Pumpkin Spice

Drew came home yesterday and said his hygienist's daughter was selling some stuff from one of those fundraiser catalogs so he bought a few things from her. I was secretly hoping it was girl scout cookies, but it's not that time of year yet, so I guessed wrapping paper or a big can of popcorn, but nope! He bought chocolate covered pretzels and pumpkin pie spice. Really, Drew picked out pumpkin pie spice? He said he thought I would like it for some pumpkin pie or pumpkin cheesecake (pumpkin muffins too while I'm at it). What a good hubby!


And then I thought, Pumpkin Spice Latte!!! That crazy indulgence that everyone in America obsesses over in early fall when Starbucks announces "IT IS BACK!" I just can't allow myself to regularly join in the craze...300 calories, 50 grams of sugar and over $4.00?! But now I have my very own pumpkin pie spice, courtesy of one fabulous husband and a pretty-darn-close recipe for my healthier and cheaper at-home-PSL.


Ingredients:

• 2 cups nonfat milk (or 1 cup milk, 1 cup half-n-half)
  
• 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin OR 1 teaspoon of Pumpkin Spice Syrup (try DaVinci Pumpkin Pie Sugar Free Syrup)
  
• 1-2 tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute (if you use syrup, go easy on the sugar or omit completely)
  
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  
• 2 shots espresso (or 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee if you don't have an espresso machine.)

Directions:
In a saucepan combine milk, pumpkin and sugar (or pumpkin syrup) and cook on medium heat, stirring/whisking constantly until steaming (don't burn the milk!). Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and spice, use immersion blender to blend until foamy (15-20 seconds).
Pour into large glass and pour expresso/coffee on top. Dust with the delish pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg. And please don't forget the whip cream