It’s that time of year — pumpkin season is back! So I’m celebrating with my all time favorite adaptogenic pumpkin spice latte! Plant-based, refined sugar free, delicious, and oh so cozy, without the 50 grams of sugar compared to Starbucks!

If you’ve been following my wellness journey, I learned how sensitive I am to coffee (dehydrated, jitters, anxious, and just feeling off) after doing a 14 day elimination cleans. I never EVER envisioned myself giving up something that I used to LOVE so much — the taste, caffeine, and just experience of sipping a daily cup of joe. However, after reintroducing coffee back into my diet after the elimination cleanse, I realized how crappy coffee made me feel, and since then have removed it from my diet, minus the occasional half cup a few times a year. I’m also working with hormonal imbalance after transitioning off synthetic birth control, so switching to herbal lattes and matcha has been more supportive for my body.

As a result, I’ve found other ways to satisfy that coffee like experience, but without the negative side-effects. This led me to creating herbal wellness elixirs and matcha lattes that are packed with health benefits and satisfy that coffee like craving. And let me tell you, it’s been almost two years since quitting my regular coffee intake, and now I don’t miss it at all!

I made this pumpkin spice latte using dandy blend, which I’ve found does an amazing job providing that bitter coffee like taste. Dandelion also has cleaning properties, so its good for you too! But if coffee is your jam, then feel free to replace a shot of expresso with the dandy blend.

Ingredients (1 serving):

• 1/4 cup cashews

• 8 oz boiling filtered water

• 1-2 tbs dandy blend (or replace with a shot of espresso if that’s your jam)

• 1-2 medjool dates (to sweeten)

• 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice

• 1 tbs pumpkin purée

• 1 tsp coconut oil (optional)

• 1/2 tsp reishi powder (optional immune booster)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and blend in Vitamix or high speed blender until frothy.