Health Benefits of Pumpkin + Chai Pumpkin Spice Smoothie Recipe

Too soon? Sorry not sorry 😉 It’s basically fall so you can find me swiping all the cans of pumpkin off the grocery store shelves and getting B U S Y in the kitchen! There is so much hype around pumpkin and for good reason.. if you’re eating REAL pumpkin (not the artificial stuff sold most places…more on that below). Pumpkin is actually really nutritious…if you needed an excuse to eat more of it this fall. Pumpkin puree is so easy to add to muffins, pancakes, soups/chilis, oatmeal and smoothies! Pumpkin is loaded with beta-carotene (converted into vitamin A in the body)…think healthy skin, eye health, and immunity booster! It also has a good dose of fiber, antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, and potassium. Sold!

The pumpkin craze is getting a bit obnoxious at this point with all the different products that come out with a pumpkin spice flavor…some really gross things out there. Most pumpkin products offered are loaded with…how do I put this nicely…CRAP (chemicals, preservatives, sugar, vegetable oils, and god knows what else). Case and point…Jamba Juice offers a pumpkin smoothie that has 68 grams of sugar in a small! That is why I’m a big fan of making my own pumpkin spice treats. Today I’m sharing a smoothie recipe I created to satisfy both my pumpkin and smoothie craving. Enjoy fellow basic B’s 😉

I don’t like the sugar free one…this smoothie is low in fruit so adding chai isn’t breaking the bank.

little helpers thought the blender was “too loud”

Chai Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 c almond milk (my homemade recipe here makes this taste so good!)
1/4-1/2 c chai tea concentrate (leave out or use sugar free if you want even lower sugar smoothie)
1-2 scoops Vital Proteins (or vanilla protein powder)
1 tbsp almond butter
1/2 c pumpkin puree
1 tbsp acacia fiber (can also sub ground flax)
1/2 frozen banana
1 c frozen cauliflower or ice cubes
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice