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Friday, September 11, 2015

Pumpkin Spice Lattes & Other G-Free Fall Favorites



I don't know about you, but I felt a little chill in the air this morning... Fall is just around the corner and with it the turning of the leaves, the smell of cinnamon and spices, and yes, pumpkins!  We are heading into one of my favorite times of the year!  I'm talking about the triumphant return of the fall season and the inevitable hoopla surrounding apple festivals and trips to the pumpkin patch. Not to mention our national obsession with a certain warm, frothy beverage. #PSL, forever!


Okay, technically it's still summer and the official start to fall is a few weeks away. But, here in the Midwest, the leaves have started to get that yellow tint to them and already my Pinterest boards are filling up with pumpkin-infused everything. So, it got me inspired to get my culinary act together and share some of my favorite fall-friendly, gluten-free recipes. And it's all about the pumpkin, people. Rich in Vitamin A in the form of beta carotene, pumpkin is also a good source of heart-healthy potassium and folate. So, it totally rocks that it is a popular staple in many gluten-free recipes, from smoothies to bread to brownies.

Pumpkin + Spice = Twice as Nice
Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice create such a perfect spiceland utopia in this smoothie that you will be questioning where it has been all your life. Seriously, whip this one up for breakfast or a fun fall snack (or for lunch or dinnerthere's no judgment here).  Just be certain that all of your spices are gluten free!

This Is What Winning at Life Looks Like
Betty Crocker got it so right with this recipe. The convenience of using their gluten-free yellow cake mix and canned pumpkin does nothing to diminish the excellence of this fall favorite.

Forever Yours, Faithfully
The folks at Faithfully Gluten-Free have been faithfully trying to destroy both my waistline and willpower with this beautifully decadent dessert. The pecans and dulce de leche make the perfect unexpected accompaniment to this gluten-free masterpiece.

Fall Festivus for the Rest of Us
If you're like me, you've probably already been to the apple orchard twice this season and are scratching your head at that bushel of apples stashed in your kitchen corner, wondering what in the world will become of them. This recipe is their destiny. Figs or dates can be handily swapped in as the main fruit in this recipe, if you are not yet suffering from an abundance of apples.

The #PSL Craze Is Real
Forget baseball or the Kardashians as the nation's pastime/obsession. A few years ago, America discovered the wonder that is the pumpkin spice latte, and our nation was forever transformed. Well, most of the nation. Gluten-sensitive and Celiac consumers have been trying to answer the question, "Is Starbucks pumpkin spice latte gluten-free or not?" since it first appeared on the Starbucks menu, with concerns about potential gluten in the syrups and the very real risk of cross contamination from the baristas brewing non-gluten-free beverages on shared equipment. On August 17, 2015, Starbucks announced they were revising their ingredients list to add real pumpkin and remove the caramel coloring. So, the jury is still out on whether we are (gluten) free to be part of this fall obsession.

I say, simply save yourself the worry (not to mention a few bucks) and try one of these delicious gluten-free pumpkin spice latte recipes at home!

For this recipe, it felt very luxurious to buy the Godiva Pumpkin Spice coffee. Go ahead and splurge!

I love the addition of the agave nectar in this recipe, and swirling the cinnamon stick around in the delicious foam makes me feel like an adult.

With that, I will sign off so you can head out to the grocery store, stock up on pumpkin (real or canned--again, no judgment), and raid the spice aisle at Whole Foods. What is your favorite gluten-free, fall-friendly, pumpkin-inspired recipe? Drop us a note in the comments section! 


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