With “the most wonderful time of the year” just around the corner, the true Fall fans have only a few weeks left to indulge in the cozy aroma of the pumpkin spice. However, not everyone is ready to commit to the time-consuming process of baking the entire pie or counting calories after eating one. The answer has been right in front of us all summer: make a smoothie!
You Will Need:
- 1 cup of pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
- 1 large ripe banana
- 1 cup almond milk (can be substituted with soy or coconut milk)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice mixture
- 2 oz carrot juice
- Optional: 1 tablespoon of honey or maple syrup to make it sweeter
Mix it up
Start with peeling and freezing the banana in advance (1-2 hours should be enough if you have a strong freezer) – this will help to bring out the flavor and give the right temperature to the drink.
For easier blending, you can break the banana into a few smaller pieces before or after freezing. Next step is to add all the ingredients to the blender and let the magic happen! Pour the smoothie into the cup and enjoy to the very last sip!
Tip
To make your “fall in the cup” look even more delicious sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on the top when serving.
If you don’t trust the store-bought pumpkin puree and the pre-made pumpkin spice mix, here is how to make both of them in the convenience of your own kitchen. It is easier than you think!
To make homemade pumpkin puree, you will need just one small sugar pumpkin. Begin by preheating the oven to 325 degrees F. Cut the orange beauty in half and remove all the seeds with a spoon.
Cover each half with foil. Place the pumpkin on the tray and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until tender. Remove all the pumpkin meat and blend it at medium speed for a few minutes. Store in the freezer in zip-lock plastic bags or in silicon tray.
The pumpkin spice mixture is extremely easy to make and can be used in a variety of dishes such as pies, cookies, hot and cold drinks (click here to get detailed recipes) and even as a compliment for your Thanksgiving dinner cocktails.
In order to create the mixture add together in a medium-sized bowl 3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons nutmeg and 1 and a half teaspoon ground cloves. Mix the spices well. After you fully enjoyed the beautiful smell store the mixture in a dry glass jar or in a spice container.
Now you are prepared to spend the last days of fall with a healthy and easy to make drink in your hands! Don't forget to take lots of pictures and share the colorful inspiration with the world!
