As we settle into fall, I find myself craving my paleo pumpkin pie smoothie. It’s like a pumpkin spice latte, without the caffeine jitters and dairy intolerance issues. I made this smoothie for some friends on my tennis team last year and it was a winner!
This liquid nutrition was actually part of an assignment I did for the Academy of Culinary Nutrition. I focused on an autoimmune condition and developed recipes specifically targeted towards nourishing these clients. A key focus for clients with autoimmune disease is to support the immune system, increase anti-inflammatory foods, and improve metabolic function. This smoothie offers a range of nutrients to aid in healing and help increase energy levels.
KEY INGREDIENTS AND NUTRIENTS:
- Pumpkin: provides a wide range of micronutrients
- Vitamin A helps vision, immune, and inflammatory systems.
- One cup of baked winter squash will provide you with approximately 340 milligrams of omega-3 fats in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), useful for brain health.(1)
- One cup pumpkin is 20% of DV of Vitamin C. (2)
- It’s a key food that can help with hormone balance throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle.
- Hemp Seeds: offers a perfect 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3
- Offers a complete protein source of essential fatty acids
- Great for brain health
- Bananas: a natural sweetener with benefits:
- potassium helps prevent muscle aches
- fibre is easy to digest
- helps increase energy level with a high amount of B6 (3)
My paleo pumpkin pie smoothie is a great way to start your morning routine, or recharge after a workout. What’s even better is that this smoothie is also kid-approved in my house. Those bananas make it sweet, so feel free to decrease to your taste.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN PUREE
To make homemade pumpkin puree, slice the top off of a pie pumpkin and then cut the pumpkin in half through the middle. Remove the seeds and then cover the pumpkin pieces with some coconut oil and roast for 30 minutes cut side down on a baking sheet in an oven at 400 degrees. Scoop out the insides and reserve pumpkin for smoothies or soup. If you use store bought pumpkin puree, look for the organic version sold in cardboard boxes instead of cans. (See this option here.) The reason to skip the metal can (even BPA free) is to reduce your exposure to metal, which is an issue for women dealing with autoimmune sensitivities.
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Paleo Pumpkin Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1½ cups organic pumpkin puree
- 2 medjool dates pitted
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 frozen bananas
Instructions
- In a high speed blender, add all ingredients in the order listed.
- Add a large handful of ice cubes if you prefer an even thicker smoothie.
- Blend on high till thoroughly combined. Enjoy.
I add cacao nibs to my smoothies to give them a little crunch! Did you know cacao nibs provide you a dose of both iron and magnesium. These two micronutrients are important to replenish during the menstrual phase of a women’s cycle. Give your body some energy and help balance those hormones with a little support from these little bits of chocolate goodness.
You can find my recipe to make homemade almond milk here, homemade vanilla extract here, and my favorite place to get the pumpkin pie spice is Trader Joe’s.
I hope you enjoy your paleo pumpkin pie smoothie this fall. It’s a great way to nourish you body, and get that pumpkin fix covered.
Sources
- By Roasting Them for a Relatively Short Time at a Low Temperature You Can Help Minimize Damage to Their Healthy Oils. Linoleic Acid (the Polyunsaturated Omega-6 Fatty Acid) and Oleic Acid (the Same Monounsaturated Fatty Acid That Is Plentiful in Olive Oil. “Squash, Winter.” Squash, Winter. World’s Healthiest Foods, n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.
- Ware, Megan, RDN LD. Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.
- “Vitamin B6 – Pyridoxine.” Vitamin B6 – Pyridoxine. World’s Healthiest Foods, n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.
