This post is written in partnership with New Chapter Vitamins.
As an adopted New Englander I love everything Fall has to offer: crisp sunny days, apple picking, cute cosy clothes, and of course, pumpkin spice!
Whilst not a fan of the super sugary and chemical laden pumpkin spice lattes, shakes, and baked goods available at the big chain coffee shops, I do love pumpkin for its amazing health boosting benefits.
Pumpkin falls pretty high up on my ‘Carbohydrate Hierarchy’; that is for a small number of carbs (20g in a cup), it is packed full of fiber and beta carotene (which provides it vibrant color), giving a real beauty boost to your hair, skin and nails. Beta carotene either converts into Vitamin A (Retinol) or acts as an anti inflammatory agent in the body and can be found in vegetables from the Carotenoid family such as carrots, yams, sweet potatoes and squashes.
Every meal I create always follows the PFF Formula (Protein, Fat, Fibre) to ensure balanced hunger hormones (insulin, leptin and grehlin) and the fat in this smoothie comes from the delicious cashew milk and cashew cream. I do like to rotate my plant based milks as it helps ensure you are getting a wide range of micronutrients in your diet, and can prevent food sensitivities.
Grass fed collagen is my go to protein powder of choice, as it contains amino acids that are wonderful for healing the cellular matrix of both the gut and the skin, and is easily digested and absorbed (remember, we are what we absorb)!
Cauliflower is one of the only white foods I recommend! Don’t let its pale appearance fool you, cauliflower contains the potent oxidant sulforaphane that activates liver enzymes essential for efficient detoxification. Store bought cauliflower rice (always buy organic) has been blanched and then frozen, so is perfect for my gut healthy rule of never eating raw cruciferous veggies.
A true pumpkin spice blend does not contain and blood sugar spiking, fat storing sugars or chemical sweeteners, but instead is a powerhouse blend of insulin lowering cinnamon, anti inflammatory ginger, and warming and digestion boosting nutmeg, allspice and cloves. I make my own pumpkin spice blend at home so I know that it is clean, and then use it in smoothies, lattes and chia puddings.
Maca is my go-to morning energy boosting adaptogen, and this New Chapter’s Fermented Maca Booster Powder has been on my kitchen counter top and in pretty much every smoothie I’ve made since discovering it last year. New Chapter Fermented Booster Powders are fermented with beneficial probiotics and herbs, which makes them easily digestible, and unlocks the phytochemical beta glucan which is wonderful for health.*
Gut Healing Pumpkin Spice Smoothie
-
1/2 cup pumpkin puree or cooked pumpkin
-
20g vanilla collagen powder
-
1.5 cups cashew milk
-
1 cup frozen cauliflower rice
-
2 tablespoons cashew cream (soak cashews overnight, drain and blend with a little water)
-
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
-
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend
Place all the ingredients in the blender and been until smooth. Top with your favourite toppings and enjoy!
This recipe (and over 50 others) comes from my 28 Day Guided Gut Healing Program – you can join us anytime and enliven your lightest, brightest you here:
https://jenniferhanway.com/28-day-gut-healing-plan/
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.