Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Is there a more iconic fall beverage than a Pumpkin Spice Latte? It even has it's own code name of PSL and people know exactly what you are talking about! Crazy! Also, I am fully aware that you either LOVE or HATE this kind of drink and spice and maybe even season... how is it that there is so much love/hate for something? There seems to be no middle ground on this one :) Well I'm sure you can imagine what camp I am in- I think it's obvious now since I am making my own at home. It's warms you on so many levels- I had to share!

But truly the main reason why this latte is homemade is because you can control the ingredients and the sweeteners and the spice. I love that! No need to ruin your day with a sugar buzz and crash! This drink is warming for the insides and nourishing for the gut and the immune system. Another favorite warming drink is the Fresh Golden Ginger Milk latte that I LOVE as well!

So maybe we should pretend this is a health tonic and drink daily throughout the fall? I won't stop you and once you see how easy it truly is...well it might save you more than sugar and calories at the drive thru coffee window... :)

Hope you ENJOY and much warm and comforting LOVE to you today!

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe 
{gluten, dairy, egg, soy, nut, seed and refined sugars-free}
for one large mug, but can be easily halved/doubled/tripled

1 cup of milk of choice (I use coconut milk here)
1/2 cup of cold brew coffee (decaf, or sub for black tea, mushroom or dandelion coffee or Dandy Tea)
2 TB of fresh pumpkin puree
1/2 ts. of pumpkin spice blend
1/2 ts. of ground turmeric
1 ts. of finely grated fresh ginger
1 TB of honey, or maple syrup or molasses work here too
pinch of sea salt
pinch of black pepper (to activate the turmeric benefits)

In a small saucepan, put all the above ingredients and warm up until it is steaming but NOT boiling! I taste test when it's not too hot to see if I want more sweetness or more spice before it gets hotter. Then use one of these handy gadgets to froth up the milk and really mix in the ingredients well. Then when all frothy :) Pour into a large 16 ounce mug or separate into two 8 ounce mugs to share. 

Then to finish it plop a dollop of coconut cream and pinch of pumpkin pie spice on top.

I had Coco Whip from So Delicious still in the fridge so I just used that to top this drink but a TB of a whipped coconut cream works too. Or you don't NEED this obviously- but it is a nice coffee-shop-hype addition when at home or entertaining ;) 

Hope you give this YUMMY recipe a try and most especially when you have some of that fresh pumpkin puree leftover or sitting in the fridge this season- this is the best way to use up that little bit of extra you had from that one recipe ;)

Much love as always, xoxo

Fresh Golden Ginger Milk

I guess I got on the "golden milk" train this past month. It's been dreary, cold and in need for some liquid sunshine and warmth. February was unseasonably warm this year and now in March we are seeing the other end of being unseasonable cold. So this is what forced my desire for some liquid sunshine. A few weeks ago I was ready to start thinking about some spring cleaning smoothies and flushing tonics, but then with the freezing cold and sickness bugs still moving around fiercely, I felt my body saying to still burrow inward with warmth and grounding roots and herbs. 

Fresh ginger and tumeric have been making me 'happy and warm' all winter. I have been buying them fresh at my local health store and have been adding them in all my soups and stews and curries this winter. I like using dried too, but there is something so deep and strong about the strength and power of the fresh roots. Tumeric and Ginger are antioxidant and anti-inflamatory roots that have been proven to prevent, treat and restore the body after many health ailments. We all need more of these 'super foods' in our lives.  And I swear they have been keeping my family away from the sick germs too. Some how we have managed to escape weeks of illness this winter and I completely credit this to chewing and sipping on fresh ginger. Well, that and sleep.

It is not too crazy complicated to make this little spicy tonic. It's main ingredients are fresh grated ginger and fresh grated tumeric. There are literally hundreds of recipes out there on the internet for this and you can google and read all about the benefits and pre-made powders and secrets. This is just the simple version I have been making in my kitchen and thought I would share if you haven't been exposed to these ingredients before.

