Not everything requires a bowl, a mixer, whisk, and measuring spoons.
Sometimes the most delicious comforts come out of milk, spice, and heat.
I’ve been keeping it pretty simple in the kitchen lately. You know… trying to treat my body right, and such. I’m also trying to stay far far away from the Winter cold that’s ruining the world as of late (that was totally dramatic).
Here’s the plan:
Heat about 2 cups of almond milk in a small saucepan. If it’s unsweetened almond milk… you might want to add a touch of honey. If it’s already sweetened… no need.
Add about 1/8 teaspoon of ground cardamom and a good sprinkling of fresh ground nutmeg to the heating milk. Also add the scrapings of half a vanilla bean… heck, throw the pod in too. If you don’t have vanilla beans on hand, no worries (!) just throw in a dash of pure vanilla extract. If you want to add a bit of bourbon… I won’t tell a soul.
Heat until steaming hot.
Serve hot with cookies from your favorite bakery. Enjoy while reading a cookbook studded with Polaroids of your friends as bookmarks. (Suggestions… no biggie.)
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Vonnie
Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an incredibly long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear. Grrrr… well I’m
not writing all that over again. Anyway,
just wanted to say superb blog!
Lily
This is hands down my favorite fall/winter drink! So so good. I can´t wait to sneak a bit of rum into it. Who needs eggnog?
Shelley
Joy:
just made this with cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, honey, a touch of brown sugar and a Twinings pumpkin chai tea bag. absolutely amazing, thank you!
Emily Flippin Maruna
Your steamer looks fantastic and I’m totally going to make it for tea time today. I”ve shared it with my readers at The Handmade Experiment. http://emilyflippinmaruna.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/must-make-monday-dairy-free-foods/
Thanks and feel free to grab a button if you’re interested!
Emily
Lindsay
How do you store the other half of the vanilla bean, just in a ziplock or air-tight container? I happen to have some on hand but have only ever used them in making vanilla bean caramels. This sounds so decadent, yet easy.. thank you!
Elle
Made myself a glass this evening – it was soooooo good and comforting! Thanks so much for sharing!
Celestia
I made this tonight to go with some oatmeal cookies I made. So good!
Ahuva
I made this last night after I came home from the gym and need a sweet treat that wasn’t going to make me feel guiilty. This was it! A touch of honey, cardamom, vanilla extract and spice…. thanks a mil!
MonicaP
Tried this last night with a new adjustments.. used 1 cup of Pacific Almond milk, 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract (will look into buying vanilla bean this weekend) and a dash of cinnamon. Warmed the milk on the stove vs. microwave as I didn’t want to overdo it and .. oh, was this good .. a very cozy pm drink.
Julie @ Outtakes on the Outskirts
I’ve got to find me some of this almond milk that everyone in my blog feed keeps raving about. This looks delicious! I hope I can find it in the boondocks.
Sarah @ See Sarah Bake
This sounds so lovely. Right now, I’m in a crap hotel room on travel for work and all I want is to curl up with my boy and my puppy and drink this steamer all night. That’s def on the to-do list now for when I get back!
Lizzie
I have almond milk waiting in my fridge to be made into this. Usually I just put it in my coffee and smoothies, but this sounds yummy.
I also spy your sharpie pen … they are the best, right??
Tamara @jemofthesouth.com
Love this recipe! I had a yummy gingerbread steamer from a local doughnut shop this past December and I’ve been smitten with steamers ever since.
KeishaG.
My kinda night cap! As usual, your ideas are amazing. Thanks!
Jessica @ The Desert Abode
Ooh, spiced milk! I like this. I’ve been drinking a lot of hot water and lemon to shake up the usual tea routine. This could be another way to enjoy a hot drink sans caffeine–especially in the evenings.
muddledmom
Boy, Joy, you make everything so easy to love. This looks amazing. It’s raining today and I have my jammies on. And there’s nothing better than working like that. But I don’t have a single ingredient for this! I’ll have to peruse your site for something else to drink. I DO have everything for your absolutely fantastic chocolate orange scones. Sinful. (Is it bad that I make them all the time?)
