Pumpkin Smoothie Made Even Better with Roasted Chestnuts!
October is full of falling leaves, cozy sweaters, and fallen chestnuts! Now add those roasted chestnuts to a pumpkin smoothie and you have the ultimate fall smoothie.
I am in love with this new Pumpkin Chestnut Smoothie recipe. Rocket City Chestnuts gave me a bunch of their Chestnuts and I am having a blast experimenting with chestnuts in some of my favorite recipes. I just had to share!
This Pumpkin Smoothie with Chestnuts is a spin-off of my Pumpkin Chestnut Soup. Pumpkin and chestnut flavors go so well together in so many dishes. In this smoothie, I bring the flavors of fall alive with cinnamon, dates, pumpkin, and chestnuts. Now, let’s dive into the ingredients!
The Star Ingredients
Chestnuts: These chestnuts came straight from a local Huntsville Small Business, Rocket City Chestnuts! They are a family-run orchard offering already-picked fresh local chestnuts. I roasted and shelled my chestnuts, and even snacked on a few before they hit the blender!
Pumpkin: Around this time of year, I love adding pumpkin to smoothies. It’s festive and makes for a healthy pumpkin smoothie.
Option to use homemade pumpkin however, I use leftover pumpkin puree. I like to use the canned pumpkin puree leftovers to make pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, pumpkin pie, or even a pumpkin spice latte! You can also freeze pumpkin puree.
Banana: I always have bananas on hand. Usually, they are very ripe, kept frozen, and already cut. Frozen banana is my go-to fruit addition to any pumpkin smoothie.
Other Pumpkin Smoothie with Chestnut Ingredients
MCT Powder: I love adding MCT powder to smoothies. MCT Powder is a creamy ingredient but has lots of nutritional benefits. I talk more about this ingredient in the Sharper Nutrition Fix section of this post, so keep scrolling down!
Dates: I almost always add a touch of sweetness to a smoothie and I love using dates. The flavor can’t be beat, especially in a smoothie like this. Even though the smoothie is cold, the pumpkin, chestnuts, and banana paired with dates make you feel warm and cozy.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon is another example of a “cozy” ingredient. Cinnamon + pumpkin = cozy! This is a must in this recipe.
Soy Milk: I use soy milk because it has 8 grams of protein per 1 cup. You can use any milk for your smoothie, like almond milk.
Yogurt (or Ice): Use plain Greek yogurt, vanilla Greek yogurt, another type of vanilla yogurt, or dairy-free yogurt to make your smoothie extra thick. Ice works as well.
Smoothie tip: You can also freeze soy milk or another milk in an ice cube tray. Add those frozen milk cubes to thicken up the smoothie.
Optional Ingredients: Maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, peanut butter, or even pumpkin seeds.
The Smoothie Blueprint
How to make a pumpkin Smoothie
Just like with my other smoothies and breakfast smoothies, I follow this Fruit Shake Blueprint. A fruit base, liquid, sweetness, fat, and “additional”. The lovely pumpkin and chestnuts count as both the fruit and the “additional” ingredient!
I love this smoothie recipe because it is so different from my usual smoothie concoctions but just as delicious.
Sharper Nutrition Fix: MCT Powder, a secret ingredient?!
What is MCT powder?
MCT stands for Medium Chain Triglycerides. MCT powder is most commonly extracted from coconut oil. I use nutiva organic MCT powder.
About 4 years ago, I discovered how wonderful MCT powder was in my morning coffee. It is plant-based, creamy, and not at all overwhelmingly coconutty. I originally started using MCT powder in my coffee because it is shelf-stable. I needed a creamer Finally, I found MCT powder! The taste is simple, not too flavorful, just the right amount of creaminess, and I love it. Bonus! Specifically for my plant-based peeps, This recipe (including MCT) is 100% plant-based
After discovering this MCT creamer, I have added it to many smoothies, chia pudding, and oatmeal recipes. And did you know?! Based on current research, possible benefits of MCT powder include but are not limited to;
A great energy source, fuel for the day!
It may help optimize the growth of good gut bacteria
It may play a role in weight management, and heart disease prevention
Seizure control
May aid with digestive issues
As usual in science and research, more research is needed. Check out these articles on WebMD and FCER.org if you want to learn more.
If you're using raw chestnuts, you'll need to roast or boil them and then peel them before using in the smoothie. Alternatively, you can use store-bought pre-cooked and peeled chestnuts.
Add all of the ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
If it's too thick, you can add more soy milk in small increments until you reach your desired consistency.
Taste the smoothie and adjust the sweetness and spice level by adding more honey or spices if needed. Enjoy!
