Drinking a nice big cup of Chai is one of my very favorite ways to start a day. Or end a day, for that matter. Whether it's hot, cold, or frozen, chai is a special treat. This time of year there are smoothie recipes all over the internet and in magazines because everyone is at the beginning of their resolutions to be more healthy in the New Year. A great majority of those smoothies are green. If you like green smoothies, that is great. Personally, I would much rather eat my vegetables instead of drink them. This chai smoothie hits the spot at my house, and I think you'll like it too.
This is one of the easiest recipes ever. It requires only three ingredients, and makes a delicious at-home version of a Chai Creme Frappuccino. This version calls for store-bought Chai tea latte concentrate (my favorite brand is Tazo), as well as some milk (regular, almond, soy, whatever you like), and some French Vanilla flavored Carnation Breakfast Essentials. The Carnation Breakfast Essentials mix adds some sweetness, vanilla flavor, and plenty of vitamins and minerals to give you a boost. You could also make your own additions if you would like. Adding a banana will help thicken it up even more, or add in some Greek yogurt, or whatever you like.
I freeze the Tazo Chai concentrate ahead of time in ice cube trays, that way when I'm ready to make my smoothie, I can just pop the chai cubes into the blender with the other ingredients and not have to worry about the flavors getting watered down from using regular ice. I also find that for the best, smoothest consistency and flavor, I like to mix the Carnation Breakfast packets into the milk ahead of time (at least an hour or so, or overnight) so that the mix can completely dissolve into the milk.
There are so many fancy blender options available right now... It can be overwhelming. I happen to love my retro-style Waring blender. It's hard core and pretty, which is more than I can say for the uber expensive one I got as a wedding gift that broke after about 3 milkshakes....darn plastic mechanisms. (Let's just say my product design engineer husband was underwhelmed at the quality.)
If you don't have a blender, or just want to try a different technique, or if you're like me and you just despise washing the blender... I really like my Zoku slush maker. It is basically a smoothie cup that you store in the freezer, then just add in you liquids and stir/scrape the sides with the provided spoon until it is the perfect slushy consistency. Essentially the same process as using an ice cream maker, but on a smaller scale and stirring by hand. It is not at all difficult, and freezes things really quickly. Zoku items are available for purchase at Williams-Sonoma, Amazon, and I've often seen them at Home Goods too. If you want to makethis smoothie in the Zoku, just refrigerate all the ingredients overnight and then follow the instructions for use on the packaging (you will not need to freeze the chai into cubes).
PrintChai Smoothie
- Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients
- 2 cups Tazo chai tea concentrate, frozen in an ice cube tray
- 2 packets French Vanilla Carnation Breakfast Essentials
- 2 cups milk
Instructions
The night before:
- Pour the chai concentrate into an ice cube tray and freeze.
- Mix the Carnation Breakfast Essentials packets into the milk. Cover and refrigerate.
Make the smoothie:
- Add milk mixture and frozen chai cubes to a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve immediately.
Winter got you wanting a warm drink? How about a Spiced Chai Tea.
**This is NOT a sponsored post. I have no affiliation with Tazo, Carnation, or Zoku. I use these products because I enjoy them. I do however receive a small compensation if you happen to make an Amazon purchase through the links in my posts, at no extra cost to you. Thanks so much for supporting this site!
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