Lexi @ Cura Personalis Foodie
Like hot chocolate on steroids…minus the chocolate. ;)
archerfriendly
nice sharpie pen! i love those. and beautiful write-up. :)
Gretchen parkison
Perfect coincidence! I am steeping raw almonds in the fridge to make almond milk in the morning. And now I have something delicious to make with the end result. Thanks, Joy, as always. You are right there when I need ya!
Sydney Davis
ah-mazing.
my life just got a little bit better because of this.
Sara {Home is Where the Cookies Are}
This totally sent me through a time warp! I used to be big into steamers when I was in high school! I don’t want to say when that was exactly, but I’ll divulge that it was in the 90’s. . . . I really forgot about them, but your post made me so sentimental. I’ll have to make one soon. Thanks for the reminder!
Stacy @ Say It With Sprinkles
Yummy! I love almond milk, and unique “lattes” of any kind….=)
Jay @ LocalFood.me
Polaroids of friends as cookbook bookmarks?! Brilliant.
Urban Wife
I’m about to make this drink. Even though it’s nearly 70 degrees here, nothing beats a glass of warm milk. Thanks for the inspiration.
Beth
Hmmm, sounds like just the thing while I watch Downton Abbey tonight!
Kelsey
I am going to make a big mug of this, grab a blanket and a good book and be unavailable for a couple of hours. I might use the *chocolate* almond milk that I have in the fridge right now.
Holly @ Confessions of an Actress
Mmmmmm… this sounds so good! It’s a cold day here in Canada. I just got off work, where I finally picked up my staff Christmas gift: a soft fluffy blanket. Think I’ll curl up with a Spiced Almond Steamer, my new blanket, and get back to Jules Verne’s The Mysterious Island.
Lucy
hey Joy,
Is there any way to put almond extract into just plain whole cow’s milk, would that suffice for almond milk, do you think?
-Lucy
Also, your blog makes me happy.
Maggie
I want this right now! Sounds so comforting.
Karleen
Just LOOK at the homemade chocolate croissants in that picture. Those combined with that steamer = my perfect snack hero.
Nicole
Tell me about it….and hopefully it won’t cause three fire alarms to go off in my apartment building due to smoke from my focaccia bread in the oven…even though it turned out delicious and was worth it. The milk right now does sound more comforting…especially since the neighbors won’t get angry :)
Jenna
Sounds delicious and perfect for the cold weather!
Jennifer
I love this post… highlights how wonderful the simple things can be: warm, spiced milk, a book and pictures of friends! Thank you
Iris R.
Excellent! I just ordered the vanilla beans you suggested in the meringue post, and they should be here tomorrow to make this deliciousness. My friend also just got back from Costa Rica and she brought me back cocoa nibs, so I’ll probably throw a few on top of the almond milk. Yum!
PS Love the new header!
Nicki Woo
Yummers. Gonna make this. And the bookmark friends. Or the friend bookmarks. You know what I mean. I like that.
Elizabeth
Joy, Do you design your own blog headers or does someone else? I love them so much!
Katie @ OhShineOn
Favorable cold fix of the day. You did good, Joy.
Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen
I just wanted to say that I adore your pretty pink flowered napkin, and love the new header :)
Paula
Love it! Some evenings I just heat some milk and add cinnamon to it. It makes for sweet dreams!
Kelly
I have almond milk in the fridge – headed to the kitchen to make this with my breakfast! Thanks for sharing.
Katie
I was DELIGHTED to see that this drink used almond milk. Now I just have to get to the store to pick some up. YUM!
christine {the sugar apothecary}
Mmmmmm. So simple and amaaazing! Almond and honey and spice and pain au chocolat… and polaroids! “Spiced steamer” has a nice ring to it. It makes me think of a bamboo-steamer-sauna packed with cloves and nutmeg.
