Roundups
There was no avoiding it. It had to be done. Pumpkin mania.
Some of my tried and true favorite fall recipes involving the one ingredient that makes people go gaga before the leaves even start falling: pumpkin puree.
Without further ado, my favorite pumpkin recipes:
These take less than 5 minutes to whip together and might just be the easiest dessert you ever make. The husband still considers them one of the best things to come out of our kitchen.
My heart breaks that I won’t be indulging in this classic favorite this year. Make with regular cream cheese, neufchatel for a low-fat version, or with soy cream cheese for a non-dairy/vegan version.
With a bit of a healthy twist- spelt flour. Did I mention they’re vegan?
The perfect autumn dinner side or snack…or drizzle with a bit of honey or agave for a festive seasonal dessert.
Because the only thing better than pancakes is calling them “pie”.
Need I say more?
Because you can’t have a pumpkin round up without this classic coffee beverage.
For those of us that aren’t ready to accept that the cooler weather really is around the corner, this iced pumpkin spice latte lets us hold on to summer a little longer.
[Tweet “7 Delicious & Healthy #Pumpkin Recipes #fitfluential”]
What’s your favorite pumpkin recipe? Feel free to link it below!
Roundups
I missed National Coffee Day. That’s just blasphemy around here.
I knew it was National Coffee Day, I just missed actually publishing my post about coffee because I was busy doing better things- like visiting my family.
What’s truly blasphemy? I didn’t drink coffee on National Coffee Day. I know. I come from a family of non-coffee drinkers. The origin of my undying love for the dark liquid gold remains unknown.
I’ve really never met a coffee I didn’t like {except for mochas- keep that nasty chocolate out of my coffee please!} but here are some of my faves:
ICED COFFEE!!!!!
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Lattes
Iced Pumpkin Spice Lattes
Homemade Peppermint Lattes
Mocha Cherry Latte
Fresh Market Spring Blend Coffee {the best!} {I know, I know, wrong season}
How do you like your coffee?
Beverage
Want evidence of full-force mommy brain?
I titled a post “Pumpkin Spice Latte: Hot & Iced”.
And then I only showed the hot.
Which is ironic because it’s the iced that I’ve been sipping on daily. Pumpkin spice may be back, but it’s still summer here.
So here’s the iced.
Same method as the hot latte, but made with the pumpkin milk mixture chilled and served over cold double-brewed coffee.
The secret to delicious iced coffee? Coffee ice cubes. One of those things that’s so simple, yet no one ever thinks of it. Me included. But when I do remember, it’s on point.
I like to make my coffee ice cubes with mostly coffee and a splash of almond milk so it doesn’t throw off the coffee-to-almond-milk ratio when they melt. I guess you could call me anal.
This particular iced coffee blend is half double-strength coffee, half pumpkin spiced almond milk. I don’t usually sweeten my drinks, but I prefer this one with a splash of maple syrup or Torani Hazlenut coffee syrup. The hazelnut flavor is perfect with the cloves and cinnamon. Mmmmmmm.
Hint: use mason jars to make your iced coffees and you can make them all at once and store them in the fridge for the perfect grab-n-go treat.
Optionally topped with vegan maple whipped cream.
Also optional? Making a giant mess.
I was trying to make a third jar of iced coffee to even things out. Didn’t go so well. Oh well.
Coffee Talk
A few things for you to peruse while you sip your morning coffee:
I’m shared The WHYs & HOWs of Foam Rolling on The Lean Green Bean.
Think you don’t have time to exercise? Stop making excuses and figure out how to make exercising at home work for you on Food, Fitness, & Family.
Are you an avid fish oil supplement taker? You might want to read this new study. I still need a little more evidence before I stop believing in them, but this just shows yet again that whole foods are best. 
Any good reads lately?
Beverage
Wake up to a comforting vegan pumpkin spice latte without even getting out of your pjs – it’s dairy free, vegan, low sugar, and can be made hot or iced. Plus it’s made in your crockpot overnight so it’s entirely fuss-free – just like a perfect fall latte should be.
