Pumpkin Smoothie

I've been craving some of the flavors of fall — pumpkin, nutmeg, and cinnamon, but wanted a healthy way to indulge. So instead of pie, I tried this pumpkin smoothie. It's satisfying and guilt free. And it makes a quick breakfast or snack to keep you going through the grocery shopping, prep and cooking for the big feast tomorrow.

I've made it with plain canned pumpkin and then added spices and some agave for sweetness and I've also tried it with canned pumpkin pie filling for a quicker version. That one already has the spices and sweetener added, so it's a little quicker. But I prefer to use the plain pumpkin and add my own level of sweetness and spice. Add as much or as little of whichever spices you like. You could also sub milk or rice milk for the almond milk I used, but I like the little bit of almond in it. A banana adds creaminess. And I've tried this with a little almond butter, which has a more pronounced flavor, or silken soft tofu, to add some protein. Experiment with it and make it how you like. I like it icy cold, so add ice at the end, or refrigerate the pumpkin, tofu and almond milk before blending.

I haven't tried this yet, but it would probably also freeze into popsicle molds for tasty frozen treats. Since temps are still in the upper 80s here, that's sounding pretty good about now. Bring on the cold fronts!

Happy Turkey Day! (Links below to some Thanksgiving feast favorites.)

Pumpkin Smoothie

1 cup canned pumpkin purée
1/4 - 1/2 cup silken soft tofu
1/2 banana
3/4 cup vanilla almond milk
1 - 2 tablespoons agave
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
12 grates of fresh nutmeg
pinch salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender and whiz until well combined. If desired, add ice and blend again until smooth.

Makes one large or two small servings.


More Thanksgiving recipes:
Pecan pie
Pecan pie bars
Stuffed squash
Roasted carrots and parsnips with sage
Roasted butternut squash with cinnamon chipotle butter

And for the day after... this soup would also work very well with leftover turkey:
Smoked chicken, mushroom and wild rice soup