Hey guys! I’m in lovely Hilton Head, South Caroline for a few days and have a guest blog for you from Mary Kate over at Damn Fine Fitness. I’ll be back tomorrow. Enjoy!
The weather is starting to cool down and Thanksgiving (and Christmas — what??) is fast approaching. Starting back when I was a kid, these months always possessed a few key things that made the freezing temperatures and insane amounts of snow bearable. Hot cocoa after shoveling, huge jackets, warming up by the fire, and eventually, when I reached high school, things like pumpkin spice lattes and making sure my pashmina matched my shoes (I blame my sister). As I got older, I realized that, although delicious, these warming winter drinks like hot cocoa and pumpkin spice lattes are not exactly superfoods. So I decided to try to make some healthier versions of my favorite drinks to keep that late-Fall/Winter spirit alive. Now you may not live in a place where you have to deal with the snow and possibility of frostbite when you go to get your mail, but these drinks are delicious no matter where you are. Not only that, they are completely vegan, gluten free, and even contain some yummy superfoods! Who says we can’t spice up winter a little bit? 🙂
To keep things interesting, I’ve made four different drinks — two childhood favorites and two drinks for you 21+ers. Try them out and let me know what you think! Don’t forget to tag @SarahFit on Instagram if you make them!
Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte:
— ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
— 1 tbsp chai tea/1 tea bag
— 1 cup non-dairy milk (use rice milk if you want it extra sweet! I used homemade almond milk)
— Maple syrup or stevia
— ½ tbsp chia seeds (optional)
— 2 tbsp vanilla protein powder (I used Vanilla PerfectFit)
Vegan Superfood Hot Cocoa:
— 1 cup almond or rice milk
— 1 heaping tbsp raw cacao
— ½ tsp maca powder (optional)
— ½ tsp coconut oil
— ½ tsp lucuma powder (optional)
— Maple syrup or stevia to sweeten
— 1-2 tbsp vanilla or chocolate protein powder (optional)
Vegan Hot Tottie
— 1 tsp raw, local honey (if you do not want to use honey use maple syrup)
— 2 fl oz boiling water
— 1 ½ fl oz whiskey
— Dash of cinnamon
— Dash of cloves
— Dash of nutmeg
— Squeeze of ½ lemon
Spiced Wine (Makes 2 Servings):
— 1 cup red wine
— 1 tsp maple syrup
— ½ orange (juiced)
— Dash of cloves
— Dash of nutmeg
— Dash of cinnamon
— Cranberries to garnish
Combine ingredients and enjoy! For those that live in the North East, stay warm this weekend.
The hot cocoa sounds yummy! I usually have hot tea, but I love the sound of this!
These are all awesome ideas. Thanks for sharing!
I can’t wait to try the hot chocolate!
I have SUCH fond memories of hot chocolate after shovelling / skiing / being outside in the -30C. I am definitely going to be buying all of the ingredients as soon as I get home so I can make these! It’s not cold where I am right now (university), but I expect I’ll be in for a rude awakening come December .
I’m going to try these out for a fall girl’s night in!