone could do that. But what people don’t realize is all of the work that goes into blogging. Unlike a regular job that’s Monday–Friday, 9-5, you pretty much work from the time you get up until you go to bed, just about everyday of the week. I’m a one{wo}man show. I’m the dreamer, creator, recipe tester, stylist, photographer, videographer, adobe guru, designer, editor, writer, agent, contract negotiator, check writer, point of contact, wordpress trouble shooter, social media person, etc., and that’s on top of being a full-time homeschool mom.

It’s like, congratulations, you’re finally working from home full time, most bloggers’ dream come true, the only caveat is that it will consume your entire life.

Besides getting used to eating cold food, because dinner is your next blog post and you have to take pictures of it before you and your family can eat it, you begin to feel the pressure that comes with trying to build a business on your own. Gone are the days of simply sharing what you love. Now you’re searching Google trends and scouring the internet trying to create “viral” posts. Analytics, traffic patterns, page visits, SEO, and all of these other things that mean nothing to the average person become an obsession. Oh, and good luck taking time off because if you’re not consistently present on social media or the blog, followers will leave. You lose all the progress you’ve worked so hard get. So if you must go on vacation, you’ll have to work extra hard ahead of time and create enough posts and content to schedule to post while you’re away. And of course your followers will expect some sort of video or instastory of your vacation spot so you’ll just have to pop online each day while you’re gone to “update” everyone. No biggie. Comes with having the dream job.

Bloggers unknowingly begin to become people pleasers. We want to please our followers. “Let me know what I can do to make your life easier, happier, better!” But no matter how hard you work, you still can’t please everyone. People will gripe that you have too many ads on your site or someone will make a bunch of changes to your recipe and then get mad at you when it doesn’t turn out as expected. Or maybe they’ll make the recipe and just not like it. It happens and it’s okay. People are entitled to their opinion…though some people don’t have to be so mean when sharing theirs! 🙄

I don’t mean to cast blogging in a negative light, but I wanted to be open and honest about the struggle I’ve had this past year. I’m tired, burnt out, and my health is suffering for it. I got to such a low point that I seriously considered shutting everything down. I often wonder if my autoimmune condition was exasperated by years of unhealthy work habits and running myself ragged. Maybe sometimes our body does what it has to in order to slow us down.

On the other hand, I am thankful for the opportunity I’ve had to stay home and homeschool my kids while making money on the side. I’ve been hustling hard for years with little rest built in and it’s finally caught up with me. I’m an extremely driven person and don’t need a push from anyone to get things done. I focused so much on growing this business that I let it take precedence over time with my family, friends, and time for myself. Looking back, I recognize seven key things that led to this point of utter exhaustion and what I’m doing to change them.

• Take regular breaks—Time off was pretty much nonexistent my first few years of blogging. I posted to Instagram every single day for at least a couple of years. I even created extra recipes in advance to post if we went away, but to be honest, I didn’t have time for vacation. I’d much rather stay home and work. I even remember taking my laptop to friends’ houses for get togethers so I could work while there. I had no idea how to balance work and a social life. Obviously that attitude is not sustainable forever. There may be seasons of extreme busyness but there’s also need for rest and fun too. Two days off is the norm for most people working full-time and should be the case for full-time bloggers as well. I strive to take at least two days off a week, usually the weekends, unless I’m on a tight deadline for a job. And by off, I mean from everything—blog, email, photography, social media, etc.
• Rein in perfectionism—I’m a perfectionist to a fault so I wasted so much time and energy on pointless things, like reading posts over and over and over before I’d finally hit the publish button. I’d also meticulously edit photos, erasing every out of place crumb or spot on the table. I would take photos and hate them so much that’d I’d remake the dish and take them again. It was ridiculous. Thankfully I’ve learned to embrace imperfection and don’t spend time being meticulous on things that don’t matter. I give each post a quick read through one time before posting and I take a little more time touching things up as I’m shooting (checking for crumbs, specks, etc.) so I don’t have to do as much post process work.
• Schedule your day—This is still something I struggle with. I’m very free spirited and just do whatever I’m in the mood for, however it’s much more efficient to break up your day and put time limits on each task, such as 1 hour for email, 30 minutes for each social media platform, 3 hours for recipe development/testing, etc. This helps me not get stuck doing one particular task for too long and forces me to move on to other important things. You should also schedule a quitting time just like regular jobs have. It’s easy to overwork when you work at home, but whether it’s at 5 or 6 o’clock we need to mentally clock out and “leave the office,” so to speak, just like we would if we were working for someone else.
• Know when to put your phone down—I used to be pretty addicted to social media. I’d always be looking down at my phone, so much so that I began having neck pain. My whole family followed suit. We were that distracted family, always sitting together but on our own devices. I remember we were out at dinner somewhere and my phone had died so I was forced to look up for a change. I saw a family sitting across from us—a husband, wife, and two young kids. They were all on their phones/ipads and sat in silence. No one was talking or looking at each other. It made me so sad because that was my family. How much do we allow technology to distract us from the people around us? How present are we at the dinner table, when sitting on the couch with our family watching tv, or at a friend’s house? I have a general rule that I leave my phone in my purse when I’m out with friends or family. I may take a quick pic or video, but if I plan to upload it I won’t do it until later. This helps me stay present and focused on the people around me. It has drastically improved quality time with the people I care about.

