Golden Milk

     Winter has finally come to Florida.  In Central Florida, we’ve had nights in the 30’s with wind chill down to the 20’s.  For many people this means staying inside in an attempt to stay warm, but my husband and I are both very happy to start bonfires and cozy up next to them with the hot beverage of our choice.  For my husband, it’s always coffee, though I’ve never been a big fan myself.  Hot tea is good, but I’m picky about my teas (I’m a tea snob…what can I say?).  So my hot beverage of choice has almost always been hot chocolate.  However, I have been slowly switching over to something else (and dragging my husband with me).  The beverage I’ve been consuming can be served warm or cold (though I prefer it warm) and has amazing medicinal benefits. 

     Golden milk is not necessarily a “milk” at all.  The traditional recipes call for coconut milk, coconut oil, honey, and turmeric.  I like to spice mine up a little, with ginger and black pepper.  Other people like to add a touch of cinnamon and cayenne, or use maple instead of honey to sweeten it.  You can also choose to make it with regular milk, or any non-dairy milk of your choice.  I tend to jump between using coconut milk, cashew milk, or regular milk.  The basic recipes start off with adding a paste to your “milk” and cooking them together, so I’m including a basic turmeric past recipe, I usually just make it all at once without making the paste.  Keep in mind that turmeric can be very bitter if not cooked long enough.  Don’t be afraid to cook it a little extra if you feel you need to.  

A quick word about the 3 basic ingredients:

Turmeric is a close relative of ginger and has many of the same medicinal properties.  However, the most notable thing about turmeric is called curcumin.  Curcumin is most notorious for its anti-cancer properties.  It has been proven to actually prevent blood flow to tumors.  Without the blood flow, the tumors can’t grow.  Curcumin actually helps to modify the genetic code in cancer cells and destroy them, as well as helping to prevent healthy cells from mutating into cancer.

Coconut Milk contains lauric acid which is not commonly found in nature.  Lauric acid is used by your body to make monolaurin, which actually helps destroy certain, lipid-coated, viruses.  Some lipid-coated viruses include HIV, herpes, influenza, and measles.  So coconut milk actually helps your body fight off these diseases.

Coconut Oil is necessary for these recipes because turmeric is fat-soluble.  This means that the beneficial compounds in turmeric can only be used when certain fats are present.  Coconut oil contains the healthy fats needed for our bodies to be able to use turmeric. 

Basic Turmeric Paste

½ cup Turmeric Powder

1 cup Water

1 ½ teaspoons Black Pepper

5 tablespoons Coconut Oil (warmed up into a liquid)

Combine all ingredients, except the coconut oil, in a pot and cook, stirring, until they form a thick paste (about 7-10 minutes).  Remove from heat and whisk in the coconut oil until fully incorporated.  Refrigerate and hold up to 2 weeks.

Golden Milk from the Paste

1 teaspoon Turmeric Paste

2 cups Coconut Milk

Honey to taste

Combine all ingredients, stirring or whisking to combine.  Heat until just under boiling.  Once heated and combined, you can serve it hot or cold.

Golden Milk with Ginger

1 tablespoon Coconut Oil

1 inch Turmeric, freshly grated or sliced (or 1 teaspoon dried powder)

1 inch Ginger, freshly grated or sliced (or 1 teaspoon dried powder)

1 pinch Black Pepper

2 cups Coconut Milk (or milk of your choice)

Honey to taste

Combine the coconut oil, turmeric, ginger, and black pepper in a pot on the stove.  Cook them together, on low-medium heat, about 7-10 minutes.  Add in the coconut milk and a little honey.  Raise the heat to medium-high and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously.  Remove from heat and cover.  Let sit 10-15 minutes.  If you need more honey, now is the time to taste and add it.  Strain and serve, warm or cold. 

Golden Milk with Cinnamon

1 tablespoon Coconut Oil

1 inch Turmeric, freshly grated or sliced (or 1 teaspoon dried powder)

1 inch Cinnamon Stick (or ½ teaspoon dried powder)

1 pinch dried Cayenne powder

2 cups Coconut Milk (or milk of your choice)

Honey to taste

Combine the coconut oil, turmeric, and cayenne in a pot on the stove.  Cook them together, on low-medium heat, about 7-10 minutes.  Add in the coconut milk, cinnamon stick, and a little honey.  Raise the heat to medium-high and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously.  Remove from heat and cover.  Let sit 10-15 minutes.  If you need more honey, now is the time to taste and add it.  Strain and serve, warm or cold. 

