Cutting back on caffeine? We love these herbal and tea-based lattes - The Dallas Morning News

Not every morning needs to be awakened with a jolt. There are ways to welcome each day with energy and comfort without the buzz of too much caffeine.

Like many of you, I begin each day with caffeine. My espresso machine produces liquid gold that I top with steamed and frothed milk. After two cappuccinos, I am ready to tackle the day. However, I have found that my intake of caffeine sometimes comes with unnecessary stress (due to too much espresso) and a late-morning letdown. While I do enjoy the flavor of coffee and its soothing warmth, I know I need to limit consumption.

That’s why I’m tapping into the world of caffeine-free or low-caffeine lattes, warm elixirs that will soothe, fill and wake me in the morning.

My first inclination is simply to use decaf coffee beans or find a coffee spot that offers quality decaf drinks.

“A decaf option is when the barista uses decaffeinated espresso instead of regular,” says Bryan Kaeser, owner of Black & Bitter Coffee and Books in Duncanville. He uses Counter Culture Coffee’s Slow Motion, a 100% Guatemalan coffee. Counter Culture uses a company in Vancouver named Swiss Water Process to decaffeinate their beans prior to roasting them, he says. Swiss Water decaffeinates the Slow Motion beans in a 100% chemical-free process to get them 99.9% caffeine-free.

“A decaf latte is all the fun of a regular latte without the [potential] negative effects of full caffeine,” says Sarah Smith, lead barista at Mudleaf Coffee in Plano.

If you’re looking to branch out from “coffee” drinks, there are other options. Preparing drinks with loose leaf teas and herbal concoctions can also yield lower caffeine or caffeine-free sips.

“We have several non-caffeine options: pear ginger apple cider, chamomile tea, raspberry nectar," Smith says, that come from Art of Tea, and they can make any latte or espresso-based drinks with decaf espresso.

While going to a local coffee shop for sips is always a treat, I also find gratification in constructing drinks at home. Recently I’ve experimented with combining a variety of unique flavors and traditional drinks to create delightful morning lattes.

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A Rose and Honey Latte is a delicate and slightly sweet drink that feels especially decadent because of the custard-like base. Honey and egg are combined, while whole milk (I always lean toward cow’s milk; call me old-fashioned) is infused with rosewater. All components are blitzed in a blender. The result is frothy and rich.

Teas and herbal drinks also prove to be a nice addition to this routine. A London Fog is traditionally made with Earl Grey tea, sugar, vanilla and steamed milk, but in this instance, I substitute Earl Grey with a loose-leaf jasmine green tea. This switch in teas easily creates a new take on a classic, and next time I plan to try herbal peppermint and chai teas for this drink.

Another kitchen experiment to try is steeping fresh herbs. A combination of steeped rosemary and mint is invigorating. These flavors are easily accessible (because they are in my backyard and kitchen!) and only require a quick steep in hot water. I plan to sweeten with agave and top with steamed almond or coconut milk.

While I won’t be giving up a caffeinated coffee buzz entirely (some mornings just require an espresso shot or two), it’s nice to know there are options to greet each day with tranquil energy and creativity.

Rebecca White of Plano blogs at apleasantlittlekitchen.com.

The Rose Honey Latte is made with rosewater and honey.(Rebecca White)

Rose Honey Latte

3 tablespoons honey

1 egg

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2 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon rosewater (available at specialty grocers)

Add the honey and egg in a medium heatproof bowl. Mix well.

In a small pan, heat the milk, vanilla extract and rosewater on medium-low for 15 minutes.

Temper the egg and honey with the warm milk by adding 1/4 cup of milk at a time to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Continue this process until all the milk is used.

Place the liquid into a blender and blitz until frothy. Pour into warm mugs and serve immediately.

Makes 3-4 drinks.

Jasmine Tea London Fog is low in caffeine.(Rebecca White)

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Jasmine Tea London Fog

Author note: I use the frothing attachment on my espresso machine to steam and froth the milk. However, there are several ways to create a frothy top. Whipping warm milk with a whisk or using an electric handheld frother can create a similar texture.

1 teaspoon honey

Splash of vanilla extract

1 bag of jasmine tea

1/2 cup hot water

1/4 cup whole milk (or your preferred milk)

Place the honey, vanilla and tea bag into a mug. Pour the hot water over the tea bag. Steep for 5-8 minutes. Remove the tea bag and stir. (Alternatively, steep loose leaf tea with a tea infuser, then add honey and vanilla.)

Steam the milk (or gently warm the milk on the stovetop). Pour most of the milk into the tea. Froth the rest of the milk using a handheld frother.

Top latte with frothed milk. Serve immediately.

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Makes 1 drink.

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Cutting back on caffeine? We love these herbal and tea-based lattes - The Dallas Morning News
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