Pumpkin pie has always been one of my favorite desserts. It’s no surprise since everyone in my family seems to love it too. I have numerous memories of eating pumpkin pie throughout my childhood. Whether it was Thanksgiving, a family gathering or just lunch with my great grandpa on a Sunday, if it was fall, then you could expect pumpkin pie for dessert.
Living with a family that loves pie always meant (and still does) one thing on the day after Thanksgiving: pie for breakfast. As much as I love my Black Friday slice of pie, I know eating pie every morning is not the healthiest choice (oh how I wish it was!). That is why I had to create this delicious pumpkin pie smoothie. It has all of the flavors of pumpkin pie, without any of the guilt.
Thanks to all of the pumpkin, this smoothie has almost one serving of vegetables. Any day I can get vegetables down before 8am is a great day to me! Frozen bananas provide natural sweetness and are the magical addition that makes the smoothie extra creamy. I like to include Greek yogurt for the boost of protein to keep me full, but feel free to leave it out if you are trying to make this dairy free. Ground flax seed and almond butter add a hint of nuttiness and lots of healthy fats too. With a sprinkle of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and maybe even a drizzle of maple syrup on top, this smoothie is my go to breakfast when I’m craving pumpkin pie, whether it’s November or any other time of year.
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1/2-3/4 medium banana, frozen (amount will vary depending on how sweet you like your smoothie)
- 1/2 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon almond butter (or any nut butter will do)
- 2 teaspoons ground flaxseeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ginger
- sprinkle of nutmeg
- 1/4-1/2 cup milk (any kind works well here)
- drizzle of maple syrup, honey or agave, to taste
Instructions
- Add banana, Greek yogurt, pumpkin puree, almond butter, flaxseeds, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and 1/4 cup milk to a blender.
- Blend until smooth, adding more milk to reach desired consistency.
- If the smoothie is not sweet enough to your liking, blend in additional banana, maple syrup, honey or agave.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy immediately!
Notes
1. If you don't have frozen bananas, slice a fresh banana into 1" pieces, spread the slices on a plate or small baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes. You may need to decrease the amount of milk in the recipe to 1/8-1/4 cup. Alternately, frozen pumpkin puree can be used with a fresh banana, just know that the smoothie will not be as creamy.
2. If you like your smoothie extra cold, a couple of ice cubes can be added before blending. The amount of milk may need to be adjusted depending on desired consistency.
Recipe adapted from Oh She Glows
Nutrition Panel: Serving Size: 1 smoothie Calories: 255kcal Carbohydrate: 35g Fat: 7g Protein: 18g