     Like all of my recipes, these can be modified to suit your needs or taste buds.  Some options, instead of using milk and honey, use bone broth and serve warm.  This makes a savory beverage, or a great soup stock.  Try adding Chai spices like cardamom and clove, along with both cinnamon and ginger, to make a Golden Chai Milk.  Have fun!  Experiment!  And let me know what you think in the comments below!

Resources:

Epicurious: Golden Milk Turmeric Tea: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/golden-milk-turmeric-tea

Fresh Bites Daily: Golden Milk: http://www.freshbitesdaily.com/turmeric-milk/

Gimme Some Oven: Golden Milk (hot or iced): http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/golden-milk-turmeric-milk/

Mercola: What is Golden Milk?: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/09/21/golden-milk.aspx

Wellness Mama: Turmeric Tea: https://wellnessmama.com/223/turmeric-tea-recipe/

The Awe-Inspiring Ginger

     This past December and January has seen two “bugs” come to Central Florida.  One of them is an upper respiratory, like bronchitis or the common cold.  The other one is a stomach bug.  The second one made its way through my, usually healthy, family (that’s why this entry is a week late).  But there is an herb I turned to that helped in our cases, and could help in the case of the upper respiratory issues as well.  Ginger, Zingiber officinalis, is practically a pharmacy in and of itself. 

     Technically, the part that we usually refer to as the ginger “root” is a rhizome.  Rhizomes are underground stems that put out both roots and shoots, they have also been called “creeping rootstocks.”  Rhizomes store food and can help ensure the growth of the plant in harsh times.  You can also grow multiple, new plants from one ginger rhizome.  With that much growing potential, of course this herb is going to be fantastic!    

     The main reason I reached for ginger is because it has been used throughout history to calm upset stomachs.  Most women chew ginger candies when they are experiencing morning sickness during their pregnancy.  Sailors used to chew on ginger to help with seasickness.  It is also, commonly, used to help with the nausea that accompanies chemotherapy.  The beautiful thing about it, is that it won’t stop vomiting that is necessary.  If you have gotten ahold of a poisonous substance, ginger will not get in the way of your body purging that substance.  It will, however, prevent vomiting when your stomach is upset, as well as help your stomach calm down faster after vomiting.  This is why many people believe ginger ale will help settle your stomach.  The sad reality about that is that the ginger would actually work if the carbonation and sugar in ginger ale didn’t counter the medicinal benefits of the ginger.  So when your tummy is unsettled and/or sore, reach for ginger tea instead of ginger ale.

     Ginger is also a great way to fight off most infections.  It is strongly antiviral and antibacterial.  Taking ginger as a preventative is, I believe, why it only took me 1 day to go through the main part of the illness that it took my husband 3 days to go through (he was the first one to get sick).  Ginger also is a prebiotic.  Prebiotics contain fiber that is not easily digested by us, but that provide food sources for the beneficial bacteria that helps to keep us healthy.  Those beneficial bacteria help us digest our food and help to promote healthy immune system function.  Ginger helps to promote a healthy level of those bacteria.  It also helps to stimulate perspiration and reduce fevers.

     Ginger is also great to reduce aches and pains of all kinds.  It’s both a pain reliever and an anti-inflammatory.  This makes it great for the achy symptoms that accompany illness.  It’s also great for arthritis, menstrual cramps, and general aches that come with working out.  It can help reduce cough, soothe a sore throat, relieve congestion, boost immune function, and help to relive headache.  This makes ginger the perfect herb to help with the cold and/or flu.

     Now on to the stuff that makes ginger even better year round.  Ginger helps lower blood sugar, improve heart disease risk factors, treat chronic indigestion, improve brain function (possibly preventing Alzheimer’s), and lower cholesterol.  But one of the #1 reasons that ginger is amazing is that it has anti-cancer properties!  There are a number of studies being conducted around ginger’s potential in preventing and/or treating cancers.  So far, it looks extremely promising.

     I hope I have convinced you of how amazing and awe-inspiring ginger is.  If you have any experience with this amazing herb, or questions about it, feel free to leave them in the comments below! 

Resources:

Authority Nutrition: 11 Proven Health Benefits of Ginger: https://authoritynutrition.com/11-proven-benefits-of-ginger/

Herb Wisdom: Ginger: http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-ginger-root.html

Medical News Today: Ginger: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265990.php

Natural Society: 10 Health Benefits of Ginger: http://naturalsociety.com/benefits-of-ginger/

'Tis the Season

    This is a great time of year.  People are typically more generous to each other, there are many family gatherings and holiday parties, and good spirits are shared all around.  However, there are also other, not so pleasant, things shared.  Welcome to cold and flu season.  The CDC releases information about cold and flu season every year.  Usually it starts in October and can continue on into May.  The worst part of it is February with December being strong in second place.  So now is the time to pump up your immune system in preparation for the hard times. 

