Pumpkin Pie Yogurt

After a week of daily Thanksgiving posts culminating with the real thing (aka a big Thanksgiving feast) on Sunday, I decided to take it pretty easy this week, sticking with simple and healthy recipes to give both my kitchen and my belly a rest!

This pumpkin yogurt is actually something I've made several times over the last few weeks, and something I will continue to enjoy many times over the next few weeks. It's an easy, healthy, and versatile snack recipe that is so good I always immediately regret only making a single serving after I devour my bowl. I don't know why I still haven't learned my lesson, but since it's so easy to whip together, you can have seconds in seconds!

The 'recipe' I use is so ridiculously easy that I almost feel a little silly posting it. But considering I'd never even thought to mix pumpkin into yogurt until recently, I felt obligated to share the recipe in case there are others out there who are also missing out on this amazing little concoction!

The yogurt is delicious on its own, but for a healthy snack, it also works really well as a dip for apples. And for a more substantial breakfast, try mixing it with granola - you HAVE to try this with chocolate granola - it tastes like you're eating dessert for breakfast!

Pumpkin Pie Yogurt

Serves 1

1/2 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust any amounts to your liking.
Eat on its own, as a dip for apples, with granola, or any other way you would enjoy yogurt!

Apple Pie Smoothie

When I first heard of an apple pie smoothie, I was amazed – Could it be true that in only a few minutes you can whip up a guilt-free, drinkable version of apple pie? The answer: YES!

I created my own version of an apple pie smoothie that smells and tastes just like apple pie – it’s soo good! Not only is it easy and quick to make, but it’s also pretty healthy – in addition to the apple, it contains non-fat yogurt, almond milk, spices (did you know cinnamon is good for you?), and just a teaspoon of sugar. I only used a small amount of cooking spray instead of butter to cook the apples, but if you want to save those extra few calories you could try the microwave method from How Sweet It Is and let me know how it works! You could also play around with the ingredients to make it even healthier by adding protein powder for a more substantial breakfast, or add some spinach for added nutrition to turn it into a Green Monster!

The hardest part about making this smoothie is waiting for it to cool before you can drink it, since it smells so good after you blend it. I stuck mine in the freezer to speed up the process but it was still torture waiting for it to cool down! When it was ready I gulped it down in what seemed like seconds, then immediately regretted not taking my time to enjoy it more. I guess that means I’ll have to make it again asap!

Apple Pie Smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
1 cup chopped peeled apple (about 1 small apple)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
1/2 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup vanilla almond milk (if you don’t have vanilla milk, use regular milk and add a bit of vanilla extract to the smoothie)
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of allspice

Directions:

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat, and spray with cooking spray. Add the diced peeled apple, along with the brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Cook until apples are lightly browned and soft, stirring often, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer the mixture to a blender.

Add vanilla yogurt, vanilla almond milk, nutmeg, allspice, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the blender. Blend until smooth. Transfer smoothie to fridge or freezer to cool before drinking. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired.