HOMEMADE PUMPKIN PIE SPICE

Yesterday I decided that since I'm doing so much pumpkin baking I would make a batch of HOMEMADE PUMPKIN SPICE MIX!  It was really easy.  All I did was put all the spices in my coffee grinder (that I actually only use for grinding flax and spices!) and grind away! 

Here is the mix I made:  2 small cinnamon sticks broken up into pieces or 5 teaspoons (tsp) ground cinnamon
2 small nutmeg seeds or 2 tsp ground nutmeg 
2 tsp ground ginger (or omit ginger if you prefer to use fresh ginger)
1 level tsp ground cloves or 1 rounded tsp cloves
4-5 allspice seeds or 1 tsp ground allspice
Hmmm....perhaps this would smell nice in a bar of homemade soap or a homemade candle?!  I think I may do some testing!  
I think I may sprinkle some of this on a batch of pumpkin seeds before I stick it in the dehydrator! 

MANGO CARDAMON SMOOTHIE

This is my NEW favourite mango smoothie!  

Ingredients: 

1 large mango or 2 small           

2 -3 small oranges

1 cardamom pod

1/2- 1 c fresh raw almond milk, 

soy milk or rice milk

Water

Directions:  
Cut up the mango.*
Peel the oranges and remove the seeds.  I find it easiest to peel oranges with the aid of a spoon.  

Crack open the cardamom seed and discard the shell.  
Put the fruit and the cardamom in your blender (if you don't have a powerful blender you probably need to grind the cardamom seeds before adding them).  Add your choice of milk.  Blend on high adding water to thin if necessary.  

*Ref: http://www.mango.org/how-cut-mango

THE BEST MANGO LASSI EVER!

I bought a box of mangoes last week and they all seemed to ripen at once so I've been experimenting with them!  I came up with this recipe for mango smoothie that is delicious AND healthy!  I suppose you could substitute whatever fruit you have on hand.  I think pineapple, papaya, bananas and/or strawberries would be delicious too!  


Ingredients: 
2 ripe mangoes (about 2 cups)
1/2 c unsweetened coconut milk
1c unsweetened nut milk (I like almond) 
Juice from 1 small lime
1/4 tsp pure vanilla
1 c ice
1/4 -1/2 tsp ground cardamon







Directions: 
1.  Cut up your fruit. 
2.  Squeeze the lime.  
3.  Put it all in the blender and blend away!  

REALLY.... this IS the best mango lassi I've ever tasted!  

SUNSHINE SMOOTHIE

SUNSHINE SMOOTHIE!

Ingredients:

1 orange

1 banana

1/2 frozen  or fresh cranberries

8 large frozen or fresh strawberries

1/2 cup raw almond milk

1 cup water

Directions: 

Put all the ingredients in your blender and blend on high until ready!  

I like my smoothies cold.  If you do too and your cranberries and strawberries are fresh add some ice and then reduce the water. 

Make popsicles with any extra!

Substitutions:

*Use blueberries, raspberries or blackberries instead of the strawberries

*Use unsweetened rice or soy milk for the almond milk