Things I Love: Oregon Chai Slightly Sweet

Chai tea is my absolute favorite morning beverage.  Heck, I don't need mornings to drink this deliciousness.  <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSbMmhL9dEeYAFW8NqHa3dkbGGgk9ij4BP4CfELmWR9l23gKES1-0qtkXtJYhVRDSLV6_w122POyPamRXxUGrXKuRMoL2MMyQcVxtgGnKE2jwV4cr6pVHg5iQcv9CI-xuUQCzbkJqkhbQ/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSbMmhL9dEeYAFW8NqHa3dkbGGgk9ij4BP4CfELmWR9l23gKES1-0qtkXtJYhVRDSLV6_w122POyPamRXxUGrXKuRMoL2MMyQcVxtgGnKE2jwV4cr6pVHg5iQcv9CI-xuUQCzbkJqkhbQ/s400/007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />I'm always on the search for a lighter chai.  I used to be in love with the chai at Starbucks (made by Tazo), but a grande size made with skim milk is 6 PointsPlus too many for me.  And truth be told, I really prefer to get the venti so it will last.  But 7 PointsPlus is a large chunk of change to be dishing out for just a drink!<br /><br />I've also made chai via a <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/09/september-goals-and-chai-tea-recipe.html" target="_blank">recipe</a> from Eat What You Love, and it's not a terrible one.  It's actually pictured above and that nice size cup yields 3 PointsPlus (despite what the previous blog post said).  Still, I was ready to give something else a try.  <br /><br />So this weekend I made Crock Pot chai from the <a href="http://www.mileskimball.com/MilesKimball/Shopping/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=BC00360353" target="_blank">Crock Pot Diet Cookbook</a>.  You basically take several black tea bags, 8ish cups of water, fresh ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and ground cloves along with 3/4 cup of sugar and heat that on high for 2.5 hours.  It's not bad, and I'm sure I can get used to drinking it.  My only complaint with this version is that the spices don't strain out very well in a strainer (I'm using a powdered sugar sifter).  I'm not sure they are supposed to, but you end up with a ton of spice sediment in the bottom of your cup.  I don't think anyone wants to digest about 2 Tbsp worth of wet spices.  I never figured out the PointsPlus value of this one.<br /><br />THEN, this weekend as I was strolling through Tar-jay, I came across this little lady:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHDde69FCaKYksyLkAHFd1R2orjCjL3El4I8MRyVOKPgVuJX38D5SEAw3GgyHKv2xwDQ3TNgjIXnkf-9F8_miCFvzxclIg-D31Mlge2Y84BxlilGeEmXll5LAS1QsP23QuwmGdS6DPNA/s1600/oregon+chai+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHDde69FCaKYksyLkAHFd1R2orjCjL3El4I8MRyVOKPgVuJX38D5SEAw3GgyHKv2xwDQ3TNgjIXnkf-9F8_miCFvzxclIg-D31Mlge2Y84BxlilGeEmXll5LAS1QsP23QuwmGdS6DPNA/s400/oregon+chai+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Oregon Chai comes in many <a href="http://www.oregonchai.com/products/default.aspx" target="_blank">varieties</a>, including a <a href="http://shop.oregonchai.com/SugarFree-Original-Chai-Tea-Latte-Concentrate/p/ORG-12032" target="_blank">sugar free version</a> made with Splenda.  But, if you're like me, Splenda does a number on my stomach.  But <a href="http://shop.oregonchai.com/Slightly-Sweet-Original-Chai-Tea-Latte-Concentrate/p/ORG-13032" target="_blank">slightly sweet</a>?  I'll take it!  As the awesome people at Oregon Chai state in the product description, it's like Light Chai.  The stats are impressive:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSPGmcC196R-phCQfGvKQ2uxMRfu8RDL6INUYKAJOtaeHRGK7PIZGu00dpcuCTwVSBWOC29_CWcnbNtZHb3KPlI8DK4MCypgliBcAkjaweUHLEv_UeNdg3oD6vU5jDG0ld6ytuu0XUfw/s1600/oregon+chai+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSPGmcC196R-phCQfGvKQ2uxMRfu8RDL6INUYKAJOtaeHRGK7PIZGu00dpcuCTwVSBWOC29_CWcnbNtZHb3KPlI8DK4MCypgliBcAkjaweUHLEv_UeNdg3oD6vU5jDG0ld6ytuu0XUfw/s400/oregon+chai+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Understand that you must add equal parts milk and chai when making it.  So, the chai mix itself for half a cup is 1 PointsPlus.  However, to get a grande size, I used 1 cup of chai concentrate and 1 cup of skim milk for a total of 4 PointsPlus.  I can do 4 PointsPlus for a chai.... 6 is pushing it 'bucks!<br /><br /><b style="color: #351c75;">Do you have a favorite coffee/tea beverage? </b><br /><br />If you're interested in trying the Crock Pot recipe, I'd be happy to share it.. just let me know!<br /><br />

Oregon Chai Oregon Chai Slightly Sweet Things I Love Things I Love: Oregon Chai Slightly Sweet

Chai tea is my absolute favorite morning beverage.  Heck, I don't need mornings to drink this deliciousness.  I'm always on the sear...

Read more »