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. 

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Arnold Palmer Gummies (AIP, Low FODMAP, Paleo)

This weekend--Labor Day weekend in the US--might signal the unofficial end of summer, but the flavors of summer can continue year round with these Arnold Palmer-inspired gummies. 

While lemonade & sweet tea can be consumed any time of the year, I find myself indulging in them more in the summer time than in the winter. Of course my methods for making said lemonade & tea have changed pretty drastically since I went AIP/Paleo--I’ve taught myself to drink “lemonade” with just filtered water + a generous splash of lemon juice, no sweetener, including the “allowed” ones like maple syrup and honey (high FODMAP alert). But when it comes to gummies, a little bit of sweetness is necessary to counteract the slight gelatin flavor. 

I’ve been very intentional in my gelatin & collagen consumption since going low FODMAP in July to combat my stubborn case of SIBO. Collagen goes in my tea every morning. There’s almost always a batch of gelatin-rich gummies in the refrigerator, like my various test batches of this Arnold Palmer-inspired recipe. Barely sweetened panna cotta with low FODMAP berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries) is a regular occurrence.

 While it is sort of difficult to report on how the gelatin/collagen is improving my digestive system & helping to heal my gut, I can most definitely notice an improvement in my skin, hair, & nails. Plus, a couple weeks ago, my new holistic dentist’s ultrasound scan of my jaw revealed some pretty extreme jaw cavitations (i.e. holes in my jaw) leftover from when I had my wisdom teeth extracted over a decade ago (I’ve posted more about this over on Instagram). I’m hoping that the gelatin/collagen will also aid in my (and my dentist’s) goals of stimulating my body to re-grow that bone & heal itself. When healing tastes as great as these gummies, I’ll totally take it ;)

Arnold Palmer Gummies

For the Tea...

1 large sachet of Rishi Tea Summer Lemon blend (each bag weighs around 8 g)

16 fl oz / 2 c Filtered Water

1. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Place the tea sachet into a large liquid measuring cup. 
2. Pour the boiling water over the tea sachet & allow to steep for 8 hours, first by cooling to room temperature & then placing the measuring cup in to the refrigerator. 

Note: if you can’t find Rishi Lemon Ice Tea blend, peel a couple thin strips of peel only (no white pith) from a washed lemon & steep it with a couple black tea sachets & the hot water. 

For the gummies 

1 3/4 c Steeped Tea (see above) 

1/4 c Lemon Juice

39 g / 2 Tbl Grade B Maple Syrup

28 g / 4 Tbl Pasture-Raised Gelatin (NOT collagen--collagen will not gel!) 

a few drops of organic lemon essential oil, optional, or a couple strips of lemon peel (no pith) 

1. Mix the tea & lemon juice in a medium sauce pan. Whisk in the maple syrup. Sprinkle the gelatin over the liquid & allow to bloom for 5 minutes.
2. Heat the pan over medium heat, whisking gently, until the gelatin completely melts. 
3. Remove from the heat & add the optional lemon oil, if desired. 
4. Pour the liquid into silicone molds (I used this silicone mold or into a large baking dish. (I usually transfer the mixture to a liquid measuring cup for ease of pouring). 
5. Refrigerate the molds for 2 hours, or until set. Gently pop the gummies out of the mold or cut them into squares.
6. Store the gummies in the refrigerator. 

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Matcha Jasmine Tea Latte (AIP, Paleo, Low FODMAP)

This matcha jasmine tea latte has been a delicious replacement for my morning cup of coffee, as I’m in the midst of an Autoimmune Protocol reset + other therapeutic measures.

Giving up coffee is often a stumbling block to those who embark on the Autoimmune Protocol. I know from experience that eliminating coffee isn’t easy, and I wouldn’t even say that I have a coffee (or caffeine) addiction. I simply love the flavor and ritual of having a cup in the morning. Another reason (warning: TMI) is my daily cup kept me “regular” better than any supplement I have yet tried. The first thing I reintroduced on AIP was coffee for that very reason: I was tired of constipation.

Back in May, still suffering from not optimal digestion, I was diagnosed with SIBO, which my functional medicine doctor and I believe to be a cause of my constipation. For those not familiar with SIBO, it stands for “Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth” and basically means that bacteria that normal lives in your large intestine (and is beneficial to your large intestine) has migrated into your small intestine where it does not belong and where it causes digestive abnormalities.

Because the first course of antibiotics were not as effective in eliminating the SIBO as my doctor and I hopped they’d be, I’m taking a more aggressive stance for this second round. Another stronger course of antibiotics. Specific supplementation. Incorporating lifestyle factors. Going back on strict AIP + incorporating a low FODMAP component as well.... Thankfully, none of those measures are meant to last forever, but still, it has been a tough couple of weeks, as the pool of foods compliant to both AIP and low FODMAP (plus some of my personal food intolerances) is quite small...

Going back to strict AIP meant I’d have to give up coffee once again. But the protocol my doctor recommended also suggested that I consume at least 2 cups of green tea each day, which helped fill some of the morning ritual void I thought I’d experience in giving up coffee again. I went through my tea stash, looking for which teas I had that would work on AIP and Low FODMAP, and I rediscovered a small tin of matcha. Matcha is a finely ground green tea powder that contains more health benefits & is more nutrient dense than drinking regular steeped. In my pre-paleo days, I loved ordering soy green tea lattes at coffee shops, but I hadn’t really made them at home.

I sought to recreate this former favorite & to craft it out of ingredients that were more healthful for me. I have a new morning ritual of boiling water on the stove, making a pot of jasmine green tea, blending some of the steeped tea with coconut oil, collagen, coconut milk, and a little scoop of matcha. I've included exact measurements in the recipe below, but most days, I just eyeball the ingredient amounts. There becomes almost a meditative component of making & enjoying this Matcha Jasmine Tea Latte daily. The beverage is warm & frothy & delicious & satisfying, with a lovely floral yet slightly grassy scent.

Matcha Jasmine Latte

Yields 1 serving

1 c / 8 oz filtered water, to make the jasmine tea

1 Organic Jasmine Green Tea bag

3 Tbl Coconut Milk

1 Tbl Coconut Oil

1 Tbl Collagen (optional, but it is a great aid for gut health and added protein to the beverage) 

3/4 tsp unsweetened Matcha

1. Bring the filtered water to just under a boil over high heat. Pour over the jasmine tea bag either in a small tea pot, or pyrex liquid measuring cup, or large mug. Cover and allow to steep 5 minutes. 
2. Measure 3/4 c (6 oz) of the brewed tea into a high speed blender (this is the one I use). Add the remaining ingredients & blend until frothy and well combined. 
3. Pour into a mug & enjoy! 

Notes:

• I prefer my green tea lattes unsweetened--they're more healthful. But if you’re new to AIP or a low sugar lifestyle, you could start by adding a little bit of raw honey or grade B maple syrup. Over time you reduce the amount of sweetener until you don’t need any at all. 
• This recipe would probably work with an immersion blender, if you don’t have a high speed blender. Simply whisking the ingredients together will not work because of the coconut oil. 
• Make sure to purchase a high quality Matcha for optimal flavor and health benefits. 

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