Submitted by Stefan Overgaard, Owner of SXS Fitness in Toronto
Fall flavours have arrived! Pumpkin is everywhere; in your pie, muffins, coffee, so why not your smoothie as well? Pumpkin’s bright orange flesh means extra antioxidants and phytonutrients. Pumpkin is very high in Vitamin A, C, Riboflavin, copper and manganese. It also is high in dietary fibre, which helps the body in many ways from balancing our blood sugar levels to aiding in a smooth and easy “number two”. No one’s favourite topic, but extremely important for your health?.
This smoothie recipe below also has a healthy dose of coconut milk. Although high in saturated fat, it is mainly composed of medium-chain triglycerides which are processed differently in the body and translate to less fat storage and more energy production. It will help you feel full and give you added energy for your day! A final point is, beware of imitators- the flavour shot inside your latte won’t contain all the amazing nutrients real pumpkin has to offer. Stick with the real thing and enjoy the natural flavour and all the benefits that come with it.
Try out this creamy smoothie in the morning to get your day started right.
Ingredients:
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk (chill in the fridge overnight)
- 3 frozen bananas
- ¾ cup of pumpkin puree
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon ½ tsp, cloves ¼ tsp, nutmeg ¼ tsp)
- ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
Optional:
- 2 scoops of protein powder (vanilla flavoured- whey/vegan)
- You will likely need to add about ½ cup of extra liquid if adding protein powder
Directions:
- Place bananas in a blender, pulse, then coconut milk, pulse, then the rest of the ingredients
- Blend until smooth
- Add milk of choice (dairy/coconut/cashew/almond/rice/oatmeal) or water to thin if desired
Recipe can be found at: https://beamingbaker.com/vegan-pumpkin-pie-smoothie-paleo-vegan-gluten-free-dairy-free/
If you have specific questions about this article or SXS ski-specific training please feel free to contact Stefan directly stefan@sxsfitness.ca