Ah, fall is here, pumpkin season is here!!! I could eat pumpkin every day. It is such a healthy source of good carbs to give you energy throughout the day. The huge amount of Vitamin A helps with better eye sight. And pumpkin seeds are filled with zinc, a vital component to a healthy immune system.
You can use pumpkin in such a versatile way. I usually roast a whole tray for the week and add the roasted pumpkin to everything: salads, stews, stir fries, and batter for pancakes and muffins. Be creative with it.
In this recipe, I use the pumpkin to make a dessert like smoothie. The taste is inspired by the ever-present pumpkin spice flavors: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. All of them aid with digestion and keep your blood sugar more stable throughout the day (again, less energy crashes mid day).
Preparation time: 5 minutes (excludes pumpkin roasting time)
Makes 1 serving:
1 cup cold water
¾ cups roasted and cooled pumpkin (see below in bonus notes)
½ frozen banana
3 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp almond butter
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp ground ginger
pinch each of ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and sea salt
Blend all ingredients for at least 90 seconds and drink right away. Will keep in the fridge for 2 days!
Enjoy!
Bonus note: to roast your pumpkin, peel it, take out the seeds, and chop into bite sized pieces. Mix with 1 teaspoon coconut oil and place in a roasting pan. Roast at 180ºC for 45 minutes to 1 hour until soft and slightly browned. Keep the roasting neutral (without any added spices), and you can use the finished pumpkin in many different ways: toss in salads, blend with broth into soup, add to stir fries or make your next batch of hummus more interesting by blending it with the pumpkin.