Chai
Chai is a spicy milk tea originating in India. Combining the health benefits of cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and black tea, it packs an antioxidant wallop.
8 whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
4 whole allspice berries
2 tsp (10 mL) fresh ginger, diced
6 whole black peppercorns
6 black cardamom seeds
2 Tbsp (30 mL) loose Darjeeling* tea or 6 Darjeeling tea bags
6 cups (1.5 L) water
2 cups (500 mL) skim milk
Honey or sweetener to taste
Place cloves, cinnamon sticks, allspice, ginger, peppercorns, and cardamom seeds into medium saucepan. Add water and bring to boil. When boiling, add tea. Cover and boil for 5 minutes.
Add milk, bring to a simmer, cover, and continue simmering for 15 minutes. If you love stronger tea, continue simmering for up to 1 hour. When the tea has reached your desired strength, remove from heat; strain into cups or mugs. Add honey or sweetener to taste.
*According to tea connoisseurs, Darjeeling, with its unique muscatel flavour, is considered the “champagne of teas.” You may substitute with a strong breakfast tea blend.
Makes 8 cups (2 L).
Nutrition information: Per serving: 25.0 calories; 2.3 g protein; 0 g total fat; 4.8 g carbohydrates; 34.4 mg sodium
source: "Christmas Morning Brunch", alive #302, December 2007
Chai
Directions
Mairlyn Smith, PHEc
Mairlyn Smith, PHEc, is a professional home economist, Second City Alumnus, cookbook author, freelance writer, and mom.
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Purple Cabbage and Apple Soup
This vibrant soup is a soul-soothing hug in a bowl. Blue and purple fruits and vegetables contain powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins that promote health and proper brain function. Apple swap Try swapping out the apples in this recipe for pears. Just like the apples, the subtle sweetness of pears helps balance out the earthiness of the cabbage.
Herb and Greens Frittata
Deep green fruits and vegetables are high on the list of health-promoting foods. Green foods have been shown to contain high amounts of antioxidants and nutrients that promote good cardiovascular health and can inhibit certain carcinogens. Serve this frittata alongside a leafy green salad for an unbeatable green culinary experience. Versatile leftovers Any leftover frittata makes a wonderful filling for a sandwich along with other thinly sliced vegetables you have on hand and a smear of hummus.
Caramelized Fennel and Yogurt Dip
This creamy dip will be your go-to for dunking vegetables or for spooning over roast chicken or root vegetables as a sauce. Compounds found in fennel have been shown to stimulate the production of T-cells in our body, which, in turn, may help improve our immune response to infections. If white is right If you would like to stay on the white theme, try serving this dip with an array of white vegetables such as endive leaves, jicama sticks, daikon rounds, steamed nugget potatoes, and cauliflower florets.
Tempeh and Mango Curry
The stars of this delicious curry dish are yellow and orange fruits and vegetables, which are high in a form of carotenoids called xanthophylls. These compounds have more of a yellow pigment as opposed to their orangier cousins, the carotenes. While a powerful antioxidant, xanthophylls are mostly associated with maintaining good eye health. Mix and match This curry is easily adaptable to whichever vegetables you have on hand. Experiment to find your favourite combination.