Skinny Pumpkin Spiced Latte

Recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes at http://www.skinnytaste.com/
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

When I was teaching in Evansville, I would stop by Starbucks once a week before school and order a Pumpkin Spiced Latte as a fall treat. I'm retired now and living in the woods, well away from a Starbucks. Now, I just make my own pumpkin lattees at home. Make a batch of Pumpkin Butter (This easy recipe is on this blog) and you’ll be ready to make this special coffee for a leisurely Sunday breakfast. The lattes pictured did not have the whipped topping. It’d be a nice touch, but the lattes are yummy (and healthier) without it too.

1 ½ cups skim milk
2 Tablespoons Pumpkin Butter (recipe on this blog)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons sugar or sugar substitute (to taste) (I used Stevia.)
¼ cup of espresso (or 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee works)
Fat free whipped topping (Optional)
Pumpkin pie spice for topping (Just a sprinkle to make it pretty.)

In a small pan combine milk, pumpkin butter and sugar and cook on medium heat, stirring, until boiling. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth (or whisk well with a wire whisk)

Pour into two mugs, add the hot espresso and top with fat free whipped cream and a dash of pumpkin pie spice on top.

Servings: 2 • Serving Size: 1 latte • Weight Watcher Points: 2 pts
Calories: 115.6 • Fat: 0.4 g • Protein: 6.6 g • Carb: 20.8 g • Fiber: 0.7 g

Pumpkin Smoothie

Recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes at http://www.skinnytaste.com/
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Here's a quick breakfast or fall snack you can whip up in your blender. Use the Pumpkin Butter recipe from this blog. I’ve tried this recipe three times. The first time, I followed the original recipe below using Greek yogurt. It was good, but had more of a yogurt tang to it. The second time, I used vanilla yogurt and omitted the vanilla extract. We liked this one better. The third time, I tried making it with pumpkin butter in a jar that I had purchased at the store. It was way too sweet for me, but my husband loved it. If you try using prepared pumpkin butter from a jar, use about half the amount called for so it won’t be so sweet. The nutritional information below is for the original recipe. Making your own homemade pumpkin butter is very easy. It can be used to make smoothies, to spread on toast, to make lattes, to put on your oatmeal and to make pancakes. You’ll find the Pumpkin Butter recipe on my blog.

½ cup homemade Pumpkin Butter (Recipe on this blog.)
½ cup skim milk
½ cup crushed ice (If you froze some pumpkin butter in ice cube trays, no ice is needed.)
6 oz nonfat Greek or plain yogurt (You can also use nonfat vanilla yogurt. If so, leave out the vanilla extract.)
2 tsp vanilla extract (Omit this ingredient if you use nonfat vanilla yogurt.)
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon (to taste)
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar (or to taste)

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve with a straw.

Servings: 2 • Serving Size: 1 cup Weight Watchers Points: 3 pts
Calories: 185.5 • Fat: 0.5 g • Protein: 10.6 g Carb: 40.7 g • Fiber: 2.6 g