Fresh Golden Ginger Milk
1/3-1/2 cup of fresh grated ginger (2 smaller claws)
2 TB of fresh grated tumeric (2 inches long piece)
1 ts. of black peppercorns
a cinnamon stick or a hearty pinch of ground cinnamon
pinch of cayenne
pinch of sea salt
2-3 TB of raw local honey
4 cups of non-dairy milk or regular milk (I have used coconut and rice)

In a medium saucepan, put all of the above ingredients in and heat on medium heat till it starts to steam and then be careful to not boil or scald the milk, you are just heating and steeping. Let this low-to medium heat steep the ingredients and after about 10 minutes you can use a very fine sieve or even cheese cloth to drain the milk from the grated ingredents. Then I usually use a cheap milk-frother, or you could even put in a high powered blender to get a frothy milk latte treat. 

Also, my friend Tina is the queen of making herbal tonics and remedies and in "latte" form is my favorite. Here is a few of my favorites.... Chamoline Latte, Cardemom Latte, Ginger Chia, Tumeric+Ginger Latte. Her recipes were my inspiration to even doing this homemade milk latte treat anyways.  I've had the gift of being a recipient to her amazing concontions in person- check out her magic!

I hope you are staying warm. Let this little cup of sunshine help give you the strength and hope you need to make it to the spring and summer. Much love as always, xoxo

Maple Cream Scones

Still here. Just have been finding other things to keep me busy the past few weeks with getting ready for baby #2. It is a very exhausting and exhilarating experience to get ready for another life in your house. I have a few more weeks to go before d-day, but hoping to go early. Knowing this is very unlikely, but a girl can hope can't she ;)

We also recently enjoyed a family outing to a local farm that taps over a 100 maple trees to gather maple sap for maple syrup. We learned that it can take anywhere from 46-60 gallons of maple sap to make only ONE gallon of maple syrup. And that depends on the thickness of the sap which is usually determined on what time of the season it is being tapped. My son loved watching the sap being boiled down to syrup and I bet he will be talking about the 'sugar shack' and drinking the syrup sample from a cup for weeks. We also stocked up on a gallon of the sweet stuff, so hope to be able to save it for the many months to come. It was also a fun way to spend a Saturday in the gloomy spring weather we have been having. It was snowing here yesterday and doesn't look to be any major warm-ups anytime soon.... so maybe May will bring us warmer weather and spring flowers. More hoping here...

In the meantime...I have been baking. No surprises here. We have made a few fun birthday cakes that I hope to post soon. Of course we have been making lots of pancakes with the gift of fresh and local maple syrup, and have been trying to up the green smoothies intake and fresher options as we try and bring a lighter spring appetite into being. This is my go to pancake recipe, and I have subbed the buckwheat for a combo of millet and rice flours, and have subbed the lemon juice for other juices or seed milk. It seems like we always have a good outcome so it's fun to play around with flavors, fruit and other spices.

These maple cream scones were inspired by a thought about how fabulous the flavor maple is and the need to pair it with a warm beverage on a cold spring day. And that's just what these scones promise. A simple gluten-free baked good that doesn't involve sugar, junk or gloom. Enjoy!

Maple Cream Scone Recipe 
{gluten, dairy and nut-free, vegan}

1 cup of sifted 'sweet white' sorghum flour
1/2 cup of millet flour
1/2 cup of white rice flour
1 TB of GMO-free baking powder
2 TB of finely ground golden flax seed (meal)
1 ts. of cardamon (or if too strong, use cinnamon instead)
1/2 ts. of sea salt

1/3 cup of pure maple syrup
1/2 cup of chopped or semi-soft vegan butter (Earth Balance-soy-free, or use organic coconut oil or butter) I used a combo of both options to have a little buttery flavor added as well

1/3 cup of coconut cream (I used a vegan option of the new barista original creamer from So Delicious)
1/3 cup of non-dairy milk (I used So Delicious no sugar added coconut)
1 TB of apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup of pitted and chopped dates (about 15-16 dates)

In a large mixing bowl, add all of the above dry ingredients. Mix well together and then in a blender add the cream, milk, cider and dates, blend well until you get a liquidy puddling-like substance. Then add that to the dry mix along with the maple syrup and butter/oil. Mix with a spatula and let it also sit and soak up moisture for a few minutes. Do not over mix. Biscuits and scones works better if they are not mixed to oblivion. 