Suzan
Ohhhh my! I am headed to the kitchen with my sad empty coffee cup to make this now. Thanks!
Miss Meghan @ scratch-made wife
OK, so I think I know what I’ll be drinking this afternoon! Oh, and I use postcards and notes from my momma as cookbook bookmarks. They make me smile every time I flip open a book.
Lindsay @ The Live-In Kitchen
So simple! I love the pictures as bookmarks, I usually use magazine scraps. So much more personal. :)
tj
…I love almonds so this would be right up my alley. You know, I can even smell it from here. Seriously. ;o)
…Love the new blog header too!
…Thank you for sharing and enjoy your Sunday!
…Peace & Blessings :o)
Stef
This is so good! I had to make some immediately as a post-breakfast treat (minus bourbon).
Unsweetened almond + kahlua is good stuff, too!
Holly
I may have to whip up a batch of cookies so that I can have an excuse to make this drink. Or do I need this drink to have an excuse to make cookies? Not sure. :)
Mitchell Webster
I love the idea that you used Almond Milk, I love Almond Milk and also chai tea, but the amounts of sugar for real chai is just too much. I often have almond milk and never ever thought of this what a bright idea Joy! One that I will certainly be trying very soon! (you would know that right now there is NO Almond milk in the house) :-(
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen
So simple, yet sounds so delicious. Love the new header.
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
I love easy, yummy, drinks like this! This sounds so soothing!
Maureen
This drink is a hug in a cup for sure.
Jessica Ann (@peonyfish)
I love cardamon. Sometimes I split open some cardamon pods and put them in the coffee filter with my coffee and it makes it slightly extra yummy.
Rhubarb and Venison
Fantastic idea – thanks for sharing!
Christine @ Fresh Local and Best
The aromas of warm spices and vanilla in this hot beverage must be incredibly soothing in this cold weather.
sweetmaddy
So cute! I just ordered some pictures of my friends to put on my wall, but maybe I’ll use them as a bookmark too!
Rebecca
I love drinking warm milk, but this really elevates it to something special! Yum!
Serea
Love your Blog!!
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
Warm milk was my grandma and mother’s method for getting me to sleep when I was a kid if I was all wound up. To this day, a milk-heavy cup of hot cocoa will put me right to sleep.
Looks lovely, Joy!
Jessie
I am definitely going to make this tomorrow – comforting, but healthy!
Chrystina
This looks awesome. I just bookmarked the page, now I need to go out and buy some almond milk…
Taylor @ Goings on in Texas...
If only I had a stovetop right now…that sounds divine! :)
Amanda
This sounds just lovely! We’re having some rainy weather with a cold snap so this will be perfect :D
Heather (Heather's Dish)
you’re right….the best recipes are sometimes just methods, and this sounds heavenly!
Lydia
yum. I’ve seriously been trying to think of what I want to do with cardamom all freaking week.
Lexi
I often make steamer’s out of Almond Milk but I have never thought of having a spiced steamer! I always use flavoured syrups in them (which is absolutely delicious) but this looks even better!
Becca- Cookie Jar Treats
It looks to me like you have the simple life. I would totally love to just sit on my couch with a blanket and a good book sipping this almond steamer concoction. This is truely the defenition of “the simple life”.
Ann P.
I just had almond milk at a friend’s place, and wish I saw this recipe before then!! It looks delicious!
Hannah at FleurDeLicious
I love the simplicity of this, Joy! Love hot almond milk with some cinnamon and cocoa powder for dessert…but the vanilla and nutmeg (and the bourbon!) in this sound delicious. It’s not cold here at all, but I think I’ll be making this soon :) Thanks!
MaryB
This seems so suited for the chilly winter we’re having here in Canada, and a perfect way to end a busy day! I’m loving the great and simple recipes you’ve been posting, refreshing and light and oh so yummy!
Hillary {Nutrition Nut on the Run}
love the new blog header — very cute!! & this sounds like a cozy, winter treat :)