In today’s recipe, we are going to make a maca chai latte. Chai is the Hindi name for tea, which apparently, was derived from the Chinese name ‘cha’. It actually contains a blend of different spices, varying vastly through different regions and cultures.
Chai is often brewed with milk and a sweetener. In more modern times, it usually involves black tea which probably helped to make it more popular in tea drinking nations. I am not using black tea in this recipe because this maca chai latte really doesn’t need it.
Chai is thought to have originated in India thousands of years ago as a healing ayurvedic drink. Each ingredient has powerful benefits for health.
What spices should I use in my maca chai latte recipe?
In this recipe, I am using freshly grated ginger, freshly grated turmeric, ground cinnamon, crushed cardamom and a twist of black pepper. They all create a warmly welcomed, fiery bite. These spices all have excellent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Each individual ingredient brings a treasure trove of other benefits to the mix.
I specifically wanted to find a way to bring maca powder into this recipe, with a balanced, uplifting blend to help all the flavours dance together.
Maca is an incredible friend on the journey of life and deserves a special place in our daily cuisine!
Maca is an adaptogen that helps to balance the hormones
I discovered maca a long time ago when superfoods started taking off in the health food world. Then when I entered a challenging phase of my life (as we all seem to do at some point) it proved to be an amazing ally for my journey of health.
Maca is an adaptogenic plant, which basically means that it helps you to adapt to challenging situations (mentally, physically and emotionally), balancing the endocrine system and helping us to find equilibrium within our bodies. This amazing plant is the quintessential antidote for the turmoil that modern day living has on our health and well-being.
Maca is well known for supporting hormonal health. Natives have used this herb to counteract hormonal issues (including menopausal and post-menopause symptoms) for centuries.
Sexual and reproductive health and libido tend to spring to mind when we think of hormones – all of which are greatly supported by maca – however, they are just the tip of the iceberg.
Hormones are in fact chemical messengers that tell our cells what they need to do, regulating the balance of our entire body. Hormone function includes digestion control, sleep regulation, brain development, mood, heart behaviour, blood pressure, fat metabolism, skin health, mental health, immune system, reproductive health, sexual health, bone maintenance.
Hormones also manage our fight or flight response, induce calm, and control the rate at which we age. Maca’s powerful ability to balance hormones make it one incredible plant-food to include in your daily life!
Maca is grown at high elevations in harsh conditions
Traditionally this superfood grows in the Peruvian Andes at an altitude of between 4000 and 4500 metres above sea level. It withstands harsh thrashing winds, intense sunlight, and extremely cold weather of such a climate which gives a little insight into its helpful properties of supporting our own bodies during challenging situations. Plants tend to pass on their own properties to us. Other edible plants are not able to survive at such elevations.
We use maca powder rather than fresh root for this chai latte
Maca looks a bit like a turnip and grows to somewhere between golf and tennis ball size. We consume the root of this plant which comes in red, black and yellow. It’s consumed as a powder, added to smoothies, breakfasts, drinks or in capsules (unless you live in the Andes of course, where you’d be able to harvest the fresh root).
“Fresh maca roots before they are turned to powder”
You can read all about maca in my in-depth article here…
You can use homemade nut milk for this recipe (which is both fun and super easy to make)…
Homemade Almond Milk Step-by-Step
Milky Vegan Maca Wellness Chai
A milky vegan maca wellness chai with fresh ginger, fresh turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom and black pepper. Gently sweetened with coconut sugar.
Ingredients
- 100ml water
- 1 teaspoon maca powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric (freshly grated) or ½ teaspoon dry powdered
- 1 heaped teaspoon ginger (freshly grated)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 5 cardamom pods
- Twist of black pepper
- 1 heaped teaspoon coconut sugar
- 300 ml plant-based milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Grate the ginger and turmeric with a fine grater.
- Crush the cardamom pods and seeds with a pestle & mortar.
- Add the maca powder, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, vanilla and coconut sugar to the water in a pan and allow to cook for a few minutes on a medium heat.
- Add the plant-based milk to the pan after a few minutes and heat up. You don't need to boil it at this stage (it's actually best not too as the milk might separate). You are looking for the point where the liquid is hot to touch with your finger, yet not quite yet boiling.
- Strain with a tea strainer and enjoy immediately.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
![UK: Organic Maca Powder [ Gelatinised ] 900g | 100% Peruvian, Natural and Pure](https://www.kindearth.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/61yjcfAC4BL._SX466_-200x200.jpg)
Pin Maca Chai Latte for later…
Leave A Comment