At first glance, you might look at these lattes and think “Hmm yes, I will take the Red 40 and my friend will have a Yellow 5.”

(This isn’t Starbucks).

Not only are these babies free from the nastiness of those dyes, they are colored using natural foods that come from the soil and the sea!

These lattes are all vegan. You will see that I used cashew milk, but you can use any plant-based or dairy milk. Personally, I am making an effort to move towards less animal products and these lattes are a great test! I will explain the health benefits of each latte and provide the recipes below.

The Bodacious Beetroot Latte

Beets contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that fight against free radicals and swelling in the body. They can also help to improve blood circulation, thus earning its title “Boner Juice.” So for Christmas you could probably just get your Grandpa a big basket of beets and he’d be happier than a snail on a slip-n-slide! (Don’t worry ladies, beets can have a similar affect on women, so Grandma will be happy too).

The big reason why I love beets is because they can improve stamina during endurance activities. I was a college runner for the University of Pittsburgh and my teammates and I used to take beet shots before every race. We all sweared by it and I still do! (Sports Psych 101: If you believe something works, it works.)

Beetroot Latte Recipe

Makes one 12 oz. latte

3/4 cup cashew milk
1/2 cup water (plus a little in case you want it thinner)
1-2 teaspoons beetroot powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon maple syrup (adjust, depending on whether or not your milk has already been sweetened)
*Optional: dried rose petals

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low for 5 minutes, occasionally stirring. If your cashew milk is a particularly thick one, you may want to thin it out with a little extra water. Once hot, pour mixture through a strainer into blender and blend on a high speed blender for 1 minute for a frothy latte! Sprinkle with more rose petals or beetroot powder.

The Tantalizing Turmeric Latte

Turmeric also has powerful antioxidant effects and can help protect your immune system from illness. This golden spice is known to encourage proper digestion and helps to cleanse the liver. While it’s not completely necessary, the piperine in black pepper helps to boost the absorption of curcumin — the most important medicinal compound in turmeric. If you’re looking to reap these benefits on a larger scale you may want to look towards turmeric capsules with concentrated amounts of curcumin.

Lastly, too-meric or ter-meric? According to the Huffington Post it is pronounced both ways!

This latte also contains ginger and miso paste. Ginger is known to treat nausea (especially morning sickness) and chronic digestive issues. It can help relieve menstrual pain and reduce muscle soreness. I recommend buying it fresh and grating it yourself! Miso is a fermented soy bean paste that originates from Japan. It contains millions of bacteria, probiotics, and essential vitamins and minerals. These probiotics can help with digestion and aide the immune system. I love to cook with miso, check out my delicious ginger miso dressing!

Turmeric Latte Recipe

Makes one 12 oz. latte

3/4 cup cashew milk
1/2 cup water (plus a little in case you want it thinner)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
2 grinds black pepper
1/2 teaspoon miso paste
1 teaspoon maple syrup (adjust, depending on whether or not your milk has already been sweetened)

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low for 5 minutes, occasionally stirring. If your cashew milk is a particularly thick one, you may want to thin it out with a little extra water. Once hot, pour mixture into blender and blend on a high speed blender for 1 minute for a frothy latte! Sprinkle with more turmeric or cinnamon.

The Moody Matcha Latte

It’s no secret that matcha is a health wizard. We’ve been obsessing over this earthy tea powder for years now! By consuming the entire tea leaf you also consume catechins, compounds rich in antioxidants, that you would otherwise not consume by only brewing the tea and discarding the leaves. Matcha is also known to help speed up metabolism and promote weight loss. Studies that reveal that drinking matcha can help to decrease your risk of heart disease as it reduces levels of bad cholesterol. When purchasing matcha, make sure that you buy ceremonial grade powder. If it’s inexpensive then it’s no good. You should look to spend between $15-$20 for 3 ounces. Here’s the brand that I like.

You must remember that with any of these “Super Foods” you also must live an active and healthy lifestyle to partake in the benefits.

Matcha Latte

*This recipe was adapted from Lee From America’s Morning Matcha.

Makes one 12 oz. latte

3/4 cup cashew milk
1/2 cup water (plus a little in case you want it thinner)
2 teaspoons matcha
1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon maple syrup (adjust, depending on whether or not your milk has already been sweetened)

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low for 5 minutes, occasionally stirring. If your cashew milk is a particularly thick one, you may want to thin it out with a little extra water. Once hot, pour mixture into blender and blend on a high speed blender for 1 minute for a frothy latte! Sprinkle with turmeric and spirulina.