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!
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
Are you ready for some absolute blasphemy?
I hate Pumpkin Spice Lattes.
Everybody waits all year for them, and when the come out, all you hear is “pumpkin spice latte-this” and “PSL-that”. And no, it doesn’t make it any better if you abbreviate it.
I see the irony, considering my overuse of pumpkin and my undying love of all things coffee, but put the two together and disaster strikes.
So while most people would have been beyond thrilled to see this giant bottle of pumpkin pie spice syrup at their door, I was not.
I’m not easily discouraged though. Lattes weren’t the only thing pumpkin spice was made for. While I did find the syrup is pretty delicious in Apple Cider tea, I found an even better use.
A pumpkin milkshake. A fall flavored frozen beverage? Yeah. It’s 70 degrees out. I’m still drinking iced chai tea lattes, so I think milkshakes are still justified.
Pumpkin Spice Milkshake
-
1
cup
vanilla ice cream {dairy or non dairy}
-
1/2
cup
almond milk {or regular}
-
1/4
cup
pumpkin puree
-
2
Tbsp
Torani sugar free pumpkin pie syrup
-
Place all ingredients in blender and blend.
-
Adjust consistency by adding more or less milk.
Along with the pumpkin pie spice syrup, there was a huge bottle of Torani’s hazelnut syrup in my package. Now that I was excited about. {Although I do wish it were sugar free.}
It’s been in my coffee cup every morning since it’s arrival. Perfect timing too- I’d just run out of my teeny tiny bottle of caramel syrup.
There’s plenty of ways to make coffee-shop quality beverages at home, but if you really want them to taste barista-made, try some of Torani’s syrups. I had no idea how many flavors they had- oh the possibilities.
My favorite Starbucks’ drink is the cinnamon dolce latte, so I’m thinking the sugar free brown sugar cinnamon or cinnamon vanilla is somewhere in my future- seems close enough. Or maybe the peppermint so I can get in the holiday spirit. Although I do make a mean homemade peppermint simple syrup.
With tons of seasonal flavors available, I say bring on the holidays!
You can read my reviews of the syrups on SheSpeaks here: Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie and Hazelnut Syrup.
A big thanks to SheSpeaks for providing me with some pre-holiday cheer with Torani’s syrups. Another thanks to SheSpeaks for providing not only a 10% of coupon for Torani, but 5 coupons for full size bottles of Torani syrup.
And because I’m a nice person, I’m passing those on to you.
Tell me what flavor syrup you’d get with your coupon and what you’d make with it for a chance to win! I’ll pick 2 winners, so your chances are good! 
Recipe
There are two kinds of people in the world:
1. Cake people
and
2. Icing people
I’m a cake person. {Ok, when it comes to dessert, cake isn’t really on my list of favorites, but this is about cupcakes, not all the desserts of the world.}
Unless it’s a really good cream cheese frosting on a red velvet cake, I’d be much happier with just the cake base. The only real reason I see for icing is this: to make the cake moist.
If you have a dry cake, you have to icing to make up for it. My solution? Make a moist cake!
And for the cupcake purists out there, I came up with a compromise- an icing that isn’t too sweet or sugary, but adds flavor to the overall result.
Now I’m usually one to make things from scratch. I’d rather take the extra 30 seconds to measure out some flour than to eat a plateful of added chemicals. But you know what? Sometimes a shortcut is just the way to go. We’re already talking cupcakes- it’s not like I’m ruining a bowl of vegetables. The best part about this shortcut? You can use it and still end up with a vegan cupcake.
This cupcake starts with a boxed cake mix. If you’re going the vegan route, just check the ingredients. You’d be surprised to learn that some brands are in fact vegan.
Now grab a can of pumpkin. I know you have it lying around somewhere; it’s fall after all.
Cake mix, meet pumpkin. The end.
{Wait- pour batter into pan. The end.}
Your work is done. The hard part is waiting for them to come out of the oven. Now like I said, these cupcakes are good enough sans icing, for you cake-only lovers like me.
I know “moist” might be the most hated word in the English language, but there real is no other word adequate enough to describe these cupcakes. “Not dry” doesn’t even come close to cutting it…
They’re especially good still warm from the oven- not something you can say with frosted cupcakes. Have you ever tried to ice a warm cupcake? That’s what I thought.
Now if you insist, here’s an easy icing that even I think makes this cupcake phenomenal.
Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese {vegan or Neufchatel recommended}
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup almond milk {or other milk}
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Extra cinnamon to taste
Instructions
- Beat cream cheese in electric mixer by itself.
- When it's smooth, add in remaining ingredients and beat until well mixed.
- If too thin, refrigerate before using.
3.1
https://www.sideofsneakers.com/pumpkin-cupcakes-cream-cheese-frosting/
So we started with a cake mix, call it cheating if you must, but then we didn’t add any eggs or oil. Plus we bumped up the nutrient content with some pumpkin, so we’re still ahead if you’re keeping score.
Now of course you can use any flavor cake batter you want, and even another puree if you’re not a pumpkin fan, but fall is the most fleeting of all the seasons, and I’m embracing the flavors while I can.
More please.
So which are you, a cake person or an icing person?
