Tag Archives: spices

Watermelon and Cinnamon: Surprising Health Benefits + Easy Recipes

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Watermelon seasoned with cinnamon and vanilla

Watermelon with cinnamon might sound a little unexpected… but nutritionally, this pairing actually makes a lot of sense. Whether you’re looking for a refreshing snack, a smarter way to satisfy a sweet tooth, or a simple performance-friendly bite, this combo delivers more than just flavor.

Let’s break down why it works 👇

🍉 Hydration + Blood Sugar Balance:  Watermelon is about 90% water, making it one of the most hydrating fruits you can eat—especially helpful before or after workouts, during hot weather, or anytime you need a refresh.

Because it’s naturally sweet, watermelon can spike blood sugar quickly on its own. That’s where cinnamon comes in. Cinnamon has been studied for its ability to help improve insulin sensitivity, which may support a more balanced blood sugar response when paired with fruit.

🔥 Metabolism + Flavor Boost: Cinnamon contains compounds like cinnamaldehyde, which may help support metabolic function. While it’s not a magic bullet, adding cinnamon is an easy, natural way to enhance your overall nutrition strategy.

Bonus: cinnamon amplifies sweetness without adding sugar—so your watermelon tastes even better with zero extra calories.

🛡️ Antioxidant Power Combo: This pairing brings together two antioxidant-rich foods:

  • Watermelon is packed with lycopene, which is linked to heart health and reduced inflammation
  • Cinnamon provides polyphenols that help combat oxidative stress

Together, they can help support recovery from workouts and protect against everyday wear and tear on the body.

🌿 Digestive Support: Cinnamon has traditionally been used to support digestion and may help reduce bloating or discomfort that some people experience with fruit. Adding a light sprinkle can make watermelon easier on your stomach—especially if you’re sensitive to high-water or high-sugar fruits.

💪 A Workout-Friendly Snack: Simple, effective, and easy to digest plus, it’s hydrating, light on the stomach, and naturally energizing. This combo works well pre-workout for quick fuel or post-workout to rehydrate and replenish.

✨ Why I Use Ceylon Cinnamon Instead of Regular

Not all cinnamon is created equal. Most grocery store cinnamon is Cassia cinnamon, which contains higher levels of coumarin—a compound that isn’t ideal in larger amounts over time.

Ceylon cinnamon (often called “true cinnamon”) is my go-to because it’s:

✔️ Lower in coumarin
✔️ Milder and slightly sweeter in flavor
✔️ Better suited for regular, everyday use

If you’re using cinnamon frequently, upgrading to Ceylon Cinnamon is a small change that can make a difference.

🍽️ Recipes with Watermelon and Cinnamon

Creamy Cinnamon Vanilla Watermelon Soup
Light, refreshing, and surprisingly indulgent—perfect for warm weather.

Cinnamon Churro Watermelon Rind Fries
A fun, low-waste recipe that transforms watermelon rind into a sweet, spiced treat.

This easy-to-make warm punch featuring watermelon juice is naturally sweet and delicious, bejeweled with fruit and fragrant with seasonal spices. Brandy optional! Perfect for holiday entertaining, including brunches, open houses, cocktail parties and more!

Mulled Watermelon Apple Cider
Cozy and spiced—great warm in cooler months, or served over ice in summer for a refreshing twist.

Watermelon Apple Switchel A refreshing watermelon drink with anti-inflammatory benefits from cinnamon and all sorts of health perks from fermented apple cider vinegar.

Holiday-Inspired Healthy Gingerbread Recipes

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Spice up your holiday season with everything gingerbread! From protein-packed quick bread to indulgent truffles, cozy lattes, and even crispy cookie brittle—these healthier recipes are full of flavor, holiday cheer and ready to fuel your festive and fit adventures.

There’s something magical about gingerbread—it’s the quintessential flavor of the holidays, bringing warmth, nostalgia, and just the right amount of spice to the season. From comforting breads and indulgent desserts to creative drinks and snacks, gingerbread isn’t just for cookies anymore! Dive into this collection of holiday gingerbread ideas from my kitchen to yours. Click on the easy gingerbread recipes to explore the full recipes and bring these delicious ideas to life.

