First World Tea Problems
As someone who is newly vegan and caffeine-lite, I’m still trying to hard to form new habits. One of my favorite habits was enjoying a nice cup of coffee at one of our many brilliant Seattle coffee shops, or savoring the gourmet concoctions CJ would make for me on a Saturday morning. I found that a nice chai tea latte with almond milk was quite satisfying, but I discovered three HUGE problems:
- Chai tea lattes are crazy expensive, and the costs add up if I treat myself daily. It’s over $5 for a 12 oz in some places. Highway robbery!
- Most of the mixes are packed with sugar.
- I haven’t gotten around to learning how making them at home.
Thankfully, Providence (that’s what I’ve named the divine coffee goddess who watches over those who enjoy a hot cup of deliciousness while curled up in a cozy chair) intervened today and inspired me to solve all three of those problems on accident.
Time to get creative!
At 6:30, I was craving a chai tea latte, but Macrina was closed and, as I’ve stated before, I never go to Starbucks while I’m in Seattle.
I began rummaging through our tea cabinet and re-discovered Cinnamon Orange Tea from Market Spice. This is one of the teas CJ used to bring down to me in LA long before I moved to Seattle and I always cherished it as such a treat. This is seriously one of the best teas I’ve ever had. (You can check out all their other teas on their website. If you’ve never been to the shop in Pike Place Market, you should definitely go!)
Are you ready for the easiest recipe on the planet?
Ingredients:
- Market Spice Cinnamon Orange tea – you can order loose leaf or tea bags on Amazon
- 1 1/2 c Almond milk
- 1/4 tsp honey
- Your very favorite mug
Instructions:
- Heat the almond milk in a sauce pan until it’s almost boiling and pour into your favorite mug.
- Add 1/4 tsp honey.
- Steep the tea in the almond milk for 90 seconds then remove teabag.
- Enjoy heaven!
Because this tea has such a complex flavor profile, this drink tastes like the recipe is more complicated and time consuming than it actually is! I’m going to start making this at home and at work! I’ll save money, time, an consume less sugar!
My next Market Spice adventure will include their amazing Huckleberry tea…I can’t wait!
