VEGAN Choco Banana Chai Latte – rolling hot chocolate, banana bread & chai, into one, this will be your new favorite winter beverage!

The tree outside my window never ceases to amaze me – whether it’s the lush green it dons in the Summer, or the red hues it transforms itself into during fall. First week of November, when it was the peak of Fall here, the tree turned a fiery red and appeared like it had spontaneously caught on fire and for a week, the light streaming through my home was a deep shade of red. And almost overnight, it sheds all its leaves for Winter, baring down to the spindly bare branches that sway eerily in the wind, casting mysterious shadows over my bed. No matter the form it takes, there is beauty and intrigue throughout its life.

The sun is just starting to set now, the days growing shorter and darker with the season. My apartment has large west-facing windows and every day I stop whatever I’m doing to watch the sunset and it never fails to impress. Once I finish shooting + editing the photographs, I move over to the couch to write, and I can’t help but be distracted by the bejeweled sky, flaunting shades of pink, purple and grey. My home begins to darken steadily as the street lights turn on and my part of the world winds up another beautiful day. Staring out my window, I am held spell bound, watching the sun fade into the darkness.

There is so much beauty in our lives everyday, and all we have to do is stop and smell the roses. There is life, even in decay. But it’s a task easier said than done, isn’t it?

The last two months have been absolutely demanding and I have definitely been swept away by the current. Bottomless lists of things to do and counting had me exhausted in more ways than I can describe. But now that things are slowing down, I am now catching up on a lot of things that have missed my attention.

Speaking of which, I found a forgotten bunch of bananas (seriously, how does this happen so frequently to me?) that were nearing the end of its lifetime and it fell onto me to make amends for my negligence. Normally, I’d have baked them into some Banana Muffins (regular | vegan +gf ), or on a more indulging day, deep-fried them into Burmese Banana Fritters, but the weather outside had me begging for some hot chocolate and I knew that these dying bananas could be transformed into some Banana Split Hot Chocolate.

While the version I posted last year was made with milk, I knew that I had to veganize it this year. And while attempting to make it vegan, I also decided to tweak it just a tinge.

Chai. Yes, it needed a touch of chai. Needed might be too strong a word, for its influence on the beverage was gently subtle.

What does it taste like, you wonder? It tastes like drinking hot chocolate while eating banana bread, but you’re also sneaking sips of the chai latte your friend ordered. And thanks to the banana, it is creamier than it would be if it were made with whole cream.

The final splash of vanilla seals the deal and makes every sip that much more enjoyable. I’ve been sipping bottomless mugs of these VEGAN Choco Banana Chai Latte all day (there were a lot of bananas, and I turned them all into the biggest batch of hot chocolate ever made!).

And that’s the story of how this VEGAN Choco Banana Chai Latte came to be. There is definite beauty in decay. And sometimes, unexpected deliciousness also. All you need to do is stop, look and take out the saucepan and a few other ingredients.

Today, do me (and you) a small favor and pay attention to the beauty in little things that otherwise go unnoticed. Give yourself the priceless gift of simple joys and begin the end of this year with a warm heart. Happy December!

Recipe notes:

1. I used almond milk freshly pressed at home. If using store-bought non-dairy milks, you’ll need to adjust water to make up for the added thickeners in them.
2. You can substitute the three (3″) small bananas with 1 regular yellow banana. The over-ripe, soft ones give off the best flavor. 
3. Sprinkle a touch of cinnamon before serving or another flavor variation.

When you make these VEGAN Choco Banana Chai Latte (which I really think you SHOULD!), be sure to SHARE YOUR PHOTOS with me through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. I’d love to see what you cook from here!