After you eat this recipe, you will most likely call all of your friends and say, “You simply have to try this recipe.” Better yet, perhaps you will save it in your recipe bank and make it for Thanksgiving, or another potluck party during the holidays. Not only does it deliver impressive flavor, but it also provides lots of vitamins and minerals. The Brussels sprouts, which typically get a bad rap, come out to be just soft enough with a sticky-sweet exterior glaze. And it all comes together in just about 30 minutes!

Maple syrup is a common ingredient used in many fall-inspired recipes. It lends itself to those savory, aromatic spices in a variety of sweet and savory recipes. The slightly bitter flavor of Brussels sprouts needs the subtle sweetness that maple syrup provides. The fresh orange juice and orange zest also add a sweet citrusy flavor. If you didn’t look at what you were eating, you wouldn’t even know that you were eating Brussels sprouts. By the way, the fresh orange zest is a non-negotiable. Just do yourself a favor and use it!

One thing to note about Brussels sprouts is that you’ll want to give them a good rinse, scrubbing any dirt or grime off them. You may even want to peel one or two of the outer leaves to ensure cleanliness. Slice the Brussels in half to ensure even cooking, or quarter them if your sprouts are larger. The key to getting a classic, caramelized glaze on one side, though, is to place the sprouts cut-side down on the baking sheet.

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The fall brings some cozy and comforting treats, particularly those involving pumpkin flavors and spices. You’ve undoubtedly seen ads for pumpkin spice lattes (PSLs), in addition to pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin pies in stores. Now, we are in no way prepared to say that those items are beneficial to your health. What we can say is that pumpkin spice itself may not be as bad as you think. 

Pumpkin spice blends typically contain cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves, all of which offer beneficial antioxidants and antimicrobial properties. Even pumpkins themselves provide lots of beta-carotene, fiber, and other vitamins and minerals that benefit overall health. 

Is Pumpkin Spice Healthy?

Both cinnamon and nutmeg have the highest concentration of salicylic acid, which is an integral compound for reducing inflammation. Cinnamon has also proven to be effective at lowering blood sugar and LDL (bad) cholesterol and raising HDL (good) cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes. Ginger works to soothe nausea and has antibacterial properties. It has also proven effective at alleviating menstrual cramps and osteoarthritis pain. 

Does Pumpkin Spice Benefit Mental Health?

We can agree that pumpkin spice is comforting during the fall. Many people feel warmed by the spice, but does the spice blend exhibit mental health benefits? In the United States, there is a recurring pumpkin spice theme during the fall. You can see it in coffee shops, grocery stores, and other establishments that anticipate the holidays. Some psychological experts believe that the anticipation of the holidays rekindles past experiences and builds community. There is even a link between smell and memories. For most people, pumpkin spice brings up warm and fond memories. There is no direct link between pumpkin spice and better mental health, but it is possible to evoke positive emotions. 

Pumpkin Spice Recipes

We could not publish an article about pumpkin spice without including a few recipes. These are not your calorically dense PSLs; rather, they are healthier recipes that embrace the classic fall spice. We hope you enjoy them. 

Pumpkin Spice Date Energy Balls

Have you been on the lookout for a healthy pumpkin spice treat? Well, you found it in these raw vegan date energy balls.

Click here to make the recipe.

Post Cleanse Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea

Is your post cleanse palate ready for this comforting tea? Delight in one of fall’s signature flavors by sipping pumpkin spice chai tea.

Click here to make the recipe. 

Raw Vegan Pumpkin Spice Almond Milk

The warming flavors of fall have taken over! Whip up a batch of this homemade pumpkin spice almond milk and we promise you won’t regret it.

Click here to make the recipe. 

Homemade Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte

Made in a matter of minutes using whole food ingredients and a blender, this vegan pumpkin spice latte is your new fall drink of choice!

Click here to make the recipe. 

Keto And Vegan Pumpkin Spice No Bake Balls

Pumpkin spice no bake balls are softy, chewy, and will satisfy anybody’s sweet tooth. They are keto-approved and taste like pumpkin pie!

Click here to make the recipe.

