It’s cool on the farm and we are so thankful for the nice spring rain. Despite the rain I have been planting, weeding, and doing some routine work, along with thinking about this week’s spices. I may be in the wrong season, but we enjoy these spices all year. The next spices I recommend are the pumpkin spices. You can make more of our favorite recipes and enjoy the benefits of eating clean, nutrient dense foods when you choose good quality organic spices. They leave us feeling satisfied and energetic and the flavors are so delightful. Carrot cake, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, French toast, apple crisp, apple cider, our sausage patty recipe, and so much more wouldn’t be the same without some of these delicious spices. This week I recommend adding organic Ceylon cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, all spice, and cloves. I use Ceylon cinnamon (often called true cinnamon) the most in my cooking and baking. There has been a lot of research done on the health benefits of this cinnamon and it suggest that this spice supports the immune system, enhances antioxidant enzyme activity, and contains anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects to name a few. Most of the cinnamon sold is Cassia Cinnamon and unfortunately it is high in Coumarin, a substance that has been linked to liver damage, so it’s important to buy Ceylon Cinnamon. I really like the flavor of Ceylon compared to Cassia as well!

If you are working toward a more traditional, clean, whole foods diet, and would like to take small steps to get there, then you are at the right place. Week one was get your salt right, week 2 was get your sleep right, weeks 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 were get your fats right, and the next several weeks will be spent on getting your seasonings and herbs right.  The reason I switched to organic spices was for the health benefits. They are grown more sustainably (which tends to make them higher in vitamins and minerals), not sprayed with chemicals, and not irradiated. What I didn’t expect was the amazing flavor that organic spices had to offer. At least the ones I buy from Azure.

Besides Ceylon Cinnamon which I buy by the pound in sticks and grind up, I buy all the other spices in 4 oz. bags and add them to my pint or half pint jars. I have saved a lot of money buying my spices through Azure. I have compared the small organic bottles at the store, and that savings adds up fast! You can pick them off at a drop near you or have them shipped right to your door! Here is the link for the Ceylon cinnamon I use when I can’t get the sticks to grind. I have been sharing Azure’s products for years without any compensation. Recently they adopted a program to incentivize people like me to share, so if you haven’t placed an order with them, and you use my link, I may receive compensation. Thanks! We will be sharing some pumpkin spice recipes in the future. Do you have a favorite recipe that uses one of these recipes? We would love to hear from you!