Got Coffee?
Got Veggies?
You know what I'm thinking...
You guessed it. Veggie Lattes!
Hi Everyone,
Josh here. I wanted to share one of my favorite morning health drinks with you.
Some Background
For just over a year now I have been an 80 percent plant-based diet and it has greatly increased the sensitive of my taste buds. Now even when I eat dishes that aren't all plant-based there are flavors that I never recognized before. A sensitive pallet important because most plant-based recipes are subtle in flavor.
OK, maybe you're asking yourself now...
Do you have to be on a plant-based diet for a year to develop this new ability? The short answer is “No.”
The long answer is everyone is different. I choose to start on a 100% plant-based diet for personal health reasons. My experience has been that within a month my taste buds increasing in sensitivity with the foods I was eating and everything started tasting much richer in flavor. This introduction of a broader spectrum of taste was never intended, it was just a by-product of my decision and now it's apart of my overall enjoyment of food.
How to make the perfect plant-based Latte.
Choose the right type of coffee. I typically will use locally roasted coffee because I find it is a superior blend with a long shelf life. In every cup I make there is a very distinct flavor of freshness and high quality roast flavor. It blend well with the other ingredients and adds to the smooth rich flavor to create a beverage that is light and filling.
The coffee is then run through with hot drinking water. Here is another point I would make. I prefer to drink artisan water and I’m lucky enough to have an artisan spring as my drinking water at home.
Smallest Waterfall Ever
Most water that is available in suburban and urban areas is process with chemicals like chlorine, ammonia and fluoride. I feel these chemicals cause unbelievable amounts of stress on your body and can slow chip away at your overall health.
Now that you have your coffee steeping into your glass or mug its time to move onto the best part of any Latte... the foam!
Ok, if you have ever experimented in the past with non-dairy products you may have noticed small difference between the dairy and the non-dairy products and that's the fat. Non-dairy milk and creamers have little to no fat and without the fat there’s no foam; and with no foam you get no fancy latte.
Sad face now.
Wait!...
This is where modern technology comes in to save your latte. You need to add the fat into the non-dairy milk and then you will get the foam. So I prefer to use a non-dairy almond milk as my base for the foam. Typically, it is fairly creamy on its own and most people won't discard it right away like with coconut milk. The fat is added with plant-based butter, found in most stores now. I prefer the soy-free type.
This is a three step process to AWESOMENESS, so pay attention:
Step 1: Melt a tablespoon of plant-based butter to a liquid by using a tablespoon of boiling hot water. Sometime keeping it next to the stove while boiling water will work.
Step 2: Take the melted vegan butter and place it in either the frothier or blender.
Step 3: Add one cup of almond milk (best if at room temp already) and blend together.
If you are lucky enough that your frothier already has a warming capability your already set because you want your foam to be warm so it doesn’t cool down the coffee. Plus this will just enhance the blending of the fats into your almond milk foam.
Hey Josh this is cool and all...
Let me guess, You want a little something extra with your foam? If I’m feeling like my latte needs a bit more, I will add a special treat. I usually will have frozen coconut milk in a can available to use. One can is enough for two lattes. It can be purchased at any supermarket. The frozen coconut milk will float on top of the coffee and foam and have the same consistency as a whipped cream. From here you can add a pinch of cinnamon or even some organic chocolate for visual effect as well as favor.
All of this together creates a delicious morning latte that is satisfying and good for you. I take every opportunity to indulge and relax with this fantastic drink all the time.
Enjoy!
Hey, Some of you may have your own combinations of fancy coffee. So let me know how they turn out.
...And as always, Stay Safe out there.