Here is a nourishing and naturally sweet breakfast/lunch smoothie to start your day and keep sugar cravings at bay. Who needs a Snickers bar when you can have pumpkin pie in a mug?

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin


• ½ frozen banana (or 1/4 avocado for a lower-sugar option)


• 1 packet of Sustain protein powder


• 1 tsp ground flax seed


• 1 tsp blackstrap molasses


• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice


• 6-8 oz of water


• 4 ice cubes

If your morning routine doesn’t allow for steaming a whole pumpkin, here are some brands of BPA-free canned pumpkin:

• Farmer’s Market Foods Organic Pumpkin


• Pacific Natural Pumpkin Puree

Pumpkin is a great source of Vitamin A, fiber and iron. Blackstrap molasses is my favorite sweetener to use in the fall. It’s mineral-rich, full of manganese, copper, iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium. The ground flax seeds are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and of course cinnamon is great for satisfying a sweet tooth and reducing inflammation.

Blend this up for a delicious, satisfying breakfast or lunch!

This article was originally published on www.drfranklipman.com. Read the original here.

*Image of “pumpkin smoothie“ via Shutterstock