It’s the start of the fall season, and you know what that means- pumpkin flavored everything. Whether it’s your latte, tea, cookies, pie, rice, bread, or smoothie, I could tell you that I enjoy them all. What I love even more is that there is a healthy way to incorporate pumpkin spice into all of these foods. Eating foods with pumpkin flavor leave a special taste in my mouth. It reminds me of fall, family, and thanksgiving. I love when autumn rolls around the corner because it is time to mix different spices together and experiment with flavors.
Every September, when fall starts, I notice the “pumpkin spice” craze on the internet. People go crazy over pumpkin flavored foods, and it has turned into a trending topic. To save you time, I have provided the best of the best of pumpkin spice recipes. The following recipes are ones I make every year with my daughter with her friends to start the new season. Although they are all pumpkin flavored, notice that they are all relatively healthy. Even though I want my daughter to enjoy what she is cooking, I need to make sure that I am promoting healthy eating.
The first recipe is a vegan pumpkin spice latte! It is dairy-free, naturally-sweetened, and vegan. The best thing about it is that it only takes a few minutes to make. I found this recipe on detoxinista.com, and have been using it for years now. Here are the ingredients you need:
- 1 cup homemade almond milk
- 1 cup hot brewed coffee
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup(or sweetener of choice)
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Mix all of the listed ingredients in a high-speed blender until creamy. Warm the contents over the stove top and serve! The other recipe that I want to share with you is a pumpkin spice protein smoothie that I found on sallysbakingaddiction.com. It is the perfect drink after a workout when you are craving something sweet. You need:
- 1 frozen banana
- 1/2 cup (120g) vanilla Greek yogurt1
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice2
- 1/2 cup (120ml) skim milk3
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) pure maple syrup
- 2/3 cup (150g) pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
- 1 cup ice
Blend all the ingredients on high for three minutes. If not creamy, blend a little bit more. If you want a thicker taste, add more ice or milk, and then you are done! Love this recipe.
The fall season calls for pumpkin spice flavored snacks. I love to get in on the craze with my daughter and make different foods with pumpkin spice, but I make sure to keep it healthy. Listed above are two of my favorite pumpkin spice drinks for the fall. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
