Today, I noticed a shift in the weather here in South Florida! Did you notice the breeze this Monday morning? It turns out, later the rains came down hard. So, that balmy breeze was a prelude to typical thunderstorms this time of year.
Dag nab it! Mother Nature is playing games with me! I was happy to get a glimpse of fall weather, anyway! I know all you Northerners are laughing and thinking, what fall weather in Florida is she referring to? We will take whatever we can get!
Well, at least it got my creative juices flowing (from the Vitamix) to play around with pumpkin and spices! Pumpkin seeds that is! I was craving the flavors of fall and this is what I blended up! You may ask, where is the pumpkin?
I just couldn’t bring myself to use canned pumpkin, besides my husband would not eat it if it came from a can. Sweet carrots gave this recipe its pumpkin color and pumpkin seeds gave me the right to call this “Pumpkin Spice!”
In case you were wondering, why we don’t like using canned foods, it’s because they can contain a toxin called BPA (Bisphenol-A) that is an endocrine (hormone) disruptor. It can be especially dangerous to pregnant woman and can alter the development of the brain and behavior in children. It also can affect reproductive function and has been linked to cancer and other diseases.
BPA will not show up in the ingredients list. If it does not say BPA free, you can be sure you will get a dose of it. Fortunately, some companies like Eden, and Muir Glen have decided to get rid of BPA.
A study by the National Workgroup for Safe Markets found that a can of Del Monte French Style Green Beans had 36 micrograms of BPA per serving. Another brand of the same food had 138 micrograms per serving! Any amount is concerning as the accumulation of this chemical can be a big problem. BPA is a chemical used in many plastics, from food containers to bottle caps and water bottles. Buy frozen or fresh wherever possible!
Back to the smoothie: the pumpkin seeds give this drink amazing health benefits- vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, and essential amino acids. Packed with protein, fiber and healthy fats, this pepita is tiny but mighty! The medicinal value of these seeds are powerful and numerous!
Ingredients:
2 carrots
1 apple
1 celery stalk
1 piece ginger (small dime size)
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw soaked cashews, omit for nut free (learn more)
1 cup cold water
6 ice cubes
1 cup almond milk (or any alternative milks)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon honey or 2
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
dash ground cloves
dash ground nutmeg
Directions:
1. Wash all fruits and vegetables. Peel carrots, and ginger.
2. Add ice cubes and all liquid ingredients to Vitamix or strong blender.
3. Lastly add fruits, vegetables seeds, nuts, honey, and spices blending to a smooth, creamy consistency.
4. Taste and add more honey, cinnamon or spice to your liking.
Tips:
I used a pink lady apple for extra sweetness but any apple will do. If you have pumpkin pie spice you can use at least 1 teaspoon. Remember if you use the pumpkin pie spice it already has ground ginger in the blend. If your taste buds are brave, add the extra raw ginger too! Use the tablespoon for coconut oil first so the honey will slide off with ease. Of coarse use organic where ever you can.
For NUT FREE omit the cashews and instead of almond milk use coconut or other milk of your choice. If you would like the consistency of the smoothie thinner you can add more liquid.
With a Spoonful of Pumpkin Spice,
Dawn
Pumpkin is my favorite season!! It’s not fall to me….it’s “pumpkin” season!! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!! Thank you for this fund recipe. we may have to give it a whirl! You give such wonderful tips and info facts too. Thank you Dawn!
Jen, I feel the same exact way!
Thanks for the delicious recipes! I have Crohn’s Disease and eating fruits and veggies can be difficult for me unless in a shake/smoothie form. This was the first one of yours that I tried and it was wonderful! I did have one question though… How do you get yours to look so creamy?! Mine still came out kind of lumpy. Think applesauce consistency. :-\
Hi Katie, Thank you for visiting Spoonful of Health! I have a few thoughts on how the smoothie was not so smooth. Perhaps you let it sit a few minutes before drinking it, as a chia seeds can hold up to 9x its weight in water. It only took me one time to suffer through drinking that thickness to never do it again! Or if you used more than the tablespoon of chia seeds that would make it thicker. I have used unsoaked nuts, which contributed to the thickness as well. Did you shake the coconut milk? Sometimes the cream rises to the top. Also, I wonder if your protein powder was thicker? What kind did you use? The good news is, this is an easy problem to fix- you can always add more water, or milk. I will clarify this for the readers, so thank you for taking the time to ask. I hope this helps. Please let me know you need anything else.
Hi again Katie, I am so sorry I was working on the back end of SOH and saw your comment and in my mind was thinking your question was to the latest post “Chocolate Coconut Smoothie”. I am so sorry, I only realized it now because I just got a notice via email it was for “Pumpkin Spice”! Ok rewind, completely different story. Did you use unsoaked cashews that could make it thicker. Maybe the size of the apple or carrots made it thicker? I will make it again and use bigger fruit/vegi and see if that did it. By adding more water or milk you would have enough for a party however that would help. I will get back to you after I make it again. Thank you for checking in with me because this helps the readers.