I think this year I’ve become more obsessed with pumpkin and banana. A weird combination to most but when they’re blended together, a whole new world is opened up. The sweetness of the banana with the fall flavor of the pumpkin is unbeatable. I love having this smoothie for a snack post-class or in the morning for breakfast. It’s like having dessert in the middle of the day and is a great pick me up of energy. Whenever I make it, I never use measurements because really… who needs them sometimes? A little bit of vanilla, a dash of pumpkin spice, 3 chunks of frozen banana.. Whatever works.

I wanted to put a date in this smoothie for extra sweetness but then I realized I had bought a Pumpkin Pie Lara Bar the other day and decided to use half of it in this smoothie. I first noticed the pumpkin flavor last year and was HOOKED. Lara Bar came out with a Pumpkin Pie flavor and Snickerdoodle last year and when I first tried them, I am almost positive I kept going back to Whole Foods every week for more. Around a month ago, I kept checking to see when my Whole Foods would get them in and FINALLY, they arrived.

The pumpkin pie flavor’s ingredient list is simple and delicious (as always) including dates, cashews, almonds, DRIED PUMPKIN, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger. The best dessert around the holidays because its like a mini pumpkin pie in bar form with the best ingredients a pie could ever have. When you’re on the go and you whip out one of these bars from your purse, it’s like a portable pumpkin pie. Pumpkin pie at your desk, pumpkin pie on the subway, pumpkin pie EVERYWHERE!

Look how cute the packaging is too? I need to buy in bulk via my Whole Foods since they are not available on Lara Bar’s website (or Amazon) BUT you can get the Lara Alt Bar in Pumpkin Pie flavor online which features a tad bit different ingredients.

With this Lara Bar and some other easy ingredients, I managed to blend together an amaaaazing smoothie that you need to make right away instead of chugging down a pumpkin spice latte… because we all know real pumpkin is better!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Pumpkin Pear Spiced Smoothie

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Everything you could want in a pumpkin treat. Smooth, creamy, frosty and thick! The perfect fall pick-me-up smoothie.

Author: Addie Martanovic

Recipe type: Breakfast, Snack, Dessert

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1-1.5 frozen banana
• ½ frozen pear
• ¼ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• ½ scoop Sunwarrior Vanilla Protein Powder
• ½ of a Pumpkin Pie Lara Bar (or use 1-2 dates)
• ¼ cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp Trader Joe's pumpkin pie spice
• 3-5 ice cubes
• ¼ cup Purely Elizabeth Pumpkin Fig granola

Instructions

1. Blend all (except last) ingredients into a high power blender, food processor or Vitamix until thick.
2. Add ice cubes as necessary.
3. Scoop into mason jar and top with Purely Elizabeth granola.
4. Enjoy!

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If you want to you can add more milk and more ice to this to make it fill up a larger glass, along with more granola or pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews… really any super food or nut topping would taste amazing with it. I’m starting to eat/drink/blend these smoothies a few times a week because the ingredients are super simple and bananas are always in my freezer.

I buy my pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree at Trader Joe’s for suuuuper cheap and if you don’t have Purely Elizabeth granola (shame on you because it’s the best out there) you can use another brand obviously! Most people I know don’t use protein powder or know about Sunwarrior but I highly recommend it as an organic, dairy-free plant-based protein powder. I use it in this smoothie to give a vanilla flavor (aside from extra protein) but you can easily substitute with a splash of vanilla extract!

So as Halloween is only a week away and I have not made any “festive” cookies or treats, I’m hoping to make these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins by Hummusapien or these Maple-Sweetened Pumpkin Muffins with Oats by Cookie + Kate sometime within the next week! But until then, I leave you with this thick and frothy smoothie in a mason jar to get you through your long school (or work) week.

-Addie