Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

My favourite time of the year. Fall! What isn't there to love. All the beautiful warm cozy colours, the crisp, earthy scent in the air, harvest moons, and pumpkins. Authentic gratitude surfaces and everyone comes together to give thanks. No season brings so much comfort to one's soul. 

One of my favourite parts of fall is pumpkin pie. A few years back a really good friend of mine, Candice, introduced me to a pumpkin pie smoothie. I was floored by the thought of pumpkin pie done in a healthy convenient quick way. Years later I have revamped the recipe and made a raw version. Raw pumpkin is a nutritionally-dense food. Its a good source of potassium too.  1-cup of pumpkin only has 30 calories and 0.12 grams of fat as well as 1.16 grams of protein and 7.54 grams of carbohydrates. Besides the potassium, pumpkin is best known for its vitamin A content. Vitamin A is,  oh so important in the fall season. Vitamin A is an antioxidant, it helps protect cells from damage as you age. It is also essential for eye health because it helps you see at night. The vitamin A present in pumpkin can also keep your skin healthy and free from dryness, great for the dry Calgary weather. It can naturally boost your immune system, making it key in year-round cold and flu protection. Who knew raw pumpkin was so beneficial and delicious. 

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

What you need:

• Half of a sugar pumpkin, peeled, scrapped and diced.
• 1 cup carrot juice ( I used fresh pressed but store bought is fine)
• 1 inch piece of vanilla, juiced with carrots or crapped and added
• 2 bananas (freeze before hand if you want a colder drink) 
• small pinky-size (2 cm) of ginger root
• 1 1/2 cup almond milk or coconut milk
• 4-6 dates
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves 
• pinch of salt

The how to:

• Juice carrots and vanilla bean together to produce 1 cup of juice.  5-6 medium carrots usually does it. Tip: juice vanilla bean in between two carrots.
• Add all ingredients to high speed blender. I used the Vitamix
• Enjoy!!!!

Eating on a Budget

Something I get told/asked a lot is; "Isn't it really expensive to eat healthy?" To be completely honest, I just never thought about it that way. I personally put food so high on my priority list. I always put my money there, before I put it anywhere else. Food is what nourishes me. My body is my home, it's the only place I have to live in for the rest of my life. I want to give it only the best, most nutrient dense foods I can. But in saying that, with everyone feeling the huge economic down turn, saving money anywhere and everywhere is more important than ever. This combined with the rise in produce prices can make it more difficult to afford all the food for a healthy diet. Here are 3 ways that has helped me keep the budget down.

EAT LOCAL. Eating closer to home can be part of the solution. Shopping locally cuts down enormously on fossil fuel consumption, tends to be cheaper, and supports our local farmers and the local economy. Shopping locally, also, brings with it a, strong, sense of community. I feel that, the sense of community, surrounding the food industry, has been lost, in our generation, to large corporations such as the McDonalds and Walmarts. Here in Calgary, we are fortunate enough to have some amazing farmer's markets which make it a lot easier to shop locally. The one I go to on a weekly basis is Calgary Farmers Market.

FOOD BUYING CLUBS. This could be the most convenient way to get a good abundance of food, for a really good price. The, one and only, downside of food-buying-clubs is that you don't get to choose your produce. I, personally, don't mind this at all. I love getting a big box of the freshest, most scrumptious, produce! Buying this way keeps me thinking outside of the box by incorporating new fruits and veggies when preparing food for my family. Every summer I try to find, at least, 12 people, who are interested, in committing to a food buying club with me. This way you're guaranteed a variety of fruits and veggies each, and every, week. Nom nom nom! For reasons above, I always buy from clubs that support our local farmers; two birds with one stone, I'd say thats a win win. 

GROW A GARDEN. This is, by far, my favourite, and the most fun way to keep the money in your wallet! Growing a garden is great for sustainability, and you can't get any more local than home. A home garden allows you to connect with your food,  and to spend quality time with your family. I don't know why, but when you grow it yourself, it tastes sooooo much better. In the spring, I will be sharing a post on gardening. Whether you live in a house, duplex, townhome, condo, apartment or cardboard box you can grow your own garden. If you're looking for help setting up your own garden my friend Landon owns a company which helps with the dirty work. Check out his website here. From the Ground Organic Gardens