Vegan and Low Pro Pumpkin Spice Latte
I am not a huge fan of Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte. It is too sweet but I usually get one a year just for the nostalgic effect and usually immediately regret it. This year, I am slightly more conscious of calories and phe intake. After reviewing Starbuck's website (which has fantastic nutritional info by the way), I realized there is cream in most of their flavored lattes. I was shocked by this (not sure why though). If you are seeking something sweet, as I often am when traveling to use as a meal replacement, I suggest a Vanilla Bean Coconutmilk Latte. This is a little sweet but tolerable for those that do not care for sweetened drinks. There is no cream and therefore no more phe than a straight coconutmilk latte, which is available to select on howmuchphe.org. Of course, you can always stick with a straight up coconutmilk latte. That is my go-to. Yum, yum!
For my once-yearly craving I figured it best to make my own pumpkin spice coconut milk base. This is somewhat of a concentrate. Mix it with your favorite plant-based milk. I always choose flax milk as it has ZERO mg of phe in it. Then, add a few shots of espresso and you have a party.
The base has the So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer. This is sweetened and has a creamy base. I love using just a few tablespoons of this product in lattes because it froths so well. I am obsessed with froth and always add extra foam when ordering at Starbucks. I think it must be related to the generally poor frothing ability of plant-based milks. This is best product I have found for the foam effect. This adds a little sweet as well. You can certainly hold the syrup if you do not want extra sweetness or are trying to save a few calories. Mix it all together and enjoy!
PKU Approved Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix
4 servings each with 81 calories and 20 mg of phe
2 tbsp pumpkin puree
312 gm (11 ounces) So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer (Original)
2 tbsp caramel syrup
1 tbsp maple extract
few dashes of pumpkin pie spice (either the powder or liquid extract)
Mix all ingredients together. Add 1/4 of the mix to two shots of espresso. Froth milk and add to the espresso/pumpkin spice mix. Sprinkle a little pumpkin spice mix over the top. Serve immediately.
