If you have been following me here for a while (or on social media) you've probably noticed a couple of things about me. First of all, I am a coffee lover (addict), and second, I have one heck of a sweet tooth. I make no apologies for either one. I believe in that whole "everything in moderation" thing. It's what keeps me from getting out of control. So as much as I occasionally indulge in the things I love, I do what I can to balance it all and make better choices whenever possible. One of the changes I recently made was to my morning coffee routine. I love a good latte in the morning and a flavored one is even better. I decided that using an artificial sweetener in my cup every morning might not be a good thing so I created my own vanilla flavored coffee syrup. It still has sugar in it but it's a healthier version which is definitely a better option. It's a simple 3 ingredient recipe that can be used in many different ways. I'm keeping mine by the coffee!
The first thing I did was trade regular processed sugar for Zulka Morena Pure Cane Sugar. Zulka is a NON-GMO product. It's never refined and has a great flavor.
I used equal parts Zulka and water to make a simple syrup (this batch was 3 cups of each). I cooked it over medium/high heat for about 10-15 minutes until it was well blended and a little syrupy.
While the syrup was heating I sliced 2 vanilla beans lengthwise and scraped out the inside.
I removed the syrup from the heat and added the scraped vanilla bean and pods. I stirred it well and let it cool.
Once the syrup was cool I poured the entire contents, beans included, into a bottle.
I added a pump that I bought in a kitchen store.
The flavor is so rich you really don't need much to make a great latte!
Heaven!
Some days I really think I would really benefit from a complete sugar detox (who knows, you may read about that soon!) but for now I am all about making small changes while still enjoying some of the little things that make me happy. And vanilla lattes make me happy! What are some of the "little things" that make you happy?
Have a wonderful weekend!
Leslie xo
Read More about Zulka Morena Sugar
Find my Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies and other great recipes on Zulka.com