09 February 2011

St.Valentine's Day Planning

I can't resist trying this recipe today, just for practice, you know.

Chocolate Chai

4 cardamom pods, cracked
1 (4-inch) piece cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
1/4 tsp. anise seed
2 - 4 (1/4-inch) slices fresh ginger, peeled (see note*)
2 cups water
2 black tea bags
2 Tbsp. unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups milk (or unsweetened almond or soy milk - see note**)
3 Tbsp. agave syrup, honey, or stevia, or to taste

Place cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, anise seed and ginger in medium saucepan, add 2 cups water, and place over medium-high heat. When water simmers, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add tea bags, cover, and steep for 4 minutes. Remove tea bags, cover, and steep brewed tea with spices for 20 minutes. Strain to remove spices, and return spiced tea to saucepan.

In small bowl, whisk cocoa with 1/4 cup of hot tea until dissolved, then add to tea. Mix in vanilla, and almond or soymilk. Heat chai over medium-high heat until steaming. Sweeten to taste then pour into mugs, or divide chai among 4 mugs and sweeten it to taste individually.

*Note: Ginger root varies in thickness. If you have a fat piece, 2 slices may be enough.
** I don't recommend soy milk as it's known to be an endocrine disruptor.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 120 calories, 3.5 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 21 g carbohydrate,
4 g protein, 1 g dietary fiber, 65 mg sodium.

It'll be great sipping as we watch our favorite Valentine's movie, Chocolat. We ordinarily never watch TV or go to the movies, except on holidays when we watch a favorite video. How about you? What's your all-time favorite love story?


***
"Until, one winter day, a sly wind blew in from the North..."

Temps: 19/-7 
Word count: unmeasurably online :/

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