Stephanie Pedersen's Blog, page 5

5 Ways To Get Faster Results

You’ve been getting a lot of emails in the last few days from me about the 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse. If you have absolutely no interest, please don’t read further. Instead, go here to enjoy a fun recipe for Creamy Pepita Sauce. It’s a creamy, high protein sauce made pepitas, those hulless, green pumpkin seeds. High in zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, fiber and other nutrients, it is so delicious you’ll want to use it on everything from tacos to baked sweet potatoes.

If you are mildly (or wildly) curious about why I am spending so much time yammering on about this cleanse—or why I’ve built my practice around cleanses or written a book on the subject or am such a champion of a thoughtful cleanse—then this is the email for you. (Pssst: You’ll get a copy of this book at the end of the cleanse as a Thank You gift!)

A safe cleanse helps you meet your health goals quickly. It gets you where you want to be and helps create powerful momentum for you to enjoy even more good change.

How? There are dozens of answers, but in the interest of brevity, I’ll give you five:

Reset your eating habits after months of excess. Have you ever noticed that the more junky, carby, sugary, or additive-filled food you eat, the more of you want? You literally began craving it! That’s because these foods are as addictive to your body as some street drugs. By letting these foods go for a period of time, you literally stop wanting them. There’s a trick to easily letting these foods go, however, and it has to do with the next item.
Lose your cravings for sugary and carby food by becoming more alkaline. I find that by adding very specific foods into your diet—foods that also happen to be terrifically detoxifying—you suddenly stop craving those junky, carby, sugary or additive-filled foods. Knowing how to do this can be a bit tricky, but I’ll teach you what you need to know during our week together. Best of all, you can use this information at any point in your life to get yourself back on track. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is.
Quickly lose puffiness and bloat that makes you feel yucky. There are a lot of things that cause our body to hold on to water. Carbs, sugar, salt, alcohol, coffee, prescription medication, over the counter medicine, environmental toxins, and food additives, to name a few. Get these bloat-causing elements out of your body and the puffiness around your middle, neck, upper arms, face, and eyes, will vanish. You will look a lot different without this bloat. And you’ll feel different. Even your winter boots and your underwear will fit better.
Shed excess fat. As I mentioned in my audio (go here to listen), I personally do not detox in order to lose weight. But plenty of my clients do, and that’s perfect. Why? Because a healthy cleanse is a great jumpstart to a longer weight loss program. If you want to lose a large amount of weight, starting with a cleans allows you to quickly lose three to 7 pounds, which in turn motivates you. Plus, you’re going to learn some surprising and easy habits in the 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse that you can use to help you lose however much weight you want to lose.
Massively improve your skin. I struggled to keep this list to five items. I wanted to talk about increased energy, better sleep, increased focus, deeper intuition, easier creativity, higher personal energy, increase stamina and more stable and happier moods. But in the end, I decided to play the beauty card: A good, safe cleanse does wonders for the skin. Your skin will positively glow. Dark and red areas begin to fade. By losing the puffiness, skin because taut and firm. It looks young and bright. Plus, skin conditions like Rosacea and Eczema respond beautifully to a good cleanse.

To learn how you can join us (even how you can join us at a massive discount, you can go here to listen to my audio or do some reading.)

Let me know if you have questions!

Much love,

Stephanie

P.S. I am so excited to share that I am speaking tomorrow on Tricia Gunnerson’s fabulous interview series The Mind, Body, & Spirit Wellness Summit about the health journey that my son and I went on to clear ourselves from heavy metals. Hint: Detoxing played a big part in our healing. To register for free, go here. Featuring an impressive lineup of health professionals, he interviews cover everything from stress management to spirituality to eating alkaline. You’ll enjoy it!

7 Days To A New Body?

Dear You,

Happy Saturday!

What would it feel like to be in a good place with your weight? With your energy levels? With your looks? With your focus? With your sleep? With your cravings and drinking and eating?

Just imagine….

Want to dedicate seven days to put yourself in that good place?

Just seven days.

Seven days spent with wonderful people, resetting your eating, and enjoying yourself.

Go here to learn more .

You can listen or read more about how I plan to spend seven days giving this gift to myself. Listen, read and if you have any questions, email me! You can simply hit reply to this email with your questions.

Have a beautiful weekend!

