PUREfected

The Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks is easily one of my FAVORITE things about fall - along with football season, falling leaves, and fashion galore. But with a Grande packing 49 grams of sugar (not to mention the 380 calories - 120 of which are from fat!! and trust me, you don’t even want to know about the Venti which will set you back 510 Calories!), I certainly can’t be slurping down that hot sugary mess all the time!

So here’s my solution to avoid the pollution: The (LITE) Pumpkin Spice Latte:

When at Starbucks:
Ask for a “2-pump pumpkin spice/2-pump sugar free vanilla latte with soy milk.” Come on, we love to sound all important and informed with complicated drink orders, embrace it! Then feel free to add sugar-free sweetener or pumpkin pie seasoning (which you’ll have to stash in your purse) to taste.
Normally, a Grande sugar-free vanilla soy latte has about 170 calories plus 2 pumps of pumpkin bumps it up to around 200 (so much less than the 380 full version, plus almost no sugar and less than 5grams of fat!)

When at Home:
4 ounces coffee or espresso OR 1 cup strong brewed coffee
1 1/2 cup lite vanilla soymilk (or skim or nonfat milk)

2 tbsp pumpkin puree

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (plus extra to dust on top)

2-3 tbsp sweetner (think splenda or agave to taste)
Some light whipped topping (optional of course)

1. Add soymilk to a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and sweetener (splenda or agave).
   Let simmer for 2-3 minutes. Do not boil!
2. Add coffee or espresso (this way the coffee doesn’t over cook doesn’t burn in the pot and taste burnt) then top with light whipped topping and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.

So today for lunch I decided I was finally going to brave the “green smoothie.” I’ve always been a fan of the processed & bottled juices like “Green Machine” by Naked Juice, but those are full of preservatives and additives. I wanted something fresher & healthier.. but I was terrified it would taste GREEN.

Well this smoothie certainly does NOT!

Blend (in just a regular, run of the mill blender, no fancy smancy juicer required):

• 1 Pear
• 1 Peach (I used frozen peach slices)
• 1/2 a bag (2 big handfuls) of baby spinach (or regular spinach, or kale or really any green,  just remember to remove their stems)
• 1 cup fresh OJ (I used orange mango juice, or you can sub almond or soy milk, etc)
• 1 cup ice

IT’S THAT SIMPLE & super fresh & sweet! Not green tasting at all!

*images & inspiration from joythebaker.com

For those who are taking the baby-steps approach to eating better, this list is super helpful. Not only are these power foods high in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals, they’re also familiar and easy to find. That means you don’t have to hunt down any exotic ingredients or shop at specialty grocery stores to find foods that will help you get on track with a healthful meal plan.

This list is originally from and article on diabeticliving.com, but I added some additional notes and cautions. Their website lists more information as well as great ways to incorporate these ingredients into low-carb, diabetic-friendly recipes!

• Asparagus - High in folate & fiber
• Blueberries - Rich in flavonoids, fiber & vitamin C
• Red Grapefruit - Loaded with vitamin C
• Beans - Full of fiber & protein
• Broccoli - Loaded with fiber & vitamin C
• Carrots - High in fiber & beta-carotene
• Fish - Excellent source of omega-3s
• Flaxseed - High in fiber & heart-healthy fats
• Cranberries - Packed with powerful antioxidants (beware of dried cranberries high in sugar!)
• Apples - Packed with fiber & vitamin C
• Melon - Packed with potassium (beware of high GI ones like watermelon!)
• Nuts - Good source of heart-healthy fats
• Oatmeal - High in fiber, potassium, and magnesium
• Red Onions - High in flavonoids, folate & potassium
• Raspberries - Rich in antioxidants
• Spinach - Loaded with beta-carotene and protein
• Soy - Packed with folate and omega-3s
• Tea - Good source of antioxidants
• Tomatoes - High in potassium and lycopene (remember they are higher in sugar too!)
• Yogurt - Great source of calcium, vitamins, and minerals

Adapted from DiabeticLiving.com

I am always looking for a good snacking option because being insulin resistant (or diabetic or simply being human) it’s important to keep your blood sugar levels even throughout the day so SNACKING IS KEY! My mom brought me a giant combo pack of these bars from Costco the other day and as with anything you can buy in bulk I was very weary.. but they’re actually super healthy for a quick pick-me-up! The company claims the bars are Vegan, No Trans Fat, No Additives, No Preservatives, No Cholesterol, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Wheat Free, Non-GMO, Kosher.

PLUS, they taste really yummy!

THe ingredients are pretty pure, but there ARE dried fruits which are high in sugar! This bar has a NET CARB of 17grams (3grams of fiber) with 6 grams of protein so it’s decently balanced!

Ingredients: Cashew, Almonds, Pistachios, Strawberries, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Dates, Raisins, Rice Malt, Natural Flavors, Evaporated Cane Juice (essentially your SUGAR) and Sea Salt.

According to Real Simple Magazine, the following are 30 super-foods to incorporate into your diet.

1. almonds
2. avocados
3. barley
4. black beans
5. blueberries
6. broccoli
7. bulgur
8. chard
9. chicken breasts
10. edamame
11. eggs
12. extra virgin olive oil
13. kale
14. kidney beans
15. kiwi
16. lentils
17. mushrooms
18. oatmeal
19. oranges
20. peanut and almond butters
21. pumpkin (good news, tumblr!)
22. quinoa
23. sardines
24. skim milk
25. spinach
26. sweet potatoes
27. walnuts
28. whole-grain pasta
29. wild salmon
30. yogurt (nonfat Greek)