DIY Homemade Gingerbread Spice

DIY Homemade Gingerbread Spice: Create your own gingerbread spice mix and discover a dozen creative ways to sprinkle it into your favorite recipes.

Gingerbread Chai Latte with Collagen: A cozy, protein-boosted latte that blends the boldness of chai spices with the sweet essence of gingerbread.

A chocolate-lover's twist on the quintessential holiday season treat - gingerbread! Simple and delicious, makes two little loaves, one for you and one for sharing!

Chocolate Gingerbread Mini Loaves: Mini loaves that combine rich chocolate and spicy gingerbread—a chocolate gingerbread mini loaf perfect for gifting or indulging!

My Protein Gingerbread is a holiday must-bake! At just 231 calories, but with 10g protein, it’s perfect as a cozy dessert, snack, or brunch treat that satisfies a sweet tooth but keeps you sleighing those goals. Use your choice of whey or plant-based protein powder. Ready in under 30 minutes and best served warm. So flavorful and festive!

Easy Protein Gingerbread: Enjoy a slice of this wholesome quick bread packed with protein and warm spices. This gingerbread quick bread recipe perfect for breakfast, snacking, or dessert.

Low Carb Chocolate Gingerbread Protein Truffles - suitable for vegan, paleo, keto, and gluten free diets.

Low-Carb Chocolate Gingerbread Protein Truffles: One of my more decadent-seeming protein gingerbread recipes that’s actually keto, paleo, and vegan-friendly, with a balance of spice and sweetness.

Baked Hasselback Pears with Gingerbread Streusel prep

Hasselback Baked Pears with Gingerbread Streusel: Elegant baked pears topped with a flavorful streusel and paired with a quick gingerbread latte. Warm, spiced fruit desserts are my favorite in cool-weather months.

Paleo Gingerbread Cookie Brittle

Paleo Gingerbread Cookie Brittle: Crispy, crackly cookie brittle that’s paleo-friendly and perfect for snacking or gifting.

Baked Gingerbread Protein Donuts with Lemon Glaze - Paleo & Gluten Free - TheFitFork.com

Baked Gingerbread Protein Donuts with Lemon Glaze: These protein-packed, gluten-free donuts with a tangy glaze are a festive way to start your day.

Gingerbread Cranberry Protein Granola: A crunchy, flavorful granola that’s ideal for breakfast or a snack during your holiday hustle.

Whether you’re baking gingerbread desserts or gingerbread for breakfasts to treat friends, family, or just yourself, these healthy gingerbread recipes are sure to spice up your holiday season. What’s your favorite way to enjoy gingerbread? Let me know in the comments below!

Spice up your holiday season with everything gingerbread! From protein-packed quick bread to indulgent truffles, cozy lattes, and even crispy cookie brittle—these healthier recipes are full of flavor, holiday cheer and ready to fuel your festive and fit adventures.

Fire Up Fall: Grilled Steaks with Autumn Spice Rub

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Grilled Steaks with Autumn Spice Rub . . . the most lit season of the year is here, and I’ve fired up my grill for it!

Thanks to this easy steak rub recipe featuring the flavors of fall, along with a tender cut of beef, you can make an amazing meal in just about 15 minutes – perfect for busy weeknights, yet will so impressive for guests!

The autumn steak rub is so easy, and each batch makes enough for about one pound of beef. So, if you are making more, just double or triple it. It should last for the season in an air-tight container, like a small spice bottle or canning jar.

The autumn spices for beef include ancho chile pepper, ground cinnamon, allspice and salt. Brown sugar also adds a nice balance to the warming and slightly spicy flavor, addling just a hint of sweetness. Instead of brown sugar, you can swap in coconut sugar or date sugar.

The autumn spices of these easy steak fall steak rub are a perfect pairing with some favorite side dishes of the season like sweet potatoes, pumpkin risotto, butternut squash and more.