Much love,

Stephanie

P.S. If you’re spending some time indoors this weekend and want something to listen to while you exercise, do housework, declutter computer files, cook for the week, or whatever, go here. The Mind, Body, & Spirit Wellness Summit is a series of interviews with health pros (me included!) that covers everything from stress management to spirituality to eating alkaline. You’ll enjoy it!

The 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse: The Scoop

Dear You,

This email is for those of you who are thinking of joining us for the 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse, my winter-friendly, 7-day (plus bonus days) cleanse, which runs from Friday, January 27 through Saturday, February 4. If you absolutely know this isn’t something you’re interested in, feel free to ignore or forward to a friend! Or, if you think you may want to join us but would rather hear an audio I made about the course, you can jump here and have a listen.

For the rest of you, however, this email has a bit about what the 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse includes.

You know how much I love detoxing!!! I love the fit, lithe, motivated, creative, lighter feeling I get after a gentle cleanse (nothing crazy—as you’ll learn, I am not an extremist). Not only is my mind clearer, my mood is more even, my weight is lower, my body is more toned and taut, my sleep is deeper, and I have so much energy I can easily plow through my writing work and private client sessions, with plenty of time left over for my three sons, and charity work.

I created the 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse as a fast, foundational, do-able, and incredibly powerful “all-levels” detox—perfect for resetting your health and weight after the decadent food and drink you may have over-enjoyed this holiday season. My goal is to get you “in and out” of a detox easily and fast, with measurable results.

Every step works in synergy with the step before and after it, to create massive results. You’ll jumpstart your weight loss, release fat and flush toxins (which can cause everything from brain fog, lessened creativity, moodiness, puffiness and bloat, cravings, skin glitches, and fatigue).

My clients need a detox that is not only going to work—and work well—but work without the headaches, jitters or digestive issues that can chain people to their homes (and bathrooms). The 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse is designed to effectively, thoroughly, and elegantly help you rid yourself of the toxic load that is keeping you from the powerful, vibrant, healthy, high-energy life you deserve.

Working in a group is not only motivating, it is amazing fun. As a member of the 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse, you’ll enjoy the following:

A short, fun “Detox To-Do” assignment every single day.
A goal-setting sheet and personal pledge handout.
Daily education calls give you the information you need to detox in an easy, doable way. (They will be recorded for those of you can’t jump on the phone live.)
We’ll deliver any hand-outs, audios and homework to you via our 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse online classroom to ensure you get the materials you need.
Menus and shopping lists so you can detox in an easy, doable way.
An e-book of recipes to ensure you always have healthy, delicious food to enjoy.
Eating-out, travel and entertaining strategies to ensure you can successfully detox no matter where you are, what your schedule is.
Answers to every single detox question that you may have—and even those you don’t have.
Detox strategies to ensure you sail through any situation life throws at you, detox in tact
Look for handouts, audios, videos, resources and gifts assignments sent directly to you.

Jump onto the group page to check in with your fellow The 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleansers . You’ll have daily opportunities to interact with Stephanie and just to party together.
Healthy-living resources and personal gift assignments sent directly to you via our 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse online classroom.
An outrageously active community, plus an active classroom hangout where you can go to chat about your detox experiences, hang out with me daily, ask me questions directly, share recipes and products and aha’s, and get the full support of me and your fellow detoxers.
The Best Thank You Gift Ever: A gift copy of The 7-Day Superfood Cleanse (my bestselling cleanse book, published by Sterling Publishers) mailed to you once the cleanse is over. Enjoy!

Want in? Go here to register. Or simply to learn more about how the cleanse works, take a fun cleanse quiz, and learn about what you can and can’t expect from the program. (You can also learn how to get the program for half-off!) We begin Friday, January 27 and run through Saturday, February 4.

I cannot wait to see you in the 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse!

Much love,

Stephanie

P.S. Want to get the program for half-off? I’ve got a fun way to get you a discount! Go here and see!

My Cleanse Starts Next Week! Join Me!

Dear You,

I am so glad to share another year with you!

2017 is almost a month old. What have you put in place now to ensure that this year is as fabulous (or even more so) than last year?

I know, I know….. Resolutions get a bad rap. But I, for one, adore them. That said, I know that in the real world, more people make resolutions than actually achieve their resolutions.

Did you know that, according to statics (these are from Harris Interactive), 45 percent of adults make at least one New Year’s resolution? Sixty six percent of these resolution makers make a health-related goal—but by the end of January, one in three of these people have already given up. Just as depressing, by the end of the year, only 27 percent have reached their goal.

