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This Chai Mix was born out of my love for chai (the milky Indian version) combined with my current obsession with dry drink mixes. It certainly isn’t the real deal, but it’s not bad for a mix! It has good flavor – a unique change from coffee. THM Fuel Pull, low carb, low fat, sugar free
Eventually I plan to do a large batch recipe of a more traditional chai made with whole spices!
Late night snack
This chai makes a great Fuel Pull evening snack to stave off hunger and give you some protein!
The mix itself is a THM Fuel Pull, and the fuel type of your chai will be determined by the type of liquid you use to make it. (Find notes about that in the recipe below.)
Is this chai mix a THM sipper?
This drink is not a sipper and is meant to be enjoyed with a meal or as a snack. (It does contain protein of its own due to the collagen.)
How to make chai with this chai mix:
I like to use 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of mix per 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) of liquid, but adjust according to the strength you prefer.
Liquid options:
- MY FAVE: For the liquid, I like to use 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, and 1/4 cup half and half. This would be a light S, Trim Healthy Mamas. Feel free to use more almond milk in place of the water if you want an even better result. I don’t recommend using just water to make this chai.
- FUEL PULL/DEEP S/DAIRY FREE: For a Fuel Pull chai, use 1 cup unsweetened almond milk and 1/2 cup water. This would be Deep S compliant as well, although it doesn’t contain any of its own fat. This is a good option for dairy free folks. (Don’t use all almond milk in this case because 1 cup is the limit in a Fuel Pull setting.)
A great gift!
Mix up a batch of this chai mix and give it away in a glass jar with a pretty ribbon and a handwritten label!
Check out my hot chocolate and cappuccino mixes!
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STARTING THM
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MY RECIPE INDEX
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RECIPE INDEX BY FUEL TYPE/ALLERGY/THEME
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My Velvety Chai recipe
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My Iced Vanilla Chai recipe
Chai Mix
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: about 2 cups mix (1/4 cup per serving)
Description
This Chai Mix was born out of my love for chai (the milky Indian version) combined with my current obsession with dry drink mixes. It certainly isn’t the real deal, but it’s not bad for a mix! It has good flavor – a unique change from coffee. THM Fuel Pull, low carb, low fat, sugar free
The mix itself is a THM Fuel Pull, and the fuel type of your chai will be determined by the type of liquid you use to make it. (Find notes about that in the recipe below.) This drink is not a sipper and is meant to be enjoyed with a meal or as a snack. (It does contain protein of its own due to the collagen.)
Ingredients
- 1 cup instant unsweetened decaf tea (see note below)
- 1/2 cup collagen
- 3 tablespoons THM Super Sweet Blend
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom (do not omit)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder (or a dash of vanilla in your cup when making chai)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Whisk the ingredients together and store in a sealed container at room temperature. Make a test cup of chai and adjust the mix to your taste.
I like to use 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of mix per 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) of liquid, but adjust according to the strength you prefer. For best results, heat the liquid and then whisk in the mix – it dissolves better in hot liquids than cold.
MY FAVE: For the liquid, I like to use 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, and 1/4 cup half and half. This would be a light S, Trim Healthy Mamas. Feel free to use more almond milk in place of the water if you want an even better result. I don’t recommend using just water to make this chai.
FUEL PULL/DEEP S/DAIRY FREE: For a Fuel Pull chai, use 1 cup unsweetened almond milk and 1/2 cup water. This would be Deep S compliant as well, although it doesn’t contain any of its own fat. This is a good option for dairy free folks. (Don’t use all almond milk in this case because 1 cup is the limit in a Fuel Pull setting.)
NOTE: All the ground spices in this mix do leave a sludge at the bottom of your mug. I personally just leave them there and avoid them. Blending could possibly help, or you could strain the chai through a very fine sieve after steeping for a few minutes. (The chai gets stronger as it sits.) Eventually I plan to do a large batch recipe of a more traditional chai made with whole spices which will alleviate this issue.
Notes
Instant unsweetened decaf tea: I used Lipton instant unsweetened decaf tea in powder form from Walmart (check with the other teas and Lipton products). It does contain a minute amount of maltodextrin, which is not THM friendly. (The amount is described as “nutritionally insignificant” and expressed as <1g on nutritional labels based on Lipton’s website.) I wanted to test this recipe with a product that’s easy for most people to find. I’m sure there are much better alternatives out there that are 100% pure tea – either online or at a local Indian grocery. Keep in mind that various instant teas vary in strength, so you may need to make adjustments if yours is especially strong. Feel free to use regular instant tea if you don’t mind the caffeine.
Collagen: This adds bulk, creaminess, and protein; I don’t recommend omitting it. (Doing so would change the strength of the mix.) You can try using whey protein powder or plant protein powder in its place, but the taste is on you. I prefer the lack of flavor of collagen – and it’s dairy free for those of you who need that. That being said, whey protein powder would probably make for a creamier chai mix (similar to a dry milk powder in a standard mix).
Sweetener: I’m not sure how much “traditional” chai is sweetened…I’ve had some that was fairly sweet and some that wasn’t. For a mix like this, I wanted at least some sweetness. Adjust the sweetener to taste. Keep in mind that if you change the volume of sweetener in the recipe, you may need to add more or less mix to your cup to compensate for strength.
Allergy info (for mix only): gluten free (make sure the instant tea is gluten free), egg free, dairy free, nut free – use liquids that fit your particular allergies. Carton coconut milk may be a good option if you’re nut free but can have coconut products. Some full fat canned coconut milk may be a good addition for a more decadent hot chocolate if you can’t add a splash of dairy like half and half or cream.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Category: Hot Drinks
- Method: Microwave
- Cuisine: THM Fuel Pull, low carb, low fat, sugar free
Keywords: thm, trim healthy mama, sugar free chai mix, low carb chai mix, dairy free chai mix, Indian chai recipe
Just made this chai mixture tonight. I did strain it through a coffee filter. Then I poured tonight ice. Super yummy.
★★★★★
Briana I made your Chai mix today and was excited to try it right away. Since I’m not a fan of really strong drinks I only used 2 Tbs. to start with. I think next time I will even try it with 1 1/2 Tbs. and see if that is the sweet spot for me. It was wonderful though. I have some K-Cup Chai tea in my pantry that I have been avoiding because of the sugar so this definitely fits the bill when I want it in the mornings. I would rather have this than coffee. I definitely plan on trying your other mixes too. Thank you for sharing your recipes with us. They are truly a blessing to me. Thanks again!😊
Thanks for trying it, Deborah! I definitely like things on the strong side, so yes – play around with it to make it what you like!
I can’t wait to try this! My only hesitation is the tea- not a fan of instant but it is worth a try!! Thanks!
I love the taste but found 4 tbsp was waaaay too much fir me. Two in a mug of the lowest cal almond milk is out of this world.
Glad you found what you like! I do like strong flavors. 😉
I love chai! One of my all time favorites comes from Harney & Sons tea. I have it every morning with ½ Tablespoon collagen and my tastebuds love it. Thank you so much for sharing your version. I often use your recipes and have two of your cookbooks.