Whole Food Pumpkin Hot Chocolate

It's my favorite time of year in New England. Crisp scarf-wearing weather where you grab a hot drink and sit outside to just look at the trees that seem to be on fire with color. Also....EVERYTHING can be flavored with PUMPKIN!!!!

I know there are some of you out there that make fun of pumpkin-everything season, but for veggie-heads like myself pumpkin is awesome. It is a sweet squash that can be used in baking as egg and butter substitutes, thickens soups, is great in smoothies, and now this! I was very excited to find this recipe, and even more excited that I was given a rescued pumpkin yesterday. He had been dropped (I think) and had a crack in him, but we cooked up the good parts last night, and roasted the seeds and today everyone is in pumpkin heaven. (it does exist) There will be more pumpkin deliciousness recipes to follow you can be sure.

This recipe requires cooked or pureed pumpkin. I used almond milk, but soy, coconut or dairy milk can be used. If you are used to the super sugared pumpkin flavored things that you can purchase you may want to sweeten the hot chocolate a bit more. I also used my Vitamix. The blessed machine works so hard, that if I leave it alone for a few minutes it will boil everything for me. I put everything in my blender, made the kiddos lunches, and it was all hot and ready. You can also pour it out into a saucepan and heat it up if you do not have a blender with a weed-whacker engine attached. Try it and tailor it to your desires. It made my morning beautiful and i hope it does the same for you.

Whole food Pumpkin Hot Chocolate
(serves 4-5)

3 cups Almond Milk
1 cup pureed pumpkin
2 tbsp cocoa
2-3 tbsp maple syrup
1/3 tsp vanilla
pinch nutmeg
dash cinnamon

1. Place all ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth.
2. Heat it up and drink it down. mmmmmmm