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For the average person, grills and vegetables are not the perfect pairing. Classically, steaks, chicken, hamburgers, hotdogs, and ribs are the only items meant for a grill. This is a backwards way of thinking because the grill is one of the best culinary tools for cooking vegetables. Using a grill to cook vegetables is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to prepare them. 

Some people have the desire to eat more vegetables, but they don’t find creative ways to cook them. It’s easy to lose interest in the same salad that accompanies your meals, but vegetables don’t always have to be a side dish. You can bring vegetables to the center stage, especially if you grill specific varieties in unique ways. For example, marinate a portobello mushroom cap, grill it, and eat it as your main course. Slice a cauliflower head into thick steaks for a vegan steak alternative. The possibilities are endless!

How To Prepare Vegetables For The Grill

In order to grill vegetables to perfection, it all comes down to the way you prepare them. An ultra-thin vegetable will burn to a crisp within a minute or two. You won’t even taste the vegetable at that point. It’s ideal to give your vegetables sufficient surface area, meaning that they need to be big enough for you to see grill marks. Cutting them too small increases the risk of them falling through the grates. There is a list of common vegetables to grill below and how you should prepare them. 

• Zucchini, yellow squash, and eggplant: Cut lengthwise into thick, rectangular strips.
• Tomatoes: Cut thicker tomatoes in half to help them stay together on the grill.
• Bell peppers: Seed and quarter bell peppers to get plenty of char marks. 
• Onions: Peel the outer layers, remove the ends, and quarter the onion. Keep flipping quarters on the grill. 
• Cremini mushrooms: Remove the stems and cut them in half. You can grill large portobello mushrooms like a hamburger patty.
• Asparagus: Remove the woody ends and grill in a grill basket. 
• Corn: It’s best to place un-shucked ears of corn on the grill because the husks help to steam the kernels. After about 5-10 minutes of grilling, remove the husks and then grill for a couple minutes per side to get char marks. 

Start With A Clean Grill

Before you even lay your veggies on the grill, it’s important to remove all debris and built-up food particles. Turn your grill on to about medium heat and allow the fire to run for about two minutes. This will aid with easy removal of debris. Old food particles will impart a gross flavor into your vegetables because their flavors are easily overpowered. You can use a wire brush to clean the grates. Cut an onion in half and rub the onion cut-side down along the grates to help clean them. 

Season And Marinate

Vegetables deserve seasoning and marination! Those steps are not solely reserved for choice cuts of meat. Mushrooms do great in marinades because they easily soak up the flavors. For most vegetables, though, a combination of sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and olive oil is just perfect. You can use Italian seasoning, parsley, thyme, curry powder, paprika, cayenne, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, or whatever entices your taste buds. Olive oil on your veggies helps prevent sticking to the grill, just FYI. 

How Long Do You Grill Vegetables?

The cooking time will change depending on the size and shape of your vegetables. Most grills also have hot spots, so the placement of the vegetable will also dictate the cooking time. Ideally, it’s best to cook vegetables over medium heat, placing heartier vegetables in the hotter spots. Onions tend to take the longest, followed by bell peppers. Zucchini and eggplant slices and mushrooms cook fairly quickly, but not as quick as asparagus. You may have to experiment with your placement and come up with cooking times based on your grill. Typically, though, you can follow the cooking times below. 

• Zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, and eggplant: Seven to eight minutes (three to four minutes per side)
• Bell peppers and onions: Eight to ten minutes (four to five minutes per side)
• Asparagus, tomatoes, and green onions: Four to six minutes (two to three minutes per side)

Use Metal Skewers

Metal skewers are not always necessary, but they do come in handy for certain vegetables. Cherry tomatoes, cauliflower or broccoli florets, mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts will likely fall through the grates. Skewering these types of vegetables prevents them from rolling around. Don’t use wooden skewers because those can burn and break easily. Plus, they don’t support a lot of weight. Opt for metal flat skewers because the vegetables won’t spin around on them. 