How to use Autumn Spice Rub for Steak

Steak Choice: Pick a cut of beef that is tender, like tenderloin steaks (what I used today), strip steaks, ribeye, flat iron, or top sirloin steaks.  Don’t use beef cuts like flank steak, skirt steak, chuck shoulder steaks and round steaks as they are not inherently as tender and need to be marinating for a couple hours for the best eating experience.

Other Proteins: This fall-inspired spice rub would also be great on lamb, chicken, pork and heartier seafoods, like halibut filets.

Applying the Rub: As mentioned, this recipe covers about one pound of steaks – it’s intended to be applied generously. It’s easy to double or half if you need more or less. Whether you apply oil to your steak before the rub is personal preference, in my opinion. Some say it helps the spices adhere to the meat better and keeps the meat from sticking to the grill. If you use an oil, make sure to pick one with a high smoke point – like grapeseed oil, avocado oil, or olive oil (but not EVOO). When oils are taken over their smoking point, they start to burn and leave a bitter taste on the meat. Yucko.

Basic Tips on Grilling Steak: 1) clean your grill grates; 2) oil your grill grates; 3) grill at 400F degrees avoiding flare ups; 4) resist urge to flip continuously – just once will do it; 5) for the perfect medium-rare, pull off with internal temp reaches 130F – let rest for 5 minutes or so on platter until temp has risen to 135F; 6) Exact grilling times listed in various recipes will vary on your grill temperature, the thickness of your cut, the crowding of your grill, etc.

This easy steak rub recipe is bursting with the flavors of fall and adds a seasonal sizzle to tender cuts of steak like tenderloin, flat iron, strip, ribeye and more.
5 from 6 votes
This easy steak rub recipe is bursting with the flavors of fall and adds a seasonal sizzle to tender cuts of steak like tenderloin, flat iron, strip, ribeye and more.
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Grilled Steaks with Autumn Spice Rub
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
rest
5 mins
 

This easy steak rub recipe is bursting with the flavors of fall and adds a seasonal sizzle to tender cuts of steak like tenderloin, flat iron, strip, ribeye and more.

Course: dinner, dinner, entree
Cuisine: grill
Keyword: autumn, fall, grilling, spices, steak
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar or coconut sugar or date sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground ancho chili pepper
  • ½ tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
  1. Add all spices to a small jar and shake up until combined.
  2. Apply to steaks (oiled or un-oiled) generously on front, back and sides.
  3. Cook steak on pre-heated 400F degree grill, to just a few degrees under your desired level of “doneness”.
  4. Transfer to platter and let rest 5-10 minutes before cutting.

DIY Homemade Gingerbread Spice & 12 Yummy Ways to Use it

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What do you think of when you smell and taste gingerbread spices? For me, it conjures up memories of Christmas, winter holidays, giddy anticipation, spicy-sweet comfort and heading through the woods and over the hills to grandmother’s house.

DIY Homemade Gingerbread Spice

Gingerbread spices, typically cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cloves and a pinch of pepper, aren’t reserved just for gingerbread men, gingerbread houses and the soft gingerbread cakes my relatives loved to make during the holidays.  My DIY Homemade Gingerbread Spice recipe is simple to make, keeps all year to spice up all sorts of your favorite and even unexpected foods. Read on to get the Homemade Gingerbread Spice recipe and all the yummy ideas:  Continue reading →

Four Ways to Season Watermelon That Will Blow Your Mind

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This post is sponsored by Watermelon.org, however all opinions, content and enthusiasm remain my own.

Watermelon is a wonderful thing, anyway you slice it! For years I enjoyed my watermelon plain, un-adorned, naked, au naturale or however else you care to describe it – just watermelon. And, while that is still probably my favorite way to enjoy a ripe watermelon bursting with sweetness, I realized that these people who were putting salt on watermelon and other seasonings might be on to something. Watermelon seasoned four ways

 

Variety IS the spice of life after all, so rummaged through my pantry and fridge shelves pulling out all my favorite recipe flavor boosters. Hmmm, what would be good on watermelon? What are the best spices for watermelon? Read on to discover Four Ways to Season Watermelon that Will Blow Your Mind. Continue reading →