You know when you’re craving a hot drink at night but having a coffee or a tea will keep you up buzzing from the caffeine, then what drink can you turn to? My go to is a delicious chai latte.
My chai latte recipe offers a healthy twist with immune boosting ingredients, no processed sugar and it’s caffeine free! You can drink it at any time and feel better for it! A chai latte is a perfect combination of bold spices and creamy goodness, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a cozy treat without compromising their health goals.
You can buy pre-made chai latte powders but honestly I haven’t been able to find one that has the same strong and aromatic flavours that my recipe has! The pre-made powders also usually contain a lot of processed ingredients and don’t hold the same health benefits as making your own.
What Ingredients Are Healthy?
Cinnamon
This sweet spice isn’t just for flavour, it’s also rich in antioxidants, supports blood sugar levels, can protect against heart disease and reduces inflammation.
Honey
Sweet and delicious but has also shown to have antidepressant and anti-anxiety benefits. It’s also a better and natural option as a sweetener than processed sugars and artificial sweetener.
Ginger
Great for adding a little zest to your recipes but also great for improving circulation and acts as an anti-inflammatory.
Cardamon
This peppery spice is an anti-oxidant, great for circulation and is soothing for the gut.
Cloves
Aromatic and great for flavour but is also anti-parasitic making it great for your gut health.
Vanilla
Sweet and delicious but also anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory.
Nutmeg
This nutty little addition is known to sooth pain and relive indigestion.
Important Notes:
It will absolutely depend on what ingredients you use but I find this recipe equals to about 150 calories per serve. If you’re are wanting to lower the calorie amount even more then I suggest using a sugar free maple syrup instead of the honey. I buy mine from Coles and it can be found here.
You can really edit this recipe as much as you like based on your personal flavour preferences, this is just the way I like to make it but I defiantly recommend playing around the quantities.
You can decide to use whatever milk you like. I like to use skim milk to lower the calories but if you’re dairy intolerant then it also tastes great with dairy free option, such as almond milk as it adds a really nice nutty flavour or coconut milk!
If the temperature is a bit hot then you can easily turn this recipe into a iced version!
If you’re not feeling the caffeine free vibe then feel free to add in a shot of coffee to make a ‘dirty chai’.
Ingredients
- 1 caffeine free chai tea bag (or 1 tablespoon of loose chai tea)
- 1 cup of any milk of your choice
- 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of ground cardamom
- sprinkle of nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cloves
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
- Warm the milk: Begin by heating 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Ensure that the milk is warmed thoroughly but not allowed to boil.
- Infuse the Tea: Add a chai tea bag or 1 tablespoon of loose chai tea to the warm almond milk. Allow the tea to steep for approximately 5 minutes. This step allows the rich flavours of the chai to infuse into the milk.
- Add the sweetness: Add 1 teaspoon of honey. If you need it to be more sweet then feel free to add a bit more honey.
- Add the spice: Add 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger, pinch of ground cardamom, a pinch of ground cloves, a pinch of black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Add frothed milk (optional): Use a milk frother (mine is from Aldi) to froth some milk.
- Serve: Carefully pour your chai latte into your favourite mug. Add the frothed milk on top and add a sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon and voila! You now have a delicious and healthy drink!
So how did you go? Did you love this recipe as much as I do? Please let me know and also let me know what you would change to make it even better!
