the pumpkin post

Pumpkin is pretty perfect.

I mean how could you not love pumpkin pi?

I am obsessed with autumn foods.  Caramel apples, powdered sugar donuts, hot apple cider, maple syrup and most of all, pumpkin.

I grabbed a can of organic pumpkin the other day at Whole Foods and I’ve been dreaming about recipes for a while now.  Pumpkin oat bran, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin curry, pumpkin muffin batter on a spoon….

But the best way to eat pumpkin is to drink it.

This smoothie tastes like a delicious drinkable pumpkin pie.  I cannot even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed it this morning.  Creamy, comforting and healthy to boot.

Pumpkin Pie Green Smoothie

-makes one large smoothie

Lightly adapted from Oh She Glows’ Pumpkin Pie Monster

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 huge handful of spinach
• 1/2 cup pumpkin (not pumpking pie filling)
• 1 sliced frozen banana
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1/2 tbsp vanilla protein powder (optional)
• 1 tsp real maple syrup/mollasses/agave
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• big pinch of ginger
• big pinch of  nutmeg
• 3 ice cubes

280 calories, 9 grams of fiber and 11.5 grams of protein (made with protein powder)

Blend and enjoy!  The spices really make this smoothie, so don’t leave them out!  I usually can’t stand protein powders in smoothie, but I didn’t mind it in this one at all.

Next up, Pumpkin Muffins from Happy Herbivore.  OHMYPUMPKIN so good.

I added chocolate chips (which I highly reccomend). Also, I only had 3/4 cup applesauce so I used canola oil for the other 1/4 cup.  This lengthened the cooking time a bit.

These are so moist, perfectly sweet, and if made like the recipe states, have zero fat!  Incredible with chocolate chips. 

While you’re in the muffin mood, make Happy Herbivore’s chocolate chip zuchinni muffins.  Just make sure you add a half cup of chocolate chips to the mix!  This isn’t in the recipe but it makes them even better. Every time I make these, at least one person asks for the recipe and bakes them on their own.  They’re that good.  Not to mention vegan.  And 100% whole wheat.  And fat free.

*Did you know mostly all dark and semi sweet chocolate chips are vegan? Well now ya know! The ingredients of the chippies should look something like sugar, chocolate liquor or unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter and vanilla. (Maybe some soy lecithin too… because let’s be real….just about everything except bananas has processed soy in it).

**Get Trader Joe’s chocolate chips. They’re the cheapest I’ve seen ($1.99) and have a good list of ingredients.

As an added bonus…here is a how-to on easy and fast oat bran since Trader Joe’s toasted oat bran is flyin’ off the shelves…

• 1/3 cup oat bran
• 3/4 cup almond milk/soymilk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp chia seeds (or try 1/2 tbsp ground flaxseed, optional)
• good sprinkling of cinnamon
• dash of sea salt
• 1 packet of stevia/sugar/maple syrup (buy a box of stevia at Trader Joe’s in packs for $5.99)
• 1 heaping tbsp peanut butter/almond butter

*Try stirring in chocolate chips, vanilla protein powder or canned pumpkin with maple syrup for a nice twist!

Combine all ingredients except peanut butter in a microwavable bowl.  Microwave for a minute.  Stir.  Microwave for another minute. Top with a large spoonful of peanut butter.  Enjoy!

I may need to grab more cinnamon when I get more pumpkin tomorrow

Order of things you must do tomorrow:

 

1. Wake up and make a Pumpkin Pie Green Smoothie. Add extra spinach because you know you won’t be able to taste it anyway.
2. Go run errands and then have Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins in the oven by the time the kids get home from school. Super mom nanny!
3. Go to sleep early and make Hummusapien Oat Bran in the morning since you’re all out of pumpkin.