How can you make sure you’re one of the goal-achieving 27 percent? According to psychologists, the secret weapon of people who achieve their goals is accountability. Being held accountable to—and for—your resolution helps ensure that you actually achieve what you say you want to achieve.

But how do you go about finding accountability for your health goal?

For any of you who are making a health-related resolution, keep reading: I have just the thing to make sure you set yourself up for long-term success: My 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse, which runs from Friday. January 27 through Saturday, February 4, 2017.

Whether your goal is to reboot your eating, adopt a healthier whole foods diet, ditch your fierce cravings, heal your skin, address a health condition, enjoy more energy, change your looks or lose weight, the 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse will help you.

Cleanses, aka detoxes or reboots, work by removing foods that cause water retention, weight gain, puffiness, skin conditions, inflammation and cravings. Some cleanses (such as mine), add in physical activities, mindset work and foods that help your body naturally flush environmental and food toxins, so that you reset to “natural” and enjoy the energy, looks and weight you were meant to enjoy.

I run a an online group cleanse every single January. Last year, we had 27 members, some of whom healed their eczema, cured their acne, dropped two dress sizes, lost up to 13 pounds, gave up sugar, lowered their blood sugar and blood pressure and cholesterol levels and finally experienced life without cravings, sleep deprivation, brain fog and fatigue.

Many of last year’s participants went on to work with me in other programs, but many did not. And that’s just fine with me. The 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse gave them everything they needed to go on and reach their goals on their own, from food education to training in cause-and-effect, as well as help in learning how to listen to their bodies.

That’s because more than anything, I am a teacher. I want you to come away from 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse knowing foods to eat (and what foods to avoid) when you need to quickly flush bloat-making water weight, ward off cravings and “cancel out” an over-indulgent night out.

Go here to learn more about the 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse, which starts Friday, January 27. (Make sure to take a look at the fun way you can enroll in the cleanse for almost 50% less than everyone else!!) Or go here to take a detox quiz, learn more about the nets and bolts of how my online program works and to sign up.

I hope you are having a fabulous first month of 2017! I cannot wait to share this healthy New Year with you!

Much love,

Stephanie Pedersen

WHAT DO I DO WHEN GO OFF-COURSE….

Hello Gorgeous,

Happy 2017!

I hope you’re enjoying the first bright shiny weeks of the New Year. I received so much from 2016—I learned so much, met so many, experienced big and small things. It was a great year of personal growth for me and members of my family.

But like you, I just can’t resist the pull of new, of possibility… of self improvement!

Which is what this email is about: My upcoming cleanse—the first cleanse of 2017! It’s called 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse.

For those of you who have cleansed with me before, you know how my cleanses work. A bunch of wonderful people gather online at my online “detox center” (also known as my classroom). You check in daily for your lessons, any shopping lists, handouts, fun videos, audios and recipes. Plus, your easy yet vital daily assignment. (Though I always alert you a day in advance so you’ll never e surprised.) There are places in the classroom to hang out with me, ask questions, chat with your fellow detoxers, share recipes and inspiration. Plus, we have phone calls for anyone who wants to jump on with me in real time. These are recorded and posted so anyone can access them according to their own time clock.

If you’ve done a cleanse with me before, however, you’ll find this one to be different. Not in delivery—I am sticking with all of the fun things, which I’ve mentioned above. But in material. This is a winter cleanse, informed by my recent soup cleanses and the bone broth cleanses I’ve done with private clients. Plus, each registering student receives a free copy of my bestselling detox book, The 7-Day Superfood Cleanse (Sterling Publishers). This will be a great reference for you as you move through the cleanse with me!

Originally I had scheduled this program for early January. Then my website—my whole online platform—became infected with malware. We have just cleaned up the website, giving it its very own techy cleanse! (I am a huge believer in cleansing, purging, decluttering, etc. to reset myself and my world when things go awry!)

I am now ready to welcome you into 2017 Deep Change Reset Cleanse, a 7-Day detox that runs from January 27 through February 4, 2017. (You are right, that is more than seven days. I allow a few days for ramping up, preparing, shopping—as well as acclimation days to help you return safely to your regular ways of eating.)

Look for social media posts, as well as additional emails about the cleanse in the upcoming week. Reading these will tell you a lot more. I also have a Q&A session scheduled on Thursday, the 19th. You can tune in to learn more about the cleanse. You’ll get more details on this call in my next email.

