Healthier Lattes

In case I haven't mentioned it yet, I'm a big fan of Starbucks coffee. I am not a big fan of the number of calories in a regular soy latte.

Today I got a cup of ice and a grande Verona coffee and made my own iced coffee. It was pretty good, and a bit cheaper than the iced coffee that's already made.

Some time ago, I made a discovery: a hot Cafe Americano with sugar-free or regular syrup (your choice) and a little bit of soy milk tastes just as good (I think possibly better) than a full-on soy latte. It also saves me about a dollar each time I do it. This choice is better for my waistline and my wallet.

It works with most Starbucks coffees, too. I prefer the bold blends. The only way I can tolerate Pike's Place coffee at Starbucks (which is, unfortunately, the type of decaf coffee the company sells in its stores here in Michigan is with (at a minimum) soy milk and either three Sugar in the Raw or a couple of Splenda packets in it. And sometimes I go for the decaf Americano instead (with or without sweetener, depending on my mood).

If you don't care for Starbucks, you still could get any of these drinks at your favorite coffeehouse. Or make them at home (Expresso Roast is a good substitute for the Americano).