It’s Pumpkin Time!

As of today, it is officially Autumn. That truly only means one thing: It is officially OK to eat pumpkin! Time to enjoy your pumpkin spiced everything. We have discussed the power of pumpkin before and promoted it’s health benefits of fiber, vitamin A and potassium to name a few. But beware of foods that might be “pumpkin flavored” and not actually contain any nutritious pumpkin! Most products (such as your latte) contain pumpkin spice flavoring and usually a lot of added sugar. Our best suggestion is always to make it at home if possible. This way you can control the ingredients (and sugar).

Fortunately, you can buy pumpkin pie spice in your grocery store’s baking and spice section, or you can make your own with spices you might already have. The recipe is simple, according to Betty Crocker: “3 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice and 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves.” Just mix this together and keep it in an airtight jar or container for all of your pumpkin spiced needs. Try sprinkling some in your coffee grounds before you brew your morning cup or throw a dash on your oatmeal for an extra kick with no added calories, but tons of antioxidants.