Ideas for a warm winter's healthy desk drink?

[Brandy]

I need a new drink, a warm drink for winter. I drink enough straight water, that isn't what I want here. I want the "make yourself a cup of goodness three or four times a day, almost reward almost ritual" kind of drink.

I used to drink black tea, coffee or lemonade, but find them both to be a little to on the acidic side now to reliably suck them down like water. Also, I'm always cold now and so need warm.

I want it to be healthy, so maybe a green tea? Not chamomile or mint, cuz that is what I've done the last two years and I can't face those flavors any longer, maybe never again.

I want it to be able to easily hold two TBS of Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate Beef, https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005KG7EDU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1. 11 g protein. This stuff is pretty tasteless, generally just making liquids more unctuous. I can't handle any kind of whey or egg protein mixes, but this stuff is fine. I know this is an incomplete protein, but many scientists are walking away from that whole compete/incomplete thing, since protein building blocks are collected over weeks, not just during one meal or day. Also, I am mostly doing this for my skin. The YouTube Beauty Bloggers say that near constant influx of collagen is needed for your skin to really absorb it. Not an info source I'm proud to quote, but I figure between this and the protein and the fact it isn't gross, this stuff had earned a long term trial from me.

It would be nice if the drink wasn't sweet and I still loved it. Unfortunately, knowing me, I will probably sweeten it, but since that is a whole other thing, we can just assume I will add my own sweeter of choice.


I've tried milk and also half and half with coco and that might very well be what end up with, both just seem a little rich for three times a day. I would rather it wouldn't' be something that would fill me up and take up potential protein space and the coca does fill me up.


Has anybody found the perfect thing? Any wild brainstorm ideas?

 

[southernlady]

I do drink hot apple cider about once a day, broth, and sometimes hot cocoa. I try not to drink more than one cup of the cider or cocoa in any given day but could easily drink my weight in broth daily.

 

[galaxygrrl]

The world of Tea is amazing. I would try a lot of herbal teas -- and I would really explore it. Apple harvest tea is amazing. Tropical fruit teas are amazing. I would go into a local Teavana. - http://www.teavana.com - and just smell the teas. Teavanna is expensive, but you can find teas just as good at the local supermarket, but at Teavana, you get to give everything a sniff.


Look at some of these names from Teavana-

Caramel Truffle Herbal Tea
Mulled Pomegranate Cider Herbal Tea
Hot Pink Lemonade Herbal Tea
Blueberry Lemonade Herbal Tea

Yum

 

[southernlady]

The world of Tea is amazing. I would try a lot of herbal teas -- and I would really explore it. Apple harvest tea is amazing. Tropical fruit teas are amazing. I would go into a local Teavana. - http://www.teavana.com - and just smell the teas. Teavanna is expensive, but you can find teas just as good at the local supermarket, but at Teavana, you get to give everything a sniff.


Look at some of these names from Teavana-

Caramel Truffle Herbal Tea
Mulled Pomegranate Cider Herbal Tea
Hot Pink Lemonade Herbal Tea
Blueberry Lemonade Herbal Tea

Yum

Just for the record...those are herbal infusions as you can't make tea out of an herb. Tea is only made from the Camellia sinensis bush.

 

[newanatomy]

My favorite currently is Jasmine tea, yum!

 

[JackieOnLine]

http://www.arborteas.com/organic-masala-chai-rooibos.html

This is an excellent option for people who don't want any caffeine at all, but they have lovely organic teas of all types.

 

[JackieOnLine]

Gah! I see my link doesn't work how I hate posting from my phone... I meant to offer this type of tea
Organic Masala Chai Rooibos

 

[southernlady]

@JackieOnLine it was due to the htmlhtml at the end of the link. ONE html was all it should have had, LOL

BTW, fixed it for you.

 

[Susan in Tennessee]

I need a new drink, a warm drink for winter. I drink enough straight water, that isn't what I want here. I want the "make yourself a cup of goodness three or four times a day, almost reward almost ritual" kind of drink.

I used to drink black tea, coffee or lemonade, but find them both to be a little to on the acidic side now to reliably suck them down like water. Also, I'm always cold now and so need warm.

