In the winter, I love to consume anything warm, from soups to teas to coffees. I am always searching for ways to do this…internet, cookbooks, blogs, etc.
In our “Cookbook of the Month,” Whole Food Cooking Everyday, there is a whole section on nut milks that I have been exploring. (BTW I am loving this cook book. Everything is so delicious. And, as I type this, Amy Chaplin, the author, is cooking on The Today Show. Go figure.)
As I was exploring the nut milk section, I decided to play with making my own plant-based creamer. I already purchase these creamers for our coffee, and I don’t mind telling you, they can get expensive. Some getting in the $5 range for 16 ounces. Really?
In this recipe, 1/2 cup of almonds will make 16 ounces of creamer. That adds up to $1.13 vs. the $5 one from the grocer. Plus, there are no additives, preservatives, or gums. And, you can add in any flavors and/or sweeteners of your choice.
You could add pumpkin pie spice or vanilla or cinnamon. You could actually have fun with all of these different flavors.
But, here for a warm, wintry day, I have for you a “chai-flavored” creamer. And, then I’ll explain how I made a “chai-latte” with it.
Here’s how I did it:
I started with 1/2 cup of whole almonds.
Using filtered water, I soaked the nuts overnight.
The water became murky a little. Not to worry.
I then strained and rinsed them.
To a blender, I added the soaked almonds and 2 cups of fresh, filtered water.
I blended until smooth.
I then place a clean strainer over a large measuring cup. 
And a cheese cloth over the strainer. (You can also use a kitchen towel or a “nut bag.“)
I poured the nut mixture through the cheese cloth and let drain. It took an hour or so. I would further it along at times by squeezing the cheese cloth.
After everything was said and done, it made approximately 2 cups or 16 ounces.
(FYI… I saved the almond pulp to make seed crackers. I’ll keep you posted on that through IG stories.)
To the milk, I added freshly-ground black pepper, ground cinnamon, cardamom and fresh, peeled ginger to make it a chai. To make it a creamer, I just stirred these flavors in and placed in the fridge, but….
To make this a latte, I put the milk and these flavors into the blender to froth the milk. I also tried this after having the “chai creamer” in the fridge for a while. It still worked the same.
After pouring myself a decent cup of coffee, I topped it off with my frothy mix. I added just a hint of light agave for a little sweetness. But, you could definitely add a sweetener of your choice or no sweetener at all.
For a little garnish, I sprinkled a little more ground cinnamon on top. Talk about warm me up!!!
Creamer Recipe:
1/2 cup raw almonds
4 cups of filtered water, divided
1//1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamon
1 inch ginger
6 twists of fresh ground pepper
Soak the almonds in 2 cups of the water overnight. Drain and rinse. In a blender, blender the almonds and the remaining 2 cups of water.
Place a cheese cloth or thin kitchen towel over a strainer. Place the strainer over a bowl. Pour the almond mixture over the cheese cloth and let strain. Add the spices and mix well. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days.
Latte Recipe:
Freshly brewed coffee, caf or decaf
Approximately 1/2 cup of chai creamer (you decide)
Ground cinnamon for garnish
Place creamer in the blender and blend until frothy. Pour a cup of coffee about 3/4 of the way into a cup or mug. Top with frothy mixture and a dash of cinnamon.
Enjoy!!
Toodle-oo,
Melanie
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