An Anti-inflammatory Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Well, when I woke up yesterday morning it was 23 degrees out, I’d say fall is here and winter is fast approaching, make it stop! I knew when moving to Upstate, NY that I’d have to succumb to cold/long winters but it does not mean I will ever get used to it! So until winter is in full swing I will enjoy all that fall has to offer, like pumpkins and apples and crock pots and cute scarves!

Alright, enough about the weather, isn’t it funny how we all end up talking about it one way or another! A couple of weeks ago, I decided to invite some of the ladies from my gym over for a much needed ladies’ night. Normally we do crafts, but my craft is cooking so I, with the help of my friends, cooked up a deliciously decadent menu, some of which was recipe testing for some upcoming work.

The menu that I ended up preparing (with a lot of help and patience):

Appetizer: Parmesan Eggplant Dip

Entree: Chicken Mole Enchiladas

Dessert:  Sea-salted Cherry Flourless Chocolate Cake

Drink: Red Wine Hot Chocolate

…recipes are all coming soon, and you will want it all, because chocolate.

However, before this night began, my friend Nicole came over to do some much needed yoga (we are terrible at balancing and keeping quiet). She plays rugby and it seems over the past year I have acquired many rugby friends (shout out to my Albany Sirens!) as many of them workout at my gym. She was complaining about all the ailments she had, and let me tell you after watching a couple of games I now understand why…and don’t worry I have ZERO intention of ever playing. I am a pretty dang good spectator!

Long story short, her ailments seemed to be inflammatory based and so I wanted a way to help cool the inflammation. Sometimes I dietitian my friends, but only with delicious food. Wine was on the table but I suggested I whip up a smoothie concoction and see what we got before any wine was open. It was so delicious and has been my smoothie crush ever since, check out instagram, I can’t stop making it! (and once you open a giant can of pumpkin puree you have to use it all…)

Okay, back up, what is inflammation? Well check out the podcast I did on inflammation and I will write a whole post soon so we can get down to what is good vs. bad inflammation, sound good? All we need to know right now is that the chronic inflammation that exists in our daily lives is excessive and we need to change our diet and lifestyle to help improve it all.  An anti-inflammatory and nutrient dense diet is a good place to start.

What makes this “anti-inflammatory”?

1. Chia seeds: while I am not going to sit here and call these a superfood, they are a fun addition to any smoothie or pudding and they pack a fibrous omega-3 filled punch. Not as high as our fatty fish, but hey I’m not putting salmon in my smoothie, I’ll save that for my meals.
2. Pumpkin: this fall superhero is filled with vitamins, minerals, fiber and much more. Pumpkin is full of antioxidants like beta-carotene and vitamin C that can be helpful in a nutrient-dense anti-inflammatory diet. Not to mention pumpkin is delicious both in sweet and savory meals.
3. Spices/Flavors: ginger, turmeric & cinnamon all delicious and all have some pretty amazing properties. Turmeric is known for it’s anti-inflammatory properties, so much so that some people put it in capsules and take regularly like a fish oil pill, I’ll just stick to the root and spice for now. Spices like ginger, turmeric and cinnamon are antioxidant rich and thus help reduce inflammation, spice up your life friends!

I also added Vital Proteins collagen peptides to support gut health and joint health and Nutrience multivitamin to ensure I am covered with all my vitamins and minerals for the day. I am not generally a smoothie gal, I prefer to chew my food, but every now and then you find a power-packed delicious drink and you just have to enjoy it!

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1–1/2 cup milk (grass-fed cow’s milk or non-dairy milk such as unsweetened almond or coconut milk)
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 scoops collagen peptides (optional)
• 1 teaspoon fresh shredded ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
• 4 ice cubes (optional)
• Maple syrup, to taste (optional)

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Instructions

1. In a blender, mix all ingredients except the chia seeds until smooth texture is achieved.
2. Pour smoothie into a blender bottle or large glass.
3. Add chia seeds and stir or shake to mix well.
4. Place in refrigerator to allow chia seeds to absorb liquid for ~1 hour.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2

Alrighty, that’s everything for today. I hope this smoothie makes your Tuesday Bluesday not so blue. Let’s hear it, what is your favorite add-in to a smoothie?

xoxo,

Sassy