The Holiday season has arrived which means these Gluten Free Dairy Free Thumbprint Cookies are making their debut!
During this time of year, cookies are being baked all across the world! Gotta leave a plate of cookies and a glass of milk out for Santa! I have a few tried and true favorites, but this Holiday Thumbprint cookie recipe is new to me. Moreover, these gluten free dairy free cookies are a perfect choice for those with dietary restrictions, offering a scrumptious option for everyone to enjoy.
A New Holiday Favorite
I’d be lying to you if I said I have enjoyed Thumbprint cookies all throughout my childhood and the truth is this is my first experience with them! I’ve never really been a fan. Maybe that’s because they were all made with wheat flour and my interests were in the gingersnaps, snowballs, and shortbread cookies. Oh, and anything Christmas crack, bourbon-soaked or dipped in chocolate!
These will now and forever be in my Christmas cookie rotation. I can’t believe it took 30+ years, but I’m finally enjoying these perfect Christmas cookies. And I highly recommend you do too!
The Basis of this Holiday Thumbprint Cookie
Food Blog – Eating Bird Food
I stumbled across this recipe when attempting to create a gluten-free cookie to bring to Thanksgiving. After some brainstorming and Google searching, I found a wonderful recipe by Brittany the creator of the food and recipe blog, Eating Bird Food.
It brings me so much joy to share this recipe, inspired by Brittany’s recipe for Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookies, with you. Using Brittany’s recipe as my base, I slightly adjusted this almond flour cookie based on my preferences.
I love this recipe because it’s so easy and simple! However, I am also partial to almond flour, I think it’s super underrated in the food world, especially for desserts. Honestly, this recipe is better with almond flour vs regular wheat flour.
Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookie Dry Ingredients
Almond Flour: A little unknown secret, I love almond flour. It’s just so tasty. Make sense, I love nuts.
You won’t miss the flour in these cookies, the almond flour makes these cookies so deciding, nutty, and buttery.
Salt: The salt is the finishing touch for this delicious cookie dough, and a little goes a long way. There is something about the combination of sweet and salty that is Holiday Thumbprint Cookie perfection.
Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookie Wet Ingredients
Butter: Well of course butter! More butter for the buttery cookie effect. As Brittnay’s recipe states, you can use a different fat here, i.e. coconut oil, or margarine. But, I am all about the butter.
Sugar: I genuinely enjoy using coconut sugar when baking. The flavor is nutty with a slightly caramel taste. I also love the caramel color of coconut sugar, resulting in a nice golden-brown coloring in my cookie.
Vanilla Extract: Let’s give these cookies a little extra flavor shall we? I enjoy the taste of vanilla, but you can try any other flavor combinations. For example, swap vanilla for almond extract or even lemon, orange, or perhaps rum!
I love to swap vanilla extract for orange or lemon. I’ll even add a bit of citrus zest to the dough, too!
Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookie Fillings and Toppers
Jam: And last but certainly not least, the jam!
I have my favorite brands, i.e. Bonne Maman, Stonewall Kitchen, or Dickinson’s. Homemade jam would taste wonderful on these cookies too. To make your cookies even more festive try a deep red jam like raspberry or cherry!
Optional: Powdered Sugar for Dusting: This is an optional extra step because these cookies are divine without them.
I love this addition because it really adds to the festive feelings I have during this time of year. The deep red of the jam represents Santa’s suit and the white powdered sugar represents snow or the white trim on his Santa suit.
Another option that would be super yummy, is a white chocolate drizzle over top!
Sharper Nutrition Fix: Cookies and Mindful Eating
Take care to Mindfully Eat even when it’s not the Holiday Season; but this is a great time of year, when people are gathering and celebrating over large meals, to come back to the topic of Mindful eating. If you haven’t tried it, give it a go with these Holiday Thumbprint Cookies! It’s truly a mind-blowing experience.
Harvard School of Public Health has a great article on Mindful Eating. They discuss what it is, how it works, and even current research on the topic. If you are interested, check out the article!
Below are some quick and easy tips to remember this holiday season!
More Recipes to Try
Love these cookies? Try some other dessert recipes!
With an increasing number of people adhering to gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, and vegan diets, this recipe offers a wonderful opportunity to accommodate a wide range of dietary preferences and ensure everyone can indulge in a delicious treat.
You will love these Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars. They are crispy, chocolatey, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and have only 8g of sugar per serving! It’s a no-bake dessert that is quick and easy to create.
This holiday season, I developed a lower-sugar alternative to a Christmas cookie. I wanted something with chocolate, crispy, and crunchy. After brainstorming and playtime in the kitchen, I discovered a recipe for these Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars.
