Spiced Pumpkin Tea Latte (AIP, Paleo, Low FODMAP, Vegan)

Why yes, this recipe is the third “Pumpkin Spice”-type Beverage I’ve posted on the blog in the past three years. My food options have changed pretty dramatically, in these three years, but I still refuse to entirely give up my favorite things, including “Pumpkin Everything” in the fall ;) I simply have to adapt my favorites to fit in to my personal needs.  You can find last year’s Paleo Bulletproof Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe here and 2013’s homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe here.

I *may* have gone a bit crazy buying squash last week... :) 

This summer, I gave up coffee when I went back on the elimination phase of AIP. In lieu of coffee, I now drink tea bulletproof tea in the morning. Usually, I make myself a Matcha Jasmine Tea Latte, but once September hit, I began dreaming of a pumpkin spice beverage. Even if our temperatures are still in the 90s and it does not feel remotely like fall, I still wanted it to taste like fall :)

An interesting prospect of this year’s spiced pumpkin (tea) latte development is that I haven’t had a “proper” PSL in three years. Forgive me if you’re a PSL aficionado... You may not think this one tastes like the real deal, also because it relies on black tea instead of coffee. But for someone who can't have a "real" one, I think it's pretty amazing.

In addition to changing the base liquid from coffee to tea, I also played around with the spices. I found out earlier this year that I have a sensitivity to ginger & thus also needed to further adapt the AIP pumpkin pie spice blend I developed last year. Feel free to add a dash of ginger, if you so like, but I really don’t miss its flavor (and my inflammation levels thank me for not consuming it).

No matter if it feels like fall where you live or what dietary constraints you need to follow, I hope you’re able to enjoy a spiced pumpkin / pumpkin spice beverage & savor it’s delicious, spicy, autumn flavor.

Note: Pumpkin is high in FODMAPs if consumed in large quantities, but since this recipe only has two tablespoons of puree in the entire batch, it should be safe for most people. Monash University states that canned pumpkin is low in FODMAPs in quantities of 1/4 c (2.2 oz) or less. You could alternately substitute another roasted, pureed squash variety, such as Kabocha squash. 

Spiced Pumpkin Tea Latte

Yields one generous serving or two small servings

14 g (1 Tbl) Coconut Oil

8 fl oz (1 c) Brewed Black Tea (I use Choice Organic Classic Black Tea) 

2 fl oz (1/4 c) Coconut Milk (make sure it doesn't contain any additives) 

2 Tbl (20 g) Pasture-Raised Collagen, optional but will increase the protein & nutrient density of the beverage; omit if vegan 

9 to18 g (1-2 tsp) Organic Grade B Maple Syrup

1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Mace  (may sub nutmeg if not AIP)

1/8 tsp Ground Cloves

1/8 tsp Vanilla Bean Powder

pinch (1/16th tsp) Ground Turmeric

OR 1 tsp of my AIP Pumpkin Pie Spice 2.0 (recipe below) 

31 g (2 Tbl) Organic Pumpkin Puree

1. Begin by brewing the black tea, if it isn’t already made. 
2. Add the coconut oil to a high speed blender vessel (I use the smoothie cup from this model ) . Pour the hot black tea over the coconut oil. If necessary, reheat the tea, either on the stovetop or in the microwave. The tea needs to be hot enough to warm up the other ingredients. 
3. Add the remaining ingredients on top of the tea & coconut. 
4. Blend until frothy & well combined. 
5. Pour into one large mug or two small ones. Dust with a little additional spices, if desired. Serve immediately. 

AIP Pumpkin Pie Spice 2.0

8 g (4 tsp) Ground Cinnamon

4 g (2 tsp) Mace

2 g (1 tsp) Ground Cloves

3 g (1 tsp) Vanilla Bean Powder

1/2 tsp Ground Tumeric

1. Stir ingredients together.
2. Store in a spice jar. Use wherever you would use pumpkin pie spice.