Saturday, February 22, 2014

Nutella - Inspired Mocha Latte #RecipeRedux

Have we killed the Nutella trend yet? I don't know if it's dead yet, but I think Biscoff has taken hold in the world of "spread obsession" these days, at least in the blogging world. We can't get Biscoff around here, though, and even if we could my Italian stepfamily and my chocoholic mom and sister wouldn't likely stray to that side of the table. After all, we're the family that currently has 5 "family sized" jars of the stuff, not to mention the five kilo vat my stepbrother hoards in his bedroom:


Being in a household of Italians, we also indulge in our fair share of espresso-based beverages. While my stepbrother and I are the only two that actually enjoy the flavour of the strong coffee straight (since graduating from my childhood of cafe au laits with a shot of Baileys in the cold mornings of camping, I've always been a black-coffee person - unless Baileys or Godiva liqueur is involved!), my mom and stepdad are more into the cappuccinos, Americanos, mochas and lattes.

It was this combination of Nutella and latte love that inspired me to try creating a drink that embodied the best of each part - the creamy, slightly nutty chocolate flavour and the unmistakeable aroma and punch of espresso. Rather than use the spread itself (which is not only a hot commodity in this household but not overly good-for-you either (what with the palm oil, sugar and fake vanilla), I went back to one of my favourite "buttery" ingredients to cook with - natural, roasted and unsweetened cashew butter. It lends a decadent "thickness" to the drink and a hint of cookie-like flavour, which also plays very well with the unsweetened almond milk I used. Of course, for a real Nutella taste, I had to add in some sort of hazelnut element, and I was all out of Frangelico... so

The result is something you could only dream about finding at your local cafe - full of heart-healthy unsaturated fats, potassium, vitamins D & E and even a touch of protein, it's a 90-calorie treat that packs in so much more, and is delicious freshly made and piping hot or chilled into a delicious iced drink.

This month for the #RecipeRedux we are covering all things drinkable - if it's served in a mug, glass, or stein, we're showcasing the healthier side of the cup.


Nutella - Inspired Mocha Latte
Makes 1 serving
1/2 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
2 packets stevia (I used Pure Via
pinch sea salt (if your cashew butter is salted, skip this) 
2 tsp roasted cashew butter (ideally unsalted / unsweetened)
3/4 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk, heated until steaming (if unavailable, use unsweetened vanilla almond milk + 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder)
1/4 tsp LorAnn's Chocolate Hazelnut Extract
  1. In coffee mug, whisk together espresso, stevia, salt and cashew butter.
  2. Pour in almond milk and extract, whisking well.
  3. Serve immediately or chill (whisk well before enjoying cold) 
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 91.1
Total Fat: 7.4 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 138.9 mg
Total Carbs: 4.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.9 g
Protein: 3.3 g

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