Breakfast Lattes: Localicious

Heading into the day with a cup of Dutch Bros or Starbucks in hand seems to be synonymous with teenagers and mornings. It got me thinking about sparking our kids’ interest in healthier homemade drinks. Let’s make lattes packed with so much good stuff they can pass as breakfast. The following are a few recipes using seasonal ingredients. These drinks could arguably be called creamy soups or even smoothies, but we’re putting them in a mug and calling them Breakfast Lattes, and we hope you and your teens do too! 

For these lattes to be a real breakfast, they need all the components of a meal – carbohydrates, protein, and fat. 

Carbs are quick sources of energy and provide filling fiber and a bit of sweetness. Sweet potatoes and oranges are in season right now in Northern California, found at local farmers’ markets. Local honey is a bonus! 

Collagen is an excellent protein for adding to drinks. If you’re new to collagen, it is the most abundant protein in the body and is particularly vital to the health of skin, hair, joints, and the gut. It can be helpful if your teenager is experiencing inflamed skin conditions like acne. This powdered version of traditional bone broth is tasteless and can be added to all kinds of beverages and food. Look for collagen peptides sourced from grass-fed cows. Both the Chico and Redding Costco currently carry the brand Vital Proteins at a significantly reduced price.  

Gone are the days of avoiding fat. Fat provides essential nutrients, helps you feel full, and most importantly makes food taste good. Look for full fat coconut milk in a can for the best taste and least number of additives. If you want to use cow’s milk, choose whole milk as it is the least processed and contains essential fatty acids lost in lower-fat versions. The conjugated linoleic acid in whole fat milk from grass-fed cows is stored in our bodies as lean muscle mass, not as fat. 

Give these a try at home and see what your family thinks. If anything, they will broaden perspectives on what you can do with a drink and maybe you will come up with recipes of your own.

Effa sisters Sophie (17) and Ashley (15) share a laugh before school over Sweet Apple Lattes—which were “a bit inconvenient and a weird mix of flavors,” according to Sophie.

Sweet Apple Latte

Makes 6 cups (adapted from foodfaithfitness.com)

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 large Fuji apples, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups broth
• 3 tablespoons creamy almond butter
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
•  tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 Tblsp maple syrup

Place all ingredients except for coconut milk and maple syrup in a slow cooker and stir. Cover and cook until the potatoes and apples are soft and tender, about 3 hours on high or 5 – 6 hours on low. If you do not have a slow cooker use a large pot on your stovetop and cook on medium until potatoes and apples are tender — approximately 15-20 minutes.

Once tender, transfer to a blender. Add the coconut milk and maple syrup. Blend until smooth and creamy, adjusting salt if necessary.

Store the extra in the fridge and warm up a serving each morning for your Breakfast Latte to-go.

Orange Chill

Makes 1 serving

• 1 whole orange, peeled
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 1 Tblsp collagen
• 2 tsp honey
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup ice

Place orange, milk, honey, and vanilla in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add ice a little at a time and blend until frothy and desired consistency is achieved.

The Sweet Apple Latte “took a lot of time to make, and it was not the best flavor,” says Katie Effa (12).

Turmeric Latte or Golden Milk

Makes 1 serving

• ½ cup preferred milk
• 1 Tbsp collagen
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 banana
• ¹/³ cup cashews
• 1 tsp honey

In a small pot combine milk, collagen, turmeric, and black pepper. Warm on low approximately 5 minutes. Pour into blender with banana, cashews, and honey. Blend until smooth. Drink warm. 

Localicious is a monthly column celebrating food in the North State. If you would like to suggest a food-related business or organization, email us at  localicious@northstateparent.com.