tea Archives - Happy Healthy RD

It seems like turmeric is getting its fifteen minutes of fame lately. I’ve been seeing it everywhere and everyone is talking about this miracle spice. For good reason I suppose, as the spice has been touted to have numerous health benefits and has been used for thousands of years in Eastern parts of the world. Curcumin, the phytonutrient that gives turmeric its bright yellow color, has been found to be an effective anti-inflammatory and has been linked to helping everything from lowering cholesterol to helping with inflammatory bowel disease. Turmeric is also frequently used as a food dye and is what is used to give ballpark mustard its bright yellow color (source). Who knew?

Since I’m all about trying out the latest food fads I bought a large bag of powdered turmeric and have been adding it to everything – some successes and some not so much. I found that it is really easy to overdo it with the turmeric so I’m learning less is more with this spice. My favorite ways so far are turmeric roasted sweet potatoes and turmeric milk which is what I’m sharing today.

I have been curious to try ‘golden milk’ which is basically a turmeric tea ever since I started seeing it pop up on Pinterest. I first tried make turmeric milk with the powdered form. That was an epic fail and did not taste good at all. Then I noticed fresh turmeric at the health food store (I found it near the fresh ginger) and was tempted to give it another try. I’m happy to report fresh makes all the difference. To me this drink tastes a little peppery which combined with cinnamon and vanilla is very warming and perfect for a chilly day.

I used a microplane to grate the fresh turmeric very finely. I cut one end off to expose the inside and then grated from there. Peeling wasn’t necessary and helped minimize the staining of my hands.

One warning about this spice – it will stain cutting boards, hands, and even counter tops if you aren’t careful. I learned this the hard way. Now I spread out a large dishtowel (that I don’t mind staining) over the work surface whenever I’m using turmeric.

If you do not have a microplane, I would finely chop and just make sure to strain before drinking. Milk froth is optional but I am all about the milk froth. We have an electric milk frother but you can make froth using just a jar and your microwave. I have had luck frothing almond and soy milk but not so much cashew milk. (If you want to make your own almond milk, check out my recipe for homemade coconut almond milk.) Once warm, give it a taste and add the honey in to your sweetness preference. As always, I encourage you to play around with this recipe and adjust to your liking!

This recipe is for two servings but you could scale up or down. I have made extra and stored it in the fridge for a day and it warms up well too. I hope you enjoy!

Turmeric Milk Latte

Makes two servings

2 cups milk + 1/2 cup milk for froth (optional)

1 tablespoon fresh turmeric, finely grated

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

A splash of vanilla extract

1-2 teaspoons honey or preferred sweetener

Combine milk, turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until well mixed. Once warm, stir in honey and vanilla. Continue heating until lightly simmering and milk has turned a golden hue. Strain before drinking.

Be Happy, Be Healthy!

Oprah really got it right with her Teavana line. I don’t go to Starbucks that often since I am not a coffee drinker but occasionally I find myself at there and I had to give the Oprah Chai Tea Latte a try. It is a cinnamony, spicy, delicious chai tea blend that could be addictive if I let it. However, I cannot stand forking out the cash for a drink that I gulp down in less than five minutes so I decided to try my hand at making it at home. And I think I was pretty successful! Plus there is no processed flavored syrup in sight. I think the difference between regular chai and the Oprah chai tea is the intense cinnamon flavor. I thought about just adding a bunch of regular cinnamon but then figured a cinnamon tea would probably taste much better. I have a somewhat ridiculous stash of tea which luckily included the . A tea described as a black tea with cinnamon, orange, and sweet cloves. And don’t you just love the name?? But I think any cinnamon tea would work. I mixed the cinnamon tea with regular and the result is shockingly similar to the Oprah chai. I still want to do a blind taste test to see just how close they are.

I have been making a large jar of this mixture and then drinking it iced with a splash of coconut milk creamer or homemade almond milk. I prefer it iced right now since it is still pretty warm and sunny outside but this winter I’m sure I’ll be drinking it warm with maybe some whipped cream on top.

Homemade Oprah Chai Tea Latte

1 cinnamon tea bag

1 chai tea bag

12 ounces water

2 ounces of creamer or milk of your choice

Sweetener to taste

Brew tea as usual. I try to only let the tea bags steep for about 5 minutes or I find the tea can taste a little bitter. If drinking warm, add creamer. If drinking iced*, chill tea in refrigerator and mix in creamer in before drinking. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Enjoy!

*You could also cold brew the tea. Just place the tea bags in cool water and let sit overnight in the fridge.

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Be Healthy, Be Happy!