In the depths of winter, when the temperatures plummet I’ll take a cup of chai tea over a cool smoothie any day. It was that impulse exactly that got me thinking of combining the two and having the best of both worlds: a warming and invigorating drink with a creamy, whipped consistency. To achieve this, I made a cup of chai and instead of drinking it, I simmered a chopped pear in the spicy brew, then blended it with cashews, a knob of coconut butter and a couple of plump dates. The result was the perfect snack and cup of tea in one.
Warm Chai-Spiced Smoothie
Here I used a rooibos chai for a caffeine-free version, but any kind of chai tea will work.
Serves 1
1 cup brewed chai tea
1 pear, peeled, cored and chopped
1/4 cup raw cashews, soaked 2 to 4 hours in cold water
1 tablespoon coconut butter or extra virgin coconut oil
2 Medjool dates, pitted
Add chai tea and pear to a small pot and bring up to a boil over high heat. Cover pot, reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes or until pear is heated through. Remove from heat and transfer to an upright blender. Drain and rinse cashews and add to the blender along with coconut butter and dates; blend until completely smooth, and drink warm.
Amy Chaplin is a chef and recipe developer in New York City. Her cookbook At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen came out this fall. She blogs at amychaplin.com.
from Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog http://ift.tt/1zDqZEE
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