I LOVE my chai lattes. For years I was hooked on getting them from my local coffee shops, but then realized I was spending way too much money and consuming too much sugar that way.
Then I started making chai lattes at home with real food ingredients, such as organic chai tea, raw milk and raw honey. I still enjoy my real food chai lattes a few times a week.
But now I’ve got a new favorite drink: my Vanilla Chai Dandelion Latte.
Dandelion root is the key to this tea. Yep, those dandelions growing in your garden are actually medicinal herbs – particularly for detoxifying the liver, kidneys, skin and digestive system. In fact, the roots and leaves of dandelions are what’s used to make dandelion tea, and contain vitamins A, C and D as well as zinc, iron, magnesium and potassium. It can also help to ease inflammation and chock full of antioxidants. 1
Dandelion root is also caffeine free, and tastes a bit like black tea so it’s a great substitute for your favorite tea recipes. So you can use this recipe with regular black tea to make a traditional chai latte, or use dandelion root for a caffeine-free version that can help to detoxify the body naturally.
Ingredients
- 4-5 tea bags Dandelion tea
- 3 cups water
- 4-5 tbsp raw honey, depends on taste
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4-5 cardamom pods
- 1 whole star anise
- 1/4 tsp organic vanilla extract
- Raw whole milk (or non-dairy milk of your choice)
- Dash of pumpkin pie spice (optional)
Instructions
- Use a mortal and pestle to crush cardamom pods.
- Add cardamom, whole anise, dandelion tea and water to a medium-sized pot and cover. Boil for about 5-6 minutes.
- Pour liquid into a quart-sized glass jar - straining tea and spices.
- Add honey and mix well.
- Pour tea mixture into 4 glass mugs and top with milk of choice.
- Top off each mug with a small dash of pumpkin pie spice to garnish.
Source: 1. http://www.livestrong.com/article/241852-benefits-of-drinking-dandelion-tea/
Photo credit: DepositPhotos.com / jillchen