• • Get inspired—I have a fine arts degree and while in college I got to take classes in photography, painting, printmaking, sculpting, drawing, etc. Even though I was getting graded on my projects, it was hardly work. It was so fun getting to try these different art forms and I found that I really loved to paint. After graduating, I took time to paint here and there, but then we moved and all of my art supplies were packed up and placed into the attic. I finally got them out to create some art for our house and it felt so good to do something creative and fun that had nothing to do with blogging. It’s important to take time for your hobbies and constantly look for things that inspire you, that help you to dream again. Draw, paint, work in the garden, go to a museum, watch a play, sign up for an art class, or finally do that thing you’ve always wanted to do, like horseback riding or skydiving. Read books about people who’ve accomplished great things or watch a Ted Talk. Take a day trip to a nearby city and explore. Fostering your creativity can help your productivity.
  • Take care of yourself—I’m totally speaking to myself on this one. I am that person who puts everyone else’s needs first. That’s what moms do. But like a car can only run so far on a single tank of gas, you can only give so much of yourself before your “tank” runs dry. For sustainability, it’s important to take care of yourself regularly. I’m bad about skipping meals, but you need fuel to keep going. It’s not just about eating, but eating foods that are good for your body. If I’m in a pinch for time, I’ll have a superfood smoothie with lots of greens to tie me over until I’m able to make a meal. Along with getting the right fuel, it’s also important to drink lots of water throughout the day. It satiates my hunger and keeps me from snacking all day too. If you’re bad about staying hydrated, try starting the day with a large bottle filled with water and make it a goal to finish it by lunch or end of the day. If you don’t like the taste of plain water, add some fresh berries, or slices of apples, oranges, cucumber, or lemon. Scheduling times for exercise each week is also important, even if it’s just a quick 15 minute HIIT or yoga workout. Sometimes I’ll ride the exercise bike while I watch a show so it feels like it goes by much more quickly. Getting plenty of sleep has made a world of difference for me as well. I’m a night owl, so it’s easy for me to stay up way too late working, especially after everyone’s gone to bed, but then I find myself really dragging the next day. It’s hard to focus when all you want to do is take a nap, so I try to get at least 8-10 hours of sleep per night. Which means, knowing when to close the laptop or put the phone down. 
  • Learn to say no—In the beginning, it’s tempting to take every opportunity that comes your way. You see dollar signs flashing and it’s easy to become overzealous and want to do them all. From the start I’ve been careful in choosing which opportunities to accept. For sponsored posts you have to ask yourself, would you use these products if you weren’t getting paid to use them? Also, is the pay worth your time? I used to think any money was better than no money, but some those drudge jobs sucked the joy out blogging, especially when I was doing a job I wasn’t getting adequately compensated for. I understand money is important. It’s why we continue to do this and what we need to pay for equipment, hosting, ingredients, and all of the other costs associated with blogging. But some jobs just aren’t worth it, especially if you lose the trust of your followers because your blog or Instagram feed has become a spammy billboard for mediocre products. I no longer do posts in exchange for free products and I hardly do sponsored posts anymore, unless I really like the brand. I’m getting more particular with the freelance photography work I take on too. To be honest, I’ve turned down a lot more opportunities than I’ve actually accepted, one of which was the opportunity to write a cookbook. I know it’s every food blogger’s dream to have a book of their own, it’s just not mine and I know it would require so much more time and energy from me than I’m able to give. I now know my limits and have finally learned the art of saying no.

 
Burnout can happen to anyone. You can be a blogger, school teacher, business owner, accountant, stay at home mom, male or female. It doesn’t discriminate. It creeps up on hard-working people and happens so slowly that one day, whether it be months or years later, you realize you’re a completely different person. Don’t shrug it off, the constant fatigue, stress, moodiness, lack of motivation, inability to focus, and overall feeling of dread when you think of work is not normal. Acknowledging the fact that you may be experiencing burnout is the first step in getting better. It also helps if you can talk with someone close to you about what you’re experiencing. Finally, make an appointment with your doctor to check if there are other medical conditions which could be the cause of your symptoms.

An appointment with my doctor revealed I was suffering with Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism. I was also deficient in iron, selenium, iodine, calcium, B-vitamins, and vitamin D, all of which contributed to my fatigue, depression, brain fog, hair loss, muscle aches, and a slew of other problems. I began feeling much better once I started taking the proper supplements. 

Have you or has anyone you’ve known experienced burnout? How did you or they cope?

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

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• Author: Joscelyn Abreu
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Yield: 12–15 1x

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Description

The trouble with adding pumpkin puree to cinnamon rolls is that too much of it can make the dough dense and keep it from rising properly. The trick to getting the pumpkin flavor to shine through is not just in the dough, but in adding pumpkin puree and/or spices to the filling and frosting. I also included a plain cream cheese frosting for those of you who prefer a more subtle pumpkin-y flavor.

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Ingredients

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Dough:

• 3–4 cups all-purpose flour, may need a bit more
• 1/4 cup coconut/cane sugar or other sweetener of choice
• 1 tablespoon instant rapid rise yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup warm milk of choice (heated to approx 115ºF. I used almond milk)
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/3 cup butter or oil of choice (I like avocado oil, olive oil, etc. Can also use dairy-free butter.)

Filling:

• 1/3–1/2 cup butter, softened not melted (can use dairy-free)
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice)

Cream Cheese Frosting: (pumpkin version below)

• 4 oz. cream cheese or mascarpone (can use dairy-free)
• 1 tablespoon softened butter, room temperature (can use dairy-free)
• 1–3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 3–4 tablespoons maple syrup or coconut sugar, use more or less to taste
• 1/2–3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (can also use cinnamon if you don’t have pumpkin pie spice) can use more or less to taste
• 4 oz. cream cheese (if using dairy-free, drain liquid first)
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened

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Instructions

1. Combine 2 cups of flour, sugar, instant yeast, spices, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add warm milk, pumpkin puree, and oil, blending until mixture is combined and smooth.
2. Knead in extra flour, a little at a time, until it forms a soft dough. Careful not to add too much flour or the rolls will be dry and hard. Will also add more as you roll it out.
3. Cover and let dough rest in a warm place for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine coconut sugar with spices and set aside.
4. Place dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a large rectangle.
5. Spread softened butter generously over the surface of the dough and top with the sugar/spice mixture.
6. Beginning at the long edge of the rectangle, tightly roll dough into a log.
7. You can use a sharp knife, but I prefer to cut each roll with dental floss, which doesn’t flatten them.
8. To use floss, place long string of floss under the rolled dough and criss cross the ends to cleanly slice the roll into equal slices.
9. Divide roll in half and then each half into six–seven equal portions, about 1 to 1-1/2 inch slices. Depending on how big your rolled out your rectangle, you may get more or less slices. Place slices into a 13×9 pan greased with butter or lined with parchment lined.
10. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until rolls have almost doubled in size. If your kitchen is cold you can turn your oven on for a few minutes and then turn it off so that it is slightly warm inside. Should be warm and not too hot to touch. Place pan into the oven to rise (make sure it’s turned off!) Close to the end of the rising time, remove pan and preheat your oven to 350ºF.
11. Place pan onto the middle rack and bake for 20–25 minutes, or just until rolls are lightly golden around the edges and centers are puffed. Don’t overbake.
12. Remove and let cool slightly before topping with frosting. Makes 12–15 rolls.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Blend together cream cheese, softened butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until creamy. Add a splash of milk if frosting is too thick. Spread frosting over warm rolls.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Combine pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice in a small saucepan and cook over medium–low heat until puree is smooth and thick, like pumpkin butter. Should only take a few minutes. Remove and let cool.
2. In a separate bowl, blend together the cream cheese and softened butter. Beat in cooled pumpkin mixture a spoonful at a time until frosting reaches desired taste and consistency. Add additional spices and/or sweetener as necessary. Due to the pumpkin addition, this frosting will be easily spreadable and not too thick. Slather frosting on warm pumpkin rolls.

• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Category: Dessert, Vegan, Refined Sugar Free

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Simple Cinnamon Rolls

Spelt Cinnamon Rolls

Triple Berry Sweet Rolls