This post is sponsored by Silk Soymilk.

At the start of spring, I always say, "Spring is my favorite season!" And then summer rolls around, I get excited for the heat, and I find myself blogging that "I love summer most of all!" But then I get over the 90-degree temps and, by the time September rolls around, I’m wishing it was fall. I adore every season for one reason or another (except winter – too cold!) – but fall really and truly is my favorite. Why?

The food, of course!

 
 
Pumpkin everything, pecan pie, buttery mashed potatoes, roasted root veggies, baked apples loaded with cinnamon, Halloween candy, the Thanksgiving spread… I could go on and on. Nothing beats fall food.

 

But perhaps my favorite fall flavor is pumpkin spice. You can add it to so many dishes, taking regular food to FALL FOOD! Some of my favorite ideas:

 

Add a tablespoon to sugar cookie dough.

Use pumpkin spice in lieu of plain cinnamon in my Baked Apples recipe.

Mix into pancake or waffle batter.

Sprinkle into oatmeal.

Add to white cake mix and make pumpkin spice cupcakes (try it with cream cheese frosting – YUM!).

Use to flavor roasted vegetables – just toss the veggies in some olive oil and spice before baking (try sweet potatoes or parsnips).

Add it to smoothies!

First, I’ll share my super simple DIY Pumpkin Spice Recipe, and then I’ll share a simple smoothie recipe that’s packed with protein, fruits and veggies, and – of course – fall flavor.

 

DIY Pumpkin Spice

 

Combine the following (recipe makes almost 3 tablespoons of PS):

1.5 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 tablespoon ground ginger

1/4 tablespoon nutmeg

1/4 tablespoon all spice

1/4 tablespoon ground cloves

And here’s that delicious smoothie recipe I promised you!

 

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsweetened Silk Soymilk
  • รขโ‚ฌโ€น1 banana, frozen and chopped (frozen is best – if you don’t have a frozen banana, add 6 ice cubes)
  • 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 – 1/2 tablespoon DIY Pumpkin Spice, depending on taste preferences

Plant-based protein? Check. Veggies? Check. Fruit? Check. Tons of flavor? You bet. You can also try adding a little vanilla Greek yogurt to make the smoothie extra thick and creamy.

 

Happy Fall!

This post is sponsored by Silk Soymilk. To learn more about Silk Soymilk, visit their Protein Power page or their Learn More page. Thanks, as always, for supporting my blog and reading sponsored content. My family appreciates it a lot.

{ 11 comments }

 

  • Sam @ PancakeWarriors September 3, 2014, 2:03 pm

    This is great! I believe I have all these spices separately at home, but always buy pumpkin spice separately (silly me!). I put pumpkin spice on just about everything in the fall – it really is just so good!

  • Amanda K. September 3, 2014, 2:14 pm

    so, i used to love silk and then i read that soy wasn’t good for you. do you have any good information for the truth about soy? when you google you get both answers — it’s so hard to know what to trust.
    full disclosure, i’m eating a bowl of edamame right now…cause soy is just so good!

    • Caitlin September 3, 2014, 2:20 pm

      Ugh, I know. So much of the research is back and forth (not just on soy, on so many things!). As a vegetarian, soy definitely has a place in my life. It’s not my primary source of protein (eggs probably are!) but it’s definitely up there in the top three. I try to follow a ‘everything in moderation’ approach to tofu and soy milk. I also drink a lot of almond milk (Silk makes an awesome almond milk and coconut milk blend!). I tend to use soy milk for snacks that need a protein boost – like cereal or a smoothie that I’m not adding nut butter to. I did feel like I overdid it on soy during my pregnancy with Henry so I’ve tried to be more thoughtful about eating it ‘smartly’ this time around. But that’s challenging, too, because getting enough protein is so important for the baby, your bags of water, and blood sugar control. I know some people feel pretty strongly about the soy issue (one way or the other), but like I said, I just try to err more on the side of moderaton. Oh, plus it’s nice that Silk is GMO-free!

      • Amanda K. September 3, 2014, 2:25 pm

        Thanks so much for the quick reply! This is a great response. And at the end of the day, a bowl of edamame is better than Cheetos, right?

        • Caitlin September 3, 2014, 2:30 pm

          Haha, that is very true.

      • Alexandra September 3, 2014, 2:27 pm

        I really like SILK’s coconut almond milk as well, but it has carrageenan in it ๐Ÿ™ I was so upset to discover this

        • Jill September 3, 2014, 2:54 pm

          http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/melissa-ramos/almond-milk-carrageenan_b_4719193.html

          I love the stuff I learn about from your readers! Alexandra’s comment sent me looking for info on carrageenan (I just started drinking almond, coconut, and soy milks in the past year), and found this article to be helpful. Lots of other articles which are less, shall we say, encouraging. Interesting stuff ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Jolene @ Homespun Heritage September 3, 2014, 2:26 pm

    I have declared September 10th to be Pumpkin Spice Latte Day. A very dear and very wonderful friend passed away last year on that date. PSL’s were her favorite drink! She left her heart in Michigan but was living in Arizona, at the time and I always think of her when drinking a PSL! Thanks for the spice mix and I’ll be making a bunch of it!

    • Caitlin September 3, 2014, 2:30 pm

      I will buy one for her ๐Ÿ™‚ Sorry to hear of her passing…

  • Ashley September 3, 2014, 11:20 pm

    You are one smart cookie mama

  • Heather October 3, 2014, 3:48 pm

    Yummy smoothie recipe! I love pumpkin spice, just not the heavy lattes at Starbucks!

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