Naturally sweetened and saturated with pumpkin pie flavor, this tasty smoothie is perfect for the upcoming holiday season! 

Hello everyone! I blended together this smoothie for the first time over the weekend, and I am excited for you all to give it a try! You probably love pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin bread… but have you ever enjoyed the delights of a pumpkin pie smoothie??

This smoothie has several nice features: it is sweetened naturally with dates, has almond butter for some staying power, and mixed in are some chia seeds for an extra boost of omega 3s. I would reckon that it would make an excellent breakfast, lunch, snack, or dessert, depending on what you are feeling like!

And then the star ingredient… pumpkin! Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamin A, which is very important for vision, as well as for growth/development and immunity. Other good dietary sources of vitamin A include liver, fish like salmon and bluefin tuna, sweet potatoes, squash, cantaloupe, and carrots.

One interesting point to note is that there are two types of vitamin A sources in the human diet – preformed vitamin A and provitamin A carotenoids. Only animal sources of vitamin A (such as meat – liver especially, fish, and dairy products) contain preformed vitamin A. Plant sources of vitamin A contain provitamin A carotenoids (the most common being beta-carotene), which our bodies can then convert into vitamin A. Pretty cool!

Moving on to the recipe specifics!

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Preparation Time: 5-10 minutes
Yields: 1 smoothie

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen cauliflower rice
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup almond milk
1 tbsp almond butter
1 tbsp chia seeds
4 dates (or sweeten with maple syrup)
3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Add ingredients to a high-powered blender in the direction they are listed.
2. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
3. Pour into a glass or bowl and enjoy!

Notes:

• Topping ideas for this smoothie are only limited by your imagination! Ideas include: granola, a drizzle of almond butter, dried cranberries, crushed pecans, whipped cream, apple slices, chocolate chips, coconut flakes, and more!
• This smoothie is relatively thick; I enjoy consuming it in a bowl with a spoon. To thin simply add more almond milk until your desired consistency is reached.

There you have it! Hope you enjoy the rest of your week!