Well hello fall and hello pumpkin! The weather in Colorado has been absolutely fantastic. Sunny and mid-70s. Perfect. I would say that it has been hard to get into fall-recipe-mode because it has been such nice weather but, that my friend, would be a lie. It could be 100 degrees outside and I would still love pumpkin. I must not be the only one because Pinterest is flooded with pumpkin recipes. I do not mind at all – I even have an entire board that is dedicated to everything pumpkin….
Some mornings I need something quick and easy for breakfast. Almost every morning I need something quick and easy for breakfast. Protein shakes are easy and delicious. Whey protein helps build muscle so having it after a weight lifting session can be very beneficial. Making the same plain-jane protein shake multiple times a week can be pretty boring. Let me tell you, this Pumpkin Pie Protein Shake is anything but boring. It is slightly sweet and tastes well, like pie!
We have a Ninja Kitchen System (similar to this). It is both a food processor and a single-serving blender. There are a bunch of different brands which vary in price but, honestly, they are worth the money! Eventually I would love a Vitamix however those are quite pricey. Our Ninja works great to make smoothies using frozen fruit and other ingredients. I tend to like thick shakes, so I add more frozen ingredients to make it the consistency that I want.
The protein powder that I use has some sweetness to it. You might need to add some sweetener of choice to the recipe if the protein powder you use is plain or isn’t very sweet. I add the banana for some carbohydrates after a workout and to help thicken the shake (that is why I use frozen).
I didn’t put this in the recipe, but I freeze almond milk in ice cube trays and use 1-2 in the shake as well. To add greens to my breakfast, I also use frozen spinach. I know, gross right?! Wrong! You cannot even taste the spinach. I left the spinach out of this recipe for visual appeal only. Once you get past drinking something bright green, you will love adding greens to your shakes. We bought a bunch of spinach for a catering dinner one time and hardly used any of it. When it was about to go bad, I took the spinach and blended it with just a touch of water to make it liquid. I then poured the spinach mixture into ice cube trays. Individual servings of greens PERFECT for a morning protein shake! It helps to thicken and is packed the important nutrients! Give it a try. You won’t even be able to taste it.
What is your favorite fall flavor?
- 1 c unsweetened almond milk (any milk will do)
- 1/2 medium banana, frozen
- 1/4 c pumpkin, canned (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- Pinch of Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Pinch of Cinnamon
- Ice (optional)
- Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until desired consistency is reached.
- Feel free to add greens to the recipe (spinach or kale is what I normally add to my shakes).
Pumpkin Pie Protein Shake sounds absolutely amazing!! I’m going to have to try that. Love your site, Mel!
Thanks Shayla