If you haven’t tried one I highly recommend you buying one and give it a shot. You can get 1 for about $1.50 on sale, not bad. Some people think they are annoying to peel apart but I think it is a fun process, just be careful not to wear a white shirt while eating it, because it can stain.

The fruit is usually eaten by hand, you make some small incisions on the thick skin and then break it apart. There are tiny sacs that you pull out, and trust me these little sacs pack a lot of flavor. Marc said it has a similar taste to cranberry juice, so I guess you can say it has a tart flavor! If you want to you can peel apart the whole fruit and place everything in a bowl of cold water so the pomegranate seeds sink to the bottom and the pump floats at top. This makes it a little easier to separate. Or you can eat as you go like me!!

Now lets talk nutrition. Pomegranates are a great low calorie snack… they are a good source of Vitamin C which we know helps boost immunity, they contain a good amount of fiber with about 4g per 1/2 cup of seeds, they are loaded with vitamins & minerals and the best part is Pomegranates are considered to be a superfood!!

You can pack them up in individual baggies for a great nutritional snack on the go!

Have you had a pomegranate before? If not give it a try! 

This recipe definitely makes me want to eat more cauliflower!

FAKE OUT MASHED POTATOES

Looks just like mashed potatoes!

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower (florets only, no stems)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3/4 tsp chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
(plain yogurt works too)
• 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

In medium/large saucepan, boil an inch or two of water.

Place cauliflower in boiling water and cover.

Reduce heat to simmer and boil for 12 minutes until cauliflower is soft. Drain water and add salt & pepper.

Place in food processor with olive oil, butter, Greek yogurt (or plain yogurt) & garlic for a few minutes until the chunks are gone. If all of your cauliflower doesn’t fit, add it as you puree.

Sprinkle Parmesan on top and serve!

serves 4: approximately 115 calories, 8.7g fat, 4.5g carb, 5.7g protein

Spinach salad with peppers and balsamic dressing to go with the steak and cauliflower!

Okay okay, I know it is only September 1^st but I couldn’t wait any longer……

I am a HUGE fan of anything pumpkin flavored, and I woke up this morning craving some Pumpkin Spice Coffee. Yes, I actually think this is one of my first cravings!

I could’ve just walked to Dunkin Donuts (1/2 mile away) or drove to Starbucks and bought a cup but I know that their flavored coffee is loaded with sugar! The Starbucks Tall12oz Pumpkin Spiced Latte has 200 calories (that is with skim milk and no whipped cream)

My version has 20 calories!

PUMPKIN SPICE COFFEE

Ingredients:

½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

½ teaspoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons regular coffee grounds (your choice of brand)

Directions:

Mix the spices in with your coffee grounds, place in your coffee maker and enjoy a nice hot cup of FALL flavor!

Serving Size: 1 cup of coffee with 2 tablespoons of skim milk only 20 calories

For added sweetness: use stevia!

This coffee flavor is NOT over powering and the added cinnamon cuts out some of the strong pumpkin spice. If you prefer a spicier flavor I would use 1 tsp of pumpkin spice and omit the extra cinnamon!!

Enjoy your Sunday! 

If you have any pumpkin recipes be sure to leave a comment with the recipe, I would love to try it!