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Post Election Warm Pomegranate Spiced Wine

November 7, 2012 · by · 3 Comments

I don’t know about you, but it was weird to open my email this morning and not have a dozen political emails requesting money. This has seemed like the longest election that I’ve lived through and I’m relieved it’s finally over.

Last night seemed to be stressing out other people too. I spied a few conversations on Facebook listing what other nervous vegans were drinking to get through the night. Me, I had a toasty pomegranate spiced wine and I slept all the better because of it. Of course, you can make this with apple cider and leave out all of the alcohol for a virgin drink.

This warm wine with the bold flavor of pomegranate juice takes off the chill off these almost-winter days. It’s spiced with cloves and cardamom and has a little apple brandy and ginger to make sure you get toasty warm. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Drinks and Syrups, Key Ingredient · Tagged: , , , , ,

Cardamom Rose Cheap-o-chino

April 10, 2012 · by · Leave a Comment

You guys know I tend to get on a tangent and now I can’t stop making frozen coffees. I guess it’s too warm to re-start my oatmeal obsession and they are so much better than you-know-who’s.

Since the CSA has been making veggies magically apear at my house so I haven’t gone to the farmers market every weekend. But I did go last Saturday and found a new coffee cart waiting for me, Cocoa and Cinnamon. Looking over their menu I saw my new favorite coffee combination – cardamom and rosewater. If you are in or near Durham you must try their coffee! to recipe →

Filed Under: Drinks and Syrups, Gluten-free, Soy-free · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Almond Joy Cheap-o-chino

April 3, 2012 · by · 11 Comments

Here’s another inexpensive coffee house frozen drink. When I’m super busy and a little stressed out I tend to get a frap on my way to work. It’s an expensive and unhealthy habit. Once I catch up a little I always go back to making my own.

It takes about 10 minutes, has less sugar than the one from the chain and can even be made completely sugar-free by using unsweetened So Delicious Almond Plus Milk. to recipe →

Filed Under: Drinks and Syrups, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Vegan · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Crockpot Lavender Rose Cocoa

February 23, 2012 · by · 6 Comments

I originally made this as a Valentine cocoa, but romance shouldn’t be limited to just one day. Surprise your someone special with the yummy dessert cocoa. The lavender and rose flavors blend together to form its own taste that’s not as floral as you think.

I used lavender extract which I got at Savory Spice Shop, but if you can’t find any you could fill a muslin tea bag or tea ball with 1 to 2 teaspoons of culinary lavender and add this at the beginning of cooking. This will infuse the milk with a great lavender flavor too.

I do use real sugar in this recipe, because it helps to thicken it up. The longer you cook it the thicker it will be. You can substitute stevia or agave, but the hot chocolate will be thinner.

Slow Cooker Lavender Rose Cocoa
soy-free, gluten-free
Serves 2 to 3

**Uses a 1 1/2 to 2 quart slow cooker**

  • 3 cups unsweetened So Delicious Coconut Milk, or other non-dairy milk
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, in disks or chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon lavender extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon rosewater

Add all the ingredients and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours or on high for 1 to 1 1/2 hour.

Stir once or twice during this time with a whisk to help the chocolate mix in well. Whisk a final time and serve.

Filed Under: Beyond Easy, crockpot, Drinks and Syrups, Gluten-free, Slow cooker, Soy-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tipsy Mint-Coffee Cocoa (From Your Slow Cooker!)

February 9, 2012 · by · 4 Comments

I had The Market‘s Mint White Russian the other night. (It was one of two creamy vegan drinks on their menu!) They used homemade Kahlua and mint infused vodka. If you live in the triangle you must give them a try.

I was hesitant about the coffee mint combo but I was won over. It was so good that I wanted one again. I didn’t have any mint vodka ready to go, but I decided this warm minty drink would fill in just fine.

If you don’t have mint extract you can add a mint herbal tea bag in the beginning. You could also use semi-sweet chocolate instead unsweetened, just adjust the sweetener.

Hate coffee flavors? Try substituting Grand Mariner for an orange mint twist.

Slow Cooker Tipsy Mint-Coffee Cocoa
**Uses a 1 1/2 to 2 quart slow cooker**
Serves 2 to 3

  • 2 cups unsweetened So Delicious coconut milk beverage, or other non-dairy milk
  • 1 1/2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, in disks or chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon mint extract
  • 1/4 cup Kahlua
  • sweetener of choice, to taste (I used 1/2 teaspoon stevia and 1 teaspoon agave.)

Add the coconut milk, baking chocolate, and mint extract and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours. Whisk then add Kahlua and sweetener. Whisk again and serve.