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Is it wrong to have such strong feelings for a cozy, fall-inspired soup? Call us crazy, but these steamy bowls are exactly are exactly what you want on a chilly autumn evening. Sweet potato and kale soup is a cozy, healthy, and hardy meal option that is 100% vegan and easy to make. Not only will it please your palate, but it will also keep your belly full without weighing you down.

This soup is packed with a healthy dose of nutrients, including carotenoids, fiber, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. The onions, garlic, bell pepper, and celery provide the base flavor for the soup, but the real flavor comes from the fresh herbs and seasonings. Obviously you get the sweetness from the sweet potato and nuttiness from chickpeas. Don’t worry about the kale imparting a bitter flavor because it takes on the flavor of the broth once it softens.

There is one thing to note when you add the kale to the soup. Make sure that you don’t add the kale until the last five minutes of the cooking process. If you add it while the potatoes are still boiling, the kale will become overly soggy. Once you finish cooking the soup, ladle it into bowls and top with a healthy sprinkle or crack of black pepper. The soup is hardy enough to enjoy on its own, but a crisp slice of bread would be a lovely treat to accompany it. Think about it and let us know!

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Pumpkin spice is in the air, which means fall is in full swing. You cannot go out without seeing pumpkin spice! From coffee creamers and baked treats to lattes and more, pumpkin spice is in nearly everything. Not only is pumpkin spice or pumpkin pie glorious, but it is also warming, comforting, and tasty. And the great thing about this recipe is that you can enjoy it without the added sugars and excess calories.

Pumpkin puree, not sugary pumpkin pie filling, is highly nutritious. Orange pumpkins are naturally rich in potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin A, which is a key nutrient for eye health. Like other orange fruits and vegetables, pumpkins have lots of beta-carotene, an integral antioxidant that may keep your skin glowing. The fiber in pumpkin puree helps you feel full, so you won’t reach for unnecessary snacks after eating it. But pumpkin isn’t the only star of the show in this recipe. The chia seeds provide an impressive nutritional profile.

Chia seeds provide a similar amount of omega-3 fatty acids as ground flaxseed, but it is in the form of alpha linolenic acid (ALA). They are rich in fiber, which may help reduce cholesterol levels and promote healthier digestion. Because chia seeds can clump easily in this chia pudding, you have to whisk thoroughly before placing in the fridge to set overnight. After about six hours in the fridge, the liquid-like mixture thickens to turn into a pudding that has a similar texture to tapioca. Enjoy it as a healthy dessert or as a nutritious breakfast. Just as a reminder, though, this is only for people who are not cleansing because it is not raw vegan.

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Who doesn’t have a bag of frozen peas in their freezer? Whether you need to ice a sore neck or make a shepherd’s pie, frozen peas have their purpose. Green peas have an impressive nutritional profile and their calorie content is fairly low. About 70% of those calories come from complex carbohydrates, while the rest come from protein and healthy fats. Plus, peas contain nearly every vitamin and mineral you need. In fact, a half-cup serving of peas contains:

• Calories: 62
• Carbohydrates: 11 grams (g)
• Protein: 4 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Vitamin A: 34% of the recommended daily intake (RDI)
• Vitamin K: 24% of the RDI
• Folate: 12% of the RDI
• Manganese: 11% of the RDI
• Thiamine: 15% of the RDI
• Vitamin C: 13% of the RDI
• Iron: 7% of the RDI
• Phosphorus: 6% of the RDI

The great thing about this pea puree is its versatility. Use it as a dip with raw vegetables or spread it on a crisp crostini. Making a meal? Use this pea puree as a hummus substitute for your pita pocket. If you want to get really fancy, consider spreading it on the bottom of your plate and topping it with sautéed portobello mushrooms and their cooking juices. You can even use this as food for babies just starting on solid foods! You really want to know the best part? Simply defrost the peas, blend the ingredients together, and then enjoy.

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Have you boarded the turmeric train to lower inflammation? The health world obsesses over this super spice, and for good reason. Turmeric contains a powerful polyphenol compound, curcumin, which exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Researchers confirm that curcumin has many biological activities, not all of which are fully understood. What researchers do know is that anyone who wants to manage inflammation can benefit from more turmeric in their life.

