Recipe Pumpkin Pie Granola

Pumpkin Pie Granola

Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Legume Free, Nut Free

Whew! That is a lot of “Free”.

Now you are wondering what is in it. Don’t worry, it is delicious and full of seeds.

I originally found this recipe at Natural Grocers website, but I can not find it there any more. But, there are all kinds of versions of this recipe. You can add in nuts if you like, even chocolate chips or carob chips. Some folks like to use honey instead of maple syrup.

Anyway, I have had RAVE reviews when I have made this for friends and family.

Pumpkin Pie Granola

Time: 60 minutes

Yield: 3 cups

Dry Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 2 Tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 pinch Sea salt or Pink Himalayan salt

Final Ingredient:

  • 1/2 cup dried apples, chopped or dried cranberries

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.
  3. Melt the coconut oil in a sauce pan on low until it is just melted. Add in the rest of the wet ingredients.
  4. Pour it over the seed mixture and stir until the seeds are well coated.
  5. Spread the mixture on the baking sheet and bake for 40-50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
  6. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
  7. Add in the dried fruit and store in an airtight container

Enjoy!

Farmer's Market Buy Local

Top 5 Reasons to Buy Local Produce

Why Buy Local Produce?

**Photo by Shelley Pauls on Unsplash

This morning, while sipping your coffee or tea, did you happen to think about where those beans or leaves were harvested? What about the fruit in your smoothie? Did you wonder if they were picked in their natural growing season at peak ripeness?

Most people don’t take the time to mindfully source the foods they’re eating, and I’m going to tell you, not choosing purposefully is a missed opportunity for both your health and your wallet. Today I’m going to share with you the top five reasons to choose both local and in-season when it comes to the produce you’re eating, plus two great resources to find out what’s in season and how to get it farm to table!

  1. Fruits and vegetables harvested locally and in-season are fresher and taste significantly better 😋.  Because local produce has a shorter distance to travel, farmers can pick at the crop’s peak ripeness, which means more delicious and flavorful food. Conversely, foods harvested in other countries must be picked before ripe so it can make the trip overseas, and to your local market, without spoiling.
  2. Most important, local and in-season produce is more nutritionally dense. This means more vitamins and minerals are available in that fruit or vegetable for your body to utilize. The longer produce spends on a truck or in storage before being delivered to you, the greater the loss of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients (1).
  3. If nutrient density isn’t convincing enough, foods that are grown locally and purchased seasonally are less expensive 💵. This is because the farmers need to do less to encourage a bountiful crop and they don’t need to factor in transportation and delivery costs.
  4. Seasonal food grown locally needs fewer “interventions⚗️. For certain produce to be available year-round, post-harvest treatments, known as ripening agents, are used. These include chemicals, gases, and heat processes (2). Some produce, like apples, pears, carrots, and celery, may be coated with an edible film to protect it (3). Other produce, like strawberries, lettuce, melons, and grapes, may be treated with anti-browning agents so it artificially is kept from rotting (4). Then, the same produce may be treated with a chemical called ethylene, which triggers the ripening process to improve fruit color and quality (5).
  5. Purchasing in-season and local is a great way to vote with your dollar 💲. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather support a local farmer who is avoiding ripening agents, anti-browning chemicals, and heat-treatment that kills off precious nutrients. The more money spent locally means the more crops our farmers will get paid to produce which directly benefits our health. It’s a win-win!

If these five points have convinced you that local and in-season produce is far superior, let’s find out what’s growing in your zip code right now! Seasonalfoodguide.org is a valuable resource that shares what’s currently in season and tells you a little bit about that fruit or vegetable. What a fun way to explore new produce you’ve never tried before!

Now that you know what’s in-season, the next step is farm to table! Localharvest.org is a great website to find farmers’ markets and CSAs (community-supported agriculture) that will get those delicious, in-season fruits and veggies from the market to your table in no time.

Mindfully sourcing in-season fruits and vegetables supports your health, your wallet, and your local economy. Choosing seasonal produce is a great way to boost nutrient density and avoid many toxic chemicals that otherwise would have made their way onto your plate.

P.S. Don’t forget to get your meat and dairy local too!

SOURCES

  1. Why Local Food Is Better For You
  2. Postharvest Treatments of Fresh Produce
  3. Id.
  4. Id.
  5. Id.
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Let’s make this year different than any before!

I’m suggesting we skip the lofty New Year’s resolution that often leaves us deprived and unhappy and trade it in for living an intentional and mindful year that prioritizes self-care.

While self-care has become quite the trendy term, it simply boils down to prioritizing one’s own physical and mental health. It requires turning inward to uncover the things that bring happiness and joy, and ensuring we do more of those things!

So this year, instead of creating a rigid list of foods or activities you’re swearing off, consider creating a list you can draw upon whenever you’d like to revitalize your commitment to self-love and self-care.

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Replenish, Reduce, Repair, Rebalance

 

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Replenish nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Most folks have not eaten a diet that is anywhere close to what our ancestors ate. Foods like liver, kidney, bone broths, and lots of leafy greens or tubers are chock full of nutrients our body needs. How can we expect our body to repair and renew itself each day when we are eating a bowl of cereal and McDonald’s burgers and fries? When you compare that to what our ancestors ate, we are slowly starving our bodies of what they need to function.

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The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has released is new guidelines for 2020. In section 5, titled Facilitating Behavior Change, under the heading Eating Patterns, Macronutrient Distribution, and Meal Planning they state the following:

Reducing overall carbohydrate intake for individuals with diabetes has demonstrated the most evidence for improving glycemia and may be applied in a variety of eating patterns that meet individual needs and preferences.

What does it mean then?

Eating a lower carb diet improves blood sugars better than any other diets they have looked at so far. And it can be done by people who are vegans, vegetarians, carnivores, etc. 

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South in a Pot Soup from Taste of Home

This is perfect for these cold winter days.

I found this in Taste of Home magazine a few years ago. While I don’t find many of their recipes fit my family’s needs, I do find a winner once in a while.

However, skip the canola oil. Use lard, butter, coconut oil, or beef tallow instead.

The sweet potato in this recipe gives it a wonderful flavor.

You can use other greens besides collards. I often use chard or kale that I have grown in my garden and frozen.

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Can you increase IVF and other ART success rates using nutrition?

Probably! There have been many research studies done on how nutrition and nutrients affect fertility overall, fertility treatments, egg health, sperm health, and reproductive success. While there is no one large study specifically about nutrition and ART (Assisted Reproductive Treatment) success, there are many studies about various aspects of fertility, ART, and nutrition. You will find I have referenced several of them throughout the article.

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Want to Know More

Contact me for a free 20 minute Discovery Call to discuss your situation.

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