This recipe will make 12 smaller scones are 6 very large one. I made the large ones to be able to freeze them and pull one out at a time to share with one other person when defrosted. 

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20-22 minutes until golden brown and stiff. If you want to pull from the oven 5 minutes before done and brush with more maple syrup and then bake again for 5 more minutes you will end up with a nice glaze of maple in the final product. 

Let cool for at least 15 minutes before moving from cookie sheet. Then enjoy with a nice tea, coffee or other favorite warm beverage. 

This recipe is pretty simple and contains some of my most favorite ingredients of dates, maple syrup and coconut. 

I hope you enjoy and make some space for rest, growth and play this weekend.

Much love and life to you!

Lemon Stortbread Cookies + doTerra oil WINNER

Tis' the month of February. The season of love. The time of year which is usually grey and cold outside and warm and cozy on the inside. Which means I will probably be enjoying baking treats, reading books, and resting up for the spring time hussle and bussle.

These cookies have been on my mind for a while, but especially after I started using doTerra's lemon essential oil in my kitchen. It is so fun to add a touch of very strong lemon flavor to your favorite muffin, cake, water or cookie. I love lemon so I go a little overboard, but truly it is a nice way to add some fresh goodness to your food.

How cute is that?! A cute little cookie shaped into a heart. I will have to make some more before the big V-day coming up. Even without the added chocolate in this recipe, these sweeties stole my heart and my morning tea time as well. Or maybe they should also be dipped in melted chocolate too? Hm... no, I like these simple and sweet just as they are!

They are extra crispy and even have a little bite to them. You can add some dried lavender or rosemary if you want to add in more flavor. Or add in some more citrus with some orange oil or zest to make it even more citrus-y and zesty. I tried this out using the simple basic flavors and it didn't disappoint.

Lemon Shortbread Cookie Recipe
{gluten-free, nut-free, vegan)

1/2 cup of sweet sorghum flour
1/2 cup of tapioca flour
1/2 cup of white rice flour
1/4 cup of powdered coconut palm sugar (grind regular coconut palm sugar in a high powered blender to make it less course)
1/2 ts. of sea salt
1-2 TB of local honey (use agave nectar for vegan)
2 TB of fresh lemon juice
4 drops of doTerra lemon essential oil (or can sub in 1 TB of lemon zest if you prefer)
1/2 cup of room temperature organic coconut oil

In a large bowl, whisk the flours and dry ingredients together first. Then add the lemon and honey, lastly use a fork or your hands to knead in the coconut oil which works best at room temperature. Roll out a small cookie dough ball ready for baking in whatever form you like...

You can roll out on a parchment paper and use a favorite small cookie cutter. As you can see I used a heart-shape for most of mine. Do not roll thinner than 1 inch for best results. Or you can roll out cookie balls and squish down with a fork or special decorative cutter to make a design. Or another option is to roll out the dough and make triangle shapes by making a 3 inch wide, 10-12 inch long slab of dough and then rotate your cuts and make triangles. You can then poke with a fork to make a decoration as well. 

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes depending on how large your cookies are. You are looking for a lightly toasted brown color. You can also sprinkle with some more coconut sugar or lemon zest before baking if you prefer. This recipe will make 15-20 cookies depending on how large you make them. Also, if you want to make a simple icing for after they are baked and cooled you could whisk up a 1/3-1/2 cup of powdered coconut sugar mixed with a TB of arrowroot powder or tapioca flour and then add 1 TB of lemon juice to thin it, and to add more lemon, add a few more drops of the essential oil. 

GIVEAWAY WINNER INFO
Now for those wondering who is going to receive a FREE bottle of doTerra Lemon Essential Oil from my friend Joelle....drum roll please....