Turmeric deserves high praise, but it isn’t the only ingredient in these energy balls. Lemon provides a zesty flare to these energy balls, which are great for filling up between meals. Additionally, lemons supply the body with vitamin C, an integral nutrient for immunity and collagen production. You can’t have energy without some protein and fiber, though. These energy balls contain both almonds and oats, both of which contain plant-based proteins, fiber, and essential minerals, including copper, manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus.

One thing to note is that these lemon turmeric energy balls contain both lemon juice and lemon zest. Adding lemon zest to a recipe can accentuate the flavors of other ingredients, and it helps to balance the sweetness of the dates in this recipe. The best move is to zest the lemons prior to juicing them. If you try to zest your lemons after you juice them, you will cry out of frustration. Good luck making these healthy snacks!

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If you want a breakfast that requires minimal preparation, then you need overnight oats in your life. You simply combine several ingredients in a jar, mix it up, and pop it into the refrigerator. Come morning time, your breakfast is ready to grab out of the fridge and enjoy. That makes overnight oats a great meal prep options, especially since one batch can last for three days in the fridge.

You don’t have to be a Michelin star chef to make overnight oats. This recipe calls for bananas, which you’ll mash in a mixing bowl before whisking in the other ingredients. Once the oats, cacao powder, vanilla, maple syrup, chia seeds, and cinnamon are thoroughly combined, portion the mixture into a few jars. Place the jars in the fridge overnight and then grab it one out of the fridge the next morning. Perfect for busy or hectic mornings, or when you need to have breakfast ready for the kids. For the best texture, enjoy the overnight oats within three days of making them.

If you want to doctor up your overnight oats after removing them from the fridge, you have that option. Consider stirring in some chopped walnuts or almonds, an addition pinch of cacao powder or cinnamon, or the fresh fruit of your choice.

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The common thought is that it is incredibly rare to enjoy a snack that is healthy and flavorful. If you believe that sentiment, then you are not a professional snacker. Healthy doesn’t mean that food is flavorless or unenjoyable. In fact, many snack recipes that we post in our recipe section are quite addictive. In the case of these energy bites, they provide a sweet cinnamon vanilla flavor and lots of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. They are great to enjoy between meals or even as a filling breakfast.

It is very easy to make energy bites, so long as you have a food processor. The oats help to bind the ingredients together, making it easier to roll the blended mixture into bite-sized balls. When it comes time to form the mixture into balls, make sure to wet your hands with some cold water. That will help the blended mixture from sticking to your hands. And when you roll the dough into balls, make sure to place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. That will prevent the balls from sticking to the pan.

Should you want to use these energy bites as a pre-workout snack, feel free to add a couple scoops of plant-based protein powder. If that’s the path you want to go down, make sure to omit about a quarter-cup of almond flour. Ideally, choose a non-soy protein powder because about 95% of soy is genetically modified. Choose pea protein or a mixture of plant proteins that exclude soy. Obviously, this is an optional step and the energy bites will taste just great without the protein powder.

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With this recipe, comfort is guaranteed within five minutes because it only takes five minutes to make. Although you cannot enjoy this recipe while cleansing, you can have it once you finish your cleanse. Not only does it burst with autumn flavors, but it also is much healthier than most other pumpkin spice creations. How do we know this? Well, to put it in perspective, the average pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks contains about 12 teaspoons of sugar.

Pumpkin pie spice is a popular spice blend in North America, and it has taken the world by storm. This spice blend contains cinnamon, ginger powder, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, and occasionally some black pepper. All of these spices boast incredibly health benefits and flavor, which really brings this tea to life. The pumpkin pie flavor is very forward in this variation of a classic chai tea, which contains similar spices.

We know what you’re going to ask so we have the answer ready. The reason you cannot drink this tea during a Dherbs cleanse is because it uses black tea. As you know, you cannot consume caffeinated beverages during the cleanse. For this recipe, you also don’t have to make your own almond milk. You can can use a store bought variety, but make sure that there are no added sweeteners. You can also use oat milk if you prefer.

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