Pumpkin Spice Protein Smoothie!

Fall weather is quickly approaching! Along with the cooler weather comes fall produce. When trying to choose healthier options, it's important to consider what is in season. By purchasing foods in season, you will not only save money but obtain fresh and nutrient dense food.

Foods lose flavor when they have to be shipped from another part of the world, just as they lose moisture when they are held. Fresh, locally harvested foods have their full, whole flavors intact, which they release to us when we eat them. Buying conventional foods means you are eating something produced with varying levels of chemical fertilizers to promote plant growth. This could include insecticides to reduce pests and disease, chemical herbicides to manage weeds, and possibly antibiotics, growth hormones and/or medications to animals (when looking at eggs, meat, etc) in an effort to prevent disease and spur quicker growth.

Many grocery stores have a section for locally grown produce or head to your local farmers' market. Here are some options around the Fort Bragg area:

Fayetteville - Reilly Road Farmer's Market offers fruits, vegetables, eggs, bedding plants and more. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is at 445 N. Reilly Road. Call 868-9509 or find the market on Facebook.

Southern Pines - Sandhills Farmers' Green Market operates three days a week at different locations April through Sept. 29. Hours and sites are: Homegrown on the Village Green in Pinehurst Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sanford - Sanford Farmers Market is open through September. The market is at Depot Park, 106 Charlotte Ave. in downtown Sanford. Hours are Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Call 919-356-3007 or go to downtownsanford.com.

Multiple pick-up locations: Sandhills Farm to Table Cooperative: Local farms and bakeries sell their fruits, vegetables and bread to consumers who subscribe to a weekly service. There are 11 box pickup sites in Moore, Lee, Cumberland and Randolph counties. The cooperative also offers produce cooking lessons at Green Gate Gourmet in Southern Pines. Go to sandhillsfarm2table.com

You can download the app – EatLocal – for free on your phone. It gives you the local farmers’ market info, produce that’s in season and how to pick out/prepare that vegetable or fruit.

Pumpkin Protein smoothie

1 cup almond milk

½ can (~3/4 cup) pumpkin (winter squash – find in canned vegetable aisle or seasonal section)

2 bananas

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

Spices: nutmeg, cinnamon, ground cloves to taste

Optional: add vanilla non-fat Greek yogurt instead of whey protein

Nutrition Facts

• Without yogurt: 450 calories, 6g fat, 75g carbohydrates, 28g protein
• Use as a post-workout snack for a weight maintenance athlete
• Use as a small meal for weight loss athlete (when eating 5 times per day)
• 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt instead of whey protein: 530 calories, 4g fat, 100g carbohydrates, 23g protein
• Use as a pre-workout meal for any athlete
• Increased carbohydrates & decreased fat