Pumpkin Spice

Who loves these delicious doses of fall in a cup? I know I do. However, I have been trying to stay away from the coffee drinks. Why? Fat and calories, folks. A tall (12 ounce) pumpkin spice latte packs 300 calories and 11 grams of fat. Oh, you're leaving off the whipped cream? That's 240 calories and 5 grams of fat...still more than I'd like to spend on something that isn't going to satisfy me for long. 

I do love that pumpkin-y goodness, so I have found a solution - make my own! At my local World Market, they sell a wide variety of Torani syrups, including pumpkin pie. I didn't go in looking for sugar free, but that was definitely a bonus. This one is made with Splenda. 

I don't have a fancy steamer/espresso machine, so I just use my regular coffee and the microwave. In the bottom of my coffee cup, I put 1/4 cup soy milk (about 18 calories) and two tablespoons of the pumpkin pie syrup. You could definitely use skim milk here, too. It's about 23 calories for 1/4 cup. Microwave the milk and syrup for about 30 seconds, then whisk until frothy. When I say whisk, I really mean stick the whisk in the cup and roll it between your hands for a bit. It's pretty much impossible to whisk inside a coffee cup. Now, just add coffee. Voila! Super low calorie fake latte. 

It's not as good as the real thing, which I'm sure I will have to indulge in a few times this fall, but it's keeping me from CRAVING the pumpkin spice latte. Also, at $6.99 for the bottle of syrup - instead of $4 a cup - it's going to save me a whole lot of money!