By The Christmas spirit was everywhere this week. Our church had a decorating night, and I helped hang lights and put up the big tree in the fellowship hall. My fingers smelled like pine for hours afterward. At school we had a holiday party, and Jada and I exchanged silly handmade cards. Hers had a drawing of me stirring a giant pot with a doctor's coat on.
Monday I made red beans and rice with extra smoked sausage because it felt like a cold-weather meal. Kayla kept sneaking spoonfuls before dinner and blamed it on the cat we don't have. Jamal caught her and they had a silly chase around the kitchen until Mama threatened to make them wash dishes for a week.
On Wednesday I stayed after school to help with the winter concert rehearsal. I sang in the choir and my voice didn't crack this time. Jada waited for me afterward and we walked home talking about how fast the year had gone since the flood.
Saturday MawMaw Shirley wasn't feeling her best, so we kept it light. We made sweet tea and she told me stories about Christmases when she was a girl. I listened and tried to picture her as a little girl standing on a step stool just like I used to.
At night I sat on my bed flipping through my notebook. The pages are filling up with recipes, prices, and little memories. Twelve years old, still with my round face and thick coiled hair, and I'm starting to understand that Christmas after hard times feels like the first good stir after a long wait — warm, sweet, and full of hope. I'm not letting them unfold.
Saturday with MawMaw Shirley reminded me that sometimes the most healing thing you can make isn’t a big pot of something — it’s a quiet cup of something warm. We had our sweet tea that afternoon, but I kept thinking about how I’d love to make her something with a little more spice and depth next time, something that feels like a hug in a mug the way her stories do. This vegan chai latte is exactly that — warm, fragrant, and sweet enough to sip slow while you listen to someone you love.
Vegan Chai Latte
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2 black tea bags (or 2 teaspoons loose-leaf black tea)
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened oat milk (or almond milk)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 4 whole cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (adjust to taste)
- Pinch of black pepper
- Ground cinnamon, for garnish
Instructions
- Simmer the spices. In a small saucepan, combine the water, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, ground ginger, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes to let the spices bloom.
- Steep the tea. Add the tea bags to the saucepan and steep for 3–4 minutes. Remove the tea bags and discard. Do not over-steep or the tea will turn bitter.
- Add the milk and sweeten. Pour in the oat milk and add the maple syrup. Stir to combine and heat over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until steaming — about 2–3 minutes. Do not boil.
- Strain and finish. Pour the chai through a fine mesh strainer into two mugs to remove the whole spices. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Garnish and serve. Dust each mug lightly with ground cinnamon. Serve immediately while hot.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 95 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Carbs: 18g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 75mg