Garam Masala Chai Tea Latte

You're going to love this Garam Masala Chai!

I remember my very first Chai Tea Latte! My husband had just returned from a Mortgage Broker Convention and was raving about a drink he tasted from Starbucks. Of course this was back in 2003 and before I had kicked my sugar addiction. He was so excited to have me try it, and he was right, I loved it.

I'm not one to go “out to eat” often, especially when what I can make at home is so much less expensive and far better quality, so of course I have been making Chai Tea Lattes for years now.  Later, when Serene and Pearl came out with the Shrinker Recipe, designed to help you lose weight faster, of course I wanted to incorporate the two fabulous drinks into one!

Being a Chai Tea lover, I knew I would really enjoy the Shrinker if I tweaked it to suit my own taste, and thus, the Garam Masala Chai Tea Latte Shrinker was born. I've made gallon size batches of this to share at our THM Ninja Group meetings and it's always a big hit.

Garam Masala is basically just an Indian spice blend. You can buy it already mixed from Archer Farms, McCormick and others or you can mix your own. It is usually Coriander, Black Pepper, Cumin, Cardamom, and Cinnamon, sometimes it also has Nutmeg. Here's a link to one mix you could try.

What you will need:

• 3 1/2 cups of fresh off the boil water
• 2 bags of Oolong Tea
• 2 bags of Trader Joe's Spiced Chai (but if you don't have this just use 4 bags of oolong but add 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract and a shake of cinnamon)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 rounded teaspoon Garam Masala spice blend (I used the Archer Farms brand)
• 1 pinch of cayenne pepper, optional
• 1 pinch of Mineral Salt, Celtic Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt (which I buy at Costco)
• 3 doonks of Stevia (or you can use whatever you like but sweeten to your own taste) **my children use honey to sweeten theirs
• ice
• 1/4 teaspoon Sunflower Lecithin, optional but really good for you!

I like to use water that has rested for 1 minute after boiling, then simply pour over the tea bags in my empty quart jar (only do this with actual canning jars please, due to the risk of breakage). Let the tea brew for 4 to 6 minutes.

Next, I usually just add the spices to the jar and shake vigorously. After shaking, I add the almond milk and chill. When I am ready to drink my latte I just fill a glass to the top with ice cubes then pour over. You can make your own almond milk easily or you can buy your own, just check the ingredient list to avoid carrageenan.

This is considered a Sipper. It is just a modification in flavor of the original Trim Healthy Mama Shrinker Recipe by Serene and Pearl.

I enjoy a wide variety of teas. At first I wasn't crazy about straight oolong tea, but after I made this a few times I started pulling back the amount of Chai Tea bags and increasing the oolong until it was just oolong. I still like to drink this sometimes when I am craving something exotic and sweet. It really hits the spot. It's great on the go too. Especially for folks trying to break a Starbucks addiction, which is really just an addiction to sugar.

Now, grab a book, sit back and enjoy!