There is something incredibly soothing and nourishing about a warm, sweet drink, especially on a cold day. I remember the first time I tried a Starbucks chai latte on a ski trip to Colorado many years ago. The combination of sweetness and warming spices in a hot milky drink almost blew my mind. No wonder, as apparently the chai lattes you buy in coffee shops contain anything from 9 to 20 teaspoons of sugar. My homemade version is kind of a chocolatey flavoured chai latte filled with heart-warming spices and goodness, and only a splash of maple syrup for sweetness.

Ingredients
- 300 ml almond or other non dairy milk
- 5-6 cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick or ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- A pinch of nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Lightly crush the cardamom pods and put them plus the cinnamon stick into a small saucepan. Add the almond or other non dairy milk. Add a pinch of nutmeg. Heat over a medium heat until milk is almost boiling, then remove from the heat. Place the cacao powder and maple syrup in a mug. Pour over the hot milk, stir well and sprinkle a bit of ground cinnamon over the top.