pumpkin-pie smoothie

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie: Dessert in a glass

Smoothie Basics
The weather's growing colder, and I know it's more seasonally appropriate to write about warming libations like tea, coffee and cocoa. But the fact is, regardless of the temperature, when my tummy starts to rumble– usually around 10 a.m.– I crave a nice, tall smoothie. Besides their sweet, creamy flavor, I also love the fact that you can toss in all kinds of healthful goodies into smoothies to further boost their nutritional power– like ground flax seeds, green powder, and/or probiotic powder. I also usually add 1/2 scoop of vanilla vegan protein powder to my smoothies; it makes them creamier [read: more decadent!] and provides me with an extra shot of protein. You can also supplement most fruit-based smoothies with about 1 cup of fresh greens, like spinach or lettuce. Believe it or not, you cannot taste them, since the bolder fruit flavors overpower the greens' subtle sweetness [Really. Truly!].

When you think of smoothies, the usual suspects come to mind: strawberry, banana-peanut butter, chocolate, blueberry, etc. Yesterday, I spied 1/2 cup of leftover pumpkin puree in my 'fridge and decided to do a deconstructed pumpkin pie, smoothie, sans crust. [Want the crust effect? Toss in a few vegan graham crackers.] Besides being seasonal, this smoothie is seriously addictive and now holds a permanent spot in my daily smoothie rotation.

Pumpkin-Pie Smoothie

• 1/2 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 1/2 frozen ripe banana, chopped
• 6 oz non-dairy milk [I used a small carton of So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk. You can also use plain or vanilla non-dairy yogurt]
• Sprinkle of ground flax seeds [Optional, but great way to add omega 3s]
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
• Healthy pinch of nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 scoop of your favorite vegan vanilla protein powder [to add creaminess and protein]
• Your favorite sweetener [eg, stevia, sugar, maple syrup, agave nectar] to taste
• Optional additions: Ground flax seeds, green powder, probiotic powder, etc

Serves 1

Whiz everything in a blender until smooth.