Homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee

This pumpkin spice coffee is ideal when you haven't the time to go to Starbucks or don't have an espresoo maker! Plus once you have the initial ingredients, you'll save a ton of money by making your own pumpkin coffee.


Recipe For Pumpkin Spice Coffee


Ingredients: (makes 2 cups)

2 cups milk
2½ tsp instant espresso powder
1 tbsp honey or agave nectar (or more if you like it sweeter)
1½ tsp pumpkin spice
1 tsp vanilla essence/extract

tbsp = tablespoon
tsp = teaspoon

Directions: In a small saucepan mix all the ingredients together. Over a medium heat, simmer your coffee mixture for a few minutes. I usually let it simmer for 5-6 minutes whilst stirring occasionally.

That's it super easy, and super tasty.

Pour and enjoy!

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Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe

You can use canned or freshly cooked pumpkin in my pumpkin pie recipes. I prefer fresh, but the choice is yours.

I do strongly recommend you make your own pumpkin pie spices to take your pie to a whole new level of taste!

Ingredients:

1 x 9 inch unbaked pastry shell
2 eggs
1 cup canned or pre-cooked pumpkin (page 2)
½ cup brown sugar
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp all-purpose flour (plain)
1 tbsp pumpkin spice (see pages 3, 4 or 5)
1 cup evaporated milk
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

tbsp = tablespoon
tsp = teaspoon

Directions: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F).

Beat the eggs. Combine the pumpkin, milk, salt, flour, sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Mix in the eggs, and if using, the nuts, and pour into the pastry shell.

Place in your oven and cook for 40-45 minutes.

Let cool and garnish with a little whipped cream.

Tasty Homemade Pumpkin Cookies

These pumpkin cookies are very simple and fairly quick to make, not to mention delicious. And if you use vegan margarine they are suitable for vegans.

Ingredients: (makes 12 cookies)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup margarine

¼ cup canned or pre-cooked pumpkin

¼ cup sultanas (or raisins or currants)

2 tbsp Agave nectar (or maple syrup)

1 tbsp pumpkin spice

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp olive oil
Coconut flakes (optional)

tbsp = tablespoon

tsp = teaspoon

Directions: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Lightly oil a baking sheet.

In a bowl combine the flour, salt, baking soda and pumpkin spice.

In another combine the canned or pre-cooked pumpkin, margarine, olive oil, vanilla extract, sultanas and maple syrup/agave.

Add one of the mixtures to the other and mix together until you get a stiff pastry. Mould into a ball and on a floured surface roll out to about ¼ - ⅓ of an inch thick.

With your pastry cutter or an upturned glass, cut out 2 inch pastry circles. Gather the scraps together and roll out and cut more circles.

Gently pick up the pastry circles, a spatula is good for this, and place on the oiled baking sheet. Sprinkle on the coconuts flakes and place in your oven and bake for 15 minutes until golden.

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Spiced Pumpkin Smoothie Recipe

If you swap the milk and yoghurt for soy or rice milk/yoghurt, this pumpkin smoothie is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Ingredients: (makes 2 servings)

½ a can (200g) pumpkin (or 1 cup of cooked)
2 cups (500 ml) milk
1 cup (250 ml) yoghurt (plain or vanilla)
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla essence
Agave nectar, honey or maple syrup (optional)

tsp = teaspoon

Directions: Using a blender or food processor, blend the canned or pre-cooked pumpkin, vanilla essence, yoghurt,  milk and pie spice.

If using, add the agave/honey/syrup and serve immediately. Or for a nice chilled smoothie, place in the refrigerator for an hour or so.

www.BespokeSpices.com

Homemade Sage Tea Recipe

For thousands of years traditional medicine has used a spice or herb tea to treat any number of medical and health conditions, and with its anti-bacterial, antifungal and antibiotic properties the sage herb is essential to your well-being. And making a cup of sage tea is an excellent way of experiencing these benefits.

Sage Tea Recipe

Ingredients: (Makes 2 cups)

2 cups water
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
Juice of half a lemon
OR
1 tbsp dried sage
Juice of half a lemon

tbsp = tablespoon

Directions:

Fresh: Add the chopped sage leaves and lemon to a cup. Pour on some boiled water and let steep (sit) for 10-15 minutes before drinking. Sage can be a bit chewy, so you may need to remove the chopped herb prior to drinking.

