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For the love of pumpkin: the weirdest pumpkin spice products you can find

Fall marks the return of oversized sweaters, cozy weather, and everything pumpkin. It’s hard to ignore the fact that as soon as September arrives — pumpkin is in. This fashionable orange gourd has many by-products, including the popular pumpkin spice. The traditional pumpkin spice mix, often added to the Thanksgiving favourite, pumpkin pie, is similar to a mixed spice blend using common flavours in the fall.

This blend includes nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, all spice, and cloves. Yes, you read that right, pumpkin spice doesn’t actually contain pumpkin, which is the most ironic part. Popular brands like Starbucks are celebrating over 10 years of the famous Pumpkin Spice Latte (or PSL) and it was only in 2015 that it was announced the drinks would actually contain real pumpkin puree instead of a mixture of artificial ingredients and colours.

There is no denying the pumpkin spice obsession. Almost every café has caught on to the fall trend of pumpkin scented or flavoured products. But, where do you draw the line? Here are some of the weirdest, unusual, and not so usual pumpkin/ pumpkin spice products you can find.

Pumpkin Spice Pizza

A New Jersey pizza joint, Villa Italian Kitchen, added something new this fall, with the pumpkin spice pizza. The pizza is your usual dough with savoury cheese— but forget the pepperoni; this one is topped with spoonfuls of pumpkin pie filling. Once out of the oven, even more filling is added. This one is a pumpkin pie overload.

Pumpkin Spice Deodorant

I really wish I was joking with this one, but Native, an American company that manufactures all-natural deodorants for men and women, recently released their latest inspiration. This deodorant is a limited–edition pumpkin-spice-latte-scented product. The product description reads, “Inspired by the PSL, this deodorant makes the perfect holiday gift. Subtle notes of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.”

I really can’t think of a better way to describe your love for PSL—by smelling like it.

Pumpkin Spice Soap/ Lotion/ Scrub

If the deodorant is not enough for you, there is a very real trend of people making homemade pumpkin spice soaps. There are lists of various recipes people have used to make this pumpkin spice scented product. The Farmers’ Market Soaps even offers this product made using organic avocado, blueberry butter, shea butter and added hints of pumpkin spice preserves. This one is less of a shock considering brands like Bath and Body Works, which literally offers every fall scent from marshmallow-roasted, spiced, and pumpkin-apple products.

 

Pumpkin Spice Rum

You can now get intoxicated on pumpkin spice! Once again, I am not making this one up. Captain Morgan Rums has added pumpkin spice to their traditional alcoholic beverage to “add some fall spice to your favourite cocktails.” Pumpkin spice alcohol is definitely a growing trend, as this rum joined the already existing pumpkin pie vodka from Pinnacale and the list of craft pumpkin beers available at the LCBO. This pumpkin spices rum is called Captain Morgan— Jack-O’Blast and is sold in an obvious pumpkin shaped bottle. Because pumpkin!

 

Pumpkin Spice Pet Treats
Your pets can enjoy pumpkin spice just as much as you do. Greenies’ dental treats is just one small example of chewable dog treats in pumpkin spice flavour. There is also a long list online where people can find the recipes for these treats for their canine pet.

I think I’ve said the word pumpkin enough times for today. Let us know in the comments below some crazy pumpkin spice themed products you’ve come across.

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6 things you can put on the grill other than hamburgers

Are your ready to barbecue this summer? At my house, no one ever uses the oven during the months of July and August unless it’s for baking sweets or pastries. It’s all about the BBQ. Who doesn’t love the smell of grilled meats and vegetables? The best thing is, there is almost nothing you can’t cook on the barbecue. Here are a few ideas for those of you looking to try something new:

Kabobs: This one may be a bit obvious, but it’s all about what you put on the kabob. Just grab some chicken, steak, shrimp, or even tofu for those vegetarians out there and put it on a wooden kabob stick. Make sure to alternate between protein source and vegetables. My favourite vegetables are button mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and yellow peppers, but feel free to spice it up.

Cheese: To be clear, this does not mean every cheese can be grilled. But, some brilliant person invented cheese that you could grill. It’s great on sandwiches, wraps, or even served on it’s own with tomatoes and basil as an appetizer. It has a texture a bit similar to tofu, but with the squeak of a curd. The taste is incredibly rich, and it takes on the taste of  it has a very rich taste. Halloumi is the most well-known of grilling cheeses, but you can get some at any artisan cheese stop or market.

Potatoes: You can cook potatoes on the grill similarly to how you do it in the oven. But, you have to cut them into larger pieces. it’s recommended that you slice them so that they don’t fall through the grill. Top the potatoes with cheese and cooked bacon and serve with sour cream! If you want a healthier option, simply grill the potatoes with oil, salt and pepper.

