Pumpkin and banana breakfast smoothie

I used to be a light traveler. Now I travel in a vintage caravan with a well-stocked fridge, solar panels, a generator and a Vitamix. When I met my darling, I owned a backpack with a few pairs of Thai fishing pants and a dog-eared copy of Walt Whitman poems. Oh how things change. I still have the Whitman poems, they are nestled under that groaning pile of books in the corner of the caravan. Books on nutrition, meditation, cook books and novels. All the things I can’t possibly be without.

I may have amassed a little stuff but I am delighted to start a day on the road with a green smoothie.

I am a foodie. I live to eat. I wake up and feel ravenously joyful because breakfast is coming. There was a time in my life, not so long ago, that drinking breakfast would have felt all wrong. That was before my wholefood journey, when my appetite was a street-performing breakdancer. These days my glucose levels are steady and my appetite, while healthy, is more of a retired ballerina. Now I drink all of my breakfasts.

=Q=

Everyone is seemingly hip to the vibe of green smoothies. I am always up for a fad, but I really hope this one is here to stay. It is in my life anyway. Green smoothies are  jam packed with nutrition. They stabilize your blood sugars meaning you are less likely to get hungry mid morning. Most of my smoothies are green and I don’t think anyone really needs another green smoothie recipe in their life but I wanted to share this because it tastes amazing and packs a nutritional punch.  The flavor of the pumpkin is lifted by the cinnamon but it rests underneath the banana. If you did not know it was pumpkin, you would probably just ask how it got so delicious.

Pumpkin is such a nutrient dense vegetable, full of vitamins, antioxidants and carotenes. Try making it for kids, just don’t mention you put pumpkin in it and they will love it.
The yoghurt in the smoothie slows the release of sugars from the bananas. You can also use one banana and a little natural sweetener like honey, rice malt syrup or stevia if you prefer. The macca powder will give you a better boost than coffee making it a great addition to any breakfast smoothie. Pumpkin is a great source of fiber and with the pysllium husk you get a great fiber boost which will keep you feeling satiated throughout the morning. The pumpkin and banana are good sources of potassium making it a great post work out smoothie.

Serves 2 (large smoothies)

1 cup cooked cooled and mashed pumpkin
2 bananas
½ cup unsweetened Greek yoghurt (use 3 tbsp tahini for a vegan option)
1 cup ice cubes
1 tbsp maca powder
1 tbsp psyllium husk
1 cup dairy or nut milk
Zest of one orange
1 tsp cinnamon powder

Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and whiz until smooth and creamy.

Enjoy x