Hello Pumpkin Bars, Goodbye Pumpkin Body

I can't help it lately I have been making lots of goodies lately. So why is this overweight girl making all these yummy, fattening delectables? Good question. You see I've recently got a new lease on life. A new perspective.

The new perspective comes from a guy named Paul McKenna. He recently released a book called "I Can Make You Thin"(published by Sterling). It involves four basic concepts, which no doubt you will say to yourself, "duh, of course." But as a matter of fact, while the words are obvious, the actions are hard to do but quite literally the key to success. Really the golden key to weight loss success.

Number one: When you are hungry, EAT.
Number two: EAT WHAT YOU WANT, not what you think you should.
Number three: Eat CONSCIOUSLY and enjoy every mouthful.
Number four: When you think you are full, STOP eating.

I know it is all very simple really. I do none of this. But THAT is changing. You see he has found that overweight people (and some thin people too) obsess about food all the time and when they sit down to eat they shovel it in so rapidly that they really never taste it. Oh so true, I found.

I won't tell you everything about the book. It really is very interesting but the one thing it offers that is different from other weight loss books, is a hypnosis CD. I faithfully have listened to it for a couple weeks now. While I have not seen weight loss yet there is a definite shift in my eating habits, my thought processes and my overall mood even.

I will keep you posted with my results.

BTW - I did not feel the need to eat all of these amazing bars because I knew if in the future I wanted them, I could make more. (A subtle shift but you see the impact).

These pumpkin snickerdoodles were adapted from this recipe over at a Dozen Flours. I have to say that her recipe is a stroke of genius. We loved them!

Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars

Snickerdoodle Layer:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pumpkin Pie Layer:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree or canned

Glaze for drizzling:
1 oz white chocolate, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch pan and lay a piece of parchment paper across the pan, so that it extends the pan slightly.

To make snickerdoodle layer:
Sift together flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt and set aside. In large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Set aside.

In a mixer bowl, with a paddle attachment, mix together the pumpkin pie ingredients until well combined. Pour the mixture over the snickerdoodle layer, smoothing out the top.

Bake for 35-45 minutes (maybe more depending on your oven) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely (about an hour). They will deflate a bit and remain a bit pie-like on the top layer.

After the bars are completely cool, place the chopped white chocolate into a bowl or zip-lock bag and melt on low power. When it's completely melted, add the pumpkin pie spice and mix (or knead if using a zip lock bag). Use a spoon or cut a small corner off the bag and drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the bars and let it cool and harden.

Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan. Place on a cutting board and cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator but bring to room temperature before serving. Although they are plenty good cold.