Creamy Almond Milk Chai

This week brought some unusual snow and ice to Seattle, which has made most of the city go quiet. It is hard to ignore how annoying it is to try to get around these hills in the snow, but it is amazing how beautiful and peaceful of a scene it creates. Instead of the constant noise of city drivers bustling about, the neighborhood is quiet. People are walking around having impromptu snowball fights and enjoying the unexpected days off. I took advantage of my days doing work at home, organizing my space and trying out some new recipes.

One of my friends sent me this recipe for an almond milk chai, which tuned out to be just the thing I needed to warm up during these cold days. If you have never tried making your own nut milk before, this would be a great recipe to start out with. It requires a little planning with the soaking time, but the benefit is a much more flavorful, creamy milk than the store-bought varieties. I enjoy using the whole spices and blending them up fresh with the almonds, but you can also pre-grind the spices before adding them to the milk.  This chai is slightly sweet with an intense spice mixture that is sure to keep you warm long after you drink it.

Creamy Almond Milk Chai (Adapted from Sunfood)

Ingredients:

1 cup raw almonds, soaked overnight
3 cups water, filtered
3 tbsp raw coconut crystals (or sweetener of choice)
1 vanilla bean
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp coriander, whole
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled
1/2 tsp nutmeg, freshly ground
1 tsp cardamom, whole
1/4 tsp cloves, whole
1/4 tsp black pepper, whole
Pinch of sea salt

Instructions:

Soak almonds in a bowl of water overnight or for at least 4 hours. Rinse almonds, and place in blender with water, sweetener, and whole spices. Blend on high for a couple of minutes. Strain liquid through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth into a small saucepan. Heat until desired temperature and enjoy.