Vegan Egg-Nog, Vegan Lattes, AND Vegan Egg-Nog Ice Cream!

It's that time of year again... vegan egg-nog is here!  Man, I loved egg-nog as a kid, but I never felt very good after drinking it.  Now, I still love it, and don't feel yucky after drinking it!  Yah!  Thanks to some delicious vegan egg-nogs on the market...
The brand I like best (in Canada) is So Nice Noel Nog.  Normally, I'm not a big soy milk drinker.  Actually, I don't drink a lot of milk myself, but do make 'lattes' with it (more on that soon) - plus I use a lot of non-dairy milk for baking and also cooking.  Usually I prefer almond milk, but when the Noel Nog hits the shelf, I'm in.  I should mention that in Canada Vitasoy also has a 'Holly Nog'.  For my tastes it's a little sweet, and also has a thinner, less creamy consistency than the So Nice version.  My preference is So Nice, but Vitasoy's Holly Nog can stand-in for the the ice cream (we'll get there too!).  But, Vitasoy also makes a Peppermint Chocolate milk that is delicious heated for a hot chocolate.Even more exciting, I hear that So Delicious has recently come out with their coconut milk versions of both the nog and peppermint chocolate milk.  I can't wait to try them.  Unfortunately, I doubt we'll see them in Canada this year.Back to the So Nice Noel Nog.  Mostly I enjoy it in vegan lattes.  No  Not this kind of latte.  This one's good, but expensive.  So, make your own!  I make a tea latte (hmm, lat-tea?!) just about every mid-morning.  I love it.  Comforting, satisfying, and delicious.  Through most of the cold months I make lattes with almond milk,  and use Trader Joe's Organic Ruby Red Chai Rooibos tea bags.  But this time of year I also mix it up with the Stash Decaf Pumpkin Spice Tea.  Here's how you make your latte:

kitty mugs!

1. Get a big mug.  Big.  I use these kitty mugs.  I've had them since forever and love them.
2. Add your tea bag of choice (or loose teas if you prefer).
3. Get your kettle going, just a little boiled water will do.
4. Add boiled water to your tea, but just a couple of inches, enough to start steeping the tea (not too much so your latte isn't diluted).
5. Meanwhile, put some almond/soy milk* in a small saucepan on your stove.  Use enough to fill your mug/cup, maybe 3/4 - 1 cup, or more... Remember, big mug = big yummy latte.
6. Heat milk over medium/medium-low.  Takes a few minutes, keep your eye on it.  It will start to simmer, and then magically come to a frothy boil.  Don't let it boil over!  Once it's good and frothy, pour into your mug.  It won't stay frothy, but will bring more flavor out of your tea, and well, it's creates a mood!
7. Sweeten to taste (if needed) with a pinch of stevia or liquid sweetener if you like.  If using a noel nog combo (see below), you probably won't need any sweetener.  If using just unsweetened almond milk, a pinch of stevia tastes great.

*Note:  When I make the noel nog lattes, I usually use half-and-half.  Half almond milk, half noel nog, that is!  The noel nog is very sweet, so I cut it with unsweetened almond milk.Then I take the Noel Nog to the North Pole!  It's now a holiday traditions to make my Egg-Nog  Ice Cream.  

Egg-Nog Ice Cream (with Coconut Caramel Sauce)

I don't think you can buy a dairy-free egg-nog ice cream.  But, even if you can, it probably won't compare to this homemade version.  It's one of my recipes from the ice-cream chapter in LTEV.  But you can get it now!Make it hot, make it cool, make it egg-nog special.  Just make it dairy- (and egg-) free please... "...milk has been linked to Type 1 diabetes, prostate cancer, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis...casein, the main protein in dairy foods, has been shown to...promote cancer and increase blood cholesterol and atheroscleratic plaque"(p. 294,The China Study)(p.s. This is my last post for a week or so.  We are moving house this week, and I'll be up to my noel-nog-filled eyeballs with work.  Wish me luck!)