I’ve got a fun smoothie for you today over at The Balanced Platter. It may be packed with good-for-you greens, but it taste like creamy, dreamy pumpkin pie. Yum! Enjoy!
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Edit: The Balanced Platter is no longer up, so here is the post and recipe for you to enjoy!
With the start of a new year, and after the extra treats of the holiday season, I like to focus on filling my plate with more vegetable-packed meals. However, even while eating healthier, I do like indulgent-tasting treats. Fortunately, this creamy dairy-free smoothie is not only a wonderful start for your day or after workout pick-me-up, it also tastes fantastic. It may look green, but it tastes similar to a creamy, dreamy pumpkin pie.
Many dairy-free smoothies use frozen banana to give body and creaminess, however my low-carb eating husband challenged me to come up with an alternative ingredient. Instead of banana, Green Pumpkin Pie Smoothie gets it’s smooth texture from avocado, decreasing the sugar and carb content from what is found in the typical smoothie. A typical avocado has about 14 grams of fiber, much more than other fruits. The fiber, along with its healthy monounsaturated fat, and higher protein content than most fruits, make avocados a great energy source that keep you feeling full and satisfied longer.
Rounding out the ingredient list for this simple to blend smoothie are pumpkin and spinach. Rich in potassium, a nutrient that helps maintain blood pressure and kidney function, pumpkin is also high in fiber and contains a fair share of vitamin C, an antioxidant essential for healthy skin and gums. The dark leafy green of spinach is a nutritional powerhouse all on its own. There are few food sources that offer more vitamin K than spinach, essential for blood clotting and bone health. Recent research also shows that vitamin K may help decrease inflammation in the body. Other important nutrients found in spinach are beta-caroteen, lutein, folate, and magnesium.
If you have family members on the fence about green smoothies, give this one a try. The creamy texture and pumpkin pie flavors might just win them over. Even my 10-year-old loves this smoothie as an after school snack and considers it a treat!
Other Green Smoothie Recipes:
- Berry Lemonade Green Smoothie
- Raw Vegan Pina Colada Green Smoothie
- “Sneaky Green” Healthy Chocolate Shak
Good-for-You Green Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Serves 2 to 3
- 1/2 cup ice
- 1 cup packed fresh spinach
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 ripe avocado
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves)
- *liquid stevia, to taste
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups unsweetened dairy-free milk substitute of choice, such as coconut or almond milk
- In a high powered blender, place all ingredients except milk substitute in order listed. Add one cup of the milk substitute, reserving extra if needed. Cover blender and blend until completely smooth. Add remainder of the milk substitute and blend, if needed, if you prefer a thinner smoothie.
- *Other sweeteners for this smoothie we have used are 1 tablespoon honey OR 3 pitted Medjool dates OR 2 tablespoons gluten free brown rice syrup or maple syrup.
What are your favorite after workout treats? Do you have a delicious veggie-filled smoothie or snack to share? We would love to hear about it!
