I firmly believe a latte is only as good as the level of heart attack you feel like it’s giving you once you’re done drinking it. I’m usually fine with the heaviness, but as long as I know it’s made with healthy ingredients so that I don’t have to deal with the mental regret. I love a good chai tea latte, so I came up with an easy recipe to make it more frequently at home. I generally try to avoid getting drinks from cafes that are more involved than a simple coffee or tea (unless I do some interrogating), because I’ve found that they’re not as customizable as you’d think. I can usually swap out the milk for almond milk, but in some cases can’t get them unsweetened, or with healthy sugar (goodness, avoid the Starbucks chai latte at the least…SO many pumps of syrup in it).
One challenge I had with this recipe was trying to get a thicker consistency, which can be hard to do with almond or other non-dairy milk. A common suggestion online was to add xanthan gum, which is a huge no-no in my opinion. It’s a processed additive that though considered safe to consume, is not good for the digestive system. I don’t buy products with xanthan gum in them, so it made no sense to add it myself. I instead resorted to using coconut oil as the thickener and it worked like a charm!
I also decided to throw in some turmeric for an extra health kick, knowing the flavor would work well with the spices in chai tea. I prefer to use the actual root instead of the powder or pill-form. Turmeric has taken the health world by storm, and rightfully deserves its platform. It’s a great anti-inflammatory ingredient that has personally helped me heal from severe gastritis. I continue to use it regularly in teas and health shots.
Try out the recipe below for some latte love!
Yield: approx. 12 oz.
Ingredients:
1 chai flavored tea bag
4 oz. hot water
1 tsp. grated or minced turmeric root
1-2 tablespoons raw organic honey
8 oz. almond milk
1 tbsp. organic virgin coconut oil, melted
pinch of cinnamon
Other Stuff You’ll Need:
milk frother
Directions:
- Seep the tea bag in the 4 oz. of hot water. Keep the tea bag in the cup.
- Add the honey and turmeric root into the tea and stir until honey dissolves.
- In your milk frother, add your almond milk along with the melted coconut oil and turn on.
- Pour the froth in the tea, using any secret barista skills you may have;).
- Drizzle some honey on top, sprinkle the cinnamon, and enjoy!