For now, enjoy your weekend, eat something delicious and healthy, and be good to yourselves and those around you.

I cannot wait to tell you more about the cleanse!

P.S. Look for a cleanse-based email on Tuesday with a fun way to get almost 50% off the price of your enrollment!

P.P.S. It’s a new year! Have you been looking around for tools and information on how to improve your wellness? Have you tried different things without success? I am passionate about wellness, and I love to help others find wellness tools and information! I know you want to be healthier in 2017 so you can feel great and focus on loving and living life! I have a special invitation for you! Join me and 21+ experts for a FREE online Mind, Body & Spirit Wellness Summit! Get clear and unstuck so you can make the impact in the world you were born to do! 21+ experts will tell you how to live healthy, reclaim your wellness, laugh your way to success, get excited about life. Plus, there are free gifts from each speaker, including me! Join in here.

The 5 gifts I am giving this year

Hello Gorgeous,

The winter holidays are here: Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s. If you haven’t finished your gift shopping yet and are looking around for new and novel and inexpensive gifts to help your loved ones get healthy, I’ve got a few suggestions. These are the five gifts I am giving everyone in my life, both the nice and the naughty.

Roots: The Complete Guide to the Underground Superfood, by Stephanie Pedersen (Sterling Publishing). This is my latest book in Sterling’s Superfood series. It’s officially out in January, but Amazon has advance copies. Learn everything you ever thought possible about jicama, turnips, rutabaga, sunchokes, burdock, salsify,parsnips, radishes and more. These outrageously healthy foods are easy to find, economical, nutrient-packed and delicious. Check out my recipes for everything from drinks to condiments to pies, all using root vegetables.

Back to the Roots Mushroom Farm.

Every year I give what I call “food growing gifts.” Why? I grew up taking care of my family’s food garden and I firmly believe that if everyone grew something—even kitchen herbs on a window sill—we would be less reliant on agribusiness. Which is important to me. This fun kit is a great gift for foodies, gardeners and families. It’s the ultimate way to get kids to eat mushrooms! Plus, it’s easy! Just water and grow!

This Sew Grown Sprouting Garden

I love sprouts, of all kinds. They are great in salads, sandwiches, stir-fries, soups and all other dishes that start with S. Kidding about that last part, but they are great and so full of phytonutrients and chlorophyll. Growing your own is easy and provides you with the freshest, most nutrient-dense sprouts This is another gift I adore giving to families.(I’ve converted many a veggie-averse kid with this kit…)

A Slow-Cooker

If you do not yet own a slow-cooker (aka “Crockpot”) now is the time to change that. In a few weeks I’ll be running a detox that is heavy on soups and other warm meals. A crock pot will make it a cinch to dive in and get healthy with us. Plus, it will change the way you and your family eat. Look for recipes and tips in the weeks ahead.

Extravagant Nut Oils

These oils will change your life. As my 12-year-old says “Mom, enough with the hyperbole!” But when it comes to Pecan Oil, Pumpkin Seed Oil and Roasted Walnut Oil, too many accolades are not enough—these are AMAZING! And healthy for your brain and your heart! I drizzle the Pumpkin Seed Oil on tomatoes in the summer and cooked grains in the winter. The Pecan and the Roasted Walnut Oil are outrageous in salad and with roasted veggies (enjoy the Pecan Oil with beets). Try these. Please! And let me know if you come up with any fun uses for them.

I will be back next week with easy, fun, practical ways to get and stay healthy. In the meantime, enjoy this gorgeous time of year and be good to yourself and others.

Much love,

Stephanie

www.StephaniePedersen.com

P.S. A few of you have asked if you could give my nutritional consulting services to loved ones as a gift. (Many of you have asked about setting me up with your mums!) My answer? Of course! I do offer gift certificates. Email me at stephanie@stephaniepedersen.com to learn more.

The Power of an Alkaline Breakfast

Secrets of an Alkaline Breakfast

If you’re interested in healthy eating—and certainly if you’ve done a cleanse or other program with me—you know a bit about being alkaline. Think back to your high school or undergrad chemistry class. Do you remember those litmus papers? The ones we licked or spit on or (yuck!) dipped in our urine to find out whether our bodies were more acidic or alkaline?

