Hot drinks and cold days go together like toast and jam. Hot chocolate, sweet milky chai and bottomless cups of tea – could we ever bear the vastness of winter without these life-saving elixirs bursting with comfort, sweetness and joy?
But despite all their charms and… hyggeenergizing properties, so many of our favorite cold-weather drinks are packed with refined sugars and all kinds of unappetizing ingredients that certainly don’t do us any favors.
But have no fear, dear reader – it doesn’t have to be this way. Rather than being the vehicle for unnecessary refined sugars and dairy products, these beloved drinks can instead deliver healthy doses of herbs and spices that actually boost our immune system and boost our digestion. Sweetened with unrefined sugar sources like dates, maple syrup or honey, they feel just as indulgent as their more traditional counterparts. Now put that in your mug and drink it! Read on for two delicious warming drinks to keep you cozy this winter.
Golden Milk
With origins dating back to the ancient Indian system of medicine known as Ayurveda, golden milk is a regular panacea of deliciousness. Inflammation-soothing turmeric and ginger have been shown to benefit everything from joint and brain health to digestion and the cardiovascular system. This is a wonderful after-dinner drink, because the warming herbs support the entire digestive process. Don’t skimp on the black pepper, as it has been shown to improve the absorption of turmeric by seven to eight times.
Ingredients
- 250 ml milk of your choice (coconut, almond, cow, etc.)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- pinch of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon liquid honey (or to taste)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients except the honey in a saucepan and heat gently over a medium heat until the milk starts to steam.
- Turn off the heat, add the honey and beat everything vigorously until foamy.
- Pour it into your favorite mug and enjoy.
Reishi hot chocolate
Reishi is a medicinal mushroom known as an adaptogen – or an herb that normalizes and enhances the body’s response to stress. Known as the ‘Herb of Luck’, it has been used in Asia for over 7,000 years to slow the aging process and improve stamina and well-being. Providing support for the liver, cardiovascular system, nervous system and immunity, Reishi is a wonderful tonic to introduce into your daily routine – and what better way to do that than in the guise of a deliciously creamy, dairy-free warm chocolate milk?
Ingredients
- 250 ml just boiled water
- 2.5 teaspoons Cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon reishi mushroom powder
- 3 – 4 Medjool dates
- 2 heaped tablespoons of almond or cashew butter
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Mix everything in a high-speed blender (absolutely making sure the top is tight) and then pour into a mug and enjoy. You can also use room temperature water if you’re afraid of mixing hot water, then heat it in a saucepan.
Writer Danielle Charles Davies has a BSc in Herbal Sciences from Bastyr University and completed the two-year clinical training program at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism in Montpelier, VT. Her articles have appeared in Taproot, The Journal of the American Herbalist Guild, and Kindred Magazine, among others. She lives in Northern Michigan with her husband, two dogs and eight ducks. She blogs at www.bluemoonkitchen.com.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or to sell any product.
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