Filed Under: Beyond Easy, crockpot, Drinks and Syrups, Gluten-free, Slow cooker, Soy-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Slow Cooker Sugar Cookie Hot Toddy for 2

January 24, 2012 · by · 3 Comments

Sometimes you need a treat. A soothing, winter treat that can warm you up. That would be me last night. It’s finally feeling like winter and it’s all too easy to get the blahs. I’m making a warm slow cooker drink or dessert every night to keep my spirits up. Feel free to use natural flavored extracts, zest, or juice in this recipe if you don’t imbibe.

This modified toddy has a Sugar Cookie tea base that has roasted barley and vanilla. The barley makes it not gluten-free. Almond Sunset would be my next choice, but they don’t make it anymore.

You could also use a vanilla or almond tea as your base instead. I like that Celestial Seasonings Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride Tea is caffeine free which is a requirement of mine for a night drink.

Just throw this together right before you serve dinner, and your “dessert” will be ready when you are. This is great to make for a dinner party, just tripe the recipe and use a 4 to 5 quart slow cooker.

Slow Cooker Sugar Cookie Hot Toddy for 2

**Uses a 1 1/2 to 2 quart slow cooker**

Serves 2 (double or triple as needed)

  • 1 teabag Celestial Seasonings Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride Tea
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla or plain non-dairy milk
  • 2 tablespoons apple brandy
  • 2 teaspoons Amaretto
  • 2 teaspoons Grand Marnier
  • sweetener of choice, to taste (I used 1 teaspoon agave and 1/4 teaspoon stevia)

Place the teabags, water, and non-dairy milk in the slow cooker. Cook on high for about 1 to 2 hours or until hot. (You could also cook on low for about 3 hours.)

Just before serving add liquors and sweetener.

If you prefer a stronger drink you can double the amount of alcohol called for or add a shot of vanilla vodka.

Adagio Teas - the most popular and best reviewed destination for tea online.

Filed Under: Cooking Time 2 hours, crockpot, Drinks and Syrups, Fall, Slow cooker, Soy-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Slow Cooker Iced Thai Tea Concentrate

June 13, 2011 · by · 6 Comments

Cooking in the slow cooker is the perfect choice on these hot, sweaty, summer days because it doesn’t heat up your house like the stove top does.  I love how inexpensive this recipe is compared to just one glass of tea at a Thai restaurant and this one is vegan, of course!

This is my second try at this recipe. I didn’t like the first batch because the spices were too subtle and got lost in the non-dairy milk. The first time I also used a whole vanilla bean and all the flavor cooked out. But I really feel like I got it this time. I added a beet to get that reddish hue that you think of when someone mentions Thai tea. But don’t worry it doesn’t make the tea taste like beets.

I love the way it’s sticky-sweet almost like a popsicle and how the orange flower water adds a floral punch to the creamy non-dairy milk. I think I have a little crush on it and it’s going to be replacing my normal iced chai for a while.

Slow Cooker Iced Thai Tea Concentrate

  • 6 cups (1500ml) water
  • 1 red beet , quartered (optional for color)
  • 2 whole cinnamon sticks, about 3 inches long
  • 4 whole star anise
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
  • 10 teabags black, green, or roobios (or about 8 to 10 teaspoons of loose tea in a very large tea ball or muslin tea bag)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons orange flower water
  • 1/2 to 1 cup (100 to 200 g) sugar (or other sweetener like maple syrup, stevia or agave nectar, or leave unsweetened if you prefer)

This is much easier to clean up if you put the spices in a re-usable muslin tea bag. It takes more work to get all the cardamom seeds out without it. You can throw the whole bag into the slow cooker and it’s easy to take out. Then just rinse the tea bag out and let it dry before you put it away. It will be waiting for the next batch of tea concentrate you make.

Put water, beet and spices (or all of the spices in a spice bag) in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours.

Remove spice bag and beets. Add in tea bags to the slow cooker and turn to high. Let seep 5 to 10 minutes depending on how concentrated you want the flavor to be. Remove teabags and add vanilla, orange flower water, and sweetener.

(If you didn’t use a spice bag, before adding extracts and sweetener – pour into a pitcher while straining out the spices through a piece of cheesecloth places in a funnel to remove the rest of the whole spice.)

Store in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks. Use about 1/2 glass concentrate to 1/2 glass non-dairy milk. I like to use So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut milk which comes as no surprise, but unsweetened vanilla almond milk works well too. It’s also good with slow cooker evaporated coconut milk too.

Yields: About 6 cup (1500ml)
Total Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Cooking Time: 4 hours

Adagio Teas - the most popular and best reviewed destination for tea online.