In an ideal world, your body would be slightly alkaline—it’s your body’s favorite way to be. When you’re alkaline, your body systems run efficiently, your immune system is strong, you are focused, and you don’t experience those distressing, energy-draining, health-crushing cravings.

Yes, you read that correctly. When you’re alkaline, your body systems run efficiently, your immune system is strong, you are focused, and you don’t experience those distressing, energy-draining, health-crushing cravings.

But how can you create an alkaline body?

One easy way is to avoid foods, drinks and activities that push you into the acidic zone. Sugar, alcohol, caffeine, artificial ingredients, wheat, soy, airborne chemicals, and stress hormones are some of these acidifying agents.

Another way to create an alkaline body is to start alkalizing your body the moment you wake up. If you start alkalizing yourself in the morning, you’re less likely to want a muffin and a cappuccino at 10 am, fast food for lunch, a four-pack of brownies around 3 pm and pasta for dinner. You simply won’t experience cravings. Or, the cravings you do get will be mild and manageable—not the persistent, soul-crushing, hijacking cravings you may be experiencing now.

Imagine a day without being hijacked by cravings. That’s what an alkaline breakfast can give you.

That’s why I ask clients to start their day in this very specific way:

 

As soon as you wake up and before you eat or drink anything else—in other words, before you put anything else in your body—please drink a large glass of lukewarm water (not cold!) with a squirt of lemon or lime juice or a splash of apple cider vinegar. (Think one-teaspoon of citrus or vinegar). This will instantly work to alkalize you (even though citrus and vinegar are acids, these work to powerfully alkalize your body). They also help flush trapped water and toxins that may have built up as you slept.
Make a green drink. I adore the way greens—with their big dose of chlorophyll—give you an instant “high” and sustained energy. They just make you feel good. Green drinks are filled with chlorophyll and phytonutrients that help alkalize you. A reminder: An alkaline body experiences fewer and milder cravings for sugar, carbohydrates, alcohol and caffeine than a body that is more acidic. As you get going with the green drinks, you will actually feel your cravings for hard-to-resist foods shrink. Which is going to help you enormously in your get-healthy journey. (Do you need a green drink blueprint? Go here.)
Enjoy some clean protein. One of the biggest pitfalls of the modern breakfast is it is filled with simple carbs. Think about it—toast, cold cereal, a large bowl of fruit, fruit juice, pancakes, waffles, breakfast pastries, muffins… all filled with simple carbs, which your body converts to sugar. Not good for your energy levels, your blood sugar, or your ability to go through the day cravings-free. By having a bit of energy-giving, energy-sustaining protein with your green drink, you are giving your body a steady source of powerful fuel. This will help keep you focused, energetic, and calm. Great choices for protein could be a piece of fish, poultry or meat from last night’s dinner, an egg or two, a cup of beans topped with salsa, a bowl of vegan chili, a cup of lentil soup, ¼ cup of nuts, nut butter spread on celery, a quinoa bowl made with black beans, hummus and veggie dippers…. There are so many choices!

 

Try three days eating this way and I guarantee you’ll feel like a new, less-distracted, stronger person. I promise!

 

Have a Pumpkin Spice Latte—On Me

If you’ve ever read my blog or used my cookbooks or worked with me privately, you know that I am not a fan of Starbucks’ flavored coffee and tea drinks. (Well, it’s not just Starbucks…. I don’t love any of the flavored coffee or tea drinks from Dunkin’ Donuts or any other chain.)

You can go here and learn why.

But if you’ve ever worked with me, you know I am not above bribing clients. I bribe my kids, too—even my husband. And now, I am here to bribe you.

The idea came about when I was chatting with my publicist, Ms. Sherri Mclendon. I was telling her how excited I was to get 20 new reviews for my Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookbook (Sterling Publishing). This is one of my favorote of my own cookbooks. It’s a small gift book, crammed with recipes and great information on one of America’s favorite spice blends.

I am always getting happy emails from people about the book (the Vegan Spice Nog, The Caribbean Pulled Pork, Spicy Ketchup and the Scandinavian Pumpkin Spice blend are personal faves), but leaving a review is a bit of a pain. I know it is. So many of my friends are writers and we often talk about how difficult it is to get people to take time out from their busy days to review their books without creating some big publicity giveaway around them.

