Pumpkin Pecan Pie from Simple Green Smoothies

I have always been a breakfast person. Skipping it is usually a disaster; delaying it is also really challenging for me. I need to eat within an hour of waking up. Most mornings of the week, I start with a smoothie of some sort. It's fast, nutritious and filling. (It's also a lot easier, thanks to my Vitamix—what a blessed invention.) It's easy for me to pack a lot of fruits and veggies and other health boosters (turmeric, flax, nut butters and/or ginger) into one satisfying drink. So when the good folks at Rodale asked if I wanted to receive a copy of Simple Green Smoothies by Jen Hansard and Jadah Sellner of the same-named Instagram and blog, I couldn't wait for it to arrive. 

I won't totally spoil their story, because they tell it so well themselves, but suffice to say that these two ladies are proof that one small change—starting the day with a green smoothie—can produce a ripple effect on your health. (If you want in on the green love, they're starting another free, 30-day Green Smoothie Challenge on January 1st. Or you can buy this cookbook. Or both.) It's broken down into an introduction to get you going with the blending lifestyle and chapters organized around energy boosting, kid-friendly recipes, healing and immunity boosting, and so forth. I especially like the smoothie bowl chapter, because sometimes you want to chew your food, you know?

So, with Thanksgiving coming, we are sharing with permission their Pumpkin Pecan Pie recipe from their new cookbook. Please, if you make it, let us know what you think. I have another recipe coming later this month from this book that I think you are just going to love, so stay tuned. 

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

Ingredients

• 4 Medjool dates, pitted and soaked
• 1 cup almond milk, unsweetened
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, unsweetened (canned or fresh)
• 2 bananas, frozen
• 1/2 cup pecans, soaked and rinsed

Instructions

In a medium bowl, soak the dates in the almond milk for 20 minutes.

Blend the spinach and almond milk mixture until smooth. 

Add the water, pumpkin, bananas, and pecans and blend again.

Serves: 2 

Pumpkin Pecan Pie Smoothie, from the book Simple Green Smoothies. Photo by Lindsey Johnson.