Pumpin' Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Every once in a while I get an urge for something pumpkin. Lately it's been pumpkin pie oatmeal and pumpkin bread. While trying to decide what to make for breakfast yesterday, I spied some leftover pumpkin puree in my refrigerator....right next to some leftover coconut milk. Oh, the possibilities! What emerged from my imagination was so smooth and creamy, so delicious, I had to share it with you. 

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana, broken in chunks

1/2 cup canned coconut milk

1/2 cup soy or almond milk

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 heaping Tb. brown sugar or sweetener of choice

1 Tb. chia gel or ground flax seed

1 capful vanilla extract

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until very smooth and creamy. 

Yield: 2 cups

Calories: approximately 194 per 1-cup serving

Try this! A dollop of fat-free non-dairy whipped topping and some artfully crushed graham cracker sprinkled over the top for a guilt-free dessert.

Mmmm. I'm gonna to go whip me up some breakfast now... :-)

Sunday Smoothie: Strawberry Orange Banana

Two years ago, we purchased a VitaMix blender and my life will never be the same. [Shameless plug for VitaMix] Sauces are creamier, smoothies are smoother! It seriously was one of the best investments we've ever made. 

We have smoothies nearly every morning, and my kids love them. My toddler sees me getting the blender out and says..."'moothie?" It's a great way for them to get their servings of fruit for the day. 

There are countless combinations of ingredients for smoothies, and just as many methods for getting just the right texture. My husband, the food techie, has narrowed it down to this equation: 1 fresh element, 1 frozen element, and 1 liquid element. 

I'm sharing my go-to recipe for an easy, nutritious smoothie today. Please don't be alarmed if it is not thick like a milkshake. This is a frothy drink that requires no spoon. 

In a blender base, combine the following ingredients in order:

1 medium banana, peeled (of, course!) and broken in chunks

10 lg. frozen strawberries

1 Tb. flax or chia seeds

2 cups orange juice

Place the lid on the blender, and blend at low speed to break up the fruit, then gradually increase to high speed. Blend until smooth. 

Makes 2 large servings.