pumpkin spice mocha

There is nothing more comforting on a crisp fall afternoon than a hot Pumpkin Spice Mocha. Full of real pumpkin and amazing Fair Trade ingredients, these mochas are simple to put together and will become a staple in your kitchen.

I’m sitting here staring at the calendar and much to my shock, October is here. The Baby’s 5th birthday is in 20 days. Halloween is in 30. And after that it’s pretty much a sprint to the awesomeness that is the holidays.

It’s pretty much my favorite time of year.

In addition to the crunchy golden leaves and bountiful pumpkins, October is also Fair Trade month. My friends over at Fair Trade USA invited me to be part of their Fair Trade month recipe rally spreading the word to Buy Fair. Be Fair. I’m honored to share the story of an inspirational coffee farmer and member of the FCC – Federación Campesina del Cauca Cooperative in Colombia named Jose Antonio Benavides.

Jose Antonio Benavides took an organic agriculture course to transition his farm from conventional to organic because he “wants the land to be sustainable for future generations.” His interest in environmental sustainablility is also business driven, as “due to climate change the land yields much less than it used to.”

He is working with a local University to determine the soil needs of his farm and to customize compost inputs to fill those needs. Jose keeps cows, guinea pigs, and rabbits because they provide excellent organic fertilizer. He has been composting for 5 years, and uses a chopper provided by the co-op to compost organic material.

His polyculture farm also includes yucca, beans, avocado, citrus, and bananas as he takes a holistic systems approach to farming.

Fair Trade USA works with artisans and farmers like Jose Antonio Benavides to improve lives, protects the environment, and produces high-quality products for all of us to enjoy.

When I think of my favorite Fair Trade goods, I tend to gravitate toward coffee and chocolate. For this month, I could think of nothing better than a rich and decadent homemade pumpkin spice mocha. This drink is rich and chocolatey, with a punch of pumpkin and that unmistakable coffee flavor.

A simple base of pumpkin puree, honey, vanilla extract gets warmed and whisked into creamy whole milk and blended with strong brewed Fair Trade coffee – this drink is so rich, sweet and comforting, especially topped with whipped cream and chopped Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Seed Bark Thins. Best Bark Thins I’ve had.

Here is the full recipe for my Pumpkin Spice Mocha, but be sure to keep scrolling for the giveaway details!

THE GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED AND THE WINNER WILL BE CONTACTED SOON! THANK YOU FOR ENTERING!

FAIR TRADE USA GIVEAWAY

In celebration of this great Fair Trade month, my friends at Fair Trade USA are generously providing a package of some amazing Fair Trade goodies to one lucky Jelly Toast reader.

Here are a few of the lovely treats and beauty products that will be included in the gift box:

So, a few of the items didn’t make the photo because they were just to tasty to resist, like a bottle of Honest Tea, some fabulous Choice Rooibos Chai and Guittard Akoma Extra Bittersweet Chocolate Chips. Those got put into some pancakes immediately.

The gift box will even include this fascinating book by Kelsey Timmerman called Where Am I Eating? discussing where our food comes from. Very cool stuff. 

Here is a complete list of the incredible Fair Trade certified brands that will be included in the gift box:

• Dillanos Coffee Roasters Coffee (@Dillanos)
• CocoLibre Coconut Water (@CocoLibre)
• Guittard Akoma Extra Semisweet Chocolate Chips (@GuittardChoco)
• Lake Champlain Unsweetened Cocoa (@LCChocolates)
• barkTHINSTM Snacking Chocolate (@RippleBrands)
• Rishi Earl Grey Tea (@RishiTea)
• Dang Foods Dark Chocolate Covered Coconut (@DangFoods)
• Honest Tea (@HonestTea)
• Frontier Natural Products Co-op Cinnamon (@FrontierCoop)
• Eco Lips Colored Lip Balm (@ecolips)
• Alter Eco Deep Dark Sea Salt Organic Chocolate (AlterEcoSF)
• Badger Balm (@BadgerBalmUSA)
• LÄRABAR Bars (@larabar)
• Runa Berry Clean Energy Drink (@DrinkRuna)
• SunSpire Coconut Almond Dark Chocolate Bar
• Choice Tea Rooibos Chai (@ChoiceOrganicT)
• Nourish Organic Shea Butter (@NourishUSDA)
• Where Am I Eating? Book by Kelsey Timmerman (@KelseyTimmerman)

Because I am a fan of simple giveaways I’m going to make this as easy as possible! Simply leave comment on this blog post telling me what your favorite Fair Trade brand or product is (or if you don’t have one, which one of these you can’t wait to try!). 

**One comment per reader. You must be a US resident to win. Giveaway will end until next Wednesday, October 8, 2014 at 9PM. One winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email. This is not a sponsored post, but the giveaway package is provided by Fair Trade USA and these amazing Fair Trade Brands featured above. Thank you!**

Good Luck and Happy Wednesday!!