Alyson competed in her first figure competition this weekend. It was fun to watch her journey to the stage. Congratulations, Alyson! Last week Alyson tagged me for the Honest Scrap Award which asks me to divulge 10 Truths about myself, so here it goes…

1. The reason for the pumpkin shortage is because I am hoarding it.  However, I am not responsible for the Eggo shortage.
2. I count grams of protein not number of calories.
3. I wear Old Navy Halloween pajama bottoms to bed 12 months out of the year.
4. When I grow up I want a career where I can wear gym clothes or Old Navy Halloween pajamas to work. If I cannot find a job where I can wear gym clothes or pj’s to work I want to be a spa critic where I can wear a warm, thick, bath robe and fluffy slippers.
5. If I ever get a tattoo it will be of The Grinch. Not the grouchy Grinch, the recovered Grinch.
6. I can not be trusted with a jar of peanut butter.
7. I think Starbucks is the happiest place on Earth.
8. I had braces twice as a kid and once as an adult.
9. I own more sandals, candles, pink sweatshirts, and tubes of lip gloss than necessary.
10. I wear makeup to the gym. Don’t judge.

Now that you’ve learned a few new things about me, I’d like to hear something I don’t know about you, to tell you the truth!

Have you read the book If You Give A Mouse a Cookie? It’s one of my favorite children’s books of all time. It’s a sweet tale about a mouse who is given a cookie and then wants a glass of milk to go with it. The mouse makes other requests along the way, but I don’t want to give away the ending. Anyway, the mouse and I have a lot in common because…

If You Give Joanna a Cookie she’ll probably want a latte to go with it.

When I was shopping at Whole Foods a few weeks ago I stumbled upon Country Choice Organic soft baked cookies. After reading the nutritional facts, I decided this was a cookie I could sink my teeth into without feeling guilty. So far I’ve tried their oatmeal chocolate chip and double fudge brownie cookies and I’ve savored every bite of the 100 calorie treats.

Sometimes I enjoy these cookies with a Whole Latte Protein and other times I spice things up with a …

Pumpkin & Spice Protein Latte

• 1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
• 1 packet Starbucks VIA instant coffee
• 2 T pumpkin puree
• 1/8 t pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 cup water

Blend ingredients together in your Magic Bullet or shaker. Pour into a coffee cup and microwave for 45-60 seconds. Top with cinnamon or nutmeg.

What would happen if I gave you a cookie? Well, you just might find out if you are the lucky winner of 3 boxes of Country Choice Organic cookies (or any 3 Country Choice products you pick). To enter the drawing tell us the name of your favorite children’s book of all time in the comments section below. The contest will close on Sunday, November 15th at 10:00 P.M. and the winner will be announced on Monday.

Now, I better run, I have to see what happens If You Give A Pig A Pancake.

If you love pumpkin as much as I do, you’re going to love the e-cookbook Pumpkins for Pink.

Megan from www.megansmunchies.com compiled this book to raise money for breast cancer research. The cookbook contains 45 pages of fabulous pumpkin recipes (plus one not-too-shabby recipe from yours truly)! Donations of any size will be accepted for this e-cookbook and will benefit the Susan G. Komen foundation.

But you already know all of this good stuff if you’re a Facebook Fan of Fitness & Spice…if you haven’t joined yet, I’d love to see you there!

That’s all I have for today, I’m kind of in a hurry to make the recipe I found in the e-cookbook for Pumpkin Crème Brulee!

I eat pumpkin all year round. I kid you not. I could eat pumpkin 365 days a year. Just ask my former co-workers who used to roll their eyes at me when I would make pumpkin soufflé in the office microwave for breakfast almost every morning.

When I was telling Michelle I was having a hard time finding canned pumpkin puree earlier this month she insisted I could make my own. And guess what? She was right!

Ever since devouring my first batch of homemade pumpkin puree no gourd has been safe! In fact, this weekend, with a little help from Rachel Ray Magazine, I made an amazing recipe using acorn squash. I wanted to share this recipe with you today because I thought about Michelle the entire time I was preparing this dish. Without Michelle’s coaching I would have been busting open a can of puree instead of busting open a relative of my beloved pumpkin.

This soup also reminds me of another conversation I had with Michelle who mentioned she was having a hard time finding good Mexican food in Australia. I don’t think you’ll find a soup exactly like this on any Mexican menu, but I think Mexican restaurants around the globe might reconsider if they had a batch of…

Fitness & Spicy Chili con Chili

• 1 large acorn squash (about 2 pounds), cut into quarters and seeded
• 3 dried red chilies
• Boiling water
• 1 t chili powder
• 3 poblano chilies
• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
• 1 T chopped fresh oregano
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream

Preheat the broiler. Microwave the squash on medium-high power until fork-tender, about 10 minutes; let cool slightly. Scoop out the flesh and transfer to a food processor; discard the skin.

