Cinnamon Latte Goodness

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: there really aren't that many non-paleo foods that I miss. One of the things I do miss, though, is Starbucks. I never really had a big thing for Starbucks coffee pre-paleo, but I am a sucker for their lattes, especially the Cinnamon Dolce one that they introduced last year. I started thinking about it the other day and realized I could probably pull together a paleo version without too much trouble. Now for those of you who are already eating paleo, or are just embarking on your first paleo experience, coffee is an awesome thing to be able to have. On those days when you just feel like you want to be like everybody else and eat all of the non-paleo stuff that everybody else is eating, at least there's coffee! Why does Starbucks have soymilk for days, but not a drop of coconut milk to be found? No idea. I feel like they should. Maybe they will! On that day, I will skip gleefully into the nearest location and order up, but until then my home-made concoction will have to suffice. Let's do this!

Start off by cracking open a can of coconut milk (unsweetened!). If you live near a Trader Joe's, they sell coconut cream in a can which I think would probably be excellent.

Pour the contents of the coconut milk into a saucepan, and simmer it over medium heat. You don't want to bring it to a boil, we're just trying to warm it up a bit. When you open the can of coconut milk, odds are that the top layer will be thick and creamy, and the bottom will be thin and watery. Just pour the whole thing into the saucepan, and stir it together as the coconut milk gets warmer. 

Grab your favorite mug. This one is mine. Fill it about 3/4 of the way with black coffee.

Fill the remaining space in your mug to the top with the warmed coconut milk. It might look a little bit weird and swirly, but it'll come out fine I promise!

Sprinkle a few shakes of cinnamon and nutmeg on top of the coffee mixture. 

Now comes the fun part. I have one of those little battery-powered milk frothers from IKEA. Now, you could just use a spoon and stir together the milk, coffee, and spices, but the little gadget makes it sort of fun. They're inexpensive - about $2, so next time you're at IKEA, grab one - it's worth it!

The finished product! It's not sugary sweet, but the coconut milk makes it creamy in a nice paleo-friendly non-dairy way, and the cinnamon and nutmeg add such a nice spicy layer to it. I think you could also have fun adding in a couple teaspoons of unsweetened cocoa powder and a pinch of chipotle chili pepper for a sort of Mexican hot chocolate latte.

Last step? Get your breakfast on. I paired my paleo latte with some French-style scrambled eggs (cooked in grass-fed butter), some fruit, and half a sliced avocado topped with sea salt and smoky hot sauce. I feel like my best days start off with a good amount of healthy fat, so any morning that starts off with a good helping of grass-fed butter, some nice ripe avocado, and a few cups of coconut-cream coffee is a win in my book!

Happy Tuesday!

*p.s.: if you're one of those people who is reading this and thinking "ew, I don't like coconut" then you're in luck! Coconut milk weirdly doesn't taste much like coconut at all, and when you add it to coffee, it just adds a creamy flavor and texture. Try it, you'll like it!