Watch out Starbucks there's a new Pumpkin Spice in town. With fall quickly approaching I thought this weeks smoothie recipe should be something pumpkin, refreshing (since it's still in 90+ temps), and healthy. I love smoothies for breakfast, a quick lunch, and sometimes even a late night craving fix! And what I love most is all the nutrients and "good stuff" you can basically hide inside them. I would probably never sit down and eat a cup of pumpkin puree and a handful of spinach for breakfast, but blend in into a yummy smoothie and it's magically a delicious treat. AND they are great for busy people on the go- like me.
I can not stress how amazing smoothies are for your health and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. You can cram so much good into one 20 oz smoothie. And all this stuff you normally wouldn't eat gets blended together into something yummy. I mean who sits and eats handfuls of spinach? Someone might, and if you do that's amazing! I find it so much easier to blend it into a smoothie where it is basically hidden. It's such a great way to "trick" your kids into eating veggies too. Heck it's a good way I trick myself into eating veggies. And I am a firm believer in the higher the quality of your nutrition the better you will feel.
So here's some information on the healthy ingredients I "hid" in this healthy green pumpkin spice smoothie. I almost always use unsweetened plain almond milk in all my smoothies as my base. Why almond milk? Well here's why in a nut shell (nut shell haha- I just couldn't help it). Almond milk is low in calories and fat. It is lower in protein but that's why I always add in protein powder. But the main reason I use it is, yes it's low in calories, but it is also plant based and I try to not use animal products as much as possible- just for ethical and health reasons.
I also almost always add in a protein powder. This helps get extra protein that sometimes we miss out on with veggie and fruit based smoothies. I love getting a vanilla flavor because it adds a sweet taste to your smoothie. And of course the main ingredient in this smoothie is pumpkin. But you want to get pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling. That would turn this healthy smoothie into a not so healthy one. Pumpkin is also low in calorie and high in fiber. Pumpkin is also known for good hearth heath.
I like to sweeten my smoothies naturally- I never add in sugar or other artificial sweeteners. So for this smoothie I added a ripe peach and honey. Peaches are naturally sweet and low in calories. They also are a great source for fiber and potassium. Peaches make you feel full and help prevent overeating. Local honey is also great at boosting your immune system.
And I ALWAYS add spinach! Just ask Popeye, spinach is packed with nutritional value. Spinach is extremely nutrient rich! It is rich in iron and iron plays a central role in your red blood cells. Your red blood cells transport oxygen around your body which aids in energy production and DNA synthesis. Spinach is very rich in vitamin K which is important for good bone health. Just trust me and add the spinach. Spinach in a smoothie may sound gross but with other ingredients such as these you don't even taste it. PROMISE! I will share more green based smoothies later on in our weekly smoothie journey.
Another thing I always add it fresh lemon juice. Lemons are a good source of vitamin C and helps aid your body in immune system deficiencies. It also help maintain the pH balance of your body. Another thing you just trust me and add.
So my main goal when creating a smoothie recipe is keeping it low calorie, high in fiber, and packed with nutritional value. I also take the glycemic index into consideration- so lower carbs. Because smoothies can be a great way to maintain and stabilize your blood glucose levels. Making you feel fuller longer. But you have to remember all carbs are not created equally- carbs from high fiber and nutrient rich foods are not as bad as "empty carbs" or carbs that have no nutritional value. Consider your net carb count: Total carbs-fiber-erythritol= Net carbs.
So now that we know all the good stuff packed into this smoothie here is the recipe:
Recipe for Pumpkin Spice Healthy Green Smoothie-
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 2 scoops Protein Powder- I use Orgain (CLICK HERE)
- 1 cup Organic Pumpkin Puree
- 1 ripe Peach
- Half Squeezed Fresh Lemon
- Heaping Handful of Spinach
- 2 tsp Honey
- 1 tsp Organic Pumpkin Pie Spice
Instructions:
- Add the almond milk then the protein powder. (Sometime I swirl the almond milk and protein powder around to mix).
- Next add your pumpkin puree and sliced peach. I cut up the peach leaving the peel but removing the pit.
- Next add you lemon, honey, and spice mix.
- Last add your spinach.
- Blend on hight for 90 sec or use your smoothie setting if you have a Blendtec. The smoothie should be smoothy and pourable. Enjoy!
*Note for fewer Carbs you can eliminate the raw honey and save 17g of carbs. Bringing it down to 32 carbs.
Smoothie cheers my friend!! I hope you try out this Pumpkin Spice smoothie this fall season. It's a great alternate to those calorie packed/ low nutritional value pumpkin spiced lattes. And I'm just not quite ready for hot steamy drinks yet. So this is a nice healthy refreshing way to start in on the taste of fall- AKA Pumpkin Spice. Check back next week for a new smoothie recipe.
With love,
