How to Make an Iced Lavender Latte

Happy Friday! And St. Patricks Day...most of our celebrations were last week but if you're still going green today, get your healthy Shamrock Shake fix here!   GUYS, I am SO excited to share a new iced coffee recipe with you that I have been DYING to make at home for so long! I recently wrote about 5 of my favorite Midwest coffee spots including Brew Point which is where I tried my first iced lavender honey latte. It was so good that I thought about it for weeks...no months, afterwards. How can a simple drink make you so happy, you ask? Just wait until you try it yourself...Unless you don't like lavender but that also probably means you're the kind of person who hates puppies - both things are just impossible ;) So if you're skeptical, don't close your mind just yet!

I don't know why I waited so long to recreate this drink because it was so simple to do...probably because dried lavender petals aren't the easiest to come by. I get mine from Fresh Thyme Market because fresh lavender syrup is the key here. You could order a version of it online but it does taste better when it's homemade and more than that, it's actually kind of fun to whip it up yourself. Once you have some made, you will most likely have enough to use in various drinks throughout the week (a hot latte or lemonade would both be perfect!). Because this is an overly powerful scent & taste, you just need a TINY BIT or else it will pretty much taste like you're drinking flowers -- not what we're going for here :)

    YOU NEED:
 1/4 cup fresh lavender petals 3 tbsp honey
1 cup water 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Your choice of cold coffee

 *Sidenote: You could make your own coffee concentrate (easy recipe here) but to save time, I like to store a bottle of pre-made cold brew in my fridge. I typically buy a 48 oz container of Starbucks unsweetened iced coffee but this time around, I used Chameleon Brew.

  DIRECTIONS:  

To make the lavender simple syrup, add the lavender, sugar, honey and water to a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool.

Fill a cup with ice, add about 2 tbsp of lavender syrup for 1 cup of coffee. Top it off with some milk (I use Califia Farms Toasted Coconut) and you’ve got yourself a slightly sweet lavender latte.

How do you feel about adding lavender in your coffee routine?
It's so nice for Spring!

5 Favorite Midwest Coffee Shops

One thing I've shared numerous times with you guys (here, here and here just to name a few) is my love for iced coffee - Year round, all seasons, hell or high water...it's my jam. My husband doesn't drink coffee, so in our house, I sometimes feel alone in my obsession. He is a tea drinker, which I enjoy, but I rely on my Mom and my girlfriends when it comes to sharing a cup mixed with a good conversation. I'm no stranger to Dunkin Donuts (my preferred chain) or Starbucks (mainly because it's right next to my office), but given the choice, I prefer a non-chain coffee establishment. It's one of my favorite parts of visiting new places...whether it's a surrounding suburb or a different state, I always insist we try a local coffee spot for breakfast. 
Maybe it's the charm, maybe it's supporting the local community, but whatever it is, it makes my heart happy. In fact, one day I imagine taking a coffee tour of the U.S...sort of a, Jack Kerouac-caffeine themed joyride. I could plan the route via Roadtrippers, planning coffee & pasty spots in each state along the way. How much fun would that be? 
But for now, here are a few of my favorites in the Chicago(ish) and surrounding areas:
The Coffee Mill Fontana, Wisconsin
Okay, local might be a bit of a stretch for Chicagoans, but it's only an hour an half north, nothing too outlandish for a little weekend trip, right? As you all know, we spend a good amount of time at our lake house in Wisconsin and with that, comes supporting all of the local companies. The Coffee Mill is staple for us during each visit, not only because are we big fans of the exclusive menu but if I'm being honest, it's just one of the cutest places! 
I'm a sucker for a chalk board menu, wire basket lights AND any place that also sells treats for my dog. Plus, they make a baked oatmeal that is out of this world and their honeybee coffee drink is our go-to. It's made with local honey (like, we've seen the adorable elderly man drop it off, fresh!), espresso, steamed milk, and nutmeg. Plus, is anyone else totally impressed and mesmerized by coffee art? I give in to hot lattes every so often, partly because I'm fascinated by that :) 

Brew Point Elmhurst, Illinois
The first time I was here last Spring, I ordered an iced honey lavender latte and I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't STILL thinking about it almost a year later. Being that this suburb is a few over from mine, I can't just swing by here on the way to work for my morning cup of joe, which is highly unfortunate. I would probably say it was my favorite coffee of all time so I was thrilled so visit again recently and for a few seconds, I considered trying another delicious concoction on their menu (the bartolome is next on my list!) but I had to have the lavender yet again and it did not disappoint. 
Something about Brew Point just feels so homey...it's always full of friends and family having conversation and I love how they offer a wide selection of board games for a rainy day. Also, I met one of the owners, Melissa, both times we were there and she was eager to make sure we had a great experience. It's really cool to see the owners working the register and interacting with the customers...you can tell they truly love what they do. P.S. They serve a variety of donuts from the donut drop every weekend...The pistachio? Yes please!
P.S. My cousin actually just wrote a wonderful post on this place as well. We experienced it for the first time together and obviously it left a big impression :)

