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Have you ever drank a little too much coffee and felt wired and anxious? Then, when the shakiness stops, the crash comes: you feel yourself becoming easily irritated and exhausted, reaching for another cup. By the time it's bed time, you need to take a sleep aid to try and get some rest.
But then, with the sleep medicine still in your system, you wake up groggy, and stop by Starbucks for another cup. Stop the vicious cycle with this Calming, Creamy Vanilla Lush Lavender Latte! Made with stress reducing botanicals and tea instead of coffee, your taste buds will be happy, but so will you!
Is The Caffeine in Tea Different Than Coffee?
Yes! The caffeine in tea is much less detrimental for two reasons: 1) The caffeine in tea is much milder, with significantly less caffeine per cup, and 2) the antioxidant L-Theanine found in tea counteracts the strong spike in energy. This antioxidant allows you to have a longer, smoother boost, without the crash!
Why Does Lavender Help You Relax?
Lavender flowers are well known for their ability to reduce tension. But why? There seems to be some consensus that it's because of the way it affects the parasympathetic nervous system. This part of the body is responsible for anxiety responses (breathing rate, stress hormone responses), but lavender helps to stabilize it. Lavender does this by lowering adrenaline and heart rate, making you feel more cool, calm and collected. Even just smelling the aroma of lavender can have a profound effect on both the body and mind.
In this recipe, we use my favorite lavender blend, Lush Lavender. It contains soothing botanicals, like lavender and butterfly pea flower. This flower is used in Thailand to reduce anxiousness and support mental focus. This tea is beautifully blue and is even relaxing to look at!
The Ingredients for the Latte
- 1 teaspoon Lush Lavender (you can use regular lavender flowers instead, but beware! You won't get the same color or taste)
- 1 teaspoon Bulletproof Breakfast or Earl Grey
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk of choice (a plant milk higher in fat will create a better froth, like coconut milk or soy milk)
- 2 medjool dates
How to Make A Lavender Tea Latte
1) Start by soaking your dates in a small bowl of hot water. This will allow them to break apart a little and blend better and smoother!
2) Add your Lush Lavender and Bulletproof Breakfast to a small pot with 1 cup of water. Simmer on a low heat for 6 minutes.
3) Strain your tea into a glass jar to get the leaves out! Place in the fridge/freezer to cool off fast while you finish up the rest.
4) Add your milk, your soaked dates and vanilla extract to a blender. Blend on a high speed until completely smooth and frothy.
5) Take your tea out of the fridge, cover with ice, and add your sweet frothy milk! Voila!
We hope you loved this recipe as much as we do, and if you did, we think you'll also love this Healthy "Boba" Recipe for Summer Skin.
Happy latte making! Cheers!