It’s September, and for me that means fall is in full swing and my iced coffee has officially been traded in for the hot stuff. While I am a fan of regular black coffee, or even the occasional almond milk latte (whaddup lactose intolerance?), I’m also a self-proclaimed foodie and love to experiment with my drinks. So, if you’re like me and have already shifted to autumn mode, read below to find five alternatives to your regular coffee. (Or, if you’re still in summer mode, make these drinks iced!)
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Turmeric Latte
It’s safe to say that turmeric might be the new food trend for the tail-end of 2017. With its beautiful golden color and variety of healthy benefits coffee shops and at home baristas alike have been whipping up turmeric lattes nonstop. Check out this recipe from Wellness Mama (a great recipe website not just for moms!!).
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Cashew Coffee
So many friends and concerned bystanders have asked why I enjoy my coffee black; while I have grown to enjoy the taste of coffee sans cream or milk, the main reason I drink it plain is because for the longest time coffee shops didn’t have dairy-free options. But nowadays, the world of dairy-free coffee drinks have exploded – and let me tell you, it’s really good. Cashew coffee gives the creaminess of milk, through the power of nuts! Cashews are a great source of healthy fats and protein, and blended into coffee their even more delicious than just on their own. This recipe from Pinch of Yum (one of my favorite websites) is quick and easy.
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Matcha Latte
In my humble opinion, the matcha latte is a bit overdone and tastes like dirt. But for some reason or another, the people love it (it also has awesome health benefits, as well). From what I’ve heard, the key to a truly great matcha latte is the getting some quality matcha (the actual green tea powder). Ippodo Matcha is apparently the best. So, if you’re trying to make a matcha latte that rivals Starbucks, check out this recipe on Cooking with Janica.
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Maca Latte
While a maca latte may just sound like a mispronunciation of matcha latte, I assure you they are two different things. While matcha tastes like you face planted into a grassy field, maca has notes of caramel with some nutty undertones. Maca lattes have become one of my personal favorites as it tastes slightly sweet, and maca itself has so many great benefits such as serving as a great hormonal balancer (perfect for that time of the month). Maca itself isn’t too expensive as well, and kind be found on Amazon or even your local Trader Joe’s. Julie Morris’s recipe is equal parts delicious and simple, check it out here.
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Chai Latte
Perfect for Fall, chai’s warm and spicy flavors always give me cozy vibes. Chai is a great coffee substitute as it still has a decent amount of caffeine without that jittery or anxious feeling some people get from coffee. If you’d rather make your chai home than get it at Starbucks, The Kitchn’s recipe is the perfect combination of authentic and simple.
Those are just a few of the non-coffee fixes available to make at home, or buy at a coffee shop. All easy, all healthy, and all definitely delicious I recommend any of these drinks to get you into a warm, cozy mood for Fall.