Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

The cleanup from my dinner last night included washing only a blender and a cup. And there may or may not have been ice cream involved…

You see, I was in a hurry to finish up work for the day and get ready to volunteer at the Humane Society to play with some lovable dogs for a few hours. My Marine was on duty, which meant that he was working a 24-hour shift and wouldn’t be home for the night. When he’s not around, my dinners can pretty easily turn into a salad or smoothie meal. Plus, in the summer heat, I was finding myself to be craving what I consider a typical fall or wintertime flavor – pumpkin. These combined factors sealed my smoothie dinner fate, and thus, a yummy pumpkin pie smoothie was born:

Here are a few good reasons to eat pumpkin besides that once a year slice of pie around the holidays: Pumpkin is high in a number of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, B, K, and potassium, and contains high amounts of antioxidants and fiber. In this smoothie, I incorporated ingredients typical in pumpkin pie, such as pumpkin spice and vanilla extract. I also added chia seeds to amp up the smoothie from a nutritional standpoint, as chia seeds are a rich source of omega-3 oil, calcium, iron, potassium, fiber and more.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

What you need:

• 1/2 c pure pumpkin
• 1 c almond milk
• 1 TSP vanilla extract
• 1 TBSP graham cracker crumbs
• 1 TBSP chia seeds
• 1/2 c light vanilla bean ice cream
• 1/2 TBSP light brown sugar
• 1/4 TSP pumpkin pie spice
• Cinnamon, to taste
• Ice

In a blender, combine the pumpkin, almond milk, vanilla extract, ice cream, chia seeds, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and ice. Blend until well combined. Pour into a glass, then add the graham cracker crumbs and sprinkle cinnamon on top. Mix with a spoon or straw and enjoy!

Nutrition stats: 330 calories, 11 g fat, 9 g protein, 51 g carbs (and fulfills 312% Vitamin A, 44% Calcium, and 300% of my Vitamin C needs!)

And here’s a random final thought for the night…

Who can argue with that statement? 😉