Why Hello Fall......

I love the fall. I think almost everyone in the North East claims it as their favorite season for the sheer fact that summer here isn't all it's cracked up to be. Who likes the outdoors to smell like a gym locker because of the humidity and when you step outside you literally just sweat... (not this guy)...
I in fact look forward to fall for three reasons only...

1. Cooler weather makes for GREAT outside walking...well for any kinds of outdoor, weekend warrior crap.....
2. The chub layers are hidden behind great sweaters, jeans and tall boots. So when we have one too many "hot date nights out" during the week (please read, I'm too lazy to make dinner after work and REALLY could use a glass or 6 of wine) this becomes irrelevant due to the fabulous fashionable layers one can toss on.
3. And last but not least....Pumpkin everything (savory, sweet, breakfast, dinner, snacks....I could go on forever) and I know I am not alone in this orange pumpkin shaped boat.

Which brings me to the point of this post...I have been in a breakfast runt for the past two weeks. The egg white scrambles on the low cal english muffins just aren't cutting it anymore. And oatmeal with dried fruits and nuts just doesn't scream, "Hi, let's start your day" to me....

So last night I spent the better half of an hour looking through blogs and trying to find the breakfast smoothie of my dreams.....and man oh man did I! (If my 17 year old self could hear me talking now about my love for all things smoothie or the fact that this is the sheer highlight to my day, they would think I have 100% lost my mind) DRUM ROLL PLEASE.........

The Pumpkin Smoothie Breakfast Shake!!!!!!! I can not take the credit for this at all but I will tell you it's only 4 ww points for the entire thing (just count the banana as a separate item in your breakfast category...it's 0 points anyway and jesus christ it's a banana!) and add more pumpkin, cinnamon, a little extra frozen banana and good vanilla. I also tossed in a few ice cubes when I was zipping it through the Vitamix this morning. (Our neighbors truly must hate us...I love that blender but it 100% sounds like an airplane is taking off in the kitchen at 6:30am)

The Good Stuff:

• 1/3 c. pumpkin puree
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup or brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 c. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/2 c. old fashioned oats
• 1 to 1 1/2 bananas, frozen
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

The How To:

1. Toss everything but the banana into a mason jar, put on a lid and shake the heck out of it... into the fridge it goes to refrigerate overnight.
2. In the morning put everything including the banana into the blender with a couple of ice cubes and let the magic happen.

I can also tell you that I am excited for tomorrow morning to come, not because it's Friday or that I actually have some pretty solid weekend plans with gal pals that I haven't seen in A LONG time but to meet this smoothie again. :)

Try it....drink it and LOVE IT! Embrace fall with me people.