Elena Vo- You are the winner!

I will forward your email on to Joelle and you can look forward to hearing from her and getting a little package in the mail.

Now, to all the rest of you, Joelle also mentioned to me that she would love to send out some samples of doTerra oils to those of you that are interested in oils and what they can do for your life. If you are interested in receiving some oil samples, please email Joelle at joellesgarden@yahoo.com

Thank you all who commented!

Much love and light to you today!

Spring Detox Iced Tea

This time of year the allergies [itchy eyes, sneezing, along with headaches and stomach issues] become sometimes unbearable. Especially this year because of the warmer winter and early spring with buds bursting and pollen levels super high all at once. I am no expert of seasonal allergies, and to be honest I never really noticed a problem with them until I was an adult. But, there are some things I have learned since becoming more aware of what I put in my body. Everything is connected, so why not use food as medicine and do what you can naturally.

So because the environmental allergens are super high, try and reduce the allergens you eat on your plate. This means sticking close to a plant-based diet and avoiding things like dairy, soy, tree nuts, and peanuts. Eat more seeds, greens and lots of water. Not only does this kind of diet benefit your spring-clean cleanse of your digestive system, but it will also help you clean out the build-up of extra mucus and inflammation.

And then there is this spring clean iced tea drink that I like to drinks lots of this time of year. The greens in the tea are nettles and dandelion. And then sweetened with local raw honey. So the mix is super simple and doesn't really deserve a "recipe" as much as it should be called "my suggestions". Nettles are amazing for your health. They contain lots of minerals, vitamins and chlorophyll. They stimulate a healthy liver, gallbladder and kidneys. They have as much calcium as dairy and they have shown to help men and women have healthier hormone levels. The list goes on and on, but they have been said to help with allergies especially this time of year as well. Dandelion is most of the time considered a weed, but it is a plant that produces leaves, roots and flowers that can be digested and have many health benefits as well. It is helpful to balancing the liver and cleaning our toxins from the body.  Peppermint is good for just about everything but known for it's gentlness and kindness on the stomach, nerves and also adds an overal wonderful calming flavor. Local raw honey is great for seasonal allergies because it contains your local pollen particles that if you ingest in small amounts will actually deliver immunity to the pollens. So for best results to taking honey for allergies you must find local honey, at least 100 miles of where you live. Raw local honey has so many health benefits as well. I think it is especially important to not cook or bake with the honey to receive the best benefits and also because of the body trying to get rid of mucus build up in the spring it is best to use raw honey more generously in the springtime as well.

Spring Detox Iced Tea Recipe Instructions
2 TB of dehydrated nettle leaves for tea
2 TB of dandelion green leaves for tea
2 TB of dried peppermint leaves for tea
8 cups of boiling water
2 quart sized ball/mason jar

OPTIONAL: 2 TB of raw local honey


In a french press coffee/tea pot, pour in the leaves and then fill to the top with boiling water so you will get 8 cups [2 quarts] of tea. Let sit and steep for a few hours, until the water is cool. Then pour strain the tea into a 2-quart-sized mason jar and if wanted sweetness, pour in 2 TB of raw local honey. Put on the lid and shake up vigorously for a few seconds, then put in the fridge and let it get cold. Drink whenever it is cold enough to your liking. But I suggest you shake it up before drinking to get that fizzy and bubbly iced tea affect. Then drink from the jar or pour into a fancy glass. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon if you desire. It is the perfect spring tea tonic if you ask me. I wouldn't be sharing it with you if I didn't think so.

I find my dried peppermint, nettles and dandelion as local herb shops. Some of my favorite local shops...Global Infusion and Harvest Health. But you can also buy these herbs online in larger amounts. If you are wondering where you might be able to find local honey to where you live I would check out your local farmer's market, or health food store. And if you don't have either of those then here is a local harvest website that might help you out as well.

Well, there you have my beverage of choice this time of year. I hope you are having a bright and sunny spring thus far and looking forward to the month of April right around the corner.

Enjoy and much love!