We had our first few flurries of the season last week here in the midwest, and it made me giddy! I immediately wanted to slow life way down, grab a warm drink, a fuzzy blanket & hunker down & savor the moments.  The holidays are upon us, and I’ve learned that this is the time to be intentional about creating slow moments so that I can focus in on what matters most. Slowing down allows me to make the Christmas season my own.

A recent slow moment that I enjoyed was with a cup of Warming Spiced Almond Milk. The recipe has been in the back of my brain for a while now, and with the cold weather and holidays upon us, a trip to Target was what was needed to make my warm, slow moment come true!

I’m learning that even in the hustle and bustle of the season, even when I’m on the go, I can live slow. I can drive slow instead of frantic, I can enjoy the sights even when shopping for groceries or Christmas presents. Glimpses of the season are everywhere and I love taking a minute to enjoy all of the festive beauty around me.

While I was there I bought the ingredients for my Warmed Spiced Almond Milk recipe.  A key ingredient in my recipe is Silk Almond Creamer.  The addition of this creamer makes the recipe super creamy, just as it does a plain cup of coffee, so I grabbed Silk Almond Creamer in Vanilla flavor.

Right now you can get 5% off Silk Creamer. This deal also applies to  International Delight or Dunkin Donut’s brand creamers, from 12/1/15-12/24/15 if you use your Cartwheel app. Have you ever used the Cartwheel app? It is super easy to use and allows you to search for offers, scan products for coupons, and save them all to your own personal savings barcode to be scanned at checkout. The saving really do add up!

I grabbed a mug while I was shopping. I have a silver set of mugs at home that I love, but they cannot be put in the microwave and I really wanted a plain, white mug that was microwavable and MINE! I think every Mama needs their very own mug for slow moments.  I loved the roundness of this one.  My hands fit perfectly around it and it just feels so cozy!

I also couldn’t pass up this fuzzy, white, oversized throw. Sitting under a warm throw is a great way to bring on the slow!  I am sitting under it right now as I type on my laptop, and it is my new favorite.  I am adding a few white touches to my holiday decorations this year, looking for things that are practical, usable, and can stay out all through the winter season.

A warm drink in hand is another great tactic I use to slow down. I have an arsenal of amazing warm & cozy drink recipes, but this recipe for Warming Spiced Almond Milk is like none other that I have made.

It is a great break from chocolate and caffeine, and has wonderful warming spices in it, but is in no way overly spiced.  It is subtle, creamy & the perfect drink to cozy up to on a chilly evening.

It uses cinnamon & just a pinch of cayenne & ginger.  These spices are great for digestion.  The recipe also has a tablespoon of almond butter which gives a bit of protein & heartiness to the drink.  I love drinking it on a chilly evening, but it also makes a great afternoon snack as it fills me up until dinnertime.

Cinnamon sticks are not necessary for the recipe, but a mug of Warmed Spiced Almond Milk sure looks pretty with one served with it.

Festive napkins, glittery pinecones, cinnamon sticks, a fuzzy blanket & a warm spiced drink. These things make me very, very happy!  It doesn’t take much to slow down and enjoy the season, even if it is just for a minute or two.  What are ways you make the holidays yours? Is a slow holiday appealing to you?

Warming Spiced Almond Milk

{recipe via Simple Green Smoothies}

1 cup almond milk

1 tablespoon almond butter

1 tablespoon Silk Almond Creamer, vanilla flavor

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, (I used Simply Balanced Organic Pure Maple Syrup)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (I used Archer Farms Ground Cinnamon)

a pinch of ginger

a pinch of cayenne

……….

Combine all ingredients in a small pan.

Heat on the stove over medium heat until warm.

Sprinkle top with a touch of cinnamon for pretty.

Enjoy!

Hint: if you like a bit of froth on top, you can put it into a blender & blend (venting to allow steam to escape) or use a french press and plunge a few times until bubbles form.  

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of WhiteWave Foods. The opinions and text are all mine.