I’ve heard it said, that “there are two types of people in the world: those who love vanilla and those who make fun of those who love vanilla.”

When I was in elementary school and was taking after-school Spanish lessons, half way through the class, we’d always have a milk and cookie break. We’d wait in line, and walk up to the table at the front of the room, where the attendant would ask each of us, “vanilla or chocolate?” in Spanish. I can still see the red plastic milk crates, almost completely full of little, damp, waxy chocolate milk cartons, with somewhere between 2 and 5 white milks thrown in. I remember being the boring one, the one who chose vanilla. Where everyone else loved chocolate milk, I always preferred full-fat vanilla, por favor.

Fast forward to today, I am still the boring vanilla chooser. Apparently more than 60% prefer chocolate over vanilla, but not I. You can insult me to my grave on this, and I’m always going to choose vanilla.

I can’t say exactly what this “says” about a person, although I imagine folks who like chocolate are more passionate and charming, and those of us who prefer vanilla are more open-hearted and impulsive (but I just made all that up). All I can say for sure is that whether it’s protein powder or ice cream, vanilla for the win.

When I gave up coffee (which meant I also gave up cream), I decided that I wasn’t ready to give up my predawn “hot bevvie” ritual – that would have most certainly sent me over the edge.

So I started experimenting… and some years later, I am very happy to announce that I have come up with the most lovely, nourishing, nutrient-packed beverage. I’ve kept it to myself for some years, but recently on retreats, I decided to share it, and it was a big hit… so big that I was told, flat out, “you GOTTA share this!”

So I am. (And I do hope you love it as much as I do!)

I hope you find this to be both easy to whip up and delicious, and perhaps you’ll enjoy knowing that this year I am putting together decades of decadent recipes that have wooed and impressed retreat guests for years.

XOm,

Britt