Whole30 compliant coffee "creamers" and "milks"

I've mentioned before that discovering cashew milk at someone's recommendation after my first Whole30 was a game changer for me in my coffee drinking on future Whole30s.  Before that, I was drinking my iced Americanos black with a sprinkling of cinnamon or with a splash of Nut Pods.  See, almond milk is not my thing, and neither is coconut milk.

However, I really enjoyed Nut Pods -- which I discovered on my first Whole30 (back in January 2017!) -- which are made from coconuts and almonds.  Go figure!  My first Whole30 I went with hazelnut (one of my all time favorite coffee flavors), and since then I've tried the plain and the French vanilla.  The hazelnut is hands down my favorite of the three!  Since then, they've come out with a seasonal flavors: pumpkin spice and peppermint.  And now they have limited edition flavors: chocolate, caramel (now a staple flavor and no longer limited edition), and cinnamon swirl (also available as a 3-pack with one of each flavor).

Nut pods to me are like a creamer -- not a milk -- and therefore I use it sparingly both in volume and frequency.  But they're a great option for me when I want something a little more creamy and indulgent, but am on Whole30.  I have yet to try the limited edition flavors, but they're hanging out on the counter right next to my Nespresso machine, waiting for their moment to shine!

And if you're looking for an acceptable Whole30-complaint milk alternative, besides the MALK unsweetened cashew milk that I swear by and the New Barn unsweetened almond milk that I mentioned in the same post, I've been digging Trader Joe's Unsweetened Cashew Almond Macadamia Nut Beverage in my coffee.  I've also used it in the occasional smoothie when I want a creamy texture.

When it comes to coffee, are you a "milk" or "creamer" person?  Or, do you drink it black?  While I can drink black espresso, I cannot stand black coffee!

Snickerdoodle cashew coffee

I love coffee.  Like love, love, love it!  I'm not "addicted," I don't crave it, but I really like it.  I can go days without it, and while I'll be yawning in my patient's faces throughout the afternoon, I don't get headaches, and even recently switched to half-caf Americanos without any ill effects.  But I do LOVE the taste.  So yummy!

So when I came across this recipe for Snickerdoodle Cashew Coffee, I decided I had to try it.  I already put cinnamon and cashew milk in my coffee, so I figured it wasn't a huge change from my normal drink, but something told me I had to try it.  And since I'm not a pumpkin spice latte girl (I know, I know, what is wrong with me?!), I figured this might be a nice seasonal drink for me to try.  It did NOT disappoint!

And...I had all the ingredients on hand (I used salted cashew butter since that is what I had.  Shhh!).  I literally made this 10 minutes after I found the recipe!  I did doctor it up a little, though - no collagen peptides and skipped the cardamom, since it's not a spice that I particularly like.  I'm also pretty sure you could make this "pumpkin spice"-ified by adding pumpkin pie spice or subbing it for the cinnamon.  I'll leave that to you PSL girls (and guys) out there!

Snickerdoodle Cashew Coffee
Adapted from the Real Food Dietitians (click the link for the original recipe)
Serves 2, or one super huge caffeine fiend

Ingredients:

24 oz strongly brewed coffee (I made mine half-caf)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp unsweetened, unsalted creamy cashew butter (I used salted).  Mine needed a little more for desired creaminess.
1/2 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon, or more to taste

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender (I used my immersion blender) and blend on high speed until frothy.
Pour into mugs and sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.