Dried: If you're using dried, use just you like you would loose leaf tea leaves, and follow the instructions for fresh.


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Thyme Tea Recipe

 

With it's powerful antiseptic properties there are many thyme tea benefits, and for centuries this herb has been made into a tea and used as a traditional and ancient remedy for easing the symptoms of colds and flu, soothing a sore throat and for treating inflamed gums and mouth ulcers.

Thyme Tea Recipe

Ingredients: (makes 2 cups)

2 cups water
2tbsp fresh thyme
OR
1tbsp dried thyme

tbsp = tablespoon

Directions:

Fresh: Add the chopped thyme to the cups and pour on some boiled water. Let steep for 5-15 minutes before drinking.

Dried: Use just like you would loose leaf tea leaves, i.e  just  pour on some boiled water and let steep for 10-15 minutes.

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Homemade Pumpkin Soup Recipe

 

Homemade Pumpkin Soup Recipe With Roasted Vegetables

This homemade pumpkin soup recipe with roasted vegetables is super easy and very tasty!

 

Ingredients: (makes 2 servings)

1 medium size pumpkin or winter squash
3 stalks celery
1 green pepper
1 medium onion
1 pint of vegetable stock (20fl oz) - (You probably won't use all of it)
1 tbsp pumpkin spice
Oil for coating the veggies (I use olive oil)
salt & pepper
chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

tbsp = tablespoon

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 180C (350f)
• Slice the pumpkin or squash in half, remove the seeds and oil the cut sides. Place the pumpkin cut side down on a baking tray
• Remove the seeds from the pepper, and along with the the celery and onion, chop into small pieces. Oil them and put on the tray with the squash or pumpkin
• Place in the hot oven and roast for 30-40 minutes
• Let cool, then scoop out the flesh from the pumpkin and place in your food processor/blender with the other veggies.
• Add some stock and pumpkin pie spice and blend until you get the thickness that you want
• Season with salt and pepper before serving

That's it! You can eat it as it is, or for a smoother soup you can put it through a sieve.

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Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe

                                                                                     

Now thanksgiving is getting closer, why not try making the easy homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe below?

This simple recipe will give all your pumpkin recipes a fresh and intense flavour that you just don't get with bland commercial pumpkin spice!

Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe

Ingredients: (makes about ¼ of a cup)

3tbsp ground cinnamon
2tbsp ground ginger
2tbsp grated nutmeg
1tbsp ground cloves
1tbsp ground allspice

tbsp = tablespoon

Directions: Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight jar out of direct sunlight.

That's it! It really is that easy! 

But...if you really want to take the flavour to the next level, why not try lightly roasting whole cloves and allspice berries first before mixing with the ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg?

For tips and info on roasting and grinding spices see cooking with spices.

Homemade Fenugreek Tea Recipe

Making a cup of fenugreek tea is a great way of enjoying this underused spice. Fenugreek is a bitter spice packed full of health benefits!

Just a few of the many fenugreek benefits include...

• Rich in vitamins and minerals
• It's an effective treatment for asthma and bronchital conditions
• Can be used externally to treat skin irritations; acne, eczema and minor burns
• Often used to soothe and ease the symptons of colds, sore troats and flu

These are just a some of the health issues this spice may be effective against, and current medical studies are finding new uses all the time.

Recipe For Fenugreek Seed Tea...

Ingredients: (makes 2 cups of tea)

2 cups of water
2 tsps ground or crushed fenugreek seeds
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
½ tsp grated nutmeg (optional)
Agave nectar or honey (optional)

tsp = teaspoon

Directions:

Add the crushed or ground fenugreek and water to a saucepan. If using add the ground nutmeg as well. Heat the water to  *boiling and then turn down the heat to a simmer, and simmer for a couple of minutes. Turn off the heat and add the lemon. Let steep (sit) for 10 - 15 minutes before straining and serving. You can reheat first if you like.

Add the honey/agave if you have a sweet tooth

*I don't boil spices for too long as it can negate some of the fenugreek benefits.

