Caffeine-Free Pumpkin Spice Latte

This is the real comfort of the season, warm and spiced, built on an herbal coffee base instead of caffeine, so you get the ritual of a morning latte without asking an already busy nervous system to run any hotter. Making yourself something this good is its own quiet form of care.

There is real food in this cup. The pumpkin puree is a source of beta-carotene, which the body uses to make vitamin A, involved in immune and mucosal health, and the cinnamon and ginger bring their own warming polyphenols.

Let this one be slow. The pumpkin and spices need a few minutes of your attention at the start, and the simmer asks for patience. When it is done, pour it into a cup you love, settle, and take the first sip with both hands around the warmth. The pause is part of the medicine.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 cups herbal coffee (a caffeine-free AIP coffee substitute, prepared ahead)
• 1 1/4 cups coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon alcohol-free vanilla (or 3/4 teaspoon vanilla powder)
• 1 cup coconut whipped cream, for garnish

The source also lists ground mace, both stirred in and dusted on top. Mace is seed-derived and excluded on strict elimination AIP, so omit it. The cinnamon, ginger, and clove carry the warm spice without it. Use the herbal, caffeine-free coffee base to keep this elimination-friendly; if you tolerate coffee, regular brewed coffee can stand in.

Method

• Warm the pumpkin puree with the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes.
• Pour in the herbal coffee, coconut milk, and maple syrup. Bring to a low simmer and let it cook gently for about 30 minutes, so the flavors come together.
• Stir in the vanilla. Pour into cups, top with coconut whipped cream, and dust lightly with a little extra cinnamon. Good hot, and good poured over ice.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*