Tag: skim milk

Breakfast/Brunch, Drinks, Lightened Up

Putting Cream Back in Coffee Creamer

Annie

IMG_5767

It’s quite chilly this morning — like -11ºF chilly! Maybe it was the beautiful skiing yesterday, despite the frostbite warning (see my picture below), or maybe it’s the fact that I’ve wanted to make Homemade Coffee Creamer since before the holidays. For whatever reason, I finally concocted some this morning. It seems like most coffee creamers lack any “cream.” Plus, I always seem to crave flavors unavailable around me like gingerbread. So I fixed both problems. Any milk or non-dairy product can be used. (Almond milk is next on my list to try.) My homemade creamer is definitely not as “creamy” or thick as traditional or store-bought creamers because I used non-fat milk, and the flavor is a bit more subtle, but I’m still eager to try more flavors, like French vanilla, hazelnut or cinnamon. The recipe is quite simple: it’s equal parts milk to cream or half & half. Then, you heat the mixture to add any flavor. Sounds like a winning combination on this cold January day.

Continue reading “Putting Cream Back in Coffee Creamer” →

Dessert, Lightened Up, Vegetarian

Six Ingredient Vanilla Ice Cream

Annie

IMG_5739 Oh my goodness. I’m never buying ice cream again. Saving gift cards to Sur la table from my birthday and Christmas, I’ve had my eye on an ice cream maker since Halloween. Add in post-Christmas sales and free shipping, and I think this Cuisinart Classic White Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker was a steal just under $50. It didn’t break the bank, it was so unbelievably easy to use, and all you really have to do is plan ahead to ensure appropriate freezing time for the freezer bowl. Naturally, I made a classic vanilla ice cream, but had to give it a non-fast twist. Using skim milk and fat free half & half, the vanilla ice cream didn’t lose any of its creaminess or flavor. I added in Madagascar vanilla extract for a richer and stronger flavor and some agave nectar to cut the refined sugar. How great is it to have only 6 ingredients in your ice cream and to know where every one comes from? I think that is worth celebrating on its own. Enjoy your homemade Fat-Free Madagascar Vanilla Ice Cream! Continue reading “Six Ingredient Vanilla Ice Cream” →

Breakfast/Brunch, Dairy-Free, Drinks, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Snack, Vegan, Vegetarian

Hurrying for the Holidays with a Gingerbread Latte

Annie

IMG_5521 I’m sure you’ve had the infamous holiday drinks from Starbucks — they’re all decadently sweet, rich and bursting with a syrupy flavor. Maybe it’s just me, but I think it’s a tad too sweet and a bit too rich, even though I love how they capture the delicious holiday flavors. Of course, I found a recipe on Pinterest for a copycat Gingerbread Latte, but the recipes called for a simple syrup that required not one, but TWO cups of sugar! Not only that, but then you added 1/4 to 1/2 c of that simple syrup just to your one cup of coffee. Here’s a lightened-up version of the Gingerbread Latte. I made this two ways: 1). combined skim milk with unsweetened vanilla almond milk; and 2). just skim milk, but you can use whatever milk you enjoy the most. Like the Almond Milk Pumpkin Spice Latte, the spices don’t readily blend; that’s why I added only 1/4 t of the gingerbread spice mix, but you can always add more as you’d like for a more robust spice profile. The addition of the ground cloves to the cinnamon and ginger is what makes this drink a convincing copycat. The key to this latte like any latte is to froth the milk mixture before serving to get that perfect foamy consistency. This Copycat Gingerbread Latte has a much darker coffee profile to become a less-sweet take on the holiday favorite. On this Sunday, indulge a little and sip that Copycat Gingerbread Latte and all its perfection. Continue reading “Hurrying for the Holidays with a Gingerbread Latte” →