Health trends. One day it’s super hot and everyone is into it. The next day, masses move on to the next new thing. I think I ate my body weight in quinoa and goji berries.
Tumeric is now the popular kid on the block. I’m seeing this smoky spice as an ingredient in all sorts of recipes, from soups to desserts.
My takeaways on tumeric:
- It is a powerful anti-inflammation superfood. The active component is curcumin, and it is shown help with a myriad of diseases. I’m most interested in its anti-inflammation properties in relation to my autoimmune disease.
- It is fat soluble (meaning it needs fat to deliver it’s benefits), so you benefit from recipes that include coconut oil, olive oil or ghee.
- Black pepper is a tumeric enhancer – apparently it increases the bioavailability of curcumin.
One of my favorite ways to add tumeric in my diet is through Golden Milk Tea. I’ve been drinking this daily as an afternoon substitute for an afternoon coffee, so in addition to its anti-inflammatory benefits, it has helped me reduce my caffeine consumption. I don’t mind jumping on this trend.
GOLDEN MILK (TUMERIC) TEA (paleo, vegan)
A warm, spice-filled cup of goodness, with the added benefit of tumeric.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 1 cup servings 1x
Ingredients
2 cups coconut milk, or other plant based milk
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tbsp sweetener, maple syrup, date sugar, honey
1 inch fresh tumeric, sliced thin
1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thin
1 cinnamon stick
3–4 cardamom pods, smashed to release seeds
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
ground cinnamon and tumeric for garnish
Instructions
combine all ingredients in a small pot
bring to a boil, the reduce to a low simmer for 10 minutes
strain solids and pour into mugs
garnish with ground tumeric and cinnamon and enjoy!
Notes
- There is actually no tea in this recipe (I think the steeping may be the reference to “tea”).
- The coconut oil is essential in this recipe (see fat soluble comment above).
- Aside from the tumeric and black pepper, you can play around with the combination and quantity of spices.
- Any combination of milks are great. It’s a great use of my homemade coconut milk.
- Maple syrup, date sugar, and honey are all great sweeteners for this recipe. Always add to taste.
- Make a double batch and refrigerate for later! I recommend removing the spices before storing, as the flavors intensify and get bitter the longer it steeps.
- If you have a frother, this golden milk tea will froth up into a beautiful rich and creamy consistency – Heavenly!
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