pumpkin – Innovation Weightloss & Fitness

September 29, 2017By Josephine Fitzpatrick

Fall Recipes

Pumpkins and spice makes everything nice!

Recipes for the thirst of fall…

It seems that the start of Fall brings out the “Pumpkin Spice Everything” phase. Walk down any grocery store aisle and you will see Pumpkin Spice flavored items everywhere. The biggest craze seems to be Pumpkin Spice flavored drinks. Now I’m sure it goes without saying, but most of those Pumpkin Spice drinks that we all look for in the Fall are loaded with a ton of fat and sugar. If you’re looking for a yummy Pumpkin flavored drink, try one of these options below. If you do make these please feel free to share with us as we would love to see! Email or text us a picture, or tag us with #InnovationRecipes

For all of you out there who are like me that live for their iced coffee, then try this guilt free option below:

Flavored Iced Coffee: A good idea is to prep this the night before so it’s ready in the morning

Ingredients:

-3 cups fresh coffee

-ice cube tray

-unsweetened almond milk

-McCormick Apple Pie or Pumpkin Pie Spice

Directions:

-brew 3 cups of coffee

-Take 1.5 cups of coffee and pour it into the ice cube tray. Freeze overnight for 6-12 hours

-Take the other 1.5 cups and place in a cup that you can refrigerate over night (a mason jar works great for this)

-Add the coffee iced cubes in a glass (using coffee iced cubes helps prevent your coffee from becoming watered down). Pour the plain cold coffee on top.

-Add in a splash of unsweetened almond milk and a sprinkle or two of either Apple Pie or Pumpkin Pie spice (depending on the flavoring you want) and stir.

Pumpkin Hot Chocolate

And if you’re looking for something a little warmer then you’ll love this one!

Ingredients:

-1/4 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade is fine)

-1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-1/4 tsp cinnamon

-pinch of salt (don’t omit)

-1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

-low fat whipped cream

Directions:

-Blend all of the ingredients together

-Transfer to a mug and microwave 1-2 minutes until hot

-Add 1 tbsp. low fat whipped cream on top

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

211 E 43rd Street Manhattan, NY 10019

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FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle

January 25, 2016By Josephine Fitzpatrick

Pumpkin Spice Madness

October is pumpkin season! It’s impossible to go anywhere without seeing pumpkin flavored everything – lattes, cookies, cakes, bread, pie, ice cream, yogurt, tea, coffee, oatmeal, pancakes – and the list goes on. The trouble is, they are rarely healthy! Try these recipes to get in on the pumpkin craze this season without derailing your weight loss.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

The most popular item of the season, lighter and cleaner. For this recipe, you will need 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 3 tablespoons of pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon of pie spice, 8 ounces of brewed coffee (or 1 shot of espresso), a sprinkle of cinnamon and sweetener to taste. In a saucepan, mix together the almond milk and pumpkin then cook on medium heat on the stovetop (or microwave for 30-45 seconds). Remove from heat and stir in spices and sweetener then pour into a mug. You can even use a brother or blender to froth the liquid. Add coffee or espresso and a sprinkle of cinnamon and enjoy!

Pumpkin Bean Dip

This recipe is a delicious alternative to hummus. You will need 1 can of pumpkin, 1 can of black beans (rinsed), 1/2 can of cannellini beans (rinsed), 2 tbsp of oil, 2 cloves of garlic, juice from two lemons, 1/2 tsp of cumin, 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper. The best part is how easy it is – simply add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend! Keep it refrigerated until ready to serve. Try them with rice cakes, Ak Mak or Cheese Crisps. It’s great for parties and get togethers!

Pumpkin Seeds

When Halloween comes around, don’t just throw out the unused insides of the pumpkins you carve. Pumpkin seeds are a great snack – a good source of protein, potassium and magnesium. They can also help lower cholesterol and promote good prostate health. You could even add them to a salad or have 1/4 cup as a snack. You can easily remove the pumpkin pulp from the seeds by washing the seeds in a strainer. Make sure they are dry before roasting. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take the seeds you have and place them in a large bowl. Toss the seeds with oil (1 tablespoon per 2 cups of seeds) then add spices of your choosing. You can try dry barbecue seasoning, curry spices, cinnamon, ginger, chili powder, nutmeg, and more. Once they are coated, spread the seeds out evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring them every few minutes.

