Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie

With 20 grams of vegan protein, this healthy pumpkin pie protein smoothie will keep you satisfied all morning.  Believe me, your morning will be brighter if it starts with this pumpkin pie in a glass.

Since the beginning of the year, I have been on a serious smoothie kick.  After lots of indulging in December, it was time to reign it in and get back on track with my nutrition.

I find that a smoothie is a great way to start the day and is also great for a quick lunch.  But with so many smoothies, I’ve had to get creative so that I don’t get bored.

For me, if my smoothie tastes like dessert, I’m not going to feel deprived.  But it still needs to be packed with nutrition.  That’s what makes this pumpkin pie protein smoothie so perfect.

It tastes like pumpkin pie in a glass, but it’s full of nutrition with 20 grams of protein, along with pumpkin puree, banana and almond butter.  And on top of that, it’s vegan.

To make this smoothie, I love to use Arbonne’s chai protein powder.  (This is not sponsored, I just really love this product!) The chai flavor really makes the smoothie taste like pumpkin pie.  On top of that, the protein powder is full of good, clean ingredients and it tastes fantastic.

It’s got 20 grams of vegan protein, 20 essential vitamins and minerals and it has a low glycemic index.  So you can really feel good about starting your day off with this smoothie.

Besides the protein powder and pumpkin puree, I like to add half of a banana for sweetness and almond butter for flavor and some healthy fat.  Then to add some creaminess while still keeping it vegan, I use almond milk. 

What do you need to know to make a pumpkin pie protein smoothie?

• I’ve made this smoothie both with and without banana.  It’s delicious either way, the banana just adds a little more sweetness.  So don’t worry if you don’t have any bananas on hand.
• If you don’t have the chai protein powder, you can substitute vanilla protein powder and add 1/4 tsp of pumpkin pie spice.
• If you don’t have almond milk, you can substitute your favorite non-dairy milk.  And if you don’t care if the smoothie is vegan you can substitute regular milk.