Will Run For Snog (or Soy Nog) Lattes

snog

Christmas (or Winter Solstice) is coming,

the goose is getting fat,

stick a feather in the old man's hat...

There will be no goose at Christmas dinner but that doesn't stop me from singing the song for weeks before and after the holiday.  Those birds are scary!  Especially when PB quacks at them as we waddle by and they decide that they want to hiss and waddle towards us.

Christmas is coming which means that Soy Nog is also coming!  If you aren't into raw eggs in a carton but you love nutmeg, cinnamon & cloves (and rum) you just might like a snog latte or a cup o' snog or maybe just some snogging. 

Snog Latte

(serves 2)

ingredients

1 cup of unsweetened soy milk (use coconut milk if you are looking for a more decadent drink)

1 cup strong coffee

1/8 tsp tumeric

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cloves

1/8-1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

buckwheat honey (optional)

turbinado sugar (optional)

spiced rum (optional)

Place milk and spices in a large mason jar and heat in the microwave until the mixture is hot and steamy (alternatively heat on the stove top ensuring that the mixture does not come to a boil).  After ensuring that the lid is on securely (hot and steamy disaster otherwise!) shake your mason jar until your milk is frothy.

  Alternatively, you can place hot and steamy milk in a blender assuming of course that you didn't forget a spoon in your blender the last time you used it fusing both pieces of your blender together so that it is no longer functional.

Divide coffee between two medium sized mason jars or two regular mugs.  Divide milk and foam.

coffee + soynog

  Top with buckwheat honey and cinnamon and/or nutmeg.  Alternatively, you can coat the rim of your jars or mugs with a mixture of turbinado sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Enjoy.

cofee + soynog= snog

sugar + spice rim

If you are really lucky (and I am) your Granny will make you a cup sleeve cup sleeve for your jar. 

* freshy grated spices can be a little gritty so you may want to strain your drinks if you aren't into that.

Will Run For Hubbard Chai Lattes

What isn't there to love about a steaming cup of orange frothy cinnamon topped liquid (it isn't a tofu pumpkin skinny latte I promise)?

roasted hubbard squash from Dalew Farms

This Saturday was a day filled with lattes and lazy dogs.  There should be more days like that.  After reading about pumpkin protein bars and homemade lattes I found the motivation that I needed to roast some of the squash that had been sitting in my kitchen for the last week.

Hubbard Chai Lattes

(2 medium servings or a morning full of lattes)

ingredients

1 cup steeped chai (I used 1/2 marathon tea)

1 C unsweetened soy milk (almond or dairy would work as well)

1/4 C roasted hubbard ( more than 1/4 C = a lumpy hot squash smoothie)

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

pinch cardamon 

pinch nutmeg

1-2 tsp maple syrup, agave nectar or your favourite sweetener (I usually leave this out)

* I mostly just shake a bunch of spices until things "look right" I suggest that you do the same.

Steep your chai.  Divide between two of your favourite pottery cups.  In a glass measuring cup combine milk, pumpkin, vanilla bean paste, spices & sweetener.  Heat in the microwave (or on the stove) until the mixture is hot and steamy.  Place milk in blender.  Blend until frothy.  Divide milk mixture between the two cups.   Sit at your kitchen table with your favourite beasts at your feet and enjoy.

*You can substitute the chai for your favourite tea or coffee.

* Canned pumpkin works just as well.

Will Run For Half-Marthon Tea

sweet ginger chai

Last weekend Pace Bunny and I ran in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront 1/2 Marathon.  You'll be happy to know that we finished before the 100 year old man that was running (but after the person who was in a flash costume, Tinkerbell & Peterpan and the grandpa who was wearing a cotton shirt that said something like "this grandpa's been running for 73 years").  We crossed the finish line smiling and there were no stops at the portapotty so we were happy.

the Flash.

Tinkerbell & Peterpan

The night before the 1/2 marathon Farmer & I decided to walk to one of my favourite vegetarian restaurants.  It's too bad that the walk was an hour both ways in gale force winds rather than the 1/2 hour we thought that it would be.  It was there that I discovered gloriously delicious sweet ginger tea!  The recipe ( if you would call it that) below isn't quite the same as the tea I had but it's pretty delicious none the less. 

Half-marthon Tea

(serves 2)

ingredients

2 cups steeped chai (looseleaf or teabag)

4 slices of fresh ginger

1-2 teaspoons of raw blue agave (maple syrup, honey, etc.)

Steep your tea.  Add agave nectar.  Add sliced ginger.  Let sit 2-5 minutes.  Serve in a tall glass with a cup cozy (or drink while wearing oven mitts).