Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

A low FODMAP smoothie of canned pumpkin, a firm-yellow banana, lactose-free or almond milk, pumpkin pie spice, and maple syrup.

Prep 5 min

Cook 1 min

Serves 1

Gluten-freeVegan-option

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup (about 75 g) canned pumpkin puree, 100% pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 firm-yellow banana (about 100 g), still slightly green at the stem
• 1 cup (250 ml) lactose-free cow's milk or unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, allspice)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup ice
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
• Pinch of salt (optional, sharpens the spices)

Instructions

Blend

1. Add the milk first, then the pumpkin, banana, pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, ice, vanilla, and salt.
2. Blend on high for 45 to 60 seconds, until the pumpkin is fully broken up and the drink looks a uniform warm orange with no streaks of spice floating on top.
3. Pour into a tall glass and drink right away. It thickens for a minute or two, then thins as the ice melts.

Tips & Substitutions

• Buy 100% pumpkin puree. The ingredient list should read "pumpkin" and nothing else (Libby's is the common US can). Pumpkin pie filling adds sweeteners and a spice blend you can't measure.
• Measure the pumpkin. Monash lists about 75 g (1/3 cup) of canned pumpkin as the low serve, so level the scoop rather than heaping it. A 15 oz can gives you about 5 servings; refrigerate the rest in a sealed jar for up to 4 days.
• Pick a firm banana and freeze it. A firm-yellow banana is low at 1 whole (about 100 g); once it's brown-spotted, the serve drops to about 1/3 of a banana (35 g). Freeze firm slices on a tray for a thicker, colder smoothie.
• Pick a low-FODMAP milk. Lactose-free cow's milk and unsweetened almond or macadamia milk are low at 1 cup (250 ml); cashew milk is not low. Canned coconut milk is low at 1/4 cup, so top it up with almond milk, and skip any carton with inulin or chicory root fiber.
• Sweeten with maple syrup. Monash lists pure maple syrup as low at 1 tablespoon, so 1 to 2 teaspoons is well under it; honey is only low at about ½ teaspoon (4g) and agave is high. Many "keto" sweetener blends contain sorbitol or xylitol, which are high-FODMAP polyols.
• Make it a protein smoothie. Add 1 scoop of plain whey isolate, which is very low in lactose. Check any powder's label for inulin, chicory root, FOS, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol or isomalt.

Why This Works

Canned pumpkin at 75 g. Monash rates about 75 g (1/3 cup) of canned pumpkin puree as low, and larger portions move into moderate. That amount still gives the drink its pie flavor and thick texture.

A firm banana for body. Monash rates 1 firm banana (about 100 g) as low, and the serve drops to about 1/3 of a banana once it's spotty. If your bananas have gone spotty, use 35 g and lean a little harder on the pumpkin and spice.

Real spice instead of syrup. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove and allspice are low-FODMAP at 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Bottled pumpkin spice syrups vary by brand, and some use high-fructose corn syrup or polyols.

Milk and maple in measured amounts. Lactose-free or almond milk is low at the full 1 cup poured here, and 1 to 2 teaspoons of maple syrup is under its 1 tablespoon serve.

Storage

Blend and drink right away. If you need to hold one, cap it in a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 24 hours at 40°F (4°C) or below. Shake or re-blend before drinking; pumpkin and spice both settle as they sit. Leftover canned pumpkin keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 4 days, or portion 75 g scoops into an ice cube tray and freeze; drop a frozen cube straight into the blender for the next smoothie.