In a bowl, soak the red chilies in just enough boiling water to cover until softened, about 15 minutes; drain. Discard the stems and seeds. Add the red chiles and the chili powder to the food processor; puree.

Place the poblano chiles on a baking sheet, and broil, turning occasionally, until charred all over. Transfer to a bowl, cover and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Discard the stems and seeds, then chop.

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the squash puree, poblanos, black beans, oregano, and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the sour cream.

I hope you’ll give this recipe a try. It just might squash your need to run to the border!

Before you paint, carve, smash, or bake your pumpkin this year, why don’t you pump it?

A pumpkin makes an instant substitution for a medicine ball workout as they come in similar sizes and shapes.

Here are a few tricks you (and your little goblins) can do with your PUMPkins, pumpkin:

• Front squats
• Squat to overhead press
• Overhead squats
• Lunges (forward, backward, walking)
• Deadlifts (including single leg deadlifts)
• Swings (starting in a squat position, hold the pumpkin between your legs then thrust arms up above your head ending in a standing position)
• Overhead presses
• Shoulder presses (two-handed or single-handed depending on the size of your pumpkin)
• Overhead tricep presses
• Bicep curls
• Push up variations (both hands on the pumpkin, one hand on the pumpkin/one hand on the ground, feet on pumpkin/hands on the ground)
• Chest presses
• Calf raises
• Lumberjack chops
• Mountain climbers (hands on pumpkin/feet on floor)
• Crunches
• Planks (hands on pumpkin/feet on the ground)

I hope you’ll carve out some time and add in some pumpkin and spice to your workouts this season. A pumpkin workout just might lift your spirits and have you looking even more gordgeous in no time.

A wise woman once said,

“Ask not what your pumpkin can do for you, ask what you can do with your pumpkin!” - Joanna Sutter

So, you are probably wondering what YOU can do with your pumpkin. Good news! I have another pumpkin recipe to share with you.

When I was chatting with my friend Caryn she mentioned her sister, Mary Kay, made an amazing pumpkin hummus appetizer. I was thrilled when she shared this recipe with me, and, after making it myself I know I will love this dip, Caryn, and Mary Kay until the end of vine.

I know some of you are thinking, “Oh great! another pumpkin recipe!” and some (well, at least two of you) are thinking, “Oh great, another pumpkin recipe.”

No matter which side of the patch you’re on, you are going to love…

Pumpkin & Spice Hummus

• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Place all ingredients, with the exception of the parsley, in a food processor (or your Magic Bullet blender), and process until smooth. Add parsley and pulse until blended.

Spoon hummus into a really cute serving bowl and sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds, if desired.

Serve with veggies or Food Should Taste Good chips (the multigrain flavor received a NuVal score of 42). Or, serve with toasted whole wheat pita or tortillas. To toast your pita or tortillas, simply spray them with olive oil baking spray, place on a cookie sheet, and bake under the broiler until crispy. Then, cut with a pizza cutter and serve.

Now, I’m off to get ready for the ball, I have to be home and in bed by midnight or I’ll turn into a…..witch.

Remember this Seinfeld Episode?

I couldn’t help but think about this clip when I was making Pumpkin & Spice Soup just for you.

I found this recipe Elaine, I mean,  Mellissa posted when I was checking out Zesty’s site.  Mellissa calls this recipe Curried Pumpkin & Apple Soup which is entirely appropriate, but when I made it, I forgot the curry because I was in too big of a hurry.

Nevertheless, if you like a healthy, hearty, hot soup (and by hot I mean both temperature and spice)  you just might fall for a medium Pumpkin & Spice Soup:

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 3 apples, cored and chopped
• 15-oz can pumpkin puree
• 2 2/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used vegetable broth)
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 tsp cane sugar (I used stevia)

Directions

1. Pour oil into large saucepan and place over medium heat.
2. Add onion, garlic, curry, cumin and cayenne.
3. Saute, stirring often until onion is soft.
4. Stir in apples, pumpkin, broth, water and sugar.

1. Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to low.
2. Simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Puree soup in a food processor or with a hand blender, to achieve desired consistency. I used my Magic Bullet.
4. Just before serving, return to pot on low heat.

This soup is full of flavor and will keep you full, so there’s really no need to serve it with anything else. Therefore, please don’t bother asking for bread or no soup for you.