Cinnamon Roll Pigs in a Blanket Dunkers [+ Video]

Oh, mama! We made this cinnamon roll pigs in a blanket recipe for breakfast the other day and it’s our new go to breakfast!

For this recipe we wrap a cinnamon roll around a sausage link to make the most delicious sausage dunkers. We will teach you how to make a maple butter sauce for dipping them in too. The combination of sweet and savory in a breakfast recipe is totally my jam! Remember our cinnamon bread bacon stuffing at Thanksgiving?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Johnsonville Italian Sausage. The opinions and text are all mine.

What are Pigs in a Blanket?

Pigs in a blanket are an appetizer or breakfast food consisting of small sausages wrapped in pastry.

I think everyone has heard of “pigs in a blanket” right? I certainly have and then when Cade and I were talking about what to do for our next post with Johnsonville, we knew we wanted to make a kid friendly Christmas breakfast recipe and I suddenly realized I don’t know anything. Then I said, what about our own version of pigs in a blanket, you know with the pancakes.

And Cade informed me that most pigs in a blanket recipes are actually hot dogs or franks in crescent dough or puff pastry. What?! All these years and I didn’t know! Well, this is still our breakfast take, cinnamon roll pigs in a blanket dunkers with a maple butter sauce.

That’s right, maple butter sauce. Cinnamon Rolls. And of course, breakfast sausage links.

Ingredients for Cinnamon Roll Pigs in a Blanket

For the sausage dunkers, all you need is 2 ingredients! So simple! For the maple butter sauce, you’ll need just a handful of ingredients, most of which you’ll have already at home. Here is what you will need:

• Grands Cinnamon Rolls
• Johnsonville Turkey Fully Cooked Breakfast Sausage: we chose to use precooked sausages to save on time but you can cook your own sausage if you prefer

Sharing some exciting exercises you can do with the cable machine.

Hi friends! How’s the day going? So happy you liked the chicken salad recipe!

So for today, let’s talk about this thing.

A long time ago, I wrote this post about the fairly intimidating cable machine. It kind of looks like a torture device. I also shared some of my favorite cable machine exercises.

I’ve found that it’s so easy to get into a gym routine and use the same tools for the same things. In order for me to really switch things up, I have to make a conscious effort. Today, per reader India’s request (thank you, India!) I thought I’d share some of the more unique uses for the cable machine.

Exciting Cable Machine Exercises

What Is A Cable Machine?

First of all, let’s go over the cable machine and what it is. It’s a piece of equipment (pic above) that you’ll see in almost every gym. The great thing about the cable machine is that it has adjustable pulleys so that you can target your entire body and do a variety of exercises. Pretty much any *traditional* strength training exercise can be done using the cable machine.

Are Cable Machines Effective

YES! You can adjust the resistance to make the exercise more challenging. With cable machines, you’re able to smoothly work through the fun range of motion for an exercise. I find that using this type of resistance encourages you to use your core to help stabilize. Make sure that you breathe as you brace your core and work through cable machine movements.

How To Use a Cable Machine

You’ll need to adjust the cable position, depending on the type of movement you plan to do. Overhead movements, like overhead triceps extensions and lat pulldowns, require the pulleys to be higher. Chest presses and flies require a mid-point setup. Deadlifts, biceps curls, and upright seated cable rows require a low setup.

Something to keep in mind: when you pull the prong out of the pulley system to slide it up or down, you’ll notice that the stack of weights for resistance will also move. An easy way to prevent this is to put your hand ON TOP of the stack of weights before adjusting the cable pulley. Keep your fingers away from the stack of weights. If it drops down, it can pinch your finger(s). If you need help with pulley setup, ask a trainer at your gym or studio and they will show you how to use it safely.

Here are some favorite exercises! I tried to choose exciting ones outside of the usual biceps curls, cable crossover,

Compound:

Squat and row

Source

Make sure to keep your weight in your heels

Hi friends! I have a new podcast episode up with my good friend Kate Ares. 

