Is there anyone out there who doesn’t go completely crazy over holiday drinks? I know I’m not the only one to anticipate the holiday drink line-up on the drive thru menu…
Being that these mysteriously concocted beverages that instantly put you in the holiday spirit are only a sold a few months out of the year, it’s essential to get your fix at least a few times this season. Or for some, daily. No shame here!
Since I have yet to be a “winter vegan”, I didn’t know how much holiday drinks meant to me until I realized I couldn’t have them. The season came around and took me by surprise and I didn’t even have time to process my loss. Now I know I may sound a bit drastic here because I’m sure I could figure out a way to have them like substituting dairy milk for almond milk. Nonetheless, now that I am plant-based knowledgeable, I am aware that these drinks are filled with potent dairy, toxic syrups and jam-packed with sugar. Not only do they pack on the price, they pack on the pounds.
To ring in the holidays and to cheers to being a “winter vegan”, I have created a list of my top two favorite plant-based holiday drinks that are guaranteed to warm your soul, keep your waistline slim and not break the bank. Most importantly, Santa won’t have to bring you a scale this Christmas!
Ingredients:
- 2 tbs Unsweetened 100% cocoa powder
(click link to purchase)
- 1 tsp Maple syrup
- 1 tsp Peppermint Extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsweetened Almond milk
(click link to purchase)
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients, bring to a boil & serve!
Here’s a comparison of the plant-based drink to a Starbucks Peppermint Hot Chocolate (Tall 12 oz)
Let’s say you are Starbucks regular and you purchase this particular drink 5 times a week. That would equate to 1,850 calories a week in JUST DRINKS. The plant-based drink for 5 days is 390 calories. So 5 of my healthy drinks just about equal 1 Starbucks drink. If you replaced the expensive drink with the economical version, you would be saving 1,460 calories a week. That equates to some big time weight loss if you were a daily Starbucks goer.
Tip: If you’re looking for a more “milk chocolate” taste, add a small handful of my favorite dairy free Enjoy Life Chocolate Mini Chips
The health benefits of the golden almond milk latte are INTENSE. The key ingredient is turmeric, which is listed as an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-carcinogenic. If that doesn’t convince you to start drinking this latte then it also detoxifies the liver, promotes digestion, improves immunity, regulates metabolism, promotes healthy skin, controls diabetes, and reduces bad cholesterol. I know you may think adding pepper is a little out there but oddly enough, the pepper does have an important role and you should NOT OMIT this ingredient. Pepper increases your absorption of turmeric by 2000%!!! And quite honestly, you can’t even taste it.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or plain unsweetened almond milk with a dash of pure vanilla extract)
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- a pinch of black pepper
Directions:
- Blend, heat in a saucepan and serve!
Tip: Instead of mixing the ingredients every time, you can purchase this Pre-Mixed Golden Milk Powder
What’s your favorite holiday warm drink?
SaveSave
If you decide to make these drinks, tag @whiteglovedvegan on Instagram or Facebook so we can see!
