Before it gets too hot to enjoy them, I wanted to celebrate one of my favorite things to show you: Hot, caffeine-free drinks to get a morning going. Soon it will be exclusively smoothie weather for a bit, but until then? I'm sipping warm things in my chilly kitchen with the windows open, keeping temperatures down before the warmth of the afternoon wilts me.
1. Mexican-Style Atole (Gluten Free, Nut Free, Soy Free Option)
I've shown you a few kinds of atole before, but this one is closest to the classic version, made with brown sugar and soy milk from this New York Times recipe. Atole is, of course, a thick, almost-porridge drink made from masa harina. This one is seasoned with cinnamon and cooks up quickly. Be forewarned: This is very sweet, so if you don't want very sweet things, I would say you can safely cut the sugar in half and still have something enjoyable. On a cold morning, few things are as warming and comforting than a cup of atole.
2. Apple Cider Latte (Gluten Free, Nut Free)
It's hard to find fruity lattes, so when I found this recipe at Golden Truffle, I knew I had to try it! I made it as per my usual tricks: I used strong-brewed Sanka for the espresso and frothed the (soy) milk in a blender. I found this drink somehow intriguing in ways I rarely find in the morning. It was tart and sweet and bitter, but all in good ways, and all at once.
3. Spirulina Maca Latte (Gluten Free, Nut Free, Soy Free Option)
I wasn't that keen on maca lattes when I first tried them. I don't think the flavor goes as well with coffee as with other things. I knew I liked maca in smoothies, though, so I plunged ahead with making this coffee-free spirulina maca latte
recipe from Mommy Gone Healthy. I was so glad I did! The spices complimented the malt-like flavor of the maca and the earthy spirulina so well! (Am I allowed to call spirulina--a sea veggie--earthy? Let me know.) I made this with soy milk, but you can feel free to use any plant milk. I also added vanilla because I almost never have flavored soy milk on hand, but otherwise made it as written.
4. Biscoff Latte (Nut Free)
Although this is
a recipe from Whole Food Southern Kitchen, it is decidedly not whole foods; be forewarned if you were hoping for something like that. It may not be health food, per se (we all need different things; check with your doctor for what you may need), but it's easy and delicious! I made my latte with soy milk and a grain-based coffee substitute and actually went to the trouble this time to froth some of the milk up to put on top. If you like Biscoff with your coffee, why not
in your coffee?
5. Golden Maca Latte (Gluten Free)
While I was looking for maca recipes, this one
from Good Food Baddie was on my list. I love golden milk lattes anyway, and this intrigued me because of the added maca. I enjoyed it! The coconut milk added richness to the soy milk I used, and the malt-like flavor of the maca wasn't fighting with anything else.
6. Cardamom Cafe au Lait (Gluten Free, Nut Free)
I found a recipe for a cardamom latte I wanted to try, but I wasn't in the mood for frothing the milk, so it became cafe au lait. I basically riffed off
this recipe from Platings and Pairings. I did use actual coffee this time (i.e., Sanka--some of you will say that's not coffee, I guess, but it's made from coffee beans and I usually use grain coffees, so: to me, actual coffee! But instant and decaf). I made some strong Sanka and mixed that with caradmom and vegan honey, then topped that off with hot soy milk. It was surprisingly good, though I think a full teaspoon of cardamom might be too much, since most of it just sank to the bottom and made for a gritty end to the cup. Next time, I'd just use 1/4 teaspoon. But I would happily have this again!
7. Mocha Date Latte (Gluten Free, Nut Free)
Although I wouldn't say dates are a "staple," necessarily, I tend to have them on hand. I have found they've slowly grown on me as I've gotten more used to them. Using the suggestion from
this recipe by Nourished by Natalie to serve her chocolate date latte poured over coffee, I made some strong brewed grain coffee and topped it off with the spiced soy milk and date blend. This was lovely.
8. Chai Steamer (Gluten Free)
This is a recipe
from Pass Me Some Tasty. You blend some hot soy milk with spices, dates, and cashews, and it turns into this delicious, comforting drink! I made a full recipe and heated the leftovers in the microwave the next day, which worked out fine; just be careful not to heat things with cashews for too long or they'll get super thick. I loved this, and would undoubtedly make it again.
9. Dragon Fruit Steamer (Gluten Free, Nut Free)
This one is
very basic. It's just soy milk and dragon fruit powder. But that lets the dragon fruit flavor come through, and I loved it! I found
this idea at Life's Little Sweets. Sometimes, I might add a sweetener, but because my soy milk was already sweetened, this was fine as it was.
10. Vanilla Chai Hot Chocolate (Gluten Free, Nut Free)
I made this
recipe at Half Baked Harvest with soy milk, vegan honey, and a grain-based coffee substitute. It was rich from the dark chocolate and cocoa and
so good on a chilly morning. If you like tea, coffee, and hot chocolate, why not try the combination of all three?
Do you start your day with something hot, or are you more into cold drinks in the morning? Inquiring minds want to know!
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