Pumpkin Spice is EVERYWHERE – the good, the bad, and the just plain weird (uh, pumpkin pizza anyone?)
Why do we have a nationwide obsession with a flavor that is available all year long? Believe it or not, Johns Hopkins thought this was a question worth answering with a study. “The smells that are in a pumpkin spice latte are in lots of other things that are associated with this time of year very strongly — with positive memories like family Thanksgiving, or rustling fall leaves and going back to school.”
Copy that. Now that we can admit that we are OBSESSED. But how do we navigate the constant onslaught of pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin candy corn, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin granola, pumpkin pie…oh my.
Now pumpkin in its pure form is a nutrition powerhouse. Rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, pumpkin is incredibly healthy. On its own, pumpkin has very few calories, making it a weight-loss-friendly food. Its nutrients and antioxidants may boost your immune system, protect your eyesight, lower your risk of certain cancers and promote heart and skin health.
Then there’s the “but.” Like many “pure” health foods, pumpkin can be quickly corrupted with recipes that add a lot of sugar and unhealthy fats. If you are trying to watch your waistline, this is the first hurdle on a very long winding race course towards the holidays.
DAOFitLife to the Rescue! In this week’s hotlist, pumpkin spice flavors you can enjoy without guilt and without FOMO.
#1Pumpkin Spice Latte
I practically trip over the board signs on the sidewalk advertising this coffee drink. It sure can take the edge off a colder Monday morning, so here’ show to order a healthy version at Starbucks or other coffee joints.
How to order healthy version –
- Get less syrup by asking for only one pump
- Lose the whipped cream. It’s kind of a waste because the hot coffee makes it melt, anyway
- Get a smaller size
- Add the pumpkin spice flavor to something you may already drink, like an Americano or iced coffee
How to DIY
I am always amazed by how well I can make a coffee at home myself with a blender and my own ingredients in very little time and save about 50 dollars a week. So pumpkin spice lattes are a treat for every day. Here is my OWN recipe
- Sweetleaf pumpkin spice stevia
- Unsweetened coconut milk
- Extra pumpkin pie spice
- Espresso shot or coffee
Make coffee, then pour in blender and add other ingredients. Blend and serve!
#2 Pumpkin cold cream brew
Standalone, a grande pumpkin cream cold brew clocks in at 250 calories, 12 g fat and 31g of sugar. That’s literally like drinking a piece of pumpkin pie. But it is SO good. I pull off the lid and lick the top when I have one as soon as I leave the Starbucks. YUM. Other than that first one, I try to order the healthier version when I still am in the mood the next day.
How to order healthy Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
Nix the vanilla syrup, and ask for 1 pump of pumpkin in the cream. It slashes the calories by half!
How to DIY
You can make your own recipe, as shown in the guide below, with pumpkin puree and just a few other ingredients.
Nurtisystem Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew Recipe (Video Below)
https://leaf.nutrisystem.com/recipes/pumpkin-cream-cold-brew-recipe/
# 3 Pumpkin soup
If you order pumpkin soup at a restaurant, it probably will have a good amount of heavy cream in it. But you can make your own huge pot of it for the whole week! All you need is pumpkin puree, some broth, olive oil, and a few veggies and you can be the pumpkin soup master! See the below recipe from Food.com:
- Skinny pumpkin soup recipe (Food.com)
- Autumn Pumpkin Chili (Taste of Home)
#4 Healthy pumpkin greek yogurt parfait
Ah, you can pass on the pumpkin ice cream when you have your own creamy, dreamy, pumpkin greek yogurt recipe. If you want to keep it lower carb, sprinkle toasted pumpkin seeds instead of oats.
#5 Zero calorie pumpkin treats
You can still experience the cozy, happy snells without a single calorie spent. There is clearly a connetcion btween the scent and the body’s response to it. And fortunately there are so many ways you can indulge your senses with pumpkin spice
So it may seem weird to put pumpkin on your body or face, but lt is INCREDIBLE for the skin. Pumpkin Enzymes are rich in vitamins A & E, known to help refine skin texture for super smooth skin. And in this case, sugar, which usually is an ingredient in the scrubs, is a natural exfoliant that effectively polishes away dead skin while helping to boost circulation to the skin surface. Shea butter, which usually comes in the moisturizers.
Pumpkin body scrubs
Tree Hut Pumplkin Spice Latte Scrub (Ulta Beauty)
Pumpkin spice candles
Bath and Body Works Pumpkin Spice Candle (Bath and Body Works)
Pumpkn moisturizer
Pumpkin body moisturizer (The body shop)
More healthy pumpkin recipes
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread Recipe ( Ambitious Kitchen)
- Pumpkin Butter Recipe (Skinny Taste)
- Healthier Pumpkin Roll (Eating Well)
- 30 Healthy Pumpkin Recipes (Bakerita)
- Pumpkin Pie Smoothie (Ambitious Kitchen)
