Hello Friends!
Well this morning has been interesting. It’s 4:30 AM and I am up with our puppies Zoe, Pepper and Fiona and settling in for my morning cup of coffee (usual routine) when the urge to have pumpkin pie hits me. Pumpkin Pie? I never crave pumpkin pie not even during the holidays and I don’t even have pumpkin pie or any pie in the house for that matter… so what gives?
I don’t know either but I decided to combine my morning coffee with my pumpkin pie desires a make a mock pumpkin pie “frappuccino”. Truth be told I have never had a frappuccino from Starbucks but I know it induces a frenzy in Chicago and other suburbs when they introduce it for the season. I would hope that it was the fall spices and feelings of sentiment for the changing of the seasons that creates the fervor but I think it’s the flavor profile and 79 gram sugar surge that get’s everyone so giddy. My morning version is slightly lighter with 7 grams of naturally occurring sugar (coming from the 1/2 frozen banana and pumpkin) and only three grams of fat, yet satisfies the fall spice urge and pumpkin pie flavor. By the way the nutrition profile of the national coffee chain version is below.:)
Pumpkin Spice Frappucino
Blended Coffee Whip
Venti Size
Nutrition Facts
Calories 540
Calories from Fat 144
Total Fat 16.0g25%
Saturated Fat 10.0g50%
Cholesterol 60mg20%
Sodium 390mg16%
Carbohydrates 90.0g30%
Sugars 79.0g
Protein 10.0g
Energy540 kcal
Protein10 g
Total lipid (fat)16 g
Carbohydrate, by difference90 g
Sugars, total79 g
Sodium, Na390 mg
Fatty acids, total saturated9.999 g
Cholesterol
Here’s a chance to mimic a sugar-laden fat inducing pumpkin spice frappucinno at home without all the extra calories, fat, and refined sugar.
Pumpkucinno
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup of cold organic coffee
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1/4 cup organic canned pumpkin puree – cold
- ½ frozen organic banana
- 1 scoop of Epic Vanilla Protein
- 2 packets of stevia
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
- 4 ice cubes
Directions:
- Brew coffee and set aside in refrigerator (I put extra brewed coffee from the morning in the refrigerator) Coffee must be cold or the beverage will come out watery.
- In a Vitamixer combine all the ingredients.
- Blend for one minute
- Serve immediately with a quick sprinkle of cinnamon on top!
Hope you enjoy the Pumpkucinno and the great feeling when after drinking it. I am ready to rock this Saturday and hope you are too!
Have a great weekend and smile often!
Donna and Daniela