DIY Blendicano Recipe - Frappuccino for 10 calories!

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The "blendicano" has been all over the fitness blog world. I don't know who figured it out, but everyone seems to be talking about it (don't believe me? check this out). It is apparently on Starbucks' secret menu, and it consists of espresso, ice, and syrup, blended like a frappuccino -- but sooooooo much healthier. Like, 200 times healthier. And that's not even an exaggeration.

I tried it... and twas amazing.



But, I do have one piece of "beef" with this drink. At Starbucks, your flavor/sweetener options are limited: you can get regular, sugar-laden syrup, or you can get "sugar free" aka full-of-cancer-causing-chemicals syrup. <--neither of those sound too good to me.

So, I decided to tackle it on my own using Nunaturals liquid stevia syrup. Here's my take on the famous blendicano:

DIY BLENDICANO RECIPE - STARBUCKS' SECRET MENU

Ingredients:

• 3-4 shots of espresso (or, if you don't have an espresso machine, 1/2 cup of really strong brewed coffee will do)
• 1 cup of ice
• Sweetener to taste (even with the blendicano, people have different preferences - I'm a 2 pump girl, Sierra likes 4. You dig it? So, with this recipe, I go with one full dropper of liquid vanilla stevia).

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend that stuff up! You may need to use a tamper/spatula to keep things moving at first, but keep blending until the texture resembles a frap. **If things are too thick, try adding water about 2 tbsp at a time until you reach the right consistency!**
2. Serve! MMmmm, drink it and tackle the world!

Why did I use Stevia?

• NATURAL. Stevia is made from a plant that is very similar to mint, so it is entirely natural (like sugar). 
• ZERO CALORIES. Unlike sugar, however, it has zero calories and...
• HEALTHIER. ...it also does not put you at risk for the myriad of health issues sugar does. 
• TASTES FREAKING GOOD. Oh yeah. There's that, too.

Liquid Flavors:

Stevia comes in powder (you've probably seen "Truvia" at the stores) and liquid form. When it comes to liquid stevia, Nunaturals have a lot of flavors, which gives you a lot of power to customize your drink. Since I'm not a huge fan of adding things like orange and lemon to my coffee, here are some of the flavors that I think could work (and a link to help you buy them ASAP!).

• Vanilla
• Chocolate
• Peppermint

Skinny Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe (Save 200 Calories Per Drink!)

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Around 8:52 (approximately), I get the urge. The Starbucks urge. And so I make the trek downstairs for my delicious latte. Now that it's fall, I hear the same thing over and over again: "Grande Pumpkin Spiced Latte!"

And I cringe. I cringe, I tell you! Because I know the truth! The truth that just one Grande Pumpkin Spiced Latte has 310 calories in it and 50 carbohydrates! It's bordering on putting you into a coma. That, my friends, is why you're tired all fall.

Let's take a look at Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte vs my DIY Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte... Here is the comparison. Roll your mouse over the image to find out the winner (as though you need help!).

(Img Credit for Starbucks Drink)

Quite a big difference, isn't it? By taking 5 minutes to make your drink before leaving the house, you're going from 310 calories and ~49 carbs to 110 calories and ~15 carbs. This will leave you happier, healthier, and more full of energy. Oh, and you might notice your waistline shrinking. Side effect of healthy eating. :) So are you convinced? Good. Here's the recipe.

It's set for one serving, but keep in mind that you can make a large batch and refrigerate it for a week. Similarly, for those of you who are coffee drinkers instead of espresso drinkers, feel free to make a large batch and use in place of milk or coffee creamer! Healthier and delicious!