     Prevention is the best medicine.  But how do you prevent the cold or flu? 

1.       Proper diet is paramount to health.  Most people should avoid grains, sugars, and other starchy foods, but everyone has different needs.  Good basics include eating organic as much as possible, drinking plenty of water, and “eating the rainbow.”  Eating the rainbow is my number one rule for daily consumption.  If you eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables from each of the colors of the rainbow, you are consuming a good variety of nutrients.  This season, focusing on the yellow and orange fruits and vegetables will also help you boost your immunity because those colors are associated with higher amounts of vitamin C. 

2.       Wash up often.  Wash your hands for 20+ seconds at a time, don’t forget between your fingers and around your nails.  Hand sanitizers can also help prevent the spread of these viruses, I make one at home that works well, if you are using my recipe, add in the optional rubbing alcohol for this time of year.  Also adding in 10+ drops of peppermint essential oil can help target viruses instead of bacteria. 

3.       Regular exercise helps boost the body’s immune function.  All you need is 45 minutes of stretching and/or moderate-intensity exercise a week in order to increase your immunity.

4.       Herbs can also be a huge help in prevention.  Garlic is great to help prevent and fight viruses, it is best raw and crushed because that releases the allicin which is the main compound that fights off viruses and the allicin can be destroyed by excessive heat.  Ginseng and Eleuthero (Siberian ginseng) both can help to boost immune function to prevent viral infections.  Astragalus has also been used in Chinese medicine to prevent viral infections.  Astragalus can be combined with garlic for a great broth, especially if you are making a bone broth which has many health benefits all its own. 

5.       Bone broth helps to boost immunity in addition to its other amazing benefits.  This is why chicken soup is so effective against colds and flu, it’s all in the bone broth. 

     When prevention is not enough we have to look at treatments.

1.       Avoid dairy.  Dairy increases mucus production which can slow healing.  And let’s face it, we’re already producing excess mucus while we’re sick, we really don’t want to produce any more. 

2.       Consume lots of hot liquids.  Warm teas, warm lemon water, soups, these are all beneficial while we are sick.  Our bodies really don’t need to be focusing on digestion much either, so drinking the warm liquids and eating mostly soup will help build up the body’s strength while not burdening it with lots of digestive issues.  Not to mention, bone broth is great at boosting immune function and herbal teas can have benefits all their own. 

3.       Herbs are wonderful remedies as well.  Adding fresh herbs to teas or soups can help speed up the healing process greatly.  Ginger helps with nausea, vomiting, high fever, and headaches.  Ginger goes well in teas and soups alike.  Nettle is a great multivitamin and can also help ease symptoms in upper respiratory infections.  I add it to most foods and it’s great in a tea with red raspberry leaves and peppermint.  Elderberry is so good in treating the flu that you can now find elderberry medicine in your neighborhood drug store.  However it’s easy to make your own, Wellness Mamma has a great elderberry syrup recipe here and elderberry syrup is delicious so you should not have a problem getting your child to take some.  Yarrow is great whenever a fever is involved, and it’s especially good for children.  Unfortunately it is a bit bitter, so adding in peppermint and honey are a good idea, they are both also really good for colds and flu so they can add their own benefits as well.  All the herbs previously listed for prevention are also good to continue while you are ill.

4.       Increasing vitamins C and D intake can also be a great benefit.  These two vitamins help strengthen our immunity and fight off colds and flu. 

5.       Don’t hinder your body’s natural defenses.  We are coughing because our bodies are trying to expel virus-laden mucus from our respiratory track.  Keep coughing and try not to suppress it with over-the-counter medications.  Instead try thinning the mucus out with steam (essential oils can be beneficial here, eucalyptus and peppermint are two good ones) and drinking plenty of fluids.  It may be annoying and, in some cases painful, but as long as your cough is productive (you’re coughing up mucus) it’s beneficial to keep it up.  Same thing goes for your runny nose.  I like to make sure that I don’t sniffle back the mucus in my sinuses.  It can prolong sickness and possibly cause a sinus infection later on.  I just invest in the good tissues (I prefer to use the ones infused with vicks) and blow my nose often. 

6.       Hydration and rest can be the best medicine!  We need several additional hours of rest a day when we are sick, but we also need more liquids to help support immune function. 

     I hope you find this helpful and useful this season.  Enjoy your gatherings, your family, and your friends and stay healthy!