Jump to Recipe
Fall. It’s all everyone is talking about. The calendar has rolled over into a new month and Labor Day weekend is behind us. Apparently that is a more significant signal of a season change than say, the actual changing of the weather.
There are no crisp fall mornings cropping up. The leaves aren’t beginning to turn. My jeans and scarves simply make me sweat more instead of keeping me cozy and comfortable.
But as with most things, people seem to be in a rush to push time along. There’s been talk of Halloween, pumpkins, apples, and hot toasty drinks.
Do you know what I’m getting at? The ubiquitous pumpkin spice latte. It’s all up in my face. You can’t escape it. Only I wish I could because I think it’s revolting.
Yes, I, lover of lattes and all things pumpkin, hate the artificial combination of coffee and pumpkin.
But give me real pumpkin. Cinnamon sticks. Cloves. Freshly ground coffee beans. This vegan pumpkin spice latte has all of that – plus it’s dairy free!
Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte
This comforting vegan pumpkin spice latte is not only a dairy free version of the popular PSL, but it's made right in your crockpot overnight - wake up to the delicious comfort of a latte without getting out of your pjs.
-
4
cups
almond milk or coconut milk
{I used Silk PureAlmond Vanilla Unsweetened}
-
1/4
cup
pumpkin puree
heaping
-
2
Tbsp
vanilla
-
1
Tbsp
pumpkin pie spice
-
1
Tbsp
sweetener such as maple syrup or molasses, plus additional as desired
-
Strong brewed coffee or espresso
2 Tbsp coffee grounds per 6 oz water
-
Coconut whipped cream, optional
recipe below
-
Combine milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla, spices, and sweetener in slow cooker.
-
Feel free to add cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, or a vanilla bean for added “oomph”.
-
Cook on low 2-3 hours, or on “warm” setting overnight.
-
Serve with hot or iced coffee. Try 1/2 cup brewed coffee with 3/4 cup pumpkin spiced milk or adjust as desired.
-
Top with maple coconut whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
That I can get on board with.
I’m especially a fan of this at home version of the pumpkin spice latte for 2 reasons: 1. I can drink it! Alternative milks are increasingly popular, but until Starbucks moves beyond traditional cow’s milk and soy milk, I’m out. By making it at home I can use almond or coconut milk. 2. It makes itself overnight. Yeah, that’s right. Slow cooker to the rescue, yet again.
We’re a milk free household and have been since long before baby allergies were an issue. I tend towards the almonds and coconuts of milk, while the husband prefers soy. I don’t think cow’s milk is a necessary part of our diet and it’s easy to replace since there are so many available options. Silk has soy, almond, and coconut milks in a plethora of varieties. They also have a fruit version that I want to try as soon as I can have soy again.
I like to stick with the original unsweetened versions of these dairy alternatives, but for this recipe I decided to give the vanilla almond milk a try. {Side note: the dark chocolate almond milk is INSANE. This comes from a non-lover of chocolate.}
I mulled my almond milk with the traditional plethora of fall flavors: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, vanilla, and a hint of maple. I let it simmer on super-low overnight, awakening to the most amazing smells wafting up the stairs. It may be muggy and humid, but at least until I open the door, it’s fall for a few stolen moments. Infant in one arm, strongly brewed coffee in the other, I poured my steamed spiced milk into an oversized mug and applauded myself for playing the role of both sleep-deprived mom and barista all before 6am.
I even thought far enough ahead to freeze some coffee + almond milk ice cubes for a refreshing iced coffee version when the full force of it’s-still-summer-reality hits me later in the day.
- 1 can coconut milk, chilled
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
Drain liquid from coconut and add solid portion to a chilled mixing bowl.
Whip on high until peaks start to form.
Add in maple syrup and vanilla. Adjust sweetener to liking.