Pizza: Try to make your own pizza using your barbecue. I would lightly-precook the vegetables and meats, just to ensure they are cooked at the same time as the dough. Don’t cook them completely though or you risk soggy toppings on your pizza. Make a crust and place it on your grill with tomato sauce and your toppings of choice. Close the lid and wait 10-15 minutes. This only really works with thin crusts, depending on the size of your barbecue.

Pineapple or watermelon: Not all fruits can be put on the grill, but these two are wonderfully refreshing. The grill chars the fruit and keeps the juices in, while also giving it a nice smokey flavour. Grilled watermelon is fantastic in cold salads and grilled pineapple makes an excellent appetizer or a great topping on a meat dish.

Smores: You don’t have to go camping to have this beautiful and sticky dessert. I should warn you though, once you realize you can make smores in your backyard, you will never want to go camping again! Wrap your smore in tin foil to make sure it doesn’t get too messy, and make sure to watch them carefully, as the marshmallow will melt fast.Another rendition is to split open a banana, place bits of chocolate and marshmallow within that split, and wrap it in tin foil. Place on top of the grill until everything is gooey and delicious!

What are your favourite foods to grill? Let us know in the comments below! 

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Recipe: Vegan Taco Pizza

What are the two best comfort foods in the world? Pizza and tacos. If you put them together, it creates the ultimate treat that will leave you wanting more. Homemade pizza is easy to make and absolutely delicious. It is also surprisingly healthy if made with vegetables.  Over the long weekend, give this pizza a try!

Ingredients:

Homemade Pizza Crust:

  • A packet of active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp white sugar
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt

Toppings:

  • 1 can of black beans
  • 1 can of Pizza Sauce
  • Chopped tomatoes
  • Avocado
  • Crushed tortilla chips
  • Handful of chopped onion
  • Vegan ground round with taco spices (if desired)
  • Daiya cheese or another vegan cheese alternative (if desired)

Directions:

  1. Make homemade vegan pizza crust by mixing all ingredients and turn dough out onto a flat surface that has been sprinkled with flour.
  2. Roll the dough into a circular shape and roll up edges to create a crust.
  3. Put the toppings on the pizza, beginning by spreading the tomato paste on the crust first.
  4. Put all other toppings on the pizza and the vegan cheese as the final ingredient. Feel free to mix in some ingredients not mentioned in this recipe!
  5. Bake at 450 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy this delicious combination on a pizza and pass it on to all of your vegan friends! Homemade pizza is a great comfort food and you can put as little or as much of the toppings on, depending upon preference. It is the perfect meal for the long weekend, and goes well with a glass of red wine and a relaxing patio chair.

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5 things to do with leftover ham

Your Sunday Easter dinner turned out perfectly — the scalloped potatoes were cheesy and creamy, the vegetables were crisp, and the ham was cooked to utter perfection. But, your guests didn’t eat as much as you expected. Instead of having enough leftover ham for a day or so as planned, you have enough for a few weeks! What to do?

If you’re like me, you can only eat ham and potatoes for so many days before starting to feel sick. Here are five alternatives for those who don’t want to waste all of those fantastic leftovers:

hash-brown-eggs-nests-with-avocado-1
thecookingjar.com

Eggs: Nothing goes better with ham than some good old eggs and cheese. Put some of the ham in an omelette or make little hashbrown nests with some shredded potatoes. After spraying some muffin tins, line it with the potato, crack an egg, and top with diced ham, cheese, and some spinach if you’re feeling healthy. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes at a temperature of 350 degrees.

Betty Crocker
Betty Crocker

Casserole: What’s the easiest way to use leftovers? Throw them all in a casserole dish and let it warm up in the oven. Personally, I like to combine some cooked pasta, peas, corn, onions, ham, and cheese with some mushroom sauce. If you want some more vegetables, feel free to add some carrots or broccoli. This is comfort food at its best.

 

Skinnytaste
Skinnytaste

Soup: One of my favourite meals on a rainy day is split-pea soup, with yellow peas, onions, ham, and bacon. Put all of these ingredients into a pot with vegetable stock, pepper, and garlic, and let simmer for a few hours. I like to puree the soup slightly so that it’s not as thick.

recipe.com
recipe.com

Stirfry: Most of the time I use chicken or beef in my stirfry, but it’s easy to substitute that with ham. Put some cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, bok choy, and pineapple in a skillet with your leftover ham. Cook in some water until the vegetables are mostly cooked and then add some soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, and sesame seeds. Serve on top of rice.

tobasco.com
tobasco.com

Pizza: Pineapple, ham, and cheese (extra cheese!). Those are my absolute favourite things to put on a pizza. If you want to make this at home, try it on some large flatbread or on a tortilla wrap. If you aren’t a pineapple fan, try substituting some tomatoes or green peppers. Top with olives, chilli flakes, and onions. Enjoy!

 

What do you plan to do with your Easter leftovers? Let us know in the comments

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