smoothie

All Things Pumpkin Spice

It’s October! Which means we’ve entered the blitz of pumpkin everything and there are no complaints here.

As new products hit the shelves, I am easily intrigued by all the new variations of Fall. Pumpkin has literally taken over the grocery aisles and I’m suddenly set for all things Fall. I’ll be perfectly honest when I say that I love me some good ol’ pumpkin spice – the famous PSL, tasty pumpkin ales (or not so tasty lol), and every type of pumpkin dessert imaginable. I do my best in keeping up with the pumpkins. 🙂 And best yet, I have been experimenting at home, which usually brings an even better version of the things we love without the fake pumpkin flavour and extra sugar!

You’ll see in past some of my pumpkin go-to’s (energy balls, raw pie, and savoury risotto). And this weekend I am sharing the ultimate pumpkin spice smoothie and latte!

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie (yields 4 cups)

  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 3 pitted medjool dates
  • 1 frozen ripe banana
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1.5-2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1.5 tsp pure vanilla

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie Ingredients

  1. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the milk, oats, and chia seeds. Place in fridge for 1 hour or overnight.
  2.  Add soaked oat mixture to blender along with the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
  3. Add ice to make it more refreshing and top it with your favourite whip to make it extra fancy and sweet!

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

The PSS works great for breaky or dessert and is a quick way to satisfy that pumpkin craving!

Pumpkin On! xx

 

Just Juice

I’ll keep this short and sweet today, but thought I would share 3 juice/smoothie combo’s I am loving lately. I do recommend blending these fruits and veggies or doing half and half to ensure you are getting all the nutrients you can from these delicious foods. I often will find myself juicing the harder fruit and veg + any citrus first. And then taking that juice and blend in the more leafy choices (you’ll yield much more green goodness). Of course blending works with all these recipes, just be sure to add water!

This PineApple-Mint juice is a big favourite of mine! But be aware that it can carry a lot of sugar, so make this one more of a treat. I like to juice the pineapple and blend in the apple and mint. That way I get the most flavour from the mint and the fibre content of the apple skin. This one is so quick and delicious, you’ll want to make it all the time!

Ingredients

1 apple, half a pineapple, handful of mint

Ingredients

Next up, we have Sweet Carotene which is high in beta-carotene (see what I did there haha).

This immunity boosting nutrient works to protect against toxic free radicals. So load up on this one. 🙂

2 apples, 2 sweet potatoes, 2 carrots and 1 lemon.

Ingredients

Lastly, Lean Green. Which is great when you are looking for a reset. I often feel like this one first thing Monday morning,

after an indulgent weekend. First, juice the apple, lemon, cucumber, and celery. And then blend it with the spinach and romaine.

If needed add a touch more water and you are good to go!

1 apple, 1 lemon, 1 cucumber, 4-6 stalks of celery, 1 head of romaine and 2 cups of spinach.

Juice

Reset. xx

Oat Smoothies

Looking for a real treat? These breakfast smoothies will have you pleasantly satisfied for hours. Heavier than our favourite vegetable/fruit smoothies, but another perfect way to start the day, especially for when ravenous and on the go. Basically, it’s your oatmeal breakfast thrown in a blender.

Oats are a great way to start the morning, packing a great punch of nutrients and minerals. High in carbs, oats are a great source of energy and strength to kick start your morning. Check out these percent daily values for 1/4 cup!Oats Nutritional InfoFor their in-depth nutrition profile, check it out here.

Here are two variations for you to try out – you are in for a treat!Oat smoothiesNutty Banana Oat

Blend – 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk, 1 banana (ripe or frozen), 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats, 2 tbsp natural peanut butter or almond butter, 1/2 tsp agave, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, & 1/4 cup ice.Peanut Butter Banana Oat Smoothie

Blueberry Banana Oat

Blend – 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk, 1 banana (ripe or frozen), 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats, 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen blueberres & 1/4 cup ice.

Blueberry Banana Oat Smoothie

Also, don’t be afraid to add in some greens to the Nutty Banana Oat! Everything is better when you add kale. I added in 2 cups and I barely noticed a change in taste. Give them a whirl and let me know your thoughts!

xx.

Tropical Greens

Sweet and delicious, this tropical smoothie will have you throwing back the greens. I don’t often incorporate pineapple in my green shakes due to the higher sugar content but this combination makes for a nice change and is a welcomed option for those starting to drink more green shakes/juices. This combination is loaded with tons of nutritional properties from our beloved Kale and Hemp Hearts (as you have learned about in my previous posts or can now catch up on), but we also have some added perks from the funky pineapple.

This fruit is so deliciously sweet that we often forget how nutritious they actually are. Yes, they are higher in sugar, but they do contain high amounts of vitamin B & C, manganese, dietary fibre, thiamin, and bromelian (which in my book, offsets the negatives of sugar. And we are pairing it with Kale and Hemp Hearts here).

These vitamins and minerals make pineapple a great source of energy and a defensive antioxidant. Eating pineapple (in moderation) can help:

  • fight heart disease
  • reduce joint pain
  • strengthen bones and connective tissue
  • support digestive health
  • reduce inflammation
  • increase metabolism

Multiple reasons for you to check this one out. Here’s the dish –
Tropical Greens

Tropical Greens (yields 4 servings)

  • 3-4 cups kale
  • 1 banana
  • 1-2 cups pineapple
  • 3-4 tbsp hemp hearts
  • 2 cups water

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Add water until desired consistency.

Tropical Greens

Je suis un ananas. xx

 

Sweet Kale

Hello Friends! I’ve been  away on a few getaways over the last few weeks and as a result I have been taking a break from dishing in the kitchen and on the blog – not to mention a whole list of other things to boot! With the summer ending, I enjoy taking the time to recharge and enjoy what’s left of the warm weather – soaking up the last summer rays. Now that September is here, I am feeling refreshed and ready to get back into a routine. Time to be inspired. 🙂

As the summer season is winding down, I am diligently trying to prolong my fruitful garden for as long as I can. For those trying to find your inner green thumb, I highly suggest you plant some kale next year. Its low maintenance and easy growth will fill you with pride and delight as you harvest bags of kale each week. It has honestly supplied our home with loads of gorgeous greens throughout the summer months and I’m overjoyed when I think of the cost savings, carbon footprint and health benefits that come in hand with growing your own goods.

With kale on the mind, here is another combination for you all to try.

Blend 1 cup strawberries, 1-2 cups of watermelon, 1-2 cups water, some mint and a bunch of kale. (yields 4 servings) Don’t be afraid to add more water if necessary to reach the desired consistency, this will vary from blender to blender.

Hope you enjoy these sweet greens!

Sweet Kale

Peace Love Kale. xx