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

An Unexpected Latte

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This Ginger Avocado Latte is the most unexpected sort of latte. It’s not how you’d think of a latte in a traditional sense. There’s no coffee or caffeine. The avocado just adds a frothy, creamy goodness. Play around with flavors of the fresh ginger like cinnamon for some spice or cardamom for a citrusy addition.

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Dairy-Free, Drinks, Low Sugar, One Pot Dish, Vegan

The New Immunity Latte

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Happy post-turkey day! I originally made this when fighting a cold a few weeks back, and the spiciness of the ginger and cinnamon opened my stuffed-up airways. But now that you’re fighting off that food coma and perhaps even that Thanksgiving’s Eve hangover, here’s an immunity drink to ward off feeling rundown and settle that stomach: a Ginger Turmeric Latte. This tea is packed with ginger, turmeric and cinnamon, all of which may combat inflammation and aid in digestion. Combine the tea with your favorite milk to enjoy as a mild latte or sip as is for a yummy, stronger tea.

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

Going Nuts for a Coconut Chai Latte

Coconut Milk Chai Tea Latte

I’ve always wanted to make a coconut milk latte. I’ve been saving some coconut milk for that random occasion. This latte was super mild and the perfect mid-afternoon pick-me-up during the snow flurries today. To add to that, Alex, my roommate last year from Cornell, sent me a care package back in the fall of things from the Ithaca Farmer’s Market — my favorite place. In her package, she tossed in vanilla chai tea, and it’s absolutely delicious. It’s spiced, but not too spiced with just the right amount of vanilla. That tea paired with the coconut milk was just beckoning to be used. I made this two ways: one with coffee (on the top) and one with tea (on the bottom). Choose whichever you like, but enjoy sipping on a cup of Coconut Milk Chai Tea Latte to warm up on a cold afternoon.

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

Hurrying for the Holidays with a Gingerbread Latte

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”

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

Pumpkin Spice Pick-Me-Up

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I love all things pumpkin, so naturally I just made this pumpkin spice latte to cheer up my dreary, rainy day of studying in Maine. I’m sure you’ve had the infamous Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks — it’s sweet, rich and full of that pumpkin flavor. Maybe it’s just me, but I think it’s a tad too sweet and a bit rich, even though I love how delicious the flavors are. I found a recipe on Pinterest for a copycat PSL, when searching for ideas to transition into fall; this Almond Milk Pumpkin Spice Latte version seemed worth a try.  The key to this drink is to froth the pumpkin-almond milk mixture before serving to get that perfect latte consistency. (“Frothing” almond milk beforehand also seems like a great idea to create a non-diary and just plain latte. New idea for a latte recipe?)  This almond milk pumpkin spice latte is the perfect cold weather pick-me-up — yum!

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