Resources:

Breaking Muscle- Flu-Buster Bone Broth for a stronger immune system: https://breakingmuscle.com/fuel/flu-buster-bone-broth-for-a-stronger-immune-system

Center for Disease Control- Cold and Flu Season: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season.htm

Dr. Axe- Healing Power of Bone Broth: https://draxe.com/the-healing-power-of-bone-broth-for-digestion-arthritis-and-cellulite/

Life Hacker- What it means to “eat the rainbow”: http://lifehacker.com/what-it-means-to-eat-the-rainbow-1594799068

Mother Earth News- 19 Ways to prevent and treat cold and flu: http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/herbal-remedies/colds-and-flu-zm0z12djzhir?pageid=1#PageContent1

Mother Earth News- Natural, effective remedies for cold and flu: http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/natural-effective-remedies-for-colds-and-flu-zmaz07djzgoe

Wellness Mamma- 25 Natural remedies to help beat cold & flu: http://wellnessmama.com/1499/natural-remedies-for-illness/

5 Great Herbs for Smoothies

     A lot of people are always on the lookout for something life changing for their diets, something that will be tasty, nutritious, and easy to incorporate into a busy American lifestyle.  For me and many others, smoothies fit this description.  Smoothies are a great way to add an amazing amount of nutrients into a convenient, and often refreshing, snack.  One of my favorite things to do with smoothies is add in healthy herbs.  Herbs are full of great health benefits and they can also be a greatly flavorful edition to any food, including smoothies. 

    One of the things I do to incorporate herbs into my smoothies is herbal ice.  There are two main ways to make herbal ice, the first is very simple.  You just put the herbs in ice cube trays and add water before freezing.  You can chop the herbs, or just put them in whole.  Chopping the herbs will provide a greater amount of flavor than just using the whole herb so keep that in mind when you're experimenting.  The second is my preferred method and is also pretty simple, especially if you want to use a blend of herbs.  Make an herbal tea and freeze it.  How strong you make your tea will determine how intense the flavor of the ice will be.  A good ratio to begin with is 1 tablespoon of dried herb for each cup of water.  Just boil the water and pour it over the herbs, let sit for 30 or more minutes.  For ice I usually let my tea sit over night to extract all the wonderful goodness that those herbs can bring to my nutritional table.  It also will bring a greater intensity of flavor to my smoothies. 

    You can also just throw some herbs into your smoothie to blend, but I prefer to add the herbal ice because many nutrients will be more easily absorbed by our bodies that way, however I am not above adding a handful of herbs just for fun.

Basil

    This herb is infamous in the kitchen, but it also makes a great medicinal herb.  Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is packed full of nutrients, including vitamin K and manganese.  Basil is also a great herb for helping ease stomach problems including stomach cramps, gas, and improving the appetite.  It also helps to reduce inflammation, ease headaches, and ease the symptoms of the common cold.  There is an Indian basil called Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) which is used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine for heart disease, stress, insect repellant, and malaria.  Tulsi tea is actually one of my favorite herbal teas for relaxing at the end of the day. 

    Basil's flavor goes well with all kinds of berries, citrus fruit, and other herbs in the lamiaceae family (mint, rosemary, thyme, etc).  I also like it with stone fruit, such as peaches, and with watermelon. 

Basil Blackberry Watermelon Smoothie

3 cups cubed watermelon (seeded and frozen)

2 cups blackberries

¼ cup pomegranate juice

2 ½ cups basil flavored ice

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.  Taste and adjust sweetness if desired (some good sweeteners to consider are honey, stevia, and turbanado sugar).

Chamomile

    The popularity of herbal teas has grown over the past few decades, and with it has grown the awareness of certain herbs.  Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) has become one of the go-to herbs for most people’s tea drinking habits.  And why not?  It’s naturally sweet smelling, pleasant tasting, and calming to the senses.  It’s so calming in fact that some people can’t drink it or they will fall asleep.  This herb has been popular since the days of Egypt, Greece, and Rome.  Even in the Middle Ages, people looked to chamomile to help cure many of the health conditions of the day.  Today it is still used as a sleep aid, a treatment for fevers, colds, stomach upset, and as an anti-inflammatory.  It’s used to help with teething babies, as a wash to lighten hair, to help with morning sickness during pregnancy, and to help hasten the healing of wounds.  The uses for chamomile are many and varied, which make it a great addition to a daily routine.  It does come with two major cautions though.  First, be aware that chamomile affects certain people more strongly than others and don’t plan on operating any heavy machinery after consuming it.  Second, it is related to ragweed and a few people with ragweed allergies might have a histamine response to chamomile as well.

