Delicious fall treat recipe: Pumpkin Pie Shakeology

We are moving from late summer into early fall. The mornings are getting nippy. We close the windows at night sometimes. That means time to look forward to a new season.

I love enjoying seasonal food and drink. It provides variety as well as a sense of movement, a sense that the future is always coming and if you like the present, you should enjoy it now before it becomes the past. There is something I like about every season, and I can only enjoy that once a year – all year. So now that gourds and crisp fresh apples are showing up in our CSA fruit and vegetable shares, I am looking forward to eating the gourds and apples, hot teas of all kinds, stews, root vegetables, and of course chai, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie – inspired creations.

Last year, I was trying to figure out how to re-create Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte in a healthier version at home. I figured something acceptable out, but it was a fair bit of work to make the concentrate. (And by work, I mean pre-planning was required.)

Earlier this week, I saw “pumpkin pie Shakeology” fly by on Twitter. Of course! I drink Shakeology every day anyway and I really enjoyed adding peppermint candies to it around Christmas last year. Pumpkin Pie Shakeology is just genius, and I’ve had the recipe on that “calendar” with a month of Shakeology recipes forever! I went out and got myself a can of unsweetened pumpkin pureé (our CSA pumpkin will come home with us from the harvest festival on the farm this weekend) and tried it. And oh. My. God. is it good. I love this Shakeology recipe! Unlike the flavored coffee, I get to taste actual pumpkin, not just the spices traditionally put with it in pie. And it’s creamy and it’s filling and it’s spicy and it’s round on the tongue and oh-so-slightly sweet. And it’s healthy. I can drink this stuff every day and it’s a good thing. I’m sure I’ll get sick of it soon, because I’m currently drinking my second one for the day, and you can only drink something obsessively for so long… but until then, I’m seasonalizing my Shakeology instead of my coffee! Here’s the recipe:

Pumpkin Pie Shakeology

1 scoop chocolate Shakeology (if you don’t have any, I’m sure you can add a little cocoa and a little sweetener and get the flavor, just not the nutrition)
1/2 cup unsweetened pumpkin pureé
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup milk (skim if from cow, from your favorite plant source otherwise)
As much ice as you prefer
Blend in blender until smooth, creamy, and frosty. Pour into glass. Lick blender if desired. Enjoy!

Shakeology, pumpkin, and spices in the blender.