Calling All Sponsors | November 2013

I've been really happy with the increase in traffic on Freckled Italian since I moved in August and started treating this blog less like a hobby and more like a job, so now is the perfect time to get on board and be a sponsor! I post 4-6 times per week and amplify all posts to Facebook and Twitter at least once each day. I also occasionally share blog posts on Instagram, Pinterest, and Google +. My readers are smart and kind and predominantly female. They love food, authenticity, personal style, pretty things, great brands, and awesome small businesses.

Current audience stats:
1,600+ GFC readers
1,180+ on Bloglovin'
1,600+ Twitter followers
Avg. 2,500 pageviews per day
(During the week, I usually see between 2,800 and 3,000 pageviews)

My featured ad is actually booked through March, but I have regular and small ad spaces available to begin today, if you're ready! (If you'd like your spot to begin on November 1st, that's fine--just send me an email when you book your space and I can change the start date.) For more information on what's included with each ad or to reserve your spot, visit my sponsor page and, as always, please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments!

Quick links:

I'm looking forward to working with some of you soon!
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Twin Cities Coffee | Spyhouse Coffee Roasting Company in Minneapolis
I am so happy that I've always lived somewhere with great coffee shops.

Spyhouse Coffee Roasting Company has three cozy locations around Minneapolis. Rob and I have managed to visit each one over the past two weeks. Our favorite is the one on Broadway, but these photos were taken at the one on Nicolette. 

They're all awesome, and they all have almond milk! It's not homemade, but it is delicious and they steam it perfectly to compliment their amazing espresso. I'm usually a black coffee/espresso/plain latte drinker, but they have a menu of creative specialty drinks that I had to try something different the first two times I went. I've had The Spygirl, which is a latte with honey and lavender syrup; and the Mexican Mocha, which is spicy and chocolaty and delicious.






I love coffee, and I especially love being able to get a dairy-free latte that isn't with soy milk. Spyhouse, you're awesome!

Spyhouse Coffeeshops
2451 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55404

945 Broadway St NE
MinneapolisMN 55413

2404 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55405

Food (Coffee) 5/5
Service 4/5
Atmosphere 5/5
Prices & Specials 3/5
Paleo-Friendly 4.5/5

Any other coffee-shop recommendations for me here in Minneapolis?
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Guest Post | Recipe: Paleo Pumpkin Maple Scones
Today I have a guest post for you from the darling Ksenija of With An Open Mind. She's made some delicious seasonal treats for you--and they're Paleo, too! I hope you enjoy. Here's Ksenija:

Happy Tuesday, Freckled Italian readers. I am Ksenija from With An Open Mind and delighted to be guest posting on Megan's lovely blog today. Blogging is an outlet for me to share my various passions from healthy living and recipe developing to travelling the world and online marketing.

I am a foodie at heart and thus I was more than happy to work on a seasonal Paleo scone recipe to share with you. Do you remember the delicious PPSL (Paleo Pumpkin Spice Latte) Megan wrote about last October? I wanted my scones to be something to eat alongside a steaming cup of PPSL, using similar ingredients, and be easy to prepare. For those of you not following a Paleo diet, don't worry: I shared my scones with friends and family and they were a big hit. Nutty, soft and satisfying, while also healthy, dairy-free and gluten-free.


Yields 12 scones
Ingredients for the scones:
2 cups almond flour 
2 T coconut flour 
1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp ground cloves, 1/8 tsp nutmeg (or 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice) 
pinch of sea salt 
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup pumpkin puree 
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
1 T coconut oil 
1.5 eggs 
2 T maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon 
1 tsp maple syrup 
0.5 egg

Ingredients for the glaze:
1 tsp pumpkin puree 
1.5 tsp coconut cream (the seperated upper part in the can) *or coconut oil 
1 tsp almond butter 
1 T maple syrup 
dash of cinnamon 
dash of sea salt 
dash of vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 180 °C (350 F).
2. Mix all of the dry ingredients first: almond and coconut flour, spices, salt and soda. In a second bowl mix pumpkin puree, vanilla, coconut oil, egg and maple syrup. Add wet ingredients to the dry. Incorporate until you get a dough. It won't be quite kneadable and remains a bit sticky.
3. Sprinkle some almond flour on a lined baking tray, place the dough in the middle of the tray and start forming a circular shape with wet hands. It should be a bit less than 1 inch thick. Cut into 12 triangles without separating.


4. Whisk the leftover 0.5 egg with maple syrup and cinnamon. Spread the mixture on top of the dough (there might be some left over) and place the tray in the preheated oven.
5. Bake for 15 minutes. Take out when slightly golden.
6. While you wait for the scones place all of your glaze ingredients in a mug, microwave them for up to 30 seconds (to melt the coconut cream) and whisk until they are evenly incorporated. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes.
7. Let the scones cool for a few minutes when they come out of the oven. Fill the glaze in a zip lock bag, cut an edge off and drizzle it over your scones. Wait until it firms up (patience!) before separating the individual scones and enjoy the first one while still warm.


Best way to store these lovely bites until your next cup of PPSL is to keep them in the fridge. I wish you all a sweet fall season. Thanks Megan for having me!
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