It’s that time of the year when we’re going to start eating a lot of rich foods for the holidays. For me it’s also that time a year when I like to take my favorite spices out: nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon… and drink my favorite winter drinks like Almond Milk Chai Latte!
If you’re not a huge fan of Eggnog, or don’t drink alcohol, this recipe is a great substitute for the holidays. It’s great in autumn and winter and can be made iced for the summer months.
Given that it is made with Chai black tea, I wouldn’t drink it in the evenings. Black tea has more caffeine than green tea – approximately 72 mg per cup vs 50 mg per cup for green tea. It is high in polyphenols which are natural organic chemicals or plant compounds also present in fruit and vegetables making them bright in color. It is known to be some of the best antioxidants for our diets, have great anti-inflammatory benefits and are good for the brain, heart and gut. Do be careful when buying Chai Tea for this recipe, that it is good quality tea, because many teas out there are full of pesticides which beats the purpose of putting healthy nutriments in your body.
I usually buy loose tea in high-end tea shops to ensure I’m not drinking anything toxic.
Chai Tea is especially good for you because it is also made with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, black pepper, clove and fennel. All of these ingredients have amazing benefits for digestion, can help with heart disease, nausea and are strong anti-inflammatory nutriments.
You can make this latte with any kind of nut milk or regular milk, according to your diet restrictions or intolerances. I choose to drink Almond milk on a regular basis now but I always buy the brand that is enriched in calcium in order not to miss out on my daily calcium intake.
INGREDIENTS: ( for 2 cups)
• 2 cups (500ml) unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tablespoons of loose chai tea
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• coconut whipped cream or ground cinnamon as topping
METHOD :
1. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk until it just starts to simmer, then turn to very low heat.
2. Add the loose chai tea and leave to steep for 5 minutes.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk well to combine.
4. Strain into a mug and serve warm with a dollop of coconut whipped cream or some cinnamon sprinkled on top.
