Pumpkin Time Again

October is here and since the leaves are starting to turn their autumn shades and fall gracefully to the ground, that's when I start looking forward to all things PUMPKIN!

There are a few things you may not think to pair up with Pumpkin. Like Cheese for example.
Another way to enhance the flavour is to add sea salt, pepper and butter. Delicious, it is a saltier take on the sweet version. Don't overdo the salt though or the butter.

This morning I had this recipe land in my INBOX :
Soft Pumpkin Cookies.  Give them a try.

Below is the Pumpkin cheese bread I came up with. ENJOY! It is melt in your mouth good!

 

PUMPKIN CHEESE BREAD RECIPE  - CLICK HERE!

Pumpkin is high in fiber and vitamin A! Based on a 2,000 calorie diet, a cup of Pumpkin yields 245% Vitamin A, so don't overdo it if you are pregnant. A cup of pumpkin also yields 19% Vitamin C, 4% Calcium and 8% Iron based on the same diet.

The Pumpkin bread recipe above has NO SUGAR added to it! But believe me, it's delicious!

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Melony Teague a freelance writer and columnist who lives in Canada with her husband and two young children.
Founder of "Secrets of Body Transformation from the Inside Out" 
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Celebrate with us!

Happy Anniversary to me, and

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to 

Fitnesstraniningforlifeandadventures.

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This BLOG is one year old!

It all started a year ago when I started training with Igor Klibanov to ready me for a trip to Siberia in winter. You can read about it here. 
There was no waiting for "new year" to start on the nutrition plan and there was no waiting for after New Year to hit the gym. With only 8 weeks before the trip, I had no time to waste.

Some of the highlights of this year have been:
A New look at my morning coffee,  and I set foot in the gym for the first time in years, with a little bit of fear and trepidation. I started a nutritional program that brought me freedom from binging and sugar addiction. We discussed sleep and it's effect on you. In February we talked about surviving Valentine's day without damaging your healthy eating habit. We had some interesting "before and after" shots. Along the way we learned about Labels on foods and to identify hidden sugars and carbs. I went on my trip to Russia and saw Red Square, St. Basil's Cathedral (Moscow) and walked 11km across Lake Baikal in Siberia.

Moscow 2012 Christ the Savior Cathedral.

 Exploring how to have burgers without the bun was a load of fun! For me the biggest relevation was the effect sugar has on me, and I discovered that I was just like these rats. ARE YOU A RAT? Click here to find out. On my birthday I had a sugar free cake, and it was delicious! (more like an ice- cream cake without the ice cream) Then I discovered smoothies and came up a few recipes of my own! This one was one of my favourites : Black Cherry and Swiss Chard Smoothie and we discussed the merits of mint.
Oodles of noodles in a tutorial on how to make zucchini noodles. The flour and sugar free brownies were a hit. We discussed the flinch effect and and the sugar cycle. I posted my thoughts while sitting on a park bench. October saw many recipes with pumpkin including a pumpkin spice Latte. Then I introduced Spelt to my diet and came up with this delicious french toast.
When it got too chilly for icy smoothies, I came up with a post workout alternative! POWER PUDDING!

November saw a great result in the TOP 25 Blogs competition. Thanks again for all your support!
To follow up with this we had a 30 Day Challenge which got us moving, accountable and 15 ladies participated from all over the world.

So we come to the end of a year and it has been quite a journey. No I do not eat perfectly all the time, I am not a health freak, I just like to make the best choices I can for my health and happiness. Yes I sometimes stumble and eat things that are not the best for me, but I no longer lose control because I now know about the chemistry processes that go on in my body and how they effect my metabolism. Prevention is a good weapon against the fight against unhealthy habits and if you see imperfect eating as just a little slip and put it behind you and move on, learning from your experiences then you can get over the  "I have messed up, I might as well eat badly for the rest of the say and start again tomorrow" mentality.   I have learnt not to fall for that one anymore! Make your choices one at a time! You don't win them all, but you certainly don't have to give up just because you slip up once. Be compassionate to yourself, we are in it for the long haul, it is about a lifestyle that is sustainable.

As we get to the end of the year this is my wish for you:

May you have a wonderful start to the New Year.

Christmas Fruit Tree! 

www.melonyteague.com 
To subscribe to my consolidated newsletter, Click here 
Melony Teague a freelance writer and columnist who lives in Canada with her husband and two young children.
Founder of "Secrets of Body Transformation from the Inside Out" 
Join me on facebook.  

Pumpkin Time!

By Melony Teague

There is not more denying that fall is here. It just happens to be my favourite season and I love it when the trees and shrubs turn a riot of colours and my eyes favour the colours of fall. Makes you think of apple pie, pumpkin pie, family gatherings and cool mornings. The thing is, you can't have pumpkin pie everyday, or can you? 

Here's a way you can capture the taste of fall and of Thanksgiving right through October, with a Pumpkin Latte. I have to admit that my first attempt at a Pumpkin Latte did not turn out so well, I tried to froth up some almond milk, but it just did not seem to want to cooperate. So on the second try I think I got it right.

Here is the recipe, it is sugar and lactose free without compromising on that wonderful warming and comforting feeling you get when you take a sip.

Pumpkin Latte

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon Pumpkin puree
1 cup Goat's milk (Update: You can use Organic Unsweetened Soy milk too)
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract (as pure as you can get)

1 tsp Pumpkin Spice
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
OPTIONAL: 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder dissolved in 4 tablespoons boiling water.

A drop of non-bitter Stevia liquid.

Method: 

1.  Boil the milk until frothy.
2. While you are waiting for the milk to boil, mix the all the other ingredients together and stir to form a smooth paste.
3. When the milk has boiled and there are small bubbles forming on the top of the milk, (do not over boil) remove from heat and froth with either a frothing wand or blender. 
4. Pour the frothed milk into the cup and stir. 
5. Enjoy with a few thoughts of what you are thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday.

Please give it a try and let me know what you think. It will save you a trip to the coffee shop and a few pennies too.

By Melony Teague

By Melony Teague
www.melonyteague.com 

To subscribe to my consolidated newsletter, Click here 
Melony Teague a freelance writer and columnist who lives in Canada with her husband and two young children.
Founder of "Secrets of Body Transformation from the Inside Out" 
Join me on facebook.