PUMPKIN, PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA PROTEIN SMOOTHIE

Kick start your morning with this healthy creamy, silky & nutritious pumpkin, peanut butter and banana protein smoothie. Whiz it up within seconds in your blender for a healthier fuss free breakfast. A perfectly delicious post-workout fuel.   

Although ‘pumpkin rich’ October has come to an end, it won’t stop me from sneaking this super power veggie into a lot of my meals (like this cozy pumpkin porridge, which was one of my favourites last month). Rich in vitamin A and high in antioxidants, pumpkin is nutrient dense but low in calories. So, it’s a great ingredient to include in your diet, especially in the run up to Christmas, when a lot of us ladies are working extra hard in the gym for that ‘LBD season’… You know the one?!

Talking about the LBD season (aka ‘little black dress’ season), I used to get rather anxious to look perfect in that party dress. Dieting, juicing, depriving myself of certain foods and being super strict with ‘eating clean’ was pretty much a norm in the run up to Christmas.

Thankfully, I got older and a lot wiser to realise how much of unnecessary pressure I was putting myself under and how unsustainable this kind of dieting was. As soon as I realised that diets would never work for me personally, I learnt to re-focus on feeding my body with nourishing foods, eating mindfully and having a good balance around eating healthy. This way is so much more sustainable for me. I don’t feel like I have to resort to drastic diets to get myself in shape for a certain occasion.

WHICH TYPE OF PUMPKIN TO USE

So, back to this delightfully delicious smoothie then… I used roasted pumpkin that I had left over from my roast dinner a couple of days ago. I originally diced the pumpkin and roasted in the oven with a little olive oil. So, I added it to the smoothie as it was (diced in cubes). Alternatively, you can use steamed pumpkin or even pumpkin puree, which is a lot more popular in the US than it is here in the UK. Just watch out for the consistency of your smoothie and how much milk you need to add to achieve the desired consistency.

In this recipe I used peanut butter flavour protein, however powdered peanut flour would work very well too. I particularly like  Sukrin peanut flour, as it has 75% less fat than peanuts, which makes it a perfect low-fat substitute if you are watching your waistline.

I topped my protein smoothie with fresh banana medallions, blackberries and homemade granola. However, you can let your imagination run wild and use whichever toppings you have at your disposal.

LOOKING FOR MORE HEALTHY RECIPES FOR BREAKFAST & BRUNCH?

Try some of the readers’ favourite recipes below:

• Easy vegan French toast with chickpea flour
• 15-minute ‘cheesy polenta
• The ultimate chia pudding breakfast bomb
• Butternut squash pancakes
• Show stopper oatmeal with caramelised bananas
• The ultimate orange crepes

As always, if you give this protein smoothie a try, I’d be delighted to read your comments and hear your feedback. Be sure to drop a comment here on the blog, tag me in your photos on Instagram @Fit Foodie Nutter, Facebook or Pinterest so I don’t miss them.

Bon appetite!

Healthfully yours,

Tania x

PUMPKIN, PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA PROTEIN SMOOTHIE

Tania Pilcher | Fit Foodie Nutter

Kick start your morning with this healthy creamy, silky & nutritious pumpkin, peanut butter and banana protein smoothie. Whizz it up within seconds in your blender for a healthier fuss free breakfast. A perfectly delicious post-workout fuel.

5 from 8 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine British

Servings 1

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 frozen banana
• ¼ cup roasted pumpkin* (or pumpkin puree)
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 3 tbsp peanut butter flavour protein (or powdered peanut butter)
• 2 tbsp oats
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ – ½ cup almond milk (depending on how thick you like your smoothie)
• Optional: maple syrup , to taste
• Optional: your choice of toppings (I used fresh banana, granola & blackberries)

Notes

• Refer to the post regarding different types of pumpkin you can use

Making this? I’d love to see!Tag your snaps @Fit.Foodie.Nutter and #fitfoodienutter