Pumpkin Pie “Latte”

About the Recipe

These cooler October mornings have had me looking for something warmer in the morning than a frozen fruit smoothie, overnight chia pudding or hard-boiled eggs. (Yes, my boiled eggs are cold. Batch cooking has its advantages and disadvantages.) Anyhow, the chill coupled with the abundance of pumpkin everything, found me inspired to create a healthy version of a Pumpkin Spice “Latte”.

I haven’t had a real cup of coffee or latte in a long while, but I thought Caf-lib would be a good base – and I was right! This morning I made a Matcha Green Tea version, by simply substituting for the Caf-lib. Both versions are equally delicious!

I tend to have canned pumpkin puree in my pantry for Sunday morning paleo pumpkin pancakes (Can you say that three times without spitting?), so I used that. If those shiny farmer’s market pumpkins lured you into buying one; roast her up, scoop her out, and use up that gorgeous local produce.

Try as I might to validate my maple obsession with talk of antioxidant power or the minerals it contains; that is always overshadowed by the fact that it is still SUGAR. A single tablespoon of quality maple syrup was plenty sweet for me. But, if you need an extra dash to bring you closer to the taste you’re craving, stir a bit more into your mug once you taste it. Just don’t go overboard.

Lastly, I added protein powder so this “latte” would be filling enough to take the place of my usual breakfast.

This recipe is not carved in stone. It’s food, not rocket science, after all. Have a different protein powder on hand? Substitute! If you don’t like cloves, leave them out. If you LOVE ginger, kick it up a notch!

Ps. Don’t think this spice blend below is ONLY for pumpkin. Add a teaspoon or two to a pot of chili or ground meat for meatballs and you’ll have a whole new fall recipe!