Autumn Vegan Pumpkin Smoothie
It’s October, which means it’s now autumn… the colours around us are going from green to yellows, reds and oranges, the weather is a bit cooler and most importantly, it’s pumpkin season!!!
We love pumpkins for their sweet flavour and gorgeous golden colour as well as the fact they are packed with vitamin A which is a great support for your immune system (helping you to fight off those pesky colds). Which thinking about how to enjoy pumpkins, most people immediately go to pumpkin spiced lattes, pumpkin pie or hearty stews like our limited edition which we paired with cheezy polenta. But we’ve decided to give you a fresh take on how to enjoy pumpkin this autumn with a moreish smoothie that will set you up for the day. It’s the perfect way to use up the pumpkin flesh you scooped from your halloween lantern, or maybe you just LOVE them and want another way to enjoy that delicious orange flesh!
The time consuming part is making pumpkin puree so it’s often worthwhile making a batch which you can use for up to a week chilled from your fridge or up to 4 months in your freezer.
Share your pumpkin creations with us on Insta!
Ingredients
- Pumpkin puree (however much you have)
- 120ml of coconut or oat yoghurt
- 1 sliced apple
- 1 ripe sliced banana
- 1 tsp of cinnamon to taste
- 1.5 tbsp of maple or agave syrup
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- A handful of ice cubes
Method
- Make the puree... there are 2 ways to make pumpkin puree, you can choose which suits you best. Both methods require you to deseed the pumpkin. Cube the pumpkin flesh into even pieces of about 2-3cm.
- Option 1: Place pumpkin flesh on a foil-lined baking tray and roast for around 30 minutes at 200ºc till tender. Turn once during cooking and keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Once this is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool. Once cool enough to handle, place in a blender/food processor and blitz till smooth, if too watery, place the puree in a muslin cloth and squeeze out any excess liquid.
- Option 2: Put the pumpkin into a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook for around 10 minutes until tender. Once cooked, drain well and then place the pumpkin back in the saucepan and heat to remove residual moisture, stirring so it doesn’t stick. Once this is done, add to a food processor and blitz till smooth. Once again, if overly watery, place the puree in a clean muslin cloth and squeeze out any excess liquid.