I'm a walking cliché of someone who is obsessed with Fall: I love layering sweaters and scarves, practically live in my riding boots, and eat and drink everything that's pumpkin spice flavoured. (I even dragged my husband to a sad little pumpkin patch in the middle of Queens one October, but that's a tale for another time). The problem with indulging in all the treats of the season, however, is that they're usually packed with sugar and calories.

Take Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte [1] for example. If you order a traditional Grande how, made with whole milk and whipped cream, the drink contains 420 calories, 18 grams of fat, 52 grams of carbs, and 50 grams of sugar — yikes! And while there are ways to make it healthier [2], that's still a lot of sugar for a breakfast beverage. Consuming that much sugar first thing in the morning is sure to spike your blood sugar, only to make it crash by mid-morning, leaving you with hunger pangs and craving more simple carbs.

Since I love the flavours of pumpkin spice, especially in my coffee, I have found a simple way to make it healthier. I start with pumpkin spice flavoured coffee grounds, such as Joe's Harvest Pumpkin Spice Coffee [3] ($10 for a 12-ounce bag on Amazon). Instead of whole milk or my beloved unsweetened almond milk, I add another punch of pumpkin spice flavour with Pumpkin Spice Nutpods [4] ($15 for a four-pack on Amazon). When I did Whole30 [5] a couple years ago, Nutpods were a life-saver: they're sugar-free, dairy-free, and made with coconut cream and almond milk, which means they are Paleo, Whole30-compliant, and keto-friendly. The Pumpkin Spice Nutpods have just the right amount of Fall flavour without being too overwhelming.

If I'm craving something a little sweeter I'll add a drop or two of liquid stevia, but usually I don't need it. And then I top it off with a sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice (I use the one from Trader Joe's [6]). One cup of my pumpkin spice coffee is about 12 calories, one gram of fat, and zero grams of sugar. Since I usually have more than one cup — which is just a measly eight ounces and who can survive on just eight ounces of coffee in the morning? — I typically consume about 25 calories, two grams of fat, and zero grams of sugar in my morning Fall coffee.

And since I'm a ride-or-die iced coffe [7]e fan, I typically drink it cold, even in chilly temps. I use the coffee grounds in my Hario Cold Brew Coffee Wine Bottle [8] ($23 on Amazon) to steep overnight, then add my Nutpods creamer and pumpkin spice the next morning.

If you're craving a Fall coffee with a fraction of the calories and no sugar, try making this concoction at home. It pairs nicely with a blanket scarf and puffy vest.