Coffee Creamer--The Good and Bad

Dairy Free French Vanilla Coffee Creamer, courtesy of www.againstallgrain.com

My coffee drinking began in college, sort of.  I can remember going to a local coffee shop on occasion with friends and ordering what I now consider dessert--a very sweet drink with a little coffee blended in.  It wasn't until I started working full-time at my first job that I started drinking coffee every morning when I got to the office.  I worked at a small company so we were able to make requests as to the type of snack we wanted in the kitchen.  Of course I requested that delicious, flavored coffee creamer from the refrigerated section at the grocery store. It transformed my black coffee into a sweet drink I loved.  

I completely understand the appeal, having consumed this product myself.  It wasn't until several years later that I learned about the horrible and harmful ingredients in this type of coffee creamer.  Even thought I had switched to a variety with only four ingredients, this specific creamer still contained large amounts of sugar.  A few years ago I switched to an almond milk or coconut milk based creamer, which is so much better than my previous choice, but I still had to wonder if it was the healthiest option.  I came across a homemade Dairy Free French Vanilla Coffee Creamer from Danielle Walker and decided to give it a try.  WOW--so delicious and worth the time!  Very easy recipe and the aroma of vanilla beans steeping in the almond and coconut milk makes your kitchen smell amazing!  While listening to a podcast yesterday I heard the host say she adds coconut milk whipped cream to her coffee.  I may try this next!

Heather