Pumpkin Shake

My kids take after me with my seasonal pumpkin addiction! Since it's still warm here in New York, I wanted to make them a cool pumpkin treat to come home from school to. We can still get our pumpkin on even though the weather isn't very Fall like!

This is so yummy and very simple.

Pumpkin Shake

Ingredients:

1 cup Pumpkin Ice Cream (Trader Joe's is A-mazing)

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1 tbsp pumpkin butter (optional)

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1/4 tsp cinnamon 

1 cup of ice cubes

Whipped cream for topping

Semi-sweet chocolate chips for topping

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together (except toppings!) until ice is completely blended.

Pour in glass and top with whipped cream and chocolate chips.

Makes two- 6 oz shakes

Healthier Whole Wheat Pancakes

Looking for healthier pancake? These are infused with sweet potato and wheat germ! Not only are sweet potatoes readily available, inexpensive, and delicious, there are many other reasons to love them! They are high in vitamin B6, they are a great source of vitamins C & D, they contain iron, magnesium, potassium, and are high in carotenoids like beta carotene. 

I added wheat germ because it is an excellent source of so many essential vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. It's considered to be one of the top ten healthiest foods! Because of its health benefits, I add it into anything I can such as oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, smoothies...I even mix it into breadcrumbs. The best thing, the kids have no idea! 

I adapted Gina's recipe from Skinnytaste.com by adding in my little extras. Max is a pancake fanatic- but not so much a veggie fanatic, so I have to get veggies in him whenever hiding them is a possibility! You cannot even see the sweet potato in the pancakes- no detection of veggies= happy Max & happy Mama!

            Healthier Whole Wheat Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups organic whole wheat flour (Bob's Red Mill)
• 4 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 2 tsp of cinnamon
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups + 2 tbsp fat free milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• cooking spray
• 2 tbsp wheat germ
• 1/3 cup of sweet potato (baked)

Directions:

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Add wet ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix well with a spoon. 

I use a large electric griddle - so many pancakes can cook at once so cooking time is reduced! Spray your pan and pour on batter according to whatever size pancakes you like. Flip pancakes once you see bubbles. 

We read two books to accompany our breakfast. The first, If You Give A Pig A Pancake by Laura Numeroff. The second, The Hungry Thing by Jan Slepian and Ann Seidler. 

If You Give A Pig A Pancake is close in comparison to daily life as a mommy. If you give your kid a pancake, they will surely ask for syrup...once they have the syrup- of course they'll need a fork.. and a drink... and a napkin!!! The little girl managing all of the pigs requests is exhausted by the end of the story- I feel ya girl!

The Hungry Thing is an adorable story that gets your children thinking! What exactly does the Hungry Thing want to eat? Shmancakes...and tickles...and feetloaf...and gollipops of course! Chloe loved guessing it was pancakes, pickles, meatloaf, and lollipops just to name a few. She was quicker than Max in the guessing department but he enjoyed the story just the same! 

Happy hiding & even happier eating!