Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Bowl with Maple Pecan Granola

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For the pumpkin spice haters, I can’t be sorry for what I’m about to share, but you should probably go check out another recipe.

I’m a diehard fall enthusiast. I love the chunky sweaters, colorful leaves, hot cider, root vegetables, the chill in the air, Halloween, pumpkin spiced things . . . everything. The absence of an autumn was one of the top five things I struggled with while living in Australia (behind, you know, not having my best friends and family close by and the crippling social anxiety I spiraled into — but that’s a downer story for another day). But honestly I missed the whole back-to-school fresh start vibe, the excitement around the fall holidays, and the general coziness.

This is my third autumn back in Brooklyn and I appreciate it more than ever. Just walking around the neighborhood feels like an adventure in the fall. But lately, the the warm weather has been persisting, so we have to find compromises. (I know I shouldn’t wish the warmth away — come March I’ll be cursing myself.)

The pumpkin pie smoothie bowl is such a compromise. Cool in temperature but packed with warming fall spices and grounding vegetables, it’s a low sugar high fiber option and a great shake things up for those of us in breakfast rut (guilty).

The smoothie itself serves one, but the granola makes about 5 cups, so you’ll be all set for granola for the month, basically. You can also half the recipe for similar results, but it lasts a month in an airtight jar at room temp or 2-3 months in the fridge, so you might as well go all in, right?

Cheers to fall, witches!


Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Bowl with Maple Pecan Granola


For that time in the autumn when it's still warm out, but you're so ready for those fall flavors. 

Course Breakfast

Ingredients

Smoothie Bowl

  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 1 cup roasted sweet potato* or pumpkin puree
  • 1 scant cup frozen cauliflower
  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • 1 tablespoon almond butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean powder (or extract)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • pinch each of nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon maca (optional)

Maple Pecan Granola

  • 3 cups oats
  • 1 cup raw pecan pieces or pecans, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup raw pepitas
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup avocado, olive, or melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Smoothie Bowl

  1. Place smoothie ingredients in a blender and process until smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice to make sure everything is incorporated. 

Maple Pecan Granola

  1. Heat oven to 325°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. 

  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, pecans, pepitas, chia seeds, cinnamon, and salt. Mix together to evenly distribute the spices. 

  3. In a pourable glass measuring cup like Pyrex brand, combine oil and maple and mix together with a fork. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix together until the oats are evenly coated.

  4. Spread in an even layer on the prepared baking tray and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Take out the tray, rotate it, and cook for another 15-20 minutes until golden. 

  5. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the tray—this is when it will really crisp up and get its crunch. Once cooled, break into pieces and store in an airtight jar at room temp for up to two weeks or in the fridge for a month.  

Recipe Notes

*To roast sweet potatoes (I usually roast 3 or 4 at a time to use for various meals), scrub the skins and wipe them clean. Poke a few times with a fork and pop them in a 400°F oven for 45 minutes until softened and cooked through (give it a little squeeze with a tea towel protecting your hands. If it has a good amount of give, it’s done). Let them cool completely, then you can easily remove the skin. You can store these in the fridge or in the freezer cut in half or lightly mashed.


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