Pumpkin Spiced lattes (PSL) are the official entrance into fall. They contain all of the secret flavors that magically make your head react in such a way, that you can smell, taste and almost feel fall in one single sip! It makes you want to pull out that oversized sweater, scarf and boots! Well… that is until you see that calorie count! Ouch! You could literally drink your daily recommended calorie intake in sugary coffee drinks! They can range anywhere between 330-480 calories for the famous PSL from the well known coffee chain! Other drinks can range upwards 740 calories with whipped cream!
Those calories add up, and you don’t want to drink them all away with little or no nutrition. A few years ago, I fell in love with weightlifting. I did research on protein, supplements and what my body needed to maintain and tone those muscles. When this time of year came around, I wanted to still satisfy the PSL craving, but I wanted to fuel my body! I work too hard to waste those calories! There had to be a way to incorporate both!
SQUIRREL!
You guessed it! The Skinny Pumpkin Spiced Protein Latte was made!
I get majority of my supplements from Bodybuilding.com. They have great prices and if its not on sale today, give it a week or two! I found Syntha-6 is my favorite protein powder and they have a Pumpkin Pie limited edition flavor this time of year! Do I need to say more? You can use any pumpkin flavored protein powder, but it may not taste as delicious! Syntha-6 is not grainy or clumpy, it blends really well and doesn’t leave a nasty firm taste in your mouth!
Now, lattes usually have frothed milk, but if you can’t froth it, no problem! However, if you are in the market, I have one that works amazing for single drinks!
Ingredients:
- Syntha-6 Pumpkin Pie Protein Powder- 1 Serving
- Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk- ½ C
- 2 Shots of Espresso or Strong Roasted Coffee
- Skinny Pumpkin Pie Flavored Syrup- 1.5 t
- Pumpkin Spice (Sprinkle the top)
- Whipped topping (Optional)
Let’s get started!
First Step: You want to work on making the espresso shots or strong coffee. This may take a few minutes. Put it aside.
Second step: If you have a milk frother, you will want to froth your Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk! If not, you can simply just warm it up a little. I recommend that you add the flavored syrup to the milk when you froth it.
Third step: You will need to use a blender bottle or shaker cup, add your protein powder, espresso shots, unsweetened vanilla almond milk and shake it well.
(**Be aware that the contents may be hot and you need to make sure that they cool enough so the bottle does not leak the contents out and burn you. You can always stir the ingredients together if needed!**)
Step 4: Pour the contents into a glass of your choice. Top with a serving of whipped (optional) and sprinkle with pumpkin spice!
Mangia!
Embrace fall and the cooler weather settling in… but do it by fueling your body with nutrition!
Calorie Count:
- 230 Calories per PSL!
- 215 Calories W/O Whipped!
Tips and Tricks:
- You can use a vanilla protein powder. Just add pumpkin spice to the protein powder!
Secret Squirrel Moment 