All of that is to say that by noon today, I had to make something with a little more love behind it. I wanted something sweet but energizing. Compound that with the fact that I’ve had this recipe in my arsenal since before it was in its holiday seasonal prime, and voilah! What better time than cooped-up now?!
This recipe also embodies my mood in some other subtly rebellious ways. See, I’m one of those people who doesn’t want pumpkin in my pie or in my latte. I don’t hate pumpkin, and I never crave it. So this year I bought a can of it just to see if I could change my own mind. Additionally, I don’t want my protein in smoothie form. I love the taste of smoothies, but I can never quite figure out when is the right time to drink them such that they won’t hurt my stomach. Combine these seemingly dissonant factoids, and I think I’ve created the perfect alternative for weirdos like me: Pumpkin Protein Pudding!!
In post-pudding glee,
Hannah
Pumpkin Protein Pudding
1 Cup Water
½ Cup Organic Pumpkin (cooked or canned)
⅓ Cup Chia Seeds
¼ Cup Hemp Seeds*
1 Tbsp Coconut Butter
1 Tsp Maple Syrup, plus more to drizzle
½ Tsp Vanilla Extract
½ Tsp Pumpkin Spice
1. Using a high-speed or immersion blender, combine water and hemp seeds. Add pumpkin, coconut butter, maple syrup, vanilla and pumpkin spice. Blend until smooth.
2. Pour mixture into bowl and slowly stir in chia seeds.
3. Refrigerate until thick, about 15 minutes.
* 1 cup of any non-dairy milk can be used in place of water and hemp seeds. If mixture is too thick, add more non-dairy milk. If it doesn’t thicken to your likening, add more chia seeds 1 tbsp at a time.