Protein Pumpkin Spread

This recipe is great for breakfast or a snack. All you need is 3 tbsp of pumpkin, 1 scoop of protein powder (vanilla works great), 1 tbsp of almond butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Simply mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and spread 2 tbsp on a slice of whole wheat bread for breakfast or one tbsp on one rice cake or two Ak Mak for a snack – or even 2 tbsp with an apple is delicious.

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

14 Likes

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FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle

October 8, 2015By Josephine Fitzpatrick

Pumpkin Spice Madness

October is pumpkin season! It’s impossible to go anywhere without seeing pumpkin flavored everything – lattes, cookies, cakes, bread, pie, ice cream, yogurt, tea, coffee, oatmeal, pancakes – and the list goes on. The trouble is, they are rarely healthy! Try these recipes to get in on the pumpkin craze this season without derailing your weight loss.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

The most popular item of the season, lighter and cleaner. For this recipe, you will need 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 3 tablespoons of pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon of pie spice, 8 ounces of brewed coffee (or 1 shot of espresso), a sprinkle of cinnamon and sweetener to taste. In a saucepan, mix together the almond milk and pumpkin then cook on medium heat on the stovetop (or microwave for 30-45 seconds). Remove from heat and stir in spices and sweetener then pour into a mug. You can even use a brother or blender to froth the liquid. Add coffee or espresso and a sprinkle of cinnamon and enjoy!

Pumpkin Bean Dip

This recipe is a delicious alternative to hummus. You will need 1 can of pumpkin, 1 can of black beans (rinsed), 1/2 can of cannellini beans (rinsed), 2 tbsp of oil, 2 cloves of garlic, juice from two lemons, 1/2 tsp of cumin, 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper. The best part is how easy it is – simply add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend! Keep it refrigerated until ready to serve. Try them with rice cakes, Ak Mak or Cheese Crisps. It’s great for parties and get togethers!

Pumpkin Seeds

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When Halloween comes around, don’t just throw out the unused insides of the pumpkins you carve. Pumpkin seeds are a great snack – a good source of protein, potassium and magnesium. They can also help lower cholesterol and promote good prostate health. You could even add them to a salad or have 1/4 cup as a snack. You can easily remove the pumpkin pulp from the seeds by washing the seeds in a strainer. Make sure they are dry before roasting. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take the seeds you have and place them in a large bowl. Toss the seeds with oil (1 tablespoon per 2 cups of seeds) then add spices of your choosing. You can try dry barbecue seasoning, curry spices, cinnamon, ginger, chili powder, nutmeg, and more. Once they are coated, spread the seeds out evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring them every few minutes.

Protein Pumpkin Spread

This recipe is great for breakfast or a snack. All you need is 3 tbsp of pumpkin, 1 scoop of protein powder (vanilla works great), 1 tbsp of almond butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Simply mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and spread 2 tbsp on a slice of whole wheat bread for breakfast or one tbsp on one rice cake or two Ak Mak for a snack – or even 2 tbsp with an apple is delicious.

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

14 Likes

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FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle

October 20, 2014By Josephine Fitzpatrick

Fall Themed Recipes

Just because you’re eating healthy that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on this season’s popular dishes. There are so many recipes that can work just the way they are or can be tweaked slightly to become healthier versions. Butternut Squash Soup is a classic that just needs a few adjustments. You can use olive oil and soymilk instead of butter, and vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. Be sure to include onion, celery, carrot and even a green apple for their added benefits and more flavor.

Apples are an easy go-to snack this season, and you can mix it up by making Homemade Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips. Simply cut any flavor of apple into thin slices and sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon. Bake them in the oven until crisp and enjoy!

Sweet potatoes are packed with vitamins and minerals, and baking them to make Sweet Potato Fries is a fun, seasonal treat. Just peel and cut them into strips, toss them with a little bit of oil and seasoning, then put them on a sheet with parchment to bake.

Keep it simple with Pear-Ginger Applesauce. All it takes is fresh ginger, lemon juice, apples and pears. It’s a sweet and tangy dish packed with immune boosting power from the ginger, fiber from the pears, antioxidants from the apples, vitamin C from the lemon juice and much, much more.

Another fall vegetable brimming with health benefits is the Brussels sprout. They support cardiovascular health, detox and digestion, and even have anti-cancer benefits. Be careful not to overcook them, otherwise they will give off an unpleasant sulfur smell. Cut each sprout into quarters and let them sit out for at least 5 minutes, then steam them for 5 minutes.

Last but not least, get in on the pumpkin spice craze with a Pumpkin Spice Smoothie. Just blend pumpkin, banana, almond milk, vanilla protein powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and ground ginger until smooth – it’s that simple!