Dr. John Day, Cardiologist

You get all of the rich nutrients of the pumpkin and avocado in a super creamy shake without even knowing the avocado is there. This is a great alternative to pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving and anytime you desire a   Pumpkin treat. It is naturally sweetened with banana and dates. If you want it sweeter you could add another date or a packet of Stevia. It also has a mild flavor.  I kept the pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice amounts about where I like it, but you’re welcome to add more if you want an bolder flavor. I served this room temperature, but if you’d like it cold, you could blend in an ice cube or two. You could also warm it, if that’s what you’re craving. Sometimes I like having chunks in my shakes, which I can achieve by throwing in unsoaked deglet dates, but if you want yours without chunks, you could presoak the dates, use medjool dates, or blend the dates until completely smooth. Experiment!

This lightly sweet pumpkin muffin is adapted from a recipe my friend Claudia shared with me.  If you enjoy making muffins and other baked goods from time to time, it’s good to vary the healthiest ingredients possible.  This muffin is made with nutrient-dense, high protein, high fiber almond flour and almond butter. Enjoy!