This dairy free Peppermint Mocha is the perfect way to enjoy your coffee during the winter! The rich flavours of coffee and chocolate come together with creamy nut milk and refreshing peppermint to create a comforting and delicious beverage.
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between cacao and cocoa powder?
Cocoa powder is actually made similarly to cacao, except cocoa is heated at a higher temperature during processing.
Less processed cacao (to which less heat has been applied) — such as raw cacao — tends to contain more antioxidants.
In addition, cacao powder generally contains more fiber and nutrients including selenium, magnesium, chromium and manganese than cocoa powder.
Though raw cacao is well-known for being healthier than cocoa, cocoa powder is still healthy for you. When purchasing cocoa at the grocery store, it’s important to buy plain cocoa powder, without artificial flavors and added ingredients. Be on the lookout for regular cocoa powder or dutch-processed, which is dark cocoa powder.
If you buy raw cacao powder, remember that some of its antioxidants will be destroyed by heat. Consider using cacao powder in smoothies and no-bake desserts/snacks. Cocoa powder is ideal where heat is involved.
This dairy free Peppermint Mocha is the perfect way to enjoy your coffee during the holidays! The rich flavours of coffee and chocolate come together with creamy nut milk to create a warm, comforting and delicious beverage.
Eggnog’s warm and festive flavours coupled with its rich and creamy texture makes it the perfect drink on its own–or even better, when combined with coffee to make this Dairy Free Eggnog Latte!
Some notes on making Dairy Free Eggnog Latte
The egg yolk is not necessary for taste, but it does create a creamier texture which is important if you’re using watered down carton nut milks. If using canned full fat coconut milk or other high fat nut milk, then the egg yolk is less important.
If you want a frothy latte and don’t have an espresso machine with a steam wand, you can use a blender, immersion stick or other frothing tool instead. Blend/froth warmed eggnog then pour into the espresso OR blend/froth eggnog and espresso together.
If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can make this latte with 1/2 a cup of strong brewed coffee instead.
Even if you don’t like eggnog, you just might enjoy this eggnog latte. The BF is proof of this. He hates eggnog, but he’s a coffee snob and enjoyed the combination of flavours in this recipe. BIG win for our Sunday latte experiment!
Eggnog's warm and festive flavours coupled with its rich and creamy texture makes it the perfect drink on its own--or even better, when combined with coffee to make this Dairy Free Eggnog Latte!
In a saucepan, warm nut milk, sweetener, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg over medium-low for roughly 5-minutes, stirring occasionally. You can also use a steam wand on an espresso machine to warm and froth ingredients at the same time.
If using an egg yolk: In a separate bowl, whip the egg yolk until frothy. Add a few teaspoons of the warm nut milk to the egg yolk (this will ensure you don't end up with scrambled eggs), then pour the egg mixture into the warm nut milk and continue to heat for a couple minutes.
Froth the milk mixture/eggnog with a blender, immersion stick or other tool, if desired.
Brew espresso then combine the eggnog with the espresso.
Feel free to top with whipped coconut cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg and cinnamon.
DID YOU KNOW? There are over 12,500 peer-reviewed articles published on the benefits of turmeric, in particular one of its powerful compounds, curcumin.
Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant – making it great for both weight loss and IBS.
Unfortunately, the curcumin content of turmeric is not that high, so if you want to experience the full effects of this powerful compound, you need to take a supplement that contains high amounts of curcumin.
In addition, curcumin is poorly absorbed during digestion, so many different supplement formulations have been created to improve its bioavailability. Want to learn more about effective curcumin supplements? Send me a message and I’ll help guide you.
Consuming curcumin with certain fats and/or black pepper may help to increase absorption.
I used coconut milk (a healthy fat) and added black pepper to this Turmeric Latte, so you can get the most out of your golden milk!
Turmeric Latte
INGREDIENTS: (serves 1)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp honey or coconut sugar
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
dash of black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Add all ingredients into a small saucepan and heat on the stove. Whisk to combine ingredients. You can also add heated ingredients into a blender to combine.
DID YOU KNOW? Matcha Green Tea can help to support weight loss.
According to a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, consuming green tea increased thermogenesis, (the body’s rate of burning calories) from 8-10% to 35-43% of daily energy expenditure.
So what causes this increase in thermogenesis?
Polyphenols – plant-based compound with powerful antioxidant properties.
Matcha is an excellent source of the polyphenols – and contains significantly higher levels than regular green tea, increasing its metabolism boosting and thermogenic effects in the body.
Of course, you can’t out-matcha an unhealthy diet – BUT matcha green tea in addition to a healthy diet is a great and natural way to raise your metabolism and help support weight loss.
Give this Cold Matcha Latte a try! It’s a great way to start your day or try it as a gentle mid-day energy boost!
DID YOU KNOW? Ginger is Mother Nature’s medicine especially when it comes to supporting digestive health.
This powerful root can help prevent problems like dyspepsia, a common condition of weakened digestion characterized by symptoms like pain, heartburn, fullness and discomfort.
Ginger relaxes the smooth muscle in your gut lining and helps food move along throughout the system – a major reason why ginger helps people who are bloated, constipated and have other gastrointestinal disorders.
Here are a few ways to incorporate ginger into your diet:
Make a batch of Ginger Tea and drink cold or hot throughout the week (try my Lemon Ginger Fizz below)
Incorporate fresh grated ginger or ground ginger into your meals (try my Paleo Pad-Thai)
Add fresh ginger to your smoothie (try my Immunity Boost smoothie)
INGREDIENTS: (serves 1)
1/2 cup cold ginger tea
1/2 cup carbonated water
1/2 lemon
A pinch of stevia (or other natural sweetener) for sweetness – optional
DID YOU KNOW? Hibiscus tea is loaded with antioxidants and could be helpful in reducing oxidative stress in the body.
Oxidative stress occurs when free radicals invade the body and the body doesn’t have enough antioxidants to combat them. Free radical damage may contribute to many health issues ranging from cancer to aging skin, so hibiscus tea can be helpful.
In fact, hibiscus has been shown to contain ORAC values twice as high as matcha tea, which was previously thought to be the most potent tea source of antioxidants.
Give my Cold Lemon Hibiscus Tea a try. It’s great for the warmer months, when you’re craving something refreshing.
I steep this tea in a mason jar, store it in the fridge overnight then add fresh lemon to it in the morning. It’s awesome to sip on throughout the day!
My mission is to help women heal their gut, lose weight and feel great through simple and delicious smoothies, whole food nutrition & healthy lifestyle habits.
