Dairy-Free Chai Tea Latte (with a superfood ingredient) + Digestion Problems
Life has been a bit of a whirlwind around here as I’m adjusting to life with two children — to say the least.
This time, though, I’ve opted to spend more time cuddling with my baby and enjoying my kids than worrying about getting back to the computer; this mama has no room for extra stress of just getting that blog post written. This year I’m determined to live my life, focus on mine and my family’s health, and naturally be inspired to write instead of grinding down on an editorial schedule.
Which brings me to a couple topics that have been consuming my life the past three months: dairy, my newborn’s painful gas pains, and my digestion problems.
Dairy and I have been playing ring-around-the-rosie these past few years.
I went from having no issues to having unexplained chest pains (caused by a dairy sensitivity) after my first child was born. After cutting it out a little, I was able to enjoy certain dairy in small amounts like butter, sour cream, and sometimes cheese. When I got pregnant last year, I was able to include even more dairy into my diet. After the birth of my Layla, I slowly began to realize dairy and I were no longer friends, unfortunately.
It started with Layla having painful gas pains that caused her to cry. It’s not abnormal for this to happen in the first few weeks of life since their immune system and gut are very new. Friends would tell me that it would pass but they never did. I could tell the difference in her cry and knew it was really bothering her.
The culprit
Since I have had those very same gas pains related to dairy, I made the decision to cut it out completely. Within a few days, I noticed a huge difference. No more heartbreaking painful cries followed by gas. She still has gas but nowhere near what it was before I cut out dairy.
I was relieved. I know the intense pain that can come with gas — I used to be brought to the ground because of gas pains — and I was really glad she didn’t have to deal with it.
But… I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sad, either. You don’t really realize how much dairy you actually eat until you can’t eat it at all anymore. Lunch is no longer as easy as a quick quesadilla, grilled cheese, or yummy cheese and apple crackers. Morning is no longer my cherished latte made in the espresso machine I bought two months ago.
The sacrifice is worth it and I’ll probably stay off dairy for a good portion of her first year while breastfeeding.
That being said, I needed an alternative to my latte so I could get through with the day. Because broken up sleep, baby, kids, household. Must. Have. Caffeine.
Dairy-free chai tea latte to the rescue, perfecting the taste & superfood digestion-friendly ingredient
I tried a coffee latte with almond milk — nasty. I tried a coffee latte with coconut milk — yuck. I tried a chai latte with coconut milk — winner!
I played around a little with the ratio of coconut milk to chai and finally came up with a ratio that didn’t taste watered down, had a strong enough chai taste, and was well rounded by the creaminess of the coconut milk.
Most store-bought chai lattes are made with a really sweet syrup (ahem, Starbucks); too sweet and fake tasting for me. So, I doubled up the tea bags to make the chai more intense (like a concentrate) and then sweetened it with pure mineral-rich maple syrup.
Additionally, I added Vital Protein’s collagen peptides to the mix because I have been dealing with digestion/colon issues since the beginning of the year (more on that soon). The unique amino acid glycine found in Vital Protein’s collagen peptides stimulates stomach acid production, which improves digestion.
The collagen peptides (comes from grass-fed cows) dissolve easily in the hot liquid and is virtually tasteless (honestly!), especially in this flavorful dairy-free chai tea latte.
- Add two tea bags to ⅔ cup boiling water; let steep for 5-6 minutes
- *If using an espresso machine*
- Place ½ cup coconut milk in a 2 cup measuring glass or frothing cup and froth until warm.
- Place maple syrup and collagen peptides into a coffee mug and pour concentrated chai into the mug; mix well
- Add in frothed coconut milk; stir well
- Sprinkle with cinnamon
- *If using handheld frother*
- While tea is steeping, warm ¼ cup of coconut milk on the stove; being careful not to boil it.
- Once the coconut milk is warm, pour into a mug and add collagen peptides, tea, and maple syrup
- In a measuring cup, froth the remaining ¼ cup of coconut milk and pour into mug; stir well
- Top with cinnamon
This post is sponsored by Vital Proteins. Thank you for allowing me to support my favorite brands and share them with you!
I suffer from IBS and fissures. What is a good probiotic that you recommend?