A Thanksgiving {Smoothie} Breakfast

I get it. We're all super busy on Turkey Day. But, I promise, you have time to mix up one of these in between basting the turkey, catching the Rockettes in the parade, and mashing the potatoes. Bonus: it requires one hand only.

Y'all I do have to mention this smoothie was inspired by my latest Yogi Kids program at work. A co-worker and I teamed up for a "Thankful" yoga program at my branch; I brought the yoga, games, and crafts while she supplied the smoothies. I wanted to stay with a Thanksgiving-ish smoothie and I had mentioned my latest pumpkin yogurt obsession. (If you haven't tried it yet, stop what you're doing, drive to your nearest Target, fill your cart before the season is over and it's no longer available, and finish reading this post with yummy yogurt in hand.)

In lieu of the pumpkin yogurt, my co-worker opted for a vanilla yogurt and plain canned pumpkin---going for a more flavorful smoothie where the cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice would stand out. The kiddos did not like it one bit. Out of the eight, only one kid drank it, and another decided to take it to-go because he would add some honey to it at home. The kids were expecting a sugary, milkshake-like smoothie and what they got was a healthy smoothie instead. However, the parents and I gobbled it up, quickly beating each other to small refills. My co-worker mentioned the honey option and I suggested using pumpkin-flavored yogurt. Even though there were 19 grams of sugar(!) in just one serving of the vanilla yogurt, the kids didn't find it sweet enough. This makes my heart sad. Too much sugar in every thing these days.

I, on the other hand, was quickly calculating the ingredients in my fridge and pantry because, yes, I was having this tomorrow morning. And the morning after. And the morning after. I have a lot of pumpkin in my pantry.

Pumpkin Smoothie

Serves 1

3-5 ice cubes
1 c unsweetened almond milk
1 small banana (frozen, if possible)
1 heaping T canned pumpkin
1 heaping T cottage cheese
1 T coconut oil
1/2 t pumpkin pie spice
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 scoop protein powder
1 T chia seeds

Combine all ingredients in a blender (put your ice in first!), and mix until smooth. Drink up!

Nutritional Information:
378 Calories, 22 Fat, 35 Carbs, 10 Fiber, 16 Protein, 15 Sugar

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi