Pumped Up Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Bowl

Thanksgiving is this week so starting off strong with a pumpkin pie inspired breakfast! Smoothie bowls were a summer favorite but the love is going strong into fall, especially during these major remodeling weeks when I don’t have a kitchen. I’m very thankful I have my stove back and part of the kitchen put back together this week, and for the next couple weeks before we have to clear the main level out to have the flooring installed. Smoothie bowls can easily be made into smoothies with a little more milk but I’m loving the bowls mostly for all the toppings! I find them so much more filling than smoothies and more satisfying with all the texture of the toppings and it just feels like I’m eating a ice cream. I was doing pumpkin smoothie bowls with chia seeds but one day when running out the door and pouring it into a jar that would fit in my cup holder I grabbed something out of the fridge and saw a tub of Coco Whip and well I had to layer it in there and it looked so good compared to the dump it in a bowl version I had been eating. Even more exciting it tasted just like pumpkin pie, without the crust which I’m ok with since I don’t care for the crust. So tasted like pumpkin pie yet it was packed with protein, omegas, vitamins, minerals, and it had me feeling full and fueled through a long busy morning until I was able to grab lunch which was later than usual. Sounds like a no brainer to me and yet another reason to eat dessert for breakfast, not that I needed one but just in case you need to justify it.

To get this smoothie bowl thick I freeze my pumpkin and to make it easy I freeze it into a silicone ice cube tray and each ice cube is 2 tablespoons of pumpkin puree. This is a great way to use up the extra pumpkin you might have from a recipe when you don’t use the whole can. This also works if you have a roasted pumpkin that you cut up into chunks and freeze.

Pumped Up Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Bowl
Makes 1 serving
1/2c pumpkin puree, frozen
1c non dairy milk (used cashew milk)
1 scoop vanilla or chai protein powder, or half and half (used half a scoop of Vega One Vanilla Chai and half a scoop of Vega Sport Vanilla Protein)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 TBSP chia seeds or flaxseed, or both (used both)
1 packet stevia, optional
whipped cream (used So Delicious Coco Whip), chia seeds, nuts, cacao nibs, or other toppings of choice optional

Variations:
For post workout I sometimes like to add 1 tsp tumeric and use just Vega Performance Protein Vanilla.
For a real treat I like to use homemade cashew or cashew almond milk.

In a Vitamix, or high speed blender, blend together pumpkin, milk, protein, pumpkin pie spice, chia and or flaxseed, and optional sweetener until smooth, using tamper tool if needed. Pour into a bowl and add toppings as desired. Enjoy!

If you were to wake up and have dessert for breakfast what would you have?

While I do receive some Vega products from time to time, which I listed as an option in this recipe, I do purchase much of it on my own. It has been my plant-based protein of choice since before I started blogging. Even though most Vega products used are purchased by myself I do add this disclaimer. I do not make any money off any Vega sales or posts. I only write about foods I love, my blog is an extension of my hobby to make fun healthy food creations for me and my family.