Super Food Saturday- Pumpkin Hummus

Chili Pumpkin Hummus

"The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle."- Unknown

1 (15.5 oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed well and drained

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp chopped Cilantro (Gourmet Garden Cilantro)

¼ cup olive oil

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 tsp sesame oil

½ tsp cumin

1 tsp turmeric

¼ tsp coriander

¼ tsp nutmeg

½ Tbsp red chili flakes (or uses Gourmet Garden Chili Pepper)

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

3 tsp soy sauce

In a food processor combine the garbanzo beans, garlic and olive oil. Pulse several times to break up the beans and then blend until smooth and evenly pureed.

Add pumpkin, spices, chili pepper, soy sauce and lemon.  Blend until all is smooth. Add more olive oil if you want the hummus thinner.

Serve at room temperature with crackers, baguette slices or with a vegetable platter.

This was my Super bowl snack this year.  Usually I do chips and salsa, but I am trying to eat healthier.
There are many healthy ingredients in this recipe making it a better choice than chips and salsa. Pumpkin has a number of health benefits:

• Fiber- it is rich in fiber slowing digestion.  It has 7 grams of fiber per cup.
• Calories- Pumpkin is low in calories with only 50 calories ber serving.
• Beta Carotene- this substance is converted to vitamin A by the body, which is essential for eye health.  A serving of pumpkin has 200 % of your daily requirement of vitamin A.  Vitamin A helps fight infection and can help prevent cancer.
• Anti-oxidants- Pumpkin contains Lutein and Zeaxanthin that are thought to prevent cataracts and slow macular degeneration.
• Vitamin C- has 20 % of recommend daily requirement which boosts immunity, helps prevent infections and can help prevent cancer.

Enjoy this healthy snack!

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Duathlon National Championship 2013

Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a two time participant of the Boston Marathon.  She was the 2012 National Champion Paratriathlon Open Division. In 2013 she qualified as a member of the Team USA Duathlon Team. She will compete in 2014 at the Age Group World Duathlon Sprint Championship in Pontevedre Spain.

She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.

http://www.henschelhausbooks.com/catalog/memoir-biography/215-running-for-my-life-winning-for-cmt-9781595982827.html

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have 143 members in 28 states. We also have members in Australia, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland and Iran. If you wish to join us visit our web site; www.run4cmt.com or www.hnf-cure.org

CMT or Charcot-Marie-Tooth is the most commonly inherited peripheral neuropathy. It affects over 155,000 Americans (as many as MS).  It is a disease of the nerves that control the muscles. It is slowly progressive, causing loss of normal function and or sensation in the lower legs/feet and arms/hands.

Symptoms include; muscle wasting in the lower legs and feet leading to foot drop, poor balance and gait problems Atrophy in the hands causes difficulty with manual dexterity.

Structural foot deformities such as high arches and hammer toes are common.

Poor tolerance for cool or cold temperatures and many people have chronically cold hands and feet.

Additional symptoms may include fatigue, sleep apnea, breathing difficulties and hearing loss.

Additional Link

Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixon
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/