Here’s what we talk about:

– Her *many lives* and her amazing background and story

– Immune system tips as we head into the holidays and winter season

– Her experience navigating food allergies for her children and how they’ve improved their allergies

– Her tips for staying Healthy in Real Life

and so much more.

Here’s more about Kate and her background:

Hi! I am Kate Ares. I am a registered nurse, nurse coach, and mother. My husband, Nate, and I have two daughters, Elora and Olive, a son, Bowman, and our first baby, a German Shepard, Willow. Throughout my life and career, I have found that I am passionate about helping people build confidence through self-trust, discipline and curiosity. It is through my personal journey I discovered my path in becoming and creating The Wholesum Nurse.

You can check out her Instagram here and her website here.

More resources from this episode:

I love love love the meals from Sakara Life! Use this link and the code XOGINAH for 25% off their meal delivery and clean boutique items (early Black Friday deal). This is something I do once a month as a lil treat to myself and the meals are always showstoppers.

If any of my fellow health professional friends are looking for another way to help their clients, I highly recommend IHP. You can also use this information to heal yourself and then go one to heal others, which I think is a beautiful mission. You can absolutely join if you don’t currently work in the health or fitness industry; many IHPs don’t begin on this path. They’re friends who are passionate to learn more about health and wellness, and want to share this information with those they love. You can do this as a passion, or start an entirely new career.

You can use my referral link here and the code FITNESSISTA for up to $250 off the Integrative Health Practitioner program. I highly recommend it! Read more

Sharing a full Thanksgiving menu that’s entirely gluten-free! Check out the details below. 

Hi friends! How’s the week going? I hope you’re having a great one so far. I’m here cranking through work and really, really looking forward to Thanksgiving next week – my favorite holiday!

Thanksgiving is almost always celebrated with an elaborate spread of food, desserts, and drinks, and some traditional Thanksgiving dishes, such as gravy, stuffing, casserole, etc. may contain gluten. Some members of your family (or you!) may have gluten intolerances or may be gluten-free. Planning a gluten-free Thanksgiving menu may seem daunting, but how there are plenty of gluten-free dishes you can prepare that are just as good as any traditional Thanksgiving recipes. Today, I’m sharing a gluten-free Thanksgiving menu to help you create a spread everyone can enjoy!

*Note: if any family members are Celiac, please be extra mindful of cross-contamination. 

Here is a roundup of delicious meals that you can enjoy on Thanksgiving – all of these are gluten-free, and many of them are vegan, too!

Gluten-free Thanksgiving Menu

The Best Thanksgiving Turkey in all the land

The turkey is the star of the show, and while it can seem daunting, it’s really super easy with this foolproof brine recipe. It makes the turkey super moist and delicious!!

The easiest turkey gravy

This recipe is not designed to be gluten-free, but just swap out the flour for your favorite gluten-free flour. I love Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking blend.

Sweet Potato Casserole

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Without any added sugars at all, these Whipped Sweet Potatoes are one of the best sweet potato dishes I have ever tasted. Fluffy, creamy, sweet, and fragrant with vanilla, these whipped sweet potatoes are so good, you just might find yourself choosing a second helping for dessert in lieu of pie.

I know. It sounds made up. Someone would choose a ladle full of sweet potatoes over a slice of pie? With these whipped sweet potatoes, it actually happens. These creamy, fluffy sweet potatoes are far more than your run-of-the-mill mashed potatoes.

Whipped Sweet Potatoes

In this recipe, the sweet potatoes are roasted until they are bursting with rich flavor. The color is intense and the flavor is almost indescribable.

The roasting step makes such a difference to the final flavor compared with boiling or steaming the spuds. That time in the oven brings out a robust flavor that pairs well with the fragrant vanilla whipped in.

Vanilla Whipped Sweet Potatoes

The addition of vanilla provides a delicious undertone to this sweet potato side dish. Then, a generous helping of butter and real cream take these whipped sweet potatoes to a level I can only compare with a warm mousse.

What makes these potatoes whipped? Instead of mashing the roasted sweet potatoes by hand, I used a food processor to combine the ingredients and achieve that fluffy, mousse-like texture. 

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