I made this pumpkin smoothie to go with my oatmeal this morning after my run. It was so delicious, I had to share the recipe. We have pumpkins (Sugar Pumpkins, also called Pie Pumpkins) coming out our ears; our garden was good to us in that way this year. I've been experimenting and putting pumpkin puree in just about everything. Sometimes I want the pumpkin to be the star of the show and bring out it's full flavor, like in the Pumpkin Spice Cake I made last night. Other times I just want to sneak the pumpkin in the recipe to add to the health benefits, without any obvious pumpkin flavor, as it was with the Alfredo (pumpkin) sauce I made for our pasta for last night's dinner. Well, if you enjoy the flavor of pumpkin, specifically pumpkin pie, you will love this "milkshake"!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (we use fresh, cooked pumpkin, but you could use canned pumpkin also)
1 cup skim milk (you could substitute 1 cup vanilla yogurt or vanilla soy milk)
2 tsps. brown sugar
1 tablespoon Splenda (depending on how sweet you prefer, you could add more or less, or use honey)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. cloves
(For the above 3 ingredients, you could also substitute 1/2 tsp. Allspice or Pumpkin Pie Spice)
1/2 cup ice cubes
Add liquid to your blender first, then pumpkin puree, sweeteners and spices. Then put a few of the ice cubes in and start the blender. Gradually add the rest of the ice, until you reach the consistency you like best. I like mine thick like a real milkshake, so I add a little more ice.
For a bonus, you could add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon to the top. It's awesome! And by the way, pumpkin is very healthy. It is rich in potassium, vitamin A and fiber, and even has a bit of protein and vitamin C to add to the benefits. I usually add protein powder to my morning smoothies, and since I'm all out of it right now, I ate oatmeal with my smoothie. But I think some vanilla protein powder added to the above recipe would make it a very healthy, filling breakfast or snack.
