Tag: drinks

Try This— 4 Hot Beverages You Can Enjoy Instead of Coffee

These 4 hot beverages will scratch your coffee itch without all the caffeine. The perfect coffee alternative for anyone that needs some sleep!

The one good thing about the temperatures plummeting the way they did this weekend is that I was able to pull my chunky throw out of retirement, curl up on my couch, and sip on some totally delicious hot beverages. I’m definitely a coffee girl, but with all the talk about self care and the importance of sleep, I know that I shouldn’t indulge my coffee addiction after dark when I’m watching Castle Rock on Hulu. With that in mind, all weekend long I made sure that I never had an oatmeal latte after noon (you have no idea how hard that is to do if you’ve never had one), and when I craved a little something to warm my bones in the evening, I picked one of these delicious drinks instead! You must try this!

Lavender Bedtime Milk

Lavender Bedtime Milk

This recipe checks all the boxes. Not only is it warm, soothing, and delicious, but it will help to wash away the stresses of the day. Get the full recipe here.

Slow Cooker COconut Hot Chocolate

Slow Cooker Coconut Hot Chocolate

Um. Coconut and chocolate. ‘Nuff said, right? I’ve even added Nutella to this decadent, slow cooker recipe and it never, and I do mean never, disappoints. Get the full recipe here.

Pumpkin Spice Matcha Latte

Pumpkin Spice Matcha Latte

I might be the only person in the world that doesn’t really like pumpkin spice lattes, but this delicious twist on the classic makes nonbelievers like me take a second look. Matcha really is the star of this tasty drink. Get the full recipe here.

Chai Hot Chocolate

Chai Hot Chocolate

With only 3 ingredients, this chai hot chocolate is as easy to prepare as it is delicious. Get the full recipe here.

4 Homemade Sports Drink Recipes to Beat the Heat

It’s brutally hot here, you guys. That yucky humid heat that just lingers and sucks all of your energy smooth out of your body. Because of this weather, my usually temperate home yoga routine has inadvertently become hot yoga for two days in a row now. Anyway, after yesterday’s hot yoga session I was feeling a little light headed and super thirsty. Fortunately, the hypochondriac in me immediately diagnosed my symptoms as being the tell tale signs of mild dehydration. I needed a sports drink fast not only for the electrolyte replenishment, but if for no other reason, the placebo effect. Hypochondria is real, y’all.

Anyway, these homemade sports drink recipes will have you feeling fully hydrated and raring to go no matter how hot the weather gets in your neck of the woods. With ingredients like coconut water, fruit, and even herbal tea, you’re getting all kinds of healthy goodness with delicious flavors to match. Best part is you can totally skip all the unnecessary sugars and additives that you’ll find in traditional sports drinks. You must try this!

1. Cucumber Lime Electrolyte Refresher

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cucumber
  • 2 limes, peeled
  • 1½ cups coconut water

Directions

  • Juice the cucumber and lime in a juicer
  • Mix with coconut water
  • Serve chilled or over ice

2. Homemade Gatorade

Ingredients

  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

  • In a blender, add all ingredients and mix well
  • Serve chilled or over ice

3. Watermelon Electrolyte Booster

ingredients

  • 1 quarter of a watermelon, seeded
  • 2 large glasses of coconut water
  • 1 pinch of Himalayan Sea Salt

Directions

  • In a blender, add all ingredients and blend well
  • Serve chilled or over ice

4. Herbal Cooler

ingredients

  • 4 cups herbal tea
  • 2-4 tbsp honey or maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

  • Mix all ingredients thoroughly and store in the fridge
  • Serve chilled or over ice
Try This---Gingerbread Coffee

Try This—Gingerbread Coffee

From time to time, I sprinkle a dash of cinnamon on top of my freshly ground coffee beans before I brew a pot. The result is a totally flavorful cup of coffee that really smells divine. Saturday morning, I was on pre-coffee auto pilot, dragging myself around the kitchen like a zombie. I reached for the cinnamon (so I thought) and added a dash to the coffee grounds. When I finally started sipping on my coffee, it had this spicy warm kick to it that I couldn’t quite figure out, but absolutely adored. You get where I’m going here? I accidentally added a dash of ground ginger instead of cinnamon and rather than totally destroying my hopes for a good day, it was actually the best mistake I could’ve made. I started thinking of the possibilities…

coffee-spices
Image: abeautifulmess

Sunday morning, it finally started sinking in that Christmas is only a few weeks away. I decided to take my accidental ginger coffee to the next level… Gingerbread Coffee! I just added a dash of ginger, a dash a cinnamon, and a tiny pinch of nutmeg to my coffee grounds and oh man! You may have to play around with the proportions a bit to suit your taste, but any way you do it, you must try this!!!