    Chamomile is fairly sweet so it goes well with just about every fruit, though it is particularly tasty with the tangy citrus fruits.  It also pairs well with other herbs such as lavender, mint, and lemongrass. 

Strawberry Chamomile Smoothie

5 cups strawberries

¼ cup orange juice

2 ½ cups chamomile flavored ice

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.  Taste and adjust sweetness if desired (some good sweeteners to consider are honey, stevia, and turbanado sugar).

Ginger

    The past handful of years I have seen several friends go through pregnancy and deal with things like morning sickness.  Almost universally, they all seem to reach for one thing when they feel sick and that is ginger.  Whether it is ginger candy or ginger tea, it’s very well known for easing the stomach and being gentle enough for use during pregnancy.  Ginger (Zingiber officinale) isn’t just useful for your stomach though.  Throughout the years it has been used in many situations.  Its warmth is well known and useful for boosting circulation, lowering blood pressure, as an anti-viral, and as an anti-inflammatory.  This makes it one of the best things for colds and flus and has been researched extensively for use in dealing with arthritis, fever, headache, toothache, and preventing blood clots.  This brings to mind one warning that comes with ginger, if you are preparing to go in for a surgery please don’t consume any ginger beforehand as it may cause problems with blood flow during the surgery. 

    Ginger’s warmth goes great with creamy textures like yogurt and bananas, also with other warming spices such as cinnamon.  It also goes really well with citrus, apples, pumpkin, and many other fruits. 

 

Orange Ginger Smoothie

4 cups orange slices

1 cup avocado

2 teaspoons orange zest

¼ cup coconut water

2 ½ cups ginger flavored ice

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.  Taste and adjust sweetness if desired (some good sweeteners to consider are honey, stevia, and turbanado sugar).

Green Tea

    Green tea has always been a staple in my home and is one of my favorite comfort drinks.  It is also packed full of amazing nutrients like antioxidants.  Antioxidants have been getting a lot of publicity in recent years, they have been found to have major health benefits, the least of which include preventing cancers.  Green tea (Camellia sinesis) is also known to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, combat fatigue, regulate blood sugar levels, and increase metabolism.  This makes it great for losing weight and a wonderful tea for diabetics. 

    Green tea goes well with vanilla, mint, rosemary, lavender, tropical fruits, citrus, and quite a few other fruits as well.

Tropical Green Tea Smoothie

2 cups pineapple

1 ½ cups papaya

1 ½ cups mango

¼ cup coconut Milk

2 ½ cups green tea flavored ice

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.  Taste and adjust sweetness if desired (some good sweeteners to consider are honey, stevia, and turbanado sugar).

Lemon Balm

    As its common name suggests, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) has a lemony flavor and is soothing to the nerves.  It comes from the same family as mint, rosemary, lavender, and basil.  This amazing herb is used for quite a few things including soothing the nerves, sleeping problems, and menstrual cramps.  It also helps to relax stomach, uterine, and bladder muscles which make it ideal to relieve gas, cramps, and nausea.  It has also been shown to help increase mental clarity by reducing stress and insomnia.  Lemon balm is a great herb for almost everyone.  The one caution I have about this herb is concerning hypoactive thyroid conditions.  Lemon balm reduces production of the thyroid hormones, aggravating these conditions. 

    With its lemony flavor, lemon balm goes great with just about every fruit out there.

Peachy Lemon Balm Smoothie

3 cups peaches

2 cups banana

¼ cup lemon juice

2 ½ cups lemon balm flavored ice

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.  Taste and adjust sweetness if desired (some good sweeteners to consider are honey, stevia, and turbanado sugar).

    In trying these recipes, I found a good basic ratio that works.  Feel free to play around with it and have fun.  Smoothies are really easy to adjust to your own tastes.  My ratio is 5 cups of fruit, ¼ cups liquid, and 2 ½ cups of ice.  You can add in all kinds of powders, seeds, nuts, and dried fruits to your smoothies and I encourage you to do so.  Nouveau Raw has posted a good flavor pairing list that may help with flavor combinations.  Have fun and feel free to post any favorite recipes you come up with in the comments below!

Resources:

Annies Remedies: http://www.anniesremedy.com/herb_detail4.php

Herb Wisdom: http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-chamomile.html

                              http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-ginger-root.html

                              http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-green-tea.html

                              http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-lemon-balm.html

My Heart Beets: http://myheartbeets.com/10-herbs-for-smoothies/

Nouveau Raw: https://nouveauraw.com/raw-recipe-templates-and-development/flavor-prfiles-that-pair-well-in-recipes/