You'd have to be living under a very, very large rock not to have encountered some kind of Pumpkin Spice Whatevs this fall. While this craze may seem -- well -- more than a little cray cray, there's a reason why we all tend to get so worked up about pumpkin in October -- other than Halloween and jack-o-lanterns, of course. One whiff of pumpkin and cinnamon and nutmeg together can conjure up all sorts of memories of cool weather, falling leaves, cozy sweaters and crackling fires.
Which is probably why pumpkin spice is such a coffee house favorite -- you need a comforting beverage to keep you warm as you site by the crackling fire in the cool weather in your cozy sweater, watching the leaves fall.
But since I'm no longer a coffee drinker, I wanted to come up with a way that I, too, could enjoy Pumpkin Spice Whatevs this fall, without falling too far off the healthy food bandwagon.
As luck would have it, I got the opportunity recently to try some Mori-Nu Silken Tofu, which inspired me to focus my pumpkin spice attention on smoothies.
Now, before you freak out that I added tofu to my smoothie, let me explain. Mori-Nu is different because it's silken tofu, which has a very smooth and custard-like texture, so it adds a great creamy texture to smoothies (with no bananas required!). And it never needs to be pressed or drained, so you can use it as-is, straight out of the box -- you know The Ninj is all about speed and simplicity in recipes.
And speaking of the box, Mori-Nu uses a special packaging that doesn't require refrigeration and ensures a long shelf-life, so I can always keep some on hand. Plus, it's verified non-GMO and offers organic varieties as well -- all good stuff if you're trying to cut crap from your diet to eat better.
And speaking of cutting crap from your diet, this pumpkin maple smoothie recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free and free of refined sugar -- it's sweetened only with pure maple syrup and dried dates.
So while others are packing on the HFCS-laced, pumpkin-spiced pounds with latte after latte, you, my smart friend, can enjoy the same fall pumpkin spice flavor as a healthy afternoon snack or satisfying on-the-go breakfast -- without ever leaving home.
Pumpkin Maple Smoothie
Ingredients:
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
6 ounces (3/4 cup) soft Mori-Nu Silken Tofu
1 1/4 cups soy milk
4 dried dates, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions:
Blend together all ingredients in a blender (or using an immersion blender) until smooth. Makes 1 large- or 2 medium-sized servings.
www.yankeekitchenninja.com
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Mori-nu. The opinions and text are all mine.