Gingerbread Coffee

Ingredients

  • ground coffee
  • 1 dash ginger
  • 1 dash cinnamon
  • 1 pinch of nutmeg

Directions

  • mix ground coffee with the other ingredients
  • brew as you regularly would

 

 

 

 

 

Try This---Honey Lavender Latte

Try This—Honey Lavender Latte

This is the perfect recipe for all of us coffee snobs out there that pair coffee with foods like it’s a fine wine. I made this honey lavender syrup that I was using for tea, and it’s super delicious, but being more of a coffee gal, I decided to whip up a latte and test this honey lavender syrup out. Holy moly! For some reason, the combination of milk, honey, and lavender really bring out the natural flavors of a strong cup of coffee. I, legit, felt like I was at a wine—I mean—coffee tasting! I was blown away when I tried this recipe. I really was skeptical about using honey as a sweetener for a latte, but this has totally changed my mind. Who knew that honey, lavender, and coffee could just scream fall and winter comfort. You must try this!

Try This---Honey Lavender Latte

Honey Lavender Syrup

Ingredients

  • 1c water
  • 1c honey
  • 2tbsp lavender buds

Directions

  • combine ingredients in a saucepan
  • bring to a boil
  • reduce heat and allow it to simmer for about 15 minutes
  • put the liquid through a strainer to remove the lavender buds
  • store in a glass jar

Try This---Honey Lavender Latte

Honey Lavender Latte

Ingredients

  • 1c really strong coffee (espresso, if you’re gangsta)
  • 1/4c milk of your choice
  • 2tbsp honey lavender syrup

Directions

  • In a saucepan, froth your milk of choice with a whisk over medium heat (if you’re short on time, you can heat your milk in the microwave)
  • add about 2 tbsp of honey lavender syrup to the bottom of your coffee mug
  • pour in your coffee
  • top with frothed milk

The possibilities are endless with this honey lavender syrup. Don’t just stop at tea and lattes! You can add it to seltzer water for a refreshingly sweet drink that’s not loaded with sugar. Also, (and you can thank me later for this) you can use it to sweeten up your favorite homemade lemonade recipe. I might even try adding this to rice or some other savory dish like stir fry  in the near future! Oh man! I just thought of that last one!

Brazilian Lemonade

Try This—Brazilian Lemonade

Try This---Brazilian LemonadeTry This---Brazilian Lemonade

I was pretty sure, before I tried this drink, that there was nothing more refreshing than cucumber water on a hot summer day. You guys, Brazilian Lemonade is amazing. I’m not just saying that because it was 90 degrees yesterday and this drink literally saved my life. I’m not even saying it because it’s such a beautiful drink to look at when it’s all gussied up in a pretty pitcher. This is legit the most delicious drink I’ve had in a while. You need to TRY THIS!!!

Brazilian Lemonade

Ingredients

  • 6 cups cold water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 limes
  • 6 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

Directions

  • Mix water and sugar together until sugar is dissolved. Put in the fridge to chill until ready to use.
  • Use soap and water to thoroughly wash the limes. You want to scrub really well because you are going to be using the whole lime! After you’ve washed and scrubbed your limes, cut the ends off the limes (DO NOT MISS THIS STEP!) and then cut them into eighths.
  • Place half of the limes and half of the sugar water in your blender and pulse 5 times. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into the pitcher that you are going to serve it in. Discard the pulp. Repeat with the second half of your limes and sugar water. Mix in the sweetened condensed milk. Serve over lots of ice.

***You can add a little white rum to this bad boy to give it an extra kick!

Source: playzwithfood