Drinks to Warm: Non-Dairy Chai Tea and Hot Cocoa with Cacao

Come inside and step out of the cold and into the comfort of your very own kitchen to make two popular liquid concoctions that not only warm you up but offer some healthy nutrients as well. (And for much less than the bills you would have handed to a barista in one of those expensive coffee shops) And, did I mention that these taste pretty great, too?

Non-Dairy Chai Tea for Two

The spices, the tea, the raw honey - all good for you. This comes together in a snap with ingredients you may already have in your pantry and frig!  Surprise that special someone with a mug of this and make one for yourself, too.

Gather

• 2 black tea bags
• 1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamon
• 1.5 cups boiling water
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1.5 - 2 tablespoons raw honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• whipped coconut cream - optional (see below)
• whole nutmeg for grating - optional

Now do this

• Place tea and spices in small pot and pour water that has just boiled over them.
• Cover and brew for five minutes.
• Remove the tea bags.
• Add almond milk, honey, and vanilla to the pot and warm gently on a low flame.
• Pour mixture into two mugs.
• Top with coconut cream and grated nutmeg.

Hot Cocoa Using Cacao

If you haven't heard, cacao (pronounced ka-kow) is unbelievably nutrient dense.  It is basically chocolate in raw form. You can read more about just how great cacao is here.  So, it is a no-brainer to use it instead of the processed stuff to make this favorite winter-time drink.  So, sip and slurp to your delight. No guilt.


Gather

• 1 cup almond milk (homemade - the healthiest - or one with vanilla)
• 1.5 tablespoons raw organic cacao powder or a little less (I use this brand: TerrAmazon that has maca added.)
• 1 heaping tablespoon raw honey (or other sweetener of choice)
• pinch sea salt
• splash of vanilla (omit if using almond milk with vanilla)
• whipped coconut cream- optional (see below)
• Ceylon cinnamon to sprinkle on top - optional

whisk

Now do this:

• Warm milk on low flame for several minutes until steamy.
• Add next four ingredients and whisk until well combined.
• Taste and adjust for sweetness and chocolate level flavorings.
• Pour in mug and add coconut cream on top and sprinkle with cinnamon.

How to Make Coconut Cream

For an every now and then treat, reach for a can of coconut milk to make a delicious topping that you would use in place of whipped cream.  It is made the very same way, but is dairy-free and contains all the sweet health benefits of coconut.


Gather

• 1 can (BPA-free) full-fat organic coconut milk, chilled for several hours
• 1 tablespoon sweetener of choice such as raw honey, maple syrup, or sprinkle of stevia, etc. 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

mixer

Now do this

• Scoop off the firm layer of coconut cream on the top of the can of coconut milk and save the water for another use.
• Place this cream in the bowl of a mixer.
• Turn your mixer or hand beaters to high speed and whip the coconut cream for 3 to 5 minutes or until fluffy and light.
• Slowly add sweetener and vanilla and whip 30 seconds or more.
• Taste and adjust for sweetness.

hot cocoa: photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rofi/4219851110/">rofi</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>

coconut: photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/yimhafiz/4031507140/">YIM Hafiz</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>