There are now plenty of ways to get your pumpkin spice fix in a healthy way (sorry, Starbies!), but here’s the most amazing of all: Make the actual spice yourself.
Just think, if you make a jar to have at home, then you can put it on or in anything. (And even if that happens to be on vegan ice cream in the middle of summer, ahem, we won’t tell anyone.)
With that in mind, we asked our spice mix guru Chef Carla Contreras to share her recipe.
Contreras is a Nutritious Life Certified chef and health coach with a stacked resume—she’s been a private chef for prominent families, ran a meal delivery company, and even competed on season 12 of Chopped and Cook Your Ass Off (where she met our founder, Keri, who was a judge)!
Not only did Chef Carla provide the perfect simple recipe, she also added a special secret ingredient: turmeric.
“I have been obsessed with turmeric, adding it to my smoothies and drinking it in hot tea,” she says. “When I thought of making my own pumpkin pie spice, I thought of turmeric's warming quality and how well it goes with the warming spices.”
Turmeric does a few things for pumpkin spice. First, it makes it prettier, transforming it into what she calls “golden-ish” pumpkin spice. (Sounds like Instagram gold, right?) It also adds a little heat to the flavor. Finally, it, of course, provides a dose of anti-inflammatory, health-boosting magic.
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Follow Chef Carla’s lead by sprinkling it in plain Greek yogurt, granola, or chia pudding, whipping it into butter, or tossing it on your sweet potato fries before they go into the oven.
Get her full Golden Pumpkin Spice recipe, here.
More ways to spice up your cooking like Chef Carla:
How to Make Your Own Delicious Taco Spice Mix
How to Make Trader Joe’s Everything Bagel Seasoning at Home
Want to Become a Nutrition Coach Like Chef Carla?
We’d love to welcome you into the Nutritious Life Studio community! Check out all the juicy details about our Master Certification and even get a sneak peek of the program by visiting our Become a Nutrition Coach page. See you inside!