Sure I have asked you to review books, but beyond a polite “Would you please review my latest book?” request on Facebook or in my newsletter, I have to admit I’ve been a bit lazy or scared or apprehensive to push too hard. But today I have a new desire to have my recipes reviewed. Hence the bribe. (And if you have never read The Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookbook, you still are eligible to leave a review. More on the ethical way to do this in a few paragraphs.)

So here is the bribe.

From now until November midnight (ET) November 5, 2016, I am asking you to post a review of The Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookbook on Amazon.

If you’ve read the book or not, here is how the contest works:

1a. If you’ve read the book, fantastic. Hopefully posting a review will be easy! You can go here to to that.

1b. For those of you have not read the book, but who have worked with me, you’ve probably encountered recipes from The Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookbook in one of the group programs you’ve done with me, or in our one-on-one work. Go here to post a review sharing that you’ve made a recipe from The Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookbook.

1c. For those of you who are new to me, here are a list of recipes here on my site that come from The Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookbook. Feel free to take a look and make one or two. Go here to post a review sharing that you made a recipe from The Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookbook.

— Make your own Pumpkin Spice Blends! And learn why using this yummy spice blend can improve your health

— This yummy Pumpkin Pie Smoothie is a filling, health-supportive breakfast or snack. In my house, we even use it as a dessert.

— Pumpkin Chutney, a delicious, different, nutrient dense condiment that easy to make and economical.

— Savory Pumpkin Dip is basically a souped-up hummus that is so easy and so much more delicious (and healthy) than the regular stuff.

—

2. Post a link to the review on social media.

–If you use Twitter, don’t forget to tag me so I can find you! My twitter handle is @StPedersen.

–If you prefer Facebook, that’s good too. Like my page here, then be sure to tag my page when you post the review.

–And if Instagram is your thing, my name there is @stephaniepedersenlovesyou—be sure to tag me!

 

3. I will announce the two winners of a $5.00 Starbucks gift card on Sunday, November 6 at noon ET, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

4. Everyone who writes a review and posts the link (again, this is how I can find you) will get an even larger gift from me: A $25 Gift Certificate to be used toward my upcoming January 2017 New Year’s Cleanse (this is online group program) or private consulting or any of my upcoming programs. Use the Gift Certificate yourself or save it to give a loved one as a holiday gift. The choice is yours.

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend!

To celebrate both my new site—and autumn—I want to share a recipe from my autumnal cookbook, The Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookbook (Sterling Publishing).

Before I share, however, I want to talk just a bit about pumpkin pie spice. Who out there knows what this stuff is?

If you’re not quite sure, it’s a somewhat arbitrary blend of warming spices (one of the reasons our bodies crave it during this time of cooler weather), packaged by many spice companies, from the supermarket staple McCormick to health brand Simply Organic.

Typically pumpkin pie spice blend contains—in this order— cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and one or more of these: allspice, mace, and/or cloves. (FYI: Pumpkin Pie Spice is a bit different from Apple Pie Spice blends, which traditionally contain cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and sometimes cardamom.)

It’s a handy blend to have on hand, especially if you’re trying to healthy-up your cooking. Here’s why it supports your health:

The ingredients in Pumpkin Pie Spice blends are thermogenic, which means they warm the body. This is why we so often crave spicy foods in cool weather.
The good news about warming ingredients is they boost metabolism and increase the amount of calories your body burns.
Spices have been shown by decades of research to improve your body’s immune system function, helping it to ward off viruses.
Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have indicated that cinnamon has a positive effect on insulin.
A study in diabetic mice has shown that cinnamon lowers blood glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, while raising helpful HDL cholesterol levels.
Research has found that ginger is a strong antioxidant and has strong anti-inflammatory properties.
Studies show that regular ginger consumption helps prevent cancer and shrink cancerous tumors.
Nutmeg has been shown in animal research to prevent colon cancer.

 

Good stuff, right? Here’s a few fun ways to use Pumpkin Pie Spice blend so you, too, can enjoy its great health benefits:

Dust your next batch of homemade popcorn with pumpkin pie spice and a bit of salt. Yum!
Toss cubed root vegetables with coconut oil, pumpkin pie spice and salt before roasting at 425 F.
Create a fast mole sauce by adding a ¼ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon of cocoa and as much chili powder, garlic, cumin and salt as you’d like to tomato puree.
Add ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to your next batch of chia pudding.
Mix 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ¼ cup kosher salt, and 1/8 cup liquid coconut oil or avocado oil for a skin-brightening scrub.
Make your own dessert topping by adding ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 cup of raw cashews and ½ cup of water to a food processor or high power blender and whirring until smooth.
Stir into your favorite nut butter for an easy, fun spread.
Add to your favorite cookie, cake and quick bread recipe.
Add to your tea, coffee, hot chocolate, smoothies, or other beverages.
Add to oatmeal, breakfast porridge and other breakfast offerings.
Speaking of breakfast offerings, pumpkin pie spice gives an autumnal warmth to pancakes, waffles, French toast and muffins.

