Entering the fall season, we’re reminded of warm spices and hearty root vegetables that work overtime on providing vitamin A and K to our diets. There are so many delicious recipes in my cookbook that use these but I wanted to share a recipe here that’s fun and healthy. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk
½ cup canned pumpkin
1 scoop of vanilla pea protein
½ tsp of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of pure maple syrup
2 Medjool dates, pitted
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of ½ orange
Ice
Directions:
1. Place all ingredients (except ice) into a blender and blend until smooth. Add four to five ice cubes and blend. Continue to add ice cubes to desired thickness.
Why is this smoothie so good for you?
· Get pumped with pumpkin puree: Half a cup of pumpkin puree is low in calories (42), high in fiber (3.5 grams), and a great source of vitamin A and beta carotene. It is also rich in iron (1.5 milligrams), which is important to make hemoglobin and transport oxygen throughout the body, increasing your energy level.
· Spice it up: Cinnamon helps to stabilize blood sugar levels, and its naturally sweet taste is a great addition to any recipe if you want to reduce the amount of sugar that’s called for.
· Almond alternative: Almond milk is low in calories and rich in the minerals manganese, copper, and vitamin B2 (riboflavin), all of which are important in energy production.
