The PSL You Needed Like, Yesterday.

Hellooooooooo everybody!

I just came back from hot & humid Orlando, to some beautiful autumn weather here in NY. Even though I was in Disney World, aka The Happiest Place On Earth, aka Heaven, aka my crack, I had a little FOMO seeing everyone pumpkin and apple picking on Instagram over the long weekend! I hope you all had a magical time ;) My weekend was surely magical!

This weather is perfect T-shirt weather. And you know what that also means? Perfect Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) weather. However, this year, I have seen tons of health websites and blogs warning about the ingredients in the Starbucks PSL. See here on FoodBabe.com for yourself. A Grande alone has 50 grams of sugar. (Side note, I chuckled when I wrote A Grande… because Ariana Grande. Get it? A. Grande.?! I digress. I'm not funny). Also, there's NO REAL PUMPKIN in it. Rude. And I can't even pronounce most of the chemicals in it. And that's coming from a speech pathologist. *snaps fingers in S motion*

But when I came home from Disney World, my mother surprised me with this gem she found at Whole Foods. Behold! Califia Farms Pumpkin Spice Latte!

At only 100 calories and 14 grams of sugar per serving, you'll be trying to resist drinking the entire bottle. And I can pronounce the ingredients. Plus… there's actually pumpkin in it. It's also dairy free and soy free. It's made with almond milk! Which is the only milk I've been drinking for the past 2 years.

Does it taste exactly like the most popular drink on the Starbucks menu? No. But I think it tastes better. I get more of a real pumpkin pie taste with this latte!

I often find Califia Farms at Whole Foods or Fairway, but you can go to the Califia Farms website and use the store locator to find their products near you. Sip away!!

Sweet Potato Hash Browns for Autumn!

Breakfast. Hands down, the best meal of the day. Whenever I start my day with a yummy, balanced breakfast, I find myself less hangry throughout the day. 

With this beautiful fall weather, I've been craving sweet flavors of pumpkins, apples, cinnamon and sweet potatoes. Then it hit me: sweet potato hash browns. Yes, please! 

I decided to whip up a stupidly easy recipe for hash browns that will taste great with eggs or pancakes. I made enough to make 2 servings. You can double this for your entire family.

You will need:

1/2 a yellow onion

1 large sweet potato

2 tbsp coconut oil

Salt & pepper to taste

1. Clean your vegetables and boil a medium sized pot of water. Add a little salt to the water.

2. While the water heats up, cube the sweet potato and slice your onions. (I'm terrible at cutting onions because it makes my eyes water every time, no matter what)

3. Gently toss the potato into the boiling water and let cook for about 4 minutes. The potatoes should be soft enough to pierce with a fork, but still have a little toughness.

4. Drain the potatoes and let cool a little before you pat them dry really well.

5. Add 1 tbsp of coconut oil to a medium pan and let heat. Sautée the onions until translucent and slightly golden brown (about 10 minutes).

6. Add the other tbsp of coconut oil and add the potatoes. Cook another 8 minutes or so. Add sea salt & pepper to season. 

7. Serve your potatoes alongside protein pancakes, turkey bacon, or with eggs! I did an olive oil fried egg. I would normally go for my favorite, poached eggs, but I was short on time. 

Enjoy!!