Getting the most Bang for your Bite! A Nutrient-PACKED recipe collection

A Pumpkin Spice Latte you don’t have to hide behind a Beverage Sleeve!

My social media accounts were blown up last week with people celebrating the return of a seasonal fav – the Pumpkin Spice Latte. I’ll admit, even saying it makes me want to put on a big hoodie and some sweats and cuddle up in front of the fire, next to a big slab of pecan pie, but what we don’t always think about is what exactly “they” have to put into that concoction to make it so addictively yummy.

Food Babe was nice enough to do some (extensive) investigative work for us, since the creator of this drink tries it’s best to keep its’ ingredients disclosed. Let’s look at exactly what someone is putting into their system when they order the PSL…

Caramel Color made with ammonia

Milk from GMO fed cows or GMO Soy milk

39g (tall) – 64g (venti) Sugar

Natural Flavors that you really have NO idea what they are or where they come from

Artificial Flavors…don’t think our bodies were designed to consume anything Artificial

Preservatives & Sulfites

Non-Organic Coffee Beans that could very likely be carrying Pesticide Residue

There is not one ingredient included in that recipe that is of any benefit to our bodies. And there is not one ingredient included in that recipe that doesn’t harm our bodies. I challenge Big Food to tell me one good thing that comes from that drink…except the warm fuzzies that are associated with fall, pumpkin, spice, and everything nice. But, we can still accomplish that using whole food ingredients that will nourish us all the way through the cooler months.

If someone offered me a sip of one of these to try, would I? Probably. But, take a moment and imagine pouring all of the above ingredients in that symbolic white paper cup hugged by the brown beverage sleeve and drinking it. The whole thing. Go ahead. And some people drink this regularly!

Here’s what the sugar alone would look like!

Could you imagine sippin’ on that?! Bleh!!! Yuck!! No Thanks!! We could talk all day about the health epidemic that sugar has cause our modern world, but we will save that for another day.

So then, what can those of us who prefer to nourish our bodies by what we eat and drink, instead of destroy them, enjoy as the weather starts getting cooler and we pull out our tall boots and chunky sweaters?? I wouldn’t mind blending up a slice of that pecan pie I mentioned earlier, but I don’t think that would be very nutrient dense either ;p So, instead, here ya go…here are a few recipes I have used to put a little fall season in my mug. Keep in mind that all of these ingredients have nutrient-dense as well as nutrient-void versions. For example, if a recipe calls for coconut milk, you would want to look for a coconut, haha or a can of organic, full-fat coconut milk with nothing added, or if it calls for almond milk, make your own, it is SO easy!! Keep your ghee and butter from grass-fed cows and buy organic coffee and spices to maximize the nutritional benefit and minimize toxins and anti-nutrients. Please read labels if you buy processed and packaged ingredients. Chances are, if you can’t pronounce it, it didn’t come from nature and will do your body no good in consuming it.

Diane Sanfilippo offers this beaut on her Instagram