Boxed and Burlap Delavan, Wisconsin
Boxed and Burlap is the newest addition to my coffee stops in Wisconsin. I met the owners at a Lake & Country party just before they opened their shop and their business card alone was enough to make want to stop in. Having been there multiple times now, it makes sense - the card was a bit of rustic, a bit of modern and gave you the idea that there was a lot of heart and soul poured into the place. Turns out to be true...
The coffee is custom roasted and cannot be found in any other mid-western coffee shop and they offer a full service espresso bar along with a selection of tea and pastry items. The story of the shop is a true American small town dream. It is owned by a husband and wife couple and built through the help of family and friends. The coffeehouse was woven together with the garden center and studio space, so during the warmer months this year, we stopped by to grab a few succulents as we sipped our coffee. Basic just got even more basic ;)

The Corner House Lombard, Illinois
I consider this place to be somewhat of a "hidden gem." I used to work on North Avenue fairly close to this place and there wasn't much else around in terms of restaurant or more specifically, coffee choices unless you wanted a scalding hot generic drink from McDonalds. While grabbing lunch one Friday, my co-worker and I stumbled upon this place and it was love at first entrance due to the costume style furniture and fun menu board. Could it be? There was a unique coffee house in the northern suburbs close to the office? We loved our first visit so much that we made it a weekly Friday treat, saving ourselves for coffee, tea and the most amazing muffins. One of my favorite things is the selection of holiday flavors yea round - If' you're feeling a pumpkin spice or peppermint mocha in July, there's no holding back. I regularly got the coconut iced coffee but the whole menu is great and changes all the time so it always feels new and fresh.
Plus, I love that the staff works with local artists to curate their ever-changing Corner Gallery. While waiting for your drink, you can check out the creative work that adorns the walls, all submitted by local artists. Many of the artists are first-time exhibitors and their work is for sale so you can purchase if you want one to take home. They also have a coloring station with pages created by a local Lombard artist. So much fun, right?

Graham's 318 Geneva, Illinois

Geneva is one of those suburbs that makes you feel happy to live in Illinois and the café itself is just as cozy and welcoming. The comfortable, cottage-next-door features an outdoor patio, an enclosed porch, a fireplace and couches downstairs and quiet nooks up the winding stairs. The coffee is great and so are the breakfast croissants...MAYBE the best I've ever had. 

If you visit, try the choccocino, a chocolate hazelnut combo...and if you manage to refrain from ordering a candy or gelato, you have more willpower than I. This is not a place to count calories...if you're here, you stay awhile and you say yes...to every delicious offering.

What are your favorite local coffee shops?  I'd love some new recommendations to try this weekend!

Every Pound Saves a Hound

"There is only one thing more enjoyable than a fresh-brewed cup of coffee in the morning, and that is to see a dog's wagging tail when you roll out of bed"...

Grounds & Hounds Coffee Co, a company who strives to support the hard-working rescue organizations in your community, summed it up perfectly. When we adopted Fitz from Wagging Hearts six months ago, I suddenly had a reason to enjoy mornings, rather than avoid them. Ever since I started drinking coffee (note: I'm an iced girl, even in the winter), I look forward to our A.M. routine which starts with the fireplace and some brew and ends with my four-legged pal snoring beside me on the couch.

At Grounds & Hounds, every pound saves a hound which means while you're enjoying their delicious (and cleverly titled) flavors, you're also giving shelter pups the second-chance they deserve. My husband and I have always shared a love for dogs so once we got married, it was only a matter of time. One year later, we started scouring Adopt a Pet and fell in love with ALL of the rescue pups but there was one special litter prompted us to email the foster home and end our weekend getaway early to see them. 

Fitz and his brothers and sisters were born in Tennessee and were residing in a high kill shelter until Wagging Hearts stepped in to find him a home..."These Boxer-lab puppies can't wait to find their forever home" the site read and we are so lucky to share ours with him...I often wonder, "who rescued who?" ;) 

I have a Keurig so I used my Krups grinder (just $20!) to ground the Alpha Male mix...

You just need a reusable k-cup for the grounds...

Add a little skim milk, and I'm in puppy love.

From pup to toddler, our rescue pup is growing beautifully and has turned into a best friend...

Can't forget about Dad...he loves waking up to Fitz kisses, even the sloppiest of them all. 

Do you have a furry family member? How do you spend your mornings together?