Cooking Time: 15 minutes [for garnish]

Serving Size: approx. 2 cups

Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin puree`“

½ cup vanilla yogurt, fat free*

½ cup skim milk

1 apples- cored, peeled, diced**

1 TB honey*

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. vanilla extract

4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 cup crushed ice

1 shot espresso, prepared (or ¼ cup coffee, prepared) (optional)

for garnish: (optional)

½ cup apples, cored and diced

½ cup granulated sugar

1/8 cup water

1/6 cup condensed skim milk

*If you use Greek yogurt, use 1 TB honey in addition to 1 TB simple syrup. To prepare simple syrup, boil 1 part sugar with 1 part water until thickened in consistency. Can be stored at room temperature for no more than 2 days.

Directions

Combine all ingredients in blender. Puree until smooth.

For garnish, combine sugar and water and cook until boiling. Stir with wooden spoon to combine and swirl (without stirring) until mixture becomes amber brown. Remove from heat and add milk. Stir in apples. Serve as garnish.

Storage and Turn-out

Store under refrigeration for no more than 3 days and serve cold. Garnish with apple caramel topping, optional.

**Dicing the apple is not necessary, however, it helps to break the fibers that result in a smoother texture that may not occur if the apples are left in large chunks.

”`Pumpkin is a squash high in beta-carotene, the precursor for vitamin A. Vitamin A plays an important role in the eye health, immunity by acting as an antioxidant, & bone health/maintenance.