Tag: greatist

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Vegan Pumpkin Soup for your Meatless Monday (GF)

‘Tis the season for pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin bread (recipe to come), pumpkin smoothies (recipe to come) and, my personal favorite, pumpkin soup!  As iconic a fall staple as apple-picking and Halloween, pumpkins and pumpkin products are abundant this time of year. The orange gourds are packed with beta carotene which your body converts into vitamin A–essential for good eye sight and a healthy heart–as well as disease fighting vitamin K and powerful antioxidants. Pumpkin can definitely be deemed a superfood.

The recipe I’ve created for you today uses canned organic pumpkin. Chances are some of you out there may experience a certain skepticism for anything that comes out of a can. Before you throw the fresh-food-is-better book at this one consider this: according to  Greatist, one cup of  the canned stuff has 7g of fiber and 3g of protein—that’s more than two times the fiber and 50% more protein than pulling it fresh from the pumpkin patch. Topping this semi-sweet soup with a sprinkle of raw pumpkin seeds will add a powerful dose of essential minerals including zinc, potassium and magnesium.

I’ll have more pumpkin-perfect recipes later this month, so stock up on your canned pumpkin and spices now!

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What You’ll Need:

  • 1 tbs coconut oil
  • 1 sweet onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
  • 2 – 15oz cans organic pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling!)
  • 1 tbs maple syrup
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp smoked chipotle chile flakes
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Optional:

  • 2 tbs tahini
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

How to Make It:

  1. In a large pot or casserole dish, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic (both coarsely chopped) and sauté until translucent (about 5-7 min). Add spices and cook another minute.
  2. Add 3 cups of vegetable stock and bring mixture up to a simmer.
  3. Add two cans of pumpkin purée and maple syrup, stirring to combine.
  4. Remove mixture from heat and pour it into a blender. Blend until thoroughly combined.
  5. Add blended soup back to your pot and mix in one cup of coconut milk. Taste for seasoning and adjust according to taste. (Note: if you want to thin this out, add another cup of vegetable stock at this point).
  6. Bring mix back to a simmer and serve immediately, or remove it from the heat, let cool, and store in your fridge for up to a week (or 1-2 months in your freezer).
  7. Serve with a spoonful of the optional coconut milk/tahini blend (whisk together the tahini and coconut milk until smooth) and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds for a little more flavor and texture.
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Be Fit: Foam Roll 4 Flexibility

Ever since my high-school field hockey days, I’ve been cursed with insanely tight hamstrings. Despite daily yoga and regular stretching, my hammies continued to rebel. Struggling in my down dogs and forward bends, I was becoming increasingly frustrated. One day a friend and former professional athlete raved about the magical, muscle-loosening power of the foam roller. Intrigued by his conviction, I started doing my homework. As serendipity would have it, Greatist–one of my favorite online fitness and health resources–did a feature on how to foam roll like a pro and it gave me the extra push I needed to see what this seemingly simple piece of equipment was all about. I ended up going with a 36-inch, high-density product from Isokinetics. You can pick one up for under $25 on Amazon.com. It is well worth the investment!

I’ve been foam rolling on a(n almost) daily basis since this thing arrived and have really noticed a big difference. When I was first learning how to rock the roller, I used the infographic below (source: Greatist), but now I just play around depending on what my body needs.

The IT band and hamstring moves hurt so good and are great for runners and athletes of all kinds. The one exercise I would add to this list is for the groin. Simply lay on the ground, belly down. Place the foam roller off to your right side and place your right leg on top of it, bent at a 90-degree angle. Lift your torso up off the floor 4-6 inches and rock laterally, letting the roller glide along your inner thigh from knee to groin. Do this for 60 seconds (or as long as you can) then switch sides. By adjusting your body weight you can control the pressure/level of discomfort. The higher your raise your body off the floor the less force will be placed on the muscle group you’re working (but the more you’ll have to engage your arm and core muscles). Keep in mind this should be uncomfortable. It’s like a sports massage–hurts like hell during but makes you feel phenomenal when all is said and done. Don’t short change yourself and really push through to your edge!