Plain pumpkin purée, banana and ground spices make this a seasonal alternative to a fruit smoothie. This version is blended cold, with your chosen milk and ready-made sea moss gel.
Makes: about 1 large glass. Equipment: a blender, measuring utensils and a clean glass.
Ingredients
- ½ measuring cup (120 ml volume) plain cooked pumpkin purée, chilled and ready to eat; not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 ripe banana, peeled
- 240 ml milk or a plant-based drink suitable for your diet
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- A small pinch of ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup, optional
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- A few ice cubes, optional, if your blender can crush ice
- Ready-made sea moss gel — use the amount directed on your current jar for the person drinking it
Method
- Prepare the base. Use clean utensils and a clean blender jug. Add the chilled, ready-to-eat pumpkin purée, peeled banana and milk.
- Add the spices. Add the cinnamon, ginger and small pinch of nutmeg, plus the vanilla and maple syrup if using.
- Measure the gel. Add gel according to the current jar’s serving directions, including any daily limit, then return the jar to the fridge. Add ice only if your blender is designed for it.
- Blend and adjust. Blend following your appliance’s instructions until combined. Add a little more milk if you prefer a thinner drink, then adjust the spice or sweetness to taste.
- Serve immediately. Pour into a glass and drink immediately. If the mixture fills more than one glass, do not count that as an extra gel serving for the same person.
Which pumpkin purée should you use?
Choose plain cooked pumpkin purée that is ready to eat and has been stored as directed on its pack. Pumpkin pie filling already contains other ingredients, so it will change the sweetness and spice. If making purée yourself, cook the pumpkin fully and cool and refrigerate it promptly before using it in a cold smoothie.
Adjust the texture and spice
Start with the listed milk and add more a little at a time. Use only a small pinch of nutmeg. Different milk products and gel blends will change the flavour; adjust the fruit, liquid and spices rather than increasing the gel beyond its directions.
Can you make it vegan?
Choose a suitable plant-based drink, use maple syrup if sweetening, and check the exact gel’s ingredients and dietary information. A plant-based milk alone does not establish that every ingredient is suitable.
Choosing and using your gel
Use ready-made gel that is within its date and has been stored as directed. Golden Gel contains golden sea moss, spring water and lime; other blends have different ingredients. Check your current jar and our Ingredients & Suitability guidance before choosing.
Follow the serving instructions for your own gel, including any daily limit and other gel you have already used that day. Powder, dried moss, capsules and gummies are not direct substitutes for the gel amount in these instructions. Our format guide explains the differences. If a direction is unclear, ask us before using it.
Keep the gel refrigerated
Add gel only when you are ready to serve your portion. Keep the gel jar refrigerated between uses and follow its own date and storage directions. Mixing gel into a recipe does not restart its shelf life, and the jar date does not establish a storage period for the finished food or drink. See our Storage & Freshness guidance for jar care. Do not use a suspect jar or taste it to check freshness.
Before using sea moss
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, choosing for a child, taking medication or managing a health condition, ask a qualified healthcare professional before use. Sea moss contains naturally occurring iodine; if you have a thyroid condition or take thyroid medication, speak to your doctor before use.
Try another recipe
For another recipe, try our mango and pineapple smoothie.
