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!

Baking with Lavender

I have yoga to thank for many things in my life including stress relief, toning and a sense of balance (both on the mat and off). Among many other life-changing qualities, it has also introduced me to one of my favorite scents, the lovely smell of lavender. When I first started practicing with the girls at home, my yoga certified girlfriend introduced the essential oil as part of our savasana and I found it to be very calming so I purchased my own. Then I started going to Yoga by Degrees where each class ends with a cool peppermint/lavender towel and I’m not exaggerating when I say, I think about it during the entire class! I literally engulf my face at the end, inhaling as much as I can. It’s the ultimate way to balance out after an hour spent doing yoga and cardio in a 95-degree room.

And now in addition to making my nose happy, lavender has found its way to pleasing my belly. When I saw the Tone it Up recipe for "Honey Lavender Breakfast Muffins," I could taste them already. Not to mention, they are full of healthy ingredients...I'm not just saying that, take a look at what's included...

Ingredients:

1/2 cup almond meal

1/2 cup vanilla protein

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp edible lavender flowers << my favorite part! 

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp lemon zest 

1 tbsp honey

2 eggs

This recipe makes 6 muffins so I doubled it the first time I made them and shared some with my yoga loving ladies. I should mention, they may not be for everyone...My Dad came over one day to let our pup out and I got a text at work: "Tried a muffin. Needs cream cheese frosting." -- Needless to say, they are NOT cupcakes nor are they supposed to taste like it. These are meant to grab on the go in the morning for a healthy burst of energy instead of chowing on a pop-tart or Donut.

*Tip 1- The second time I made them, I threw in some shredded coconut which was a great addition...but isn't it always?

*Tip 2 - I purchased my edible lavender flowers at our Fresh Thyme Market. Ask around at your local grocery stories or farmers markets...You can also buy them on Amazon. No surprise there! :)

BONUS SMOOTHIE RECIPE!

In addition to the muffins, I have been making a breakfast smoothie each day and this "Blueberry Bombshell" recipe is my new favorite! At first, I didn't think the combination sounded appetizing but much to my surprise, it's delicious! 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup frozen banana slices

1/2 cup blueberries

1 scoop vanilla protein

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa nibs

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

Have you ever baked with lavender?
If you have any recipes, I'd love to hear them!