I want it to be healthy, so maybe a green tea? Not chamomile or mint, cuz that is what I've done the last two years and I can't face those flavors any longer, maybe never again.

I want it to be able to easily hold two TBS of Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate Beef, https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005KG7EDU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1. 11 g protein. This stuff is pretty tasteless, generally just making liquids more unctuous. I can't handle any kind of whey or egg protein mixes, but this stuff is fine. I know this is an incomplete protein, but many scientists are walking away from that whole compete/incomplete thing, since protein building blocks are collected over weeks, not just during one meal or day. Also, I am mostly doing this for my skin. The YouTube Beauty Bloggers say that near constant influx of collagen is needed for your skin to really absorb it. Not an info source I'm proud to quote, but I figure between this and the protein and the fact it isn't gross, this stuff had earned a long term trial from me.

It would be nice if the drink wasn't sweet and I still loved it. Unfortunately, knowing me, I will probably sweeten it, but since that is a whole other thing, we can just assume I will add my own sweeter of choice.


I've tried milk and also half and half with coco and that might very well be what end up with, both just seem a little rich for three times a day. I would rather it wouldn't' be something that would fill me up and take up potential protein space and the coca does fill me up.


Has anybody found the perfect thing? Any wild brainstorm ideas?

I've had trouble finding "the drink" for me also. Plain water does not set well and hurts going down. Water with lemon works well and that's what I had been drinking for several weeks then I wanted something a bit different so I thought of SouthernLady saying she drank Crystal Light (wasn't it you, Liz?) so I mixed up a pitcher of lemonade Crystal Light and have been chugging it down since. The ice waters it down slightly and it goes down so well! Also, taking my vitamins with it is easier because the flavor of the Crystal Light hides the awful taste some of the vitamins have and it's not nearly as awful as it used to be. Also, didn't someone say Crystal Light has even more of the anti kidney stone components than water with lemon? Another selling point for me. I'm not sure what I'll do when it gets cold. I've never been much of a hot drink drinker but when it gets really cold I don't really want iced beverages. I might try warm crystal light!

 

[southernlady]

Water with lemon works well and that's what I had been drinking for several weeks then I wanted something a bit different so I thought of SouthernLady saying she drank Crystal Light (wasn't it you, Liz?)

I mentioned homemade lemonade but not Crystal Light. Crystal Light makes my guts hurt.

 

[Susan in Tennessee]

I mentioned homemade lemonade but not Crystal Light. Crystal Light makes my guts hurt.

Well, well, see how my mind works? Maybe you said that and somehow Crystal Light and Liz was lodged in my brain. Someone else must have been talking about Crystal Light. When you make your lemonade, do you use sugar or Splenda or Stevia...something else?

 

[Munchkin]

Another option. Try some bone broth. And it's really good for us. Some people are knocking back a couple quarts of this stuff every day. AND you won't be tempted to sweeten it either!

 

[southernlady]

Well, well, see how my mind works? Maybe you said that and somehow Crystal Light and Liz was lodged in my brain. Someone else must have been talking about Crystal Light. When you make your lemonade, do you use sugar or Splenda or Stevia...something else?

I use Splenda but then I have been using Splenda since early 1998 BEFORE it was available in the grocery stores. I had to order it from Johnson & Johnson since they made my blood glucose meter. (You had to be registered with a meter to even order it).

I've tried Stevia...HATE the taste. I adore sugar, my body doesn't.

 

[Susan in Tennessee]

I use Splenda but then I have been using Splenda since early 1998 BEFORE it was available in the grocery stores. I had to order it from Johnson & Johnson since they made my blood glucose meter. (You had to be registered with a meter to even order it).

I've tried Stevia...HATE the taste. I adore sugar, my body doesn't.

I might try making some before long. I use Splenda, too. Stevia doesn't do it for me either. I haven't made lemonade in so long with fresh lemons, what ratio of squeezed lemon juice to water do you use?

 

[southernlady]

I might try making some before long. I use Splenda, too. Stevia doesn't do it for me either. I haven't made lemonade in so long with fresh lemons, what ratio of squeezed lemon juice to water do you use?

I made a gallon at a time...usually took about 6 lemons (one I cut half of it into slices and added it to the container)