Liquid Pumpkin Pie

• Yield:1 serving
• Difficulty:Easy
• Time:15 minutes

Nothing screams fall like pumpkin pie, and this protein shake is the closest thing to pumpkin pie you’ll ever get in a protein shake! Pumpkin flavored everything is everywhere right now, and my house is no exception!

Canned pumpkin is actually a blend of different kinds of winter squash, not just pumpkin alone. Pumpkin itself does not work very well for canning as they are mostly seeds and not a lot of ‘meat’. Pumpkins technically are winter squash, closely related to butternut and acorn squash. This is how they can get away with saying, “100% Pumpkin” on the label, even though it has very little if any, pumpkin in it at all.

We associate the term ‘pumpkin’ with the round orange things you use to make Jack-O-Lanterns and pies. But, the term is looser than we previously thought. If you want real pumpkin, you can have it in your recipes if you process the pumpkin yourself. It can then be frozen and used later for future recipes and shakes (such as my upcoming favorite pumpkin protein muffins!). The difference between summer and winter squash is that summer squash (zucchini, patty pan, and yellow squash) is typically eaten while immature and the skin is tender. They can be fried, sautéed, etc. Winter squash and pumpkins are mature and have thicker skins that have to be baked for 30 + minutes before being eaten.

Ingredients:

• 1 scoop of EFX vanilla whey protein
• ½ can pumpkin; no sugar added
• ½ tsp extra rich pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup water
• 1/8th tsp ginger, cloves, and allspice
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 4-6 ice cubes
• 1 stevia packet
• Add ½ scoop vanilla casein

Directions:

Put ½ cup water in blender first, and add sweetener if desired (the protein is already sweetened, you may not need it at all, otherwise use stevia or monk fruit). Then, add ice cubes, vanilla, dry spices, protein, then pumpkin. Blend well making sure the ice cubes are chopped as much as possible. If adding casein protein, bear in mind it will thicken the shake. So, if you like a more watery shake, add ¼ cup more water. You can also add water incrementally as desired after the mixture is blended. If you prefer a thick, creamy shake, don’t add any more water other than the amount mentioned in the ingredient list. Pour into a glass and savor the magical flavor of autumn!

Nutrition: