It’s still fall and I’m still on my annual pumpkin kick. Making weekly batches of pumpkin muffins is a must this time of year! One of my dear friends, Brynn, even bought me these adorable mini decor pumpkins because she knows how much of a pumpkin lover I am!
As we head into the holiday season and are bombarded with all of the scrumptious goodies that come with it, I realized it might be a good time to step back and bring more fresh fruits and veggies into my life. We love “green” smoothies at our house, they’re loaded with vitamins and can pack a punch with flavor. Being a big time pumpkin fan, I came up with this Green & Clean Pumpkin Pie Smoothie to help indulge my cravings, while still keeping my veggie intake up. Although it is not actually green, it is packed with nutrients making it way more “green” than that pumpkin spice latte in your hand 😉 Who am I kidding?! I’m staring at an empty Starbucks cup as I write this post.
Necessities:
1/3 cup milk (I used 1%, but please feel free to use whatever you have on hand)
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (I used Activia because that’s what I had on hand)
1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree (Not pumpkin pie filling)
3-4 baby carrots
1 inch slice of zucchini (pictured to the right)
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Method:
It doesn’t get too much easier than this – place all the ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth (about 30-60 seconds). I am a avid Vitamix fan and use mine every single day, but this recipe will work in any traditional blender, you just may need to blend longer (up to 2 minutes). If you prefer your to be sweeter, taste test it after making it and add in a touch more maple syrup if needed.
Now, pour into adorable little mason jars, sprinkle with a little extra pumpkin pie spice and enjoy!
Modifications:
If you are dairy free – I recommend using cashew milk and vanilla flavored coconut yogurt. Happy blending!!!