Fall, Autumn, NOT summer... No matter what you call it, I love love love this time of year. The bite in the air, the smell of dirt and leaves, the beautiful trees and of course, an excuse to wear sweaters. There is really nothing to dislike about Fall (Don't question me on this - I'm armed with an entire load of rebuttals). Somewhere near the very tippy top of my 'I love fall' list would be pumpkin. Yeah, you can technically eat it all year long, but it is magical when consumed between September and February (I stretch out my pumpkin season as long as I can).
I have recently discovered that it is not the pumpkin I actually like *GASP* but the spices associated with pumpkin. Nutmeg, Clove & Cinnamon are the real heroes of the season. They are the glue that holds all pumpkin lover's hearts together. Without them, pumpkin is ok, but actually has a slightly bitter taste and I can take it or leave it.
A tradition I hold dear is drinking pumpkin lattes. Doing so has been a bit of a challenge this year. We made the decision to be a one car family, and I am also a stay at home mom (SAHM). As such, getting to my favorite coffee destination (Painted Horse) is a rarity. However, a little thing like transportation can't stand in the way of love. I decided to try making my own latte at home. I have worked at coffee joints, so I knew the basics, why not try? After a couple of trials and errors, I found the perfect pumpkin steamer recipe (I couldn't get the milk to foam enough to call it a latte).
Half -n- Half & Milk
Pumpkin pie puree
Pumpkin pie spice
Vanilla & Dark agave
Sugar in the raw
home brewed coffee, made as strong as you can get it (unless you have an espresso machine at home, and then...)
Young Living Cinnamon Bark essential oil
Young Living Nutmeg essential oil
Young Living Thieves essential oil
Heat the milk and half -n- half (more half-n-half than milk - you want it thick, but not too thick) pumpkin and sugar until boiling, whisking as much as you can while this happens. Your hands will cramp, and you will feel like you are cooking them because of the heat from the burner, but it's worth it.
Remove from heat and add vanilla, agave, pumpkin spice and ONE DROP each of Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Thieves essential oils. Whisk that until you feel it is all blended well.
Put some of the strong coffee in your favorite cup and then finish filling the cup with the mixture you made. There should be enough for 2-3 cups. (I have an addiction)
The addition of essential oils to this concoction was what took it from ok to I can NOT get enough. As I have said, it's the spices that make us drool for pumpkin, and I was not able to get that spicy bite with the dry spices in my cabinet. If I added enough to really taste it, the texture of the drink was off and I felt like I was drinking saw dust. The essential oils gave it that kick I was looking for without compromising the texture. *Caution* These are all really potent oils. One drop, possibly two is all you need for all three cups. More than that would overpower the drink.
I use Young Living essential oils, and do not hesitate to take them internally because of their high standards and their Seed to Seal promise to me and my family. DO NOT use other brands internally. Some companies use solvent distillation. YL only uses steam or cold press distillation so we are getting 100% pure non-diluted oils.
~Grammy's Essentials Team
www.grammysessentials.com
The information contained in this blog is for educational purposes only and as a guideline for your personal use. It should not be used as a substitution for medical counseling with a health professional. The contributors and authors do not accept responsibility for such use.
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