How to Make a (Vegan) Pumpkin Latte at Home!

Now, I don't like my lattes super hot (and actually usually ice them), but this is a good recipe for a windy evening (or.. when it's 90 degrees out, like right now).  It's super easy and you don't even need a stove, though how you choose to boil your water is up to you; if you only have a hotplate instead of a microwave, of course boil your water that way.  I have an electric kettle, and would usually use that, but I don't know where the heating base is right now.  If you enjoy tea (or instant coffee, or even ramen noodles or miso), I highly recommend an electric kettle.

Also, this is a great way to reuse a glass bottle and have a portable latte like what you'd buy at the gas station or grocery from a certain big chain.  =]  My bottle used to be a Taste of Nirvana Coconut Water.  These bottles are the perfect size for this, and coconut water is so good for you.

You need:
1/2 cup water (estimated)
1/2 cup vanilla soymilk (I use light vanilla, which I steal from j0hn; again, estimated)
1-2 teaspoons turbinado sugar (or sweetener of your choice & how sweet you like it)
1 bag of Bigelow Pumpkin Spice Autumn Spiced Tea (use two if you really like it concentrated)

In my case, I fill my glass bottle more than 1/3 of the way full, but slightly less than 1/2 of the way full (if that makes any sense at all?  See the photo) and pop it in the microwave for a minute and a half.  You may need to adjust this according to your microwave, mine is pretty weak.  My water is just boiling when I remove it from the microwave (with a hot pad, it will be hot!).

Steep your tea bag for 2-4 minutes.  Squeeze all of the liquid out of your tea bag (read: pure flavor) and toss it.  Add your sugar/sweetener first, because it tends to dissolve better in warm liquid.  Then add your soymilk to the top.  Cap it, shake it, and enjoy it!

Alternatively: leave some room at the top & add some ice if you like it cold.  If you like it hot, steam or boil your milk beforehand, but be careful; you need to make it in a mug instead, or you WILL burn your hands!  Glass bottles are great heat conductors, haha.

Recap of October/November!

As November comes to a quick close (what happened to it?!), I am left to reflect on a busy and exciting two months.

October was all about Halloween, both in cosmetics and in the fact that I worked management in a Halloween Express.  Can I just say that the owner of the company is by far one of the nicest, self-motivated and wonderful people I have ever met?  Working for her, and the rest of the Halloween Express team, was a fantastic experience and I look forward to next season.  I already miss my "bosses" and my crew.  Motley as we were, we had a lot of fun as long as everyone was pulling their weight.

I got to attend a couple of Halloween events at local clubs, but I actually avoided house parties this year.  I also attended a costumed wedding (congratulations to Shaun & Jenna! ♥) and met one of my favorite musicians this year (a mister Wednesday 13, who complimented my outfit), so all in all, it was an exciting Halloween.

October gave way to November, and I relunctantly entered a month that only reminds me that the cold and Holiday Cheer are on their way.  If hating the holiday season is so goth of me, so be it.  I am not a fan, nor have I ever been.  Halloween has always had my heart.

With November came one ray of light; I started seasonally at Sephora.  I am working as a seasonal cashier, but I'm hoping that the management will agree that being a permanent member of their team is where I belong.  I already adore everyone I work with, which is not something I expected.  Usually when you get that many fabulous people into one location, at least one person is a little catty.. but that isn't the case at all.  Everyone has been super patient with my n00b questions and have been nothing but friendly to me.  I really hope I get invited to be a permanent member of the team at the end of the season, but we'll see what happens.

The aforementioned Shaun & Jenna comprise Movietown Photography, whom I recently did an amazing zombie photoshoot with.  I played both model and makeup artist, and even taught Shaun how to create face texture for zombies.  He kind of made a prosthetic by the end of it all, haha.

My Nightmare Before Christmas contest and giveaway launched on Thanksgiving, the theme is in honor of both Black Friday and the Holiday Season and all of it's Holiday Cheer.  [Does my use of capitalization on non-proper nouns make the grammar nazi in you scream?  It makes me cringe, personally; but not anymore than the Holiday Season itself.]

I've also started my holiday looks, in true Beth Br00tality fashion; a soft green eye look with dark lips.  It's a very goth Christmas around the Br00tality/1313 homestead.  j0hn's dad called him yesterday to inform him that he bought us a bright pink tree.  Pre-lit and everything; that man is my hero.

Let's back up for a moment and speak some more on the subject of j0hn's father.  Shawn [1313] is a wonderful, considerate, kind man who is honestly just a good person.  He tries to keep the peace and find the good in all.  He, however, is not naive or stupid, either.  He's very intelligent actually.  I see a lot of j0hn when I see his father; many of his good qualities come directly from him.  This is a man who doesn't necessarily "get" why j0hn and I choose to refrain from eating animals, will defend our choice to any and all who dare attack our beliefs, and even went so far as to track down a Tofurkey roast to make at Thanksgiving.  Then, he even cooked it.  And it was freaking DELICIOUS.

So all in all, the last two months have been good.  j0hn and I have also moved into a new apartment, but more on that when I have a house tour ready to debut. ♥

RELEVENT LINKS:
Contest/Giveaway:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HafAMOVTKHQ
O Christmas Tree Look:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyNhYnjfNr4