Autumn Bulletproof Latte

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Happy, happy autumn, everyone! At precisely 9:54 P.M. today, my favorite season of the year will have begun! Why is it my favorite season? Well, I'm so glad you asked! Fall means crunchy leaves and brisk weather, sweaters, and lots of tea. Halloween and Thanksgiving take place in autumn, we can enjoy delicious bowls of hot soup, and carve pumpkins into cats and bats. And speaking of pumpkins... it's also Pumpkin Spice season! I have this very vivid memory of sitting in my local Starbucks sipping a warm Pumpkin Spice steamed milk with my dad and sister. Mom always left for work too early to come, but sometimes, Dad would take Abby and me to the coffee shop for a special breakfast treat. My order would either be a slice of thick pumpkin bread or a bacon and cheese sandwich with a Pumpkin Spice steamer. Mmmm. Those were good times.

But there is a slight problem. Now a days, I'd probably get a Pumpkin Spice Latte instead of a steamer (I'm gradually warming up to coffee). And the sugar content in a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is pretty incredible. According to Starbucks.com, a grande Pumpkin Spice Latte with 2% milk and whipped cream clocks in with 50 grams of sugar and 52 grams of carbohydrates! And although I disagree with the American Heart Association on some things, I think it's important to mention the society's statement that women should consume "25 grams or 6 teaspoons" of sugar a day while men should only consume up to "37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons" ("Daily Intake of Sugar — How Much Sugar Should You Eat Per Day?"). So, if I were to have a Pumpkin Spice Latte, I would be eating double the amount of sugar that is suggested as reasonably acceptable! And please note that sugar is by absolutely no means a vital nutrient, so in reality, you don't really need to consume any.

But the thing is... Pumpkin Spice Lattes taste so darn good. That's why I decided to create my own.

Sure, this recipe doesn't taste exactly like the Starbucks creation, because my ingredient list is quite different from theirs. The Starbucks website tells us that their Pumpkin Spice Latte is made of "Milk, Pumpkin Spice Sauce [Sugar, Condensed Skim Milk, Pumpkin Puree, Contains 2% Or Less Of Fruit And Vegetable Juice For Color, Natural Flavors, Annatto, Salt, Potassium Sorbate], Brewed Espresso, Whipped Cream [Cream (Cream, Mono And Diglycerides, Carageenan), Vanilla Syrup (Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid)], Pumpkin Spice Topping [Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, And Cloves]." Sorry, Starbucks. I'm not trying to bash you; in fact, I absolutely love your unsweetened iced green tea. I'm just trying to make a point about sugar.

So dear reader, if you (like me) are craving a better-for-your-body autumn-y coffee drink, look no further! Here is my recipe for an Autumn Bulletproof Latte. If you are on the Ketogenic or a low-carb diet, this is perfect for you. Please note that this is more of a meal than a drink, as it's extremely rich and nutrient-dense.

Maya's Autumn Bulletproof Latte - Serves 2
Ingredients
  • 1 large cup of coffee 
  • 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup of half and half
  • 1 to 2 Tbsps of butter or MCT oil
  • Sweetener to taste. I am partial to sweeter drinks, and so used about 2 Tbsps of Yacon Syrup. Other sweetener options include monk fruit or honey. 
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice (you can buy some or make your own!)
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1 cinnamon stick
Execution
Brew one cup of strong coffee, and pour it into a pot on the stove. Heat the stove to low-medium heat, and add your heavy whipping cream and half and half. If you are looking for a less rich drink, try to substitute the cream and half and half with almond milk. It will be less creamy, but should still taste fantastic. Place your slab of butter or MCT oil in the pot, and stir into the liquid until melted. Sprinkle in your pumpkin spice, and add your vanilla bean paste. Stir in your sweetener until melted and sufficiently mixed. Taste the latte to ensure that it is sweet enough. Finally, add your cinnamon stick and allow the beverage to simmer for a minute or two. Then remove the cinnamon stick, carefully pour into two mugs (don't burn yourself!) and enjoy!

"And all at once, summer collapsed into fall." - Oscar Wilde

That's all for today, everyone. Now, go and jump in the leaves!
- Maya

Photo by Maya, Photo by Rula Sibai on Unsplash, Photo by Maya, 
Photo by Ablimit Ablet on Unsplash, Photo by Tereza Hošková on Unsplash

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