Pumpkin Pie Smoothie – with Superfoods!

Are you a fan of pumpkin pie?  How about pumpkin pie for breakfast or a snack?  With this delicious smoothie, you have all of the flavors of pumpkin pie in a glass!

This fall, I was thinking of different things to do fall flavors: pumpkin and squash, cinnamon and nutmeg.  A pumpkin pie smoothie seemed like the perfect idea!

I have been fascinated with superfoods.  During my studies at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I listened to a wonderful lecture by David Wolfe.  If you haven't listened to him, you really should.  He is so energetic, passionate and entertaining!

As soon as I finished the lecture, I headed right to Amazon and bought his book, appropriately titled…wait for it…Superfoods, as well as every single superfood he mentioned in the lecture.  Well done, David, well done!

Now I have my own superfood cabinet and am trying to add them to more and more foods…smoothies, casseroles, soups, salads, pesto…anything really.

There are hundreds of superfoods out there as, really, superfoods are just foods with incredible dense nutritional value.  Most area easily available at your local grocery or health food store or online.  I have included some of my favorites in this smoothie recipe.

Now, I do not use superfoods as a crutch or a bandaid for a junky diet.  I use them IN CONJUNCTION with a healthy, nutrient rich diet.  Each individual superfood is not going to change your life, but they can be a healthy addition to your diet, even more so if you eat healthfully on a regular basis.

I need to dedicate full blog posts to each of these super foods (on the ever growing to-do list!  Look for the post in January and if it isn't there remind me!).  But for now, I will just list the benefits of the ones included in the smoothie.

Cinnamon 

can be used for blood sugar regulation and can also help fight sugar cravings.  It also has anti-viral and anti-microbial properties.

Ginger 

is a digestive aid and can fire up digestive juices.  It is anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-fungal.  It can help lower cholesterol and reduce risk for blood clots.

Hemp seeds 

is a high protein seed containing all nine of the essential amino acids. It has high amounts of fatty acids and fiber as well as containing vitamin E and trace minerals. It has a balanced ratio of omega 3 to 6 fats at around a three to one ratio. The texture is similar to crushed pine nuts.

Chia seeds 

are high in antioxidants and many nutrients, including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, molybdenum, niacin, zinc.  They are a good source of Omega 3s and give you long-lasting energy without crash.

Maca powder

is an adaptogen, meaning it supports the adrenal glands and helps the body deal with stress. It also supports the endocrine (hormone) system and is a great energy booster.

Gelatin 

is a great source of dietary collagen and contains certain amino acids that are beneficial to muscle growth. It is also very helpful for digestion. It supports joints and can aid in recovery from a joint related injury. Gelatin helps hair, nail, and skin growth and can tighten up loose skin!!

Camu Camu

is very, very high in Vitamin C (more than 50 times more Vitamin C than an orange).

This makes about 2 cups of smoothie.  You could always drink 1 cup and save the other for the following day.  If you save extra smoothie, you may need to quickly reblend with a little ice to ‘freshen it up'.

Want to get even more excited about superfoods?  Check out this YouTube video of David Wolfe!

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