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Filed Under: Breakfast, Cooking Time 4 hours, crockpot, Drinks and Syrups, Gluten-free, Slow cooker, Soy-free, Staples, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Slow Cooker DIY Chai – One More Time Iced…

April 26, 2011 · by · 6 Comments

I want to be the little voice in your ear this morning that tells you to make some chai concentrate! I posted this recipe in the winter, but it’s just as good if not better in the summer.

You may already have some in your fridge, but it’s my recipe and I somehow forgot that iced chai is my favorite drink in warm weather. So I thought I’d repost it for new readers (and as a reminder to you guys who have stuck with me awhile).

The slow cooker is a perfect choice for warmer weather since it doesn’t heat up your house like the stove top or oven. It may seem premature to have a summery post in April, but it was almost 90 degrees over the weekend. I was in need of a cooling drink that gives you a little boost of energy! I also love how cheap this is to make, especially when you compare it to the price of one of the boxes at your local Whole Foods!

To make an iced chai fill up a glass with ice, then add the chai concentrate (1/4 to 1/2 of your glass depending on how strong and/or sweet you made it). Fill up the rest with your favorite non-dairy milk. Of course, my favorite is So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk. If you leave out the sweetener the Vanilla So Delicious Coconut Milk adds the sweetness plus a hint of vanilla.

Do It Yourself Chai Concentrate

  • 6 cups (1500ml) water
  • 5 slices fresh ginger
  • 7 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 10 whole cloves
  • 10 whole peppercorns
  • 8 whole allspice berries
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds
  • 10 teabags (black, green, or roobios)
  • 1/2 to 1 cup agave nectar (or other sweetener like maple syrup, stevia or sugar, or leave unsweetened if you prefer)

This is much easier to clean up if you put the spices in a re-usable muslin tea bag. It takes more work to get all the allspice berries and cardamom seeds out with out it. You can throw the whole bag into the slow cooker and then take it out just as easily. Then just rinse it out and let it dry before you put it away. It will be waiting for the next batch of chai concentrate you make.

In the morning: If you can’t find cardamom seeds, you can open up cardamom pods and extract them yourself. Put water and spices (or spice bag) in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

After cooking: Add in tea bags to the slow cooker and turn to high. Let seep 5 to 10 minutes depending on how concentrated you want the flavor to be. Remove teabags and add sweetener if desired. Take out the cinnamon sticks. If you didn’t use a spice bag, pour into a pitcher while straining out the spices through a piece of cheesecloth places in a funnel to remove the rest of the whole spice.

Store in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks. It can be frozen as well.

Yields: About 6 cup (1500ml)
Total Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Cooking Time: 5 to 8 hours

Adagio Teas - the most popular and best reviewed destination for tea online.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Cooking Time 6 hours, Cooking Time 8 hours, crockpot, Drinks and Syrups, Gluten-free, Slow cooker, Soy-free, Staples, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Do It Yourself Chai Concentrate

December 1, 2010 · by · 8 Comments

soy-free, gluten-free

I love chai but they are pricey at coffee shops. It’s well worth stocking up on a few spices to make your own, and it’s super easy too. This one is exactly the way I like it, but feel free to add more or less of some spices until it mimics your favorite. If you like a licorice flavor through in one star anise, it will create a big flavor.

*This recipe requires a small 1 – 1.5 quart slow cooker.* (You can double or triple the recipe and use a larger one if you like.)

Do It Yourself Chai Concentrate

  • 6 cups (1500ml) water
  • 5 slices fresh ginger
  • 7 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 10 whole cloves
  • 10 whole peppercorns
  • 8 whole allspice berries
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds
  • 10 teabags (black, green, or roobios)
  • 1/2 to 1 cup agave nectar (or other sweetener like maple syrup or sugar, or leave unsweetened if you prefer)

In the morning: If you can’t find cardamom seeds, you can open up cardamom pods and extract them yourself. Put water and spices in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

After cooking: Add in tea bags to the slow cooker and turn to high. Let seep 5 to 10 minutes depending on how concentrated you want the flavor to be. Remove teabags and add sweetener if desired. Take out the cinnamon sticks. Pour into a pitcher while straining out the spices through a piece of cheesecloth places in a funnel to remove the rest of the whole spice. Store in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks.

Yields: About 6 cup (1500ml)
Total Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Cooking Time: 5 to 8 hours

Add about 1/2 to 1 cup of the concentrate to an equal amount non-dairy milk. It’s great hot or iced!

Adagio Teas - the most popular and best reviewed destination for tea online.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Cooking Time 6 hours, Cooking Time 8 hours, crockpot, Drinks and Syrups, Gluten-free, Perfect for the Holidays, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , ,