It's that time again - #PSL season!! Being the "basic bitch" that I am, I hold all things pumpkin spice very near and dear to my heart. That means pumpkin spice everything is happening whether you like it or not. Haters please exit the building :) When I had my first Starbucks pumpkin spice latte YEARS ago, back when I could still tolerate milk (or at least thought I could), I took one sip and like every sane person on earth found it absolutely divine! Unfortunately the latte doesn't fit into my lifestyle not only because of the dairy, but also because a grande PSL made with 2% milk and whipped cream has 380 calories, 14g of fat, 50g of sugar and 52g of carbohydrates. I'm not saying I don't splurge on treats from time to time, because I most certainly do, but if I am consuming all of those calories, fats, sugars and carbs, I'd rather it be in food form like a cookie or a naughty banana chocolate chip pancake! Despite not having the official Starbucks PSL since the first time back in probably 2010, I still think about it to this day. During the fall, I will find any way to add pumpkin spice to my day and this pre or post-workout protein shake is no exception. This baby has it all, coffee, real pumpkin, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, vanilla and protein! What more could you want in a protein shake?

Pumpkin Spice Latte Protein Shake

1 scoop vanilla protein powder or pumpkin seed protein (only 1 ingredient yay!)
8oz chocolate or vanilla almond milk
1 serving instant coffee (preferably organic)
½ cup pumpkin puree' (NOT pumpkin pie mix to avoid loads of sugar)
A dash or two of cinnamon
A dash of pumpkin spice
Stevia to taste

Optional: Add So Delicious whipped topping or Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips

**Modification: You can use cold coffee instead of instant by adding a half cup of cold coffee and reducing your almond milk to about a 1/2 cup. You will want to play around with the ratios to suit your taste buds.

Blend together with a couple ice cubes and enjoy!

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We are Chris and Amber, a husband and wife team dedicated to helping you improve your nutritional and personal fitness habits for a better lifestyle. If you have issues with bloating, inability to lose fat, brain fog, or are in need of a proven nutrition and fitness plan to get you out of a rut, then sign up for our 28-Day Beat Belly Bloat Program today!

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Welcome to Awakened Nutrition! I am so excited to be able to connect you here!

My name is Amber, I am originally from sunny Florida and I now live in beautiful Brooklyn, NY. I moved up to NYC in September of 2008 and at the time I was a vegetarian and the heaviest I had weighed in my life.

I met Chris, the love of my life, while working together at a boutique hotel in lower Manhattan. By this time I had started eating meat again, but my diet was far from healthy. Chris was also working as a part-time personal trainer and I eventually went to him for help with my weight. He explained the importance of a healthy diet which consisted of having protein, healthy fats and complex carb with every meal, and advised me to eat 5 to 6 meals per day. This wasn't like the diets I was used to where I expected quick weight loss results, this was a healthy way of eating where I could expect gradual and safe weight loss. He then went into the importance of having a consistent weight training and cardio routine. He had to reassure me that weight training would not “bulk” me up, but that it would create lean muscle that would turn me into a fat burning machine! I took all of the wonderful information he gave me, as well as information I read from magazines and fitness websites and started on a NEW journey. I eventually lost 17lbs and got into the best shape of my life!

In July 2011, I started my blog Exsoycise and started to share my soy-free health and fitness journey. My goal has been to show others that eating healthy foods does not have to be difficult or boring; it can be an easy process and taste delicious at the same time!

Over the last year and a half of blogging, I realized that I wanted to do so much more than just blog about my own health and fitness journey. Comments and emails started pouring in from various social media websites, and text messages from friends started coming through on my phone, everyone was asking me for health, fitness, and weight loss tips. I realized that without even knowing it, that I was a health coach! I knew my passion alone did not qualify me to be a health coach, and because I wanted to have the chance to help even more people achieve their health goals, I decided it was time to go back to school!

I am currently enrolled at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and am now coaching clients! During my training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I have been trained in more than one hundred dietary theories and studied a variety of practical lifestyle coaching methods. Drawing on this knowledge, I will help others create a completely personalized “roadmap to health” that suits their unique body, lifestyle, preferences, and goals.

When I am not blogging and studying, I am creating new healthy recipes, exploring New York City with my love, and working on my own health goals!