 BespokeSpices.com

Homemade Cardamom Tea Recipe

This potent  cardamom tea  made with the pods of the green cardamom spice and orange rind is one of the healthiest spice teas there is, with a whole host of medicinal and well-being benefits.

Ingredients: (makes 2 cups)

2 cups water
6 green cardamom pods
2 green tea bags (optional)
1 tbsp grated orange rind (or fresh orange juice)
Honey or agave nectar (optional)

tbsp = tablespoon

Directions:

Bring the water to a boil in a pan, then reduce to a simmer. Crack the cardamom pods and add to the pan and gently simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Turn off the heat, and if you're using, add the green teabags and the grated orange rind (or orange juice) and let steep (sit) for 5-10 minutes.

Remove the teabags and cardamom pods, and if using add the honey or agave nectar and serve.

www.BespokeSpices.com

Jamaican Curry Powder Recipe - A Taste of the Carribean!

With whole spices like pimento (allspice), star anise, cinnamon and cloves, this Jamaican curry powder has a  distinctive taste when compared to Indian style curry blends.

Instructions: (makes about ½ a cup)

If you have them available, use as many whole spices as possible. If it is more practical you can swap with pre-ground spices if that's all you have.

4 tbsp coriander seeds
1½ tbsp garlic powder
1½ allspice berries
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp chilli powder (more if you like heat)
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp thyme
2 inch piece cinnamon
10 cloves
5 star anise (optional)
1½ tsp sea salt (optional)
tbsp = tablespoon
tsp = teaspoon

Directions:
Lightly roast the coriander seeds, peppercorns, cloves, fenugreek and allspice berries. Let these cool and grind along with the star anise and cinnamon stick. See cooking with spices for photos and tips on this.
Once ground, combine with the other pre-ground spices.

Store in an airtight jar out of direct sunlight.


www.BespokeSpices.com

Homemade Rosemary Tea Recipe

From the days of ancient Greece, rosemary has been a highly valued herb for its culinary delicacy, and for its therapeutic effects on the human body.   The benefits of rosemary are many, and while it has been used medicinally for years, its full potential is only now being fully understood. 

Just some of the health benefits of rosemary include:

• Improves poor circulation
• Has anti-fungal properties
• May help with anxiety and tension
• This tea can help reduce halitosis

And one of the best ways to enjoy these benefits is by making a cup of rosemary tea ...

Rosemary Herb Tea Recipe

Ingredients: (makes 2 cups)

2 cups water

2-3 tsp finely chopped rosemary leaves

Green teabag (optional)

OR

1 tbsp dried rosemary

tbsp = tablespoon

tsp = teaspoon

Directions:

Fresh: Add the chopped rosemary to a cup with the green teabag if using. Pour on some  boiling water and let steep (sit) for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the teabag and if you chopped the herbs finely enough, you can drink them.  

Dried: In a small saucepan, bring the water to boiling and add the dried rosemary. Let steep (sit) for 10 minutes. If necessary, reheat then pour through a strainer.

     

Click for more spice tea recipes.

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Parsley Tea Recipe - Tasty, Refreshing & Very Healthy!

My parsley tea  recipe is easy, healthy and can be ready to drink in 10 minutes! You can use either dried parsley or chopped fresh parsley.

People have been using the chopped fresh leaves of the parsley plant for centuries, and not just for enlivening their cooking.

In fact, parsley is a rich source of minerals and vitamins (A, C and K), and it has been proved to be useful for your health and well-being.  Balancing hormones, fighting anaemia and boosting the immune system are just a select few benefits of this herb.

Homemade Parsley Tea Recipe

Ingredients: (makes 2 cups)

2 cups water

2-3 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves

OR

1½ tbsp dried basil

tbsp = tablespoon

Directions:

Add the chopped fresh parsley to a cup and pour on some boiling water. Let steep (sit) for 5 - 10 minutes. Enjoy herbs and all. 

For dried, use as you would loose leaf tea leaves and do the same as above. Or, add the water to a pan and heat up until *boiled. Turn off the heat, add the dried herbs and let steep for about 5-10 minutes. Pour through a strainer before drinking.

That's it! Enjoy!

*Boiling herbs too long may negate some of the benefits of parsley.

For more healthy tea recipes, visit my homemade spice tea recipe page.

www.BespokeSpices.com