Pumpkin Pie Green Monster

So what do you do with the extra pumpkin, sweet potato or carrot puree you've got after you've made a yummo batch of my Protein Pancakes? You make a nutrient-packed power smoothie that, my friends, tastes like pumpkin pie. It's the perfect smoothie for post-workout meals (check out the macros at the bottom!) and so warming when it's cold outside!

Pumpkin Pie Green Monster (gluten/dairy/sugar free. low fructose. low carb.)

Ingredients:

• 1/8 C organic pumpkin puree (or sweet potato, or carrot puree)
• 2C spinach leaves 
• 1/4 avocado
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I use whey, but you can use whatever you prefer)
• 1/4C unsweetened almond milk
• A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled & chopped
• 1tsp cinnamon*
• 1/4tsp ground nutmeg*
• 1/4tsp allspice*
• Stevia, to taste

Optional ingredients

• 1tsp chia seeds
• 1tsp Maca powder
• 2tsp spirulina

Method:

• Pop all ingredients besides the avocado and chia seeds into a blender, with the spinach closest to the blades.
• Blend until smooth - you may want to add a bit of ice or cold water if it's a bit thick.
• Add the avocado and give it another whiz until combined.
• Pour into a glass and sprinkle with chia seeds and more cinnamon

Why this smoothie is so freaking awesome for you

Cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar levels and is a killer source of manganese, which is an important mineral for maintaining healthy bones. Don't go easy on the cinnamon!

The fresh ginger will rev up your digestion engine and make sure your tum is in tip-top shape.

Being fruit-free, it's fairly low fructose, meaning your blood sugar and insulin levels won't lose their marbles and send you on a carb-frenzy later on.

It's got a great ratio of macronutrients and loads of great vitamins and minerals. Made with all ingredients above, they are:

• 7.5g fat (only 0.6g of that is saturated)
• 17.1g carbohydrates (with a whopping 9.7g of fiber!!! And only 2.3g of sugar!)
• 31.5g protein (say whaaaaaat?! Feeds the muscles and keeps you full!)
• Chock-a-block with vitamins A, B and C, calcium and iron

At 271 calories, it's a great "meal" smoothie!

Notes

* If you've got some pre-made "Pumpkin Spice", just use 1.5-2tsp of that. Go nuts with your spices, that's what gives this smoothie a kick in the pants.

• If you're not worried about fructose, replace the avocado with half a banana and the stevia with organic honey or maple syrup 
• You can also add a tablespoon of cashew nut butter or coconut oil instead of the avocado
• In the above photo, I'd run out of spinach so used kale instead - just make sure it's washed so the leaves soften up