Hot Pumpkin Milk

In case this weekend’s plans involve pj’s, family, and possibly decorating for the holidays, I have a very special hot drink recipe for you to serve while creating cherished memories.

Are you a pumpkin fan? I’m not just a fan. I’m completely obsessed. COMPLETELY.

There are SO MANY reasons to add pumpkin to your diet – it’s loaded with vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds that are good for you.

PLUS … it’s low in calories and tastes great.

Here are just a few of pumpkin’s benefits: it’s good for your vision, immune health, and it may even help reduce your risk of cancer!

Pumpkin also protects your heart, lungs, and kidneys, helps battle high blood pressure and it’s good for your skin.

Eating pumpkin can keep us looking young thanks to beta-carotene that helps protect us from the sun’s wrinkle-causing UV rays = younger-looking skin.

REFERENCES

• WebMD

Canned pumpkin puree can also be a great way to get your pumpkin in. Add it to your oatmeal, desserts, baked goods, chili, smoothies, and casseroles – and you can even make delicious pumpkin pancakes.

Just make sure you don’t accidentally pick up a can of pumpkin pie filling instead because they are two completely different things!

Pumpkin pie filling and pumpkin puree often sit in cans or cartons right next to each other on the grocery store shelf. It can be easy to grab one thinking it is the other because the two products look very similar.

However, they are VERY different products!

Pumpkin Puree (that can also be made at home very easily) should say ONLY Pumpkin on the ingredient label.

Pumpkin pie filling usually has many ingredients, one of which is SUGAR.

Use ANY unsweetened/plain milk of your choice. My personal favorite for this hot drink is unsweetened coconut milk or cashew milk. Any unsweetened nut milk, coconut milk, high-quality grass-fed cow’s milk, or heavy cream all work really well here. Use what you personally like and have on hand.

Have you ever made your own whipped coconut cream? You’re in for a treat!

It’s fluffy, creamy, all-natural, and dairy-free making it the perfect touch for any treat or dessert.

Always chill your coconut cans in the fridge overnight. The coconut cream solids will rise to the top of the can in the fridge, leaving the coconut water on the bottom. You’ll need this concentrated cream found on top in order to create your fluffy coconut whipped cream. Once your can has chilled in the fridge OVERNIGHT, then you’re ready to make your treat.

Make your coconut whipped cream:

For best results set your bowl in the freezer for a while before preparing your whipped cream in it. Using a chilled bowl helps the coconut cream whip up better.

Scrape the coconut cream from the very top of the can into a large mixing bowl and add in the vanilla/almond extract and a few drops of sweetener of your choice. The cream should have separated from the coconut milk after being refrigerated overnight. We’re only using the cream, so you can use the remaining watery-milk for something else like smoothies or soup.

Whip the coconut cream with a hand mixer until fluffy, about 5 to 10 minutes. Place in fridge until ready to use. (Note: it will not be as stiff as dairy whipped cream.)

When ready to serve, add a dollop of cold coconut whipped cream to each hot pumpkin milk.

The sweetness factor is such a PERSONAL preference, so please consider this when adding in raw honey, or pure maple syrup. Depending on your taste, you may want a bit more or less.

Try this with our Homemade Pumpkin Puree

4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 x 15oz can pure pumpkin puree, or 2 cups homemade pumpkin puree
• 4 cups milk of choice (dairy or non-dairy)
• 4 Tbsps pure maple syrup or raw honey
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, or to taste
• 1 tsp turmeric powder

Optional, to serve:

• 4 dollops of coconut whipped cream (recipe and instructions above)

Instructions:

Add your pure pumpkin puree to a food processor or high-speed blender. Add your milk of choice, maple syrup or raw honey, pumpkin pie spice, and turmeric.

Pulse until smooth, then transfer to a saucepan.

Heat your pumpkin milk over medium-low heat while whisking constantly until its nice and hot just your liking and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Enjoy immediately in cozy mugs.

Rachel

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