DIY types and the frugal among you will be happy to hear there is no reason to buy pre-packaged Pumpkin Pie Spice blends—they are super cinchy to make at home. Something I encourage in order to avoid the “sulfiting agents” that some mainstream spice companies sneak into their blends. My book, The Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookbook, gives you recipes for several different versions, I’ll share two of them with you right here.

 

Basic Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend

Makes about 8 tablespoons

This is your basic, yummy pumpkin pie spice. It’s similar to most of the premade spice blends you can buy at the supermarket, in specialty stores and from bakery suppliers. Feel free to play with it, omitting any spice you may not like or increasing any of those you adore. (Just go easy on the nutmeg, which can taste bitter in large quantities.)

8 tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons ground ginger

3 teaspoons ground allspice

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground mace

 

1. In a small dry bowl, whisk ingredients together.

2. Place in an airtight container and store in a dry, cool, dark place.

 

 

Mexican Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend

Makes about 8 tablespoons

In Mexico, cinnamon, orange, chocolate, and other flavors often join together to create a sweet, spicy flavor profile

5 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons ground allspice

2 teaspoons ancho chili powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground dried orange zest

 

1. In a small dry bowl, whisk ingredients together.

2. Place in an airtight container and store in a dry, cool, dark place.

 

The Cure for “I Don’t Wanna”

Sometimes doing nothing is the fastest path to achieving your health goals.

 

Do you have ever go through periods where you just don’t want to?

*You don’t want to try anything new

*You don’t want to cook for yourself

*You don’t want to eat healthy

*You don’t want to exercise

*You don’t want to limit your nightly wine

*You don’t want to give up that third daily latte

*You don’t want to even know about easy things that could make you look and feel better

All you want to do is what you want to do. Which, if you’re like me, involves food, wine and facebook.

Usually these periods of ennui pass quickly enough, leaving us with gifts of reflection and realization. These fallow periods provide a chance to slow down and learn something new about ourselves. It’s all good as I like to say and, in the end, there is no lasting harm done to our health or lifestyle.

But what if you don’t have time to slip into fallowness? You’ve got a health condition that must be managed or some weight your doctor has said must come off or you have a career-defining work project due in a few days, or, or, or…

1. Take a week off. Commit to taking an entire week off. Open your calendar and mark a day seven days from today. You’ve got until this day to do whatever you want, eat what you want, exercise or not. This may sound counter-intuitive, but chances are, the rebel in you will love the space and permission that comes with taking time off. I find that most of my clients who take a week off don’t do any harm to themselves. They may drink a bit more than normal. They may gain an inch and a pound or two, but seldom anything detrimental comes of it. In fact, they usually come back invigorated and ready to commit—deeply—to moving forward. Our will is one of the most powerful obstacles to getting or not-getting healthy. If you treat it like the inner toddler that it is—with reverse psychology—you may be pleasantly surprised at how it comes around to help you meet your wellness goals.

2. Or, just stick to an alkalizing breakfast. If going all loosey-goosey for an entire week worries you, I invite you to concentrate on just one thing: Eating an alkalizing, Stephanie-approved breakfast. This would be a green drink (please go very easy on the fruit!) and a side of protein, such as an egg, a cup of beans or lentils, a bit of salmon or a piece of chicken from last night’s dinner. (I’ll be back next week with an entire post on breakfasts: Stay tuned.) Once you’ve done that, you can play. Go ahead and have hot dogs for lunch and takeout Chinese for dinner. A second cocktail at happy hour? Go for it! Want to skip yoga? Go ahead! But if you have the breakfast I suggest, you’ll start the day in such an alkaline way that there is a good chance you won’t feel like completely falling off the healthy-living wagon. There is something so energizing about being alkaline, that often it’s the single one thing we can do to ensure all of our other be-healthy efforts stay on track. Don’t believe me? Try it!