I utilize almond flour and Rice Krispies cereal to help create a yummy peanut butter filling. Then, I top it all off with delicious melted dark chocolate.
Ingredients in Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
The Peanut Butter Crunch Layer
Peanut Butter: I use any peanut butter that has no added sugar, crunchy or creamy peanut butter works. I prefer crunchy peanut butter with a little added salt.
Crispy Puffed Rice: Puffed rice cereal or crispy rice cereal must be toasted to create that lovely crispy crunchy peanut layer. I find the OG Rice Krispies work best.
Almond Flour: Almond flour helps bind the ingredients together. Almond flour has a delicate taste and the flavor does not overpower the other ingredients.
Maple Syrup: A little goes a long way. The maple syrup adds hints of vanilla and caramel. Maple syrup also has a fruity sweetness.
Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract compliments the flavors of peanut butter, maple syrup, and chocolate.
Ingredients in Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
The Chocolate Layer
Dark Chocolate Chips: I use 70% dark chocolate or greater. Ghirardelli has a nice variety of dark chocolates like this 86% dark chocolate bar.
Peanut Butter: For even more peanuty flavor.
Coconut Oil: Option to skip the coconut oil and just use peanut butter to thin the chocolate however, I enjoy the subtle coconut flavor.
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
Make Peanut Butter Crunch Filling
Place all peanut butter bar ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined.
Line a 9×9 inch baking pan or 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. If you skip this step the bars will not pop out of the baking pan when cooled.
Press the peanut butter mixture into the baking or cake pan.
Melt Chocolate
Melt chocolate, peanut butter, and coconut oil over a double boiler. Once all of the chocolate is almost melted remove and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the ingredients are combined.
Pour chocolate mixture over Peanut butter bars. Spread it evenly with your chocolate mixing spoon.
Place the dessert in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Before the chocolate has almost set but not completely, add desired toppings (coconut flakes, sprinkles, etc.). If the chocolate is too runny, the toppings will sink into the chocolate.
Place the bars back in the fridge for another 30 minutes. Slice and serve once the chocolate is set.
Eating These Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars Recipe
Below are a few ways I love to enjoy these Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars.
Alone: I’ll eat these bars as a snack after a long hike or as a sweet treat. With 7 grams of protein (that’s more than a handful of almonds) and a relatively low amount of sugar for such a decadent dessert you can count on these bars to fill you with nutritional goodness.
On a dessert board: I like to pair these with other Christmas cookies around the holidays. I’ll put some orange slices and nuts on the board too.
A la mode: Try heating your bar in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds, then top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an even more decadent dessert.
Sharper Nutrition Fix: Peanuts
Origins: Likely first cultivated by the Incas, peanuts are native to South America. Traders, Spanish and Portuguese in origin, introduced peanuts to countries like China, India, and West Africa.
Developed in 1890, Peanut Butter was promoted as a health food at the 1904 St. Louis World Fair.
Where they grow: Peanuts are not true nuts. Peanuts are legumes. Peanuts require a long, warm growing season with ample water which limits growing to the warmer temperature regions. China, India, Nigeria, and the United States lead the world in peanut production. Georgia and Florida are the leading growers in the US.
Nutrition: High in fat, rich in protein, and fiber, peanuts are a nutritional powerhouse. Peanuts are a source of niacin, Vitamins E, B6, folate, and the minerals magnesium, manganese, and potassium with lower amounts of iron and calcium.
These no-bake, holiday decorated Crunchy Peanut Butter Bars and so good, you forget they have some pretty healthy ingredients. Moreover, this bar is 100% plant-based!
1/4cupmaple syrupor honey (this sub is not plant-based)
1tspvanilla extract
1 1/2cuppuffed rice
Chocolate Topping
3.5ozdark chocolatesee recipe notes
1tbsppeanut butter
1tspcoconut oil
Other Toppings
2tbspunsweetened coconut flakesoptional
Instructions
For the Peanut Butter Layer
Place all peanut butter bar ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined.
Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper. If you skip this step the bars will not pop out of the baking pan when cooled.
Press the peanut butter mixture into a 9x9-inch baking pan.
Chocolate Layer
Melt chocolate, peanut butter, and coconut oil over a double boiler. Once all of the chocolate is almost melted remove and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the ingredients incorporated.
Pour chocolate mixture over Peanut butter bars. Spread it evenly with your chocolate mixing spoon.
Chill & Serve
Place the dessert in the refrigerator for 30min to 1 hour. Before the chocolate has almost set but not completely, add desired toppings (coconut flakes, sprinkles). If the chocolate is too runny, the toppings will sink into the chocolate.
Place bars back in the fridge for another 30min. Serve once the chocolate is set.