Serve over pumpkin spice lattes with a sprinkle of cinnamon for the perfect fall treat.
Feel free to toss your brewed coffee into the Crock Pot with your milk and spices so you have even less to do in the morning. I prefer to keep the milk separate so I can decide on my own coffee-to-milk ratios depending on whether I’m serving it hot or cold, or so I can use the delicious milk concoction for other fabulous fall-inspired meals, like this breakfast quinoa I devoured this morning.
Not a coffee fan? {Gasp! The horror!} Try this latte with brewed chai tea or as a base for hot chocolate instead. Mmmm.
This pumpkin latte recipe would be delicious served along side of a Starbucks-inspired pumpkin scone!
Originally sponsored by Silk.
[Tweet “Easy overnight pumpkin spice latte #psl #vegan”]
Are you in the pumpkin spice latte fan club? When do you consider it actually fall?
Recipe
Judging by my love of both pumpkin and lattes, you’d think I’d be all about some Starbucks’ pumpkin spice lattes.
But surprise, surprise, I’m not. I think they’re disgusting.
But let’s be clear. I love pumpkin.
And I really, really love lattes. Or anything coffee.
I make a lot of pumpkin things. I won’t bore you with anymore…just yet. But I will let you in on a little secret of mine.
Iced Coffee.
[Tweet “How to make cold-brew coffee at home.”]
Fall is the perfect time of year for many reasons, one of which is the ability to be comfortable while wearing jeans and still drinking an iced coffee drink.
Only problem is, I don’t have a barista living in my kitchen.
Or do I?
The secrets to the perfect iced coffee:
Step 1. Cold brew coffee. It takes a little forethought, but so does driving to Starbucks.
I was always a little confused why Starbucks didn’t make decaf iced coffee, since they always have a pot of decaf sitting around anyways. This, my friends, is why. It’s a whole different animal- it’s a stronger brewed, less acidic-y coffee. {For the record, you can get a decaf iced Americano and it’s the same as a decaf iced coffee. I think it’s even 10 cents less.}
Update: you no longer need to hack cold-brew coffee. Try a cold-brew coffee maker!
Mix 1 1/3 cup coffee grounds with 8 cups cold water. Be sure to choose good coffee- crappy coffee grounds make even crappier iced coffee. {This is my favorite decaf coffee.} Stir and place in the fridge overnight.
In the AM, straining the liquid out of the coffee grounds. I find it easiest to throw a coffee filter on top of a strainer and let it do it’s thing. Ok, I’ll be honest- I really hover over it and pick the coffee filter up and squeeze the liquid out because I’m rather inpatient.
You can skip this next step, but I hear it’s all the rage. You want to be in on the trendy things, right? 
Step 2. Whip up some vegan sweetened condensed milk. I suppose you could also just crack a can of the pre-made stuff, but that’s awfully sugary for my liking. Apparently iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk {and even extra cream} is called Vietnamese iced coffee. Who knew?!
Boil a can of coconut milk with a tablespoon or so of agave nectar. {More if you like it sweet- I don’t.} When the milk comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer or slight rolling boil, and let it cook away. Reduce the coconut milk by about half or two thirds. Remove from heat and chill.
Step 3. Fill up your glass with ice cubes. Or, be sneaky like me, and make coffee ice cubes with leftover coffee. It makes it even less likely to get all watered down. {trays}
Step 4. Pour in your cold brewed coffee.
Top with your homemade sweetened condensed milk. Adjust coffee-to-cream ratio per your liking. {This was probably too much coffee.}
Stir, sip, and sit back and relax.
Good news is, you only have to go through the whole process occasionally- you’ll have enough cold brewed coffee and sweetened condensed coconut milk to last you a few glasses. You can always make extra up front too. {Or just use milk or cream.}
{A sippy straw is, of course, completely necessary.}
[Tweet “The secret to perfect homemade iced coffee”]
On a side note, find out what it’s like being 21 weeks pregnant.
