Skip to main content

Pumpkin Spice Latte

It's that time of the year again.....


I haven't had one yet from Starbucks this year. In fact, I've boycotted Starbucks for quite a few months. I've boycotted all coffee shops since I finished school. Because, sometimes I feel like I'm drinking this:


It's been cooling off during the nights & mornings here lately, and last weekend left us craving some fall "treats".

So I purchased a few cans of pumpkin at the grocery store - and decided to incorporate a little Beta Carotene into our diets! :)

Ryan and I got up Saturday morning and headed outdoors for a run. Ryan accompanied me for 5 miles of my 9 miler - which was a pleasant and enjoyable surprise! I haven't ran with another person in about a year!! So this was great!

After our run I made Ryan some egg-o-licious breakfast burritos. And I made me some Pumpkin Oatmeal -- kind of made this on a whim. Here's the creation I highly recommend!

-1/2 cup Old Fashioned Oats
-1 cup water
-3-4 spoonfuls of pumpkin
-Splenda & Pumpkin Seasoning sprinkled to your delight
-1 banana, sliced up

*Just make the oatmeal according to the package directions on the stove. Add your pumpkin, seasoning, and banana before serving. Mm Mm Mm!

And now for the highlight of this post!

My Pumpkin Spice Latte (this made a little over 2 servings worth)

-2 cups skim milk
-3 Tbsp pumpkin (from the can or puree)
-2 Tbsp sugar (or Splenda, like I did)
-2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract (Yes, I know. This seems like a lot - but it's correct!)
-1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
-1-2 shots espresso OR 1/2 cup STONG brewed coffee (I just doubled the amount of coffee beans)

* In saucepan - combine milk, pumpkin, & sugar. Cook on medium heat stirring constantly until steaming.
*Remove from heat once streaming, stir in vanilla & pumpkin spice
*Transfer to blender (or use frother if you have one) and process for about 20 seconds until foamy.
*Pour into large mugs, add your coffee/espresso.
*You can top this with whipped cream, if desired and sprinkle a little pumpkin pie spice for good looks! ;)

While drinking this, you may want to stir it every once in awhile.

These warmed my soul!

Comments

Unknown said…
I've never been one for flavored coffee, but this sounds very interesting. I would have to use soy milk instead, perhaps vanilla soy milk?
Lisa's Yarns said…
Oh yum! I am a sucker for a Pumpkin Spice Latte! I need to make this beause they are SO pricey!!

We def need to run together T-giving weekend! It can be a 'slow' run for you. :)
Amber said…
YUM! That sounds great! I will have to try making it at home because it is much too expensive to buy them at Starbucks all the time!

I adore pumpkin oatmeal :)
qwerkyqook said…
YUM!! Thanks Abby! Weekend excitement is in store for me...as soon as I dust off my blender!

Popular posts from this blog

What is your color?

Green My favorite color ever! I have to control myself to not purchase too many green things. If I had no control, my house would be green. My kitchen would be lime-themed. With greenery everywhere. My bathrooms would be green. My bedroom would be green. You would all feel nauseated-green after entering my home. (So I don't have a green-themed home) Many things I love are green, such as: Spinach (I eat it a minimum twice a day usually) My weding color was green. (clover green) Limes (I have at least one time a day) Grass. I love the feel of grass, especially since I see it so rarely in AZ (except in my neighborhood that has amazing landscapers with grass-galore) Palm trees. Any tree. Christmas trees. I love Christmas Green Beer. I think the green beer on St. Patty's Day tastes better. My favorite color of eyes. When I was in 9th grade, I so badly wanted to get green contacts. But they made me keep my brown eyes. Diet Mountain Dew (my guilty pleasure) Granny Smith...

One Confused Lady

Yesterday morning was packed with a session of cross training.....rushed home to shower and get professional-looking....headed across town for an interview.....kicked butt at my interview...."bopped" over to our house to see the progress of the build......headed to the "design center" to sign more paperwork.... (Side note: I cannot get over just how much paperwork is involved in building a house. Holy Hannah. And we haven't even closed !!! Iy-yi-yi....Those lovely people in history who got law-suit-happy.....God bless 'em.) Yesterday was a good day! So here's a little humor for your Thursday. A little thought. A little depth.....( A little cynical rant ) Afterwards, I decided to head to one of my favorite places to peruse.... Target. But my experience at Target was far from fun, relaxing, or pleasant. Just confusing. Loud. Crazy. Despite many screaming children-temper tantrums.... Which is common and un-escapable. Although screaming chi...

A weekend of the great outdoors

As I am preparing for my return to the real world tomorrow, I feel a strong sense of dread. As I won't have a weekend or free week for a long while! Instead of focusing on that.......I'm sharing a few snapshots from our awesome weekend! This weekend we were in Big Lake, AZ -- which is about 20 miles from the New Mexico border (just 5 1/2 hours from our house). (last weekend we were in Parker Canyon...which I will blog about another day) We camped from Friday-Monday, which was the perfect length of time. The temperatures were a great escape from hot Tucson. In fact...it was VERY cold at night. It was in the low 30's at night, 60's during the day. The trout fishing was incredible. Here's a few snapshots: Home Sweet Home for the weekend! Look at the giant tree I cut down!!! Wow!! (Okay, this was posed...) But...Ryan did teach me how to use a wood-saw! There were tons of dead/fallen trees lying around. So we cut all our firewood for the weekend! I felt very ...