After a great yoga class, tend to crave the spicy sweetness of a good chai tea. We discovered two brands that make enjoying chai at home or on the go easier than ever. If you prefer a caffeine-free drink, we’ve got an incredible DIY chai recipe for you – easy and amazing. Either way, we encourage you to chai one on. Prefer a caffeine-free drink? We’ve got an incredible DIY chai recipe for you – easy and amazing. Anyway you choose it, we encourage you to chai one on.
3 Chai teas that please:
Protein powerhouse
When you need a pick-me-up before or after yoga class, try Svelte’s Spiced Chai. This vegan meal replacement drink has 16 grams of protein, is gluten-free, naturally sweetened and contains energy-boosting complex carbs. It’s sweet, spicy and perfect when you’re on the go.
Bhakti brew
Bhakti Chai’s micro-brewing process and fresh ginger give this gluten-free, dairy-free, preservative-free and vegan chai a uniquely delicious taste. The company is also certified fair trade and 3% of its revenue goes directly to non-profit organizations. Not into the caffeine in traditional black tea chai? Bhakti makes a decaf version, too.
DIY chai
We love this Decaf Rooibos Chai recipe from YumUniverse. This healthy chai uses rooibos tea instead of black, for a healthier caffeine-free hot drink. The dairy-free latte foam made from almond milk is pure genius—don’t skip on it.
Decaf Chai Rooibos Tea
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
Tea Spices
2 tbsp dried cinnamon sticks, chopped up into pieces
1/4 cup cardamom pods
2 tbsp dried orange peel
2 tbsp dried ginger root
and 2 tbsp whole cloves
2 vanilla beans, chopped
1/2 tsp cracked allspice (optional)
1/4 tsp cracked black peppercorns (optional)
1/2 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
1/4 tsp coriander seeds (optional)
1 bay leaf, chopped (optional)
1 cup Rooibos tea
Non-Dairy Milk/Foamy Topping
1/2 cup coconut water
1-2 dates
1 tbsp almond butter
1/4 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Pinch fine ground sea salt
Sweetening Options
1/4 cup sucanat
3 tbsp wild-harvested honey
3 tbsp agave nectar
1/4-1/2 cup Date Puree
Chop up and crack your spices and place in a large bowl. Stir. If you’d like to store your spices to use another time, just secure in an airtight glass container in the pantry. YU suggests keeping a big batch in a recycled almond butter or kombucha jar.
To begin, bring one quart (about 4 servings) of pure water to a boil in your pot. Once it reaches boiling point, remove it from the heat and add 1/4 cup Rooibos tea and 1/4 cup spices. Give it a good stir, then cover it with a lid and let it steep for 5 minutes. After steeping, strain the tea through a cheesecloth and return it to the pot, warming it over low heat. Finally, stir in the sweetener of your choice to taste.
Firstly, in a blender, mix up your Non-Dairy Almond Milk. Then, add about half of the mixture to your tea and stir well. Next, run the blender again to create more foam. After that, pick out an adorable mug and add your tea to it. Finally, spoon on some non-dairy milk “foam” and sprinkle with ground cinnamon and/or ground cardamom. Now you can kick back and enjoy your delicious tea!
Can’t get enough chai? Try the Nourishing Vegan’s dairy-free coconut chai banana ice cream.
3 chai teas