It is late October, the weather is starting to get chilly and the leaves outside are falling.  It’s the time of year when we crave pumpkin and spice so why not have a healthy smoothie that combines flavors you love with a supplement your body needs.  Creamy and nutritious, this pumpkin smoothie blended with roasted pumpkin, yogurt, oat milk and almond butter has a unique twist with the addition of DAO Labs Joint Vitality.

DAO Labs Joint Vitality is known for long term joint and back strength, this formula packs a flavor punch as its custom flavor blend contains cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla, honey and a touch of chile for a bit of background spice.

Pumpkin aligns nicely with the ancient herbal formula Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang which is the inspiration behind Joint Vitality. This formula is known for strengthening the tendons and bones by supplementing the liver and kidneys, and driving out wind, cold and dampness.

In Chinese medicine theory pumpkin has a cooling thermal nature, a sweet and slightly bitter flavor and it is known to relieve damp conditions.

This healthy pumpkin smoothie is sure to be your new favorite to make this fall!

Pumpkin Spice Joint Vitality Smoothie

• ½ Cup Roasted Pumpkin  (I roasted my own but you can use canned pumpkin, you might even have some left over from that pumpkin bread you made last weekend!)
• 1 Tablespoon Almond Butter
• 2 Scoops DAO Labs Joint Vitality
• ½ Cup Oat Milk
• ½ Cup Plain Unsweetened Yogurt

Mix all ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth, add a dash of molasses for a little more depth of flavor if you like, pour into a glass, garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and enjoy.

If you prefer your smoothie cooler you can add a few ice cubes but we recommend that you don’t (to learn more about why the temperature of foods is important to your digestive fire, read more about the Middle Burner Diet).

Dining with Culinary Artist Travis Metzger is an unforgettable experience. You can taste the passion, creativity and culinary expertise in each of Travis’s one-of-kind recipes. Most would agree that Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs in their original form taste less than delectable, but Travis has proven that TCM for today can taste great with DAO Labs. Travis develops unique flavors for each DAO formula to complement the proprietary blend of herbs and their health benefits. After extensive training at the New England Culinary Institute, Travis ran some of the finest restaurants across the country before starting his own in Minneapolis. To survive the stresses and physical challenges of the kitchen heat, Travis focused on combining natural ingredients for healthy AND delicious eating and juicing.