Dear Dahlings

How are you? I hope all is well with you and your family. We are well over here — staying in touch here is keeping me sane, and I hope you are enjoying the new articles.

I believe it was about mid-2016 when Turmeric started to gain its much-deserved traction. Where I’m from, Turmeric was always a part of our diet. At the time, there wasn’t a question on the health benefits of Turmeric my mother cooked with it, and we ate it. 2017 was dubbed the year of Turmeric and developed a cult following. One could pick from turmeric shots, lattes, tonics, teas, etc… For some people, Turmeric is an acquired taste. For me, Turmeric is not only delicious; it has such a pretty color.

Since I moved to Brooklyn, the only time I’ve had Turmeric was whenever I made curry. Then 2016’s health scare sent me back to the basics. I started to incorporate the things I ate as a child back into my diet, and Turmeric once again became a staple. I needed a way to make Turmeric a part of my daily diet — tried turmeric pills for a month, but I don’t like taking pills.

Experimenting with turmeric lattes at home became a thing — for two months, it was horrible, but I drank it every day and started adding more spices to mix. I remembered the turmeric pills I was taking had black pepper as one of the additional ingredients. So I added black pepper, then I added nutmeg and cinnamon, but I still felt like something was missing. A few months later, I figured out the perfect combination and my delicious drink, and it became a nighttime ritual. Then, I added another delicious drink that became a morning ritual.

A bit about Turmeric

Turmeric is a part of the holistic system of Indian medicine called Ayurveda. And Turmeric has a potent active compound called Curcumin — it gives Turmeric its vibrant hue, but most importantly, it has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants. Curcumin can help our cells to resist damage and infections. It aids the body with detoxification; some say it helps balance blood sugar, improves our brain, lowers the risk of brain disease, reduces the overall risk of cancer, etc… Although Curcumin has so many benefits, getting a sufficient daily amount into our bodies is not an easy feat.

We get the most out of this powerful phytonutrient. In essence, only by combining it with black pepper and fat (two of the essential ingredients in my turmeric tea and smoothie), A compound in black pepper called Bioperine help the body absorb Curcumin and shows to increase its bioavailability by up to 2,000 percent. The good news is, you only need a minimal amount to reap the benefits. In recent years studies have been published linking another ingredient that would help the body absorb a significantly higher dose of Curcumin (I will update this article and link the source).

Turmeric has many several health benefits + it’s good for you

Have you tried something and instantly fall in Love — I guarantee you will fall in love with both of my recipes and you will make it a part of your daily life.

Turmeric Smoothie

• 2 frozen banana
• 1.5 cups of coconut milk (unsweetened)
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or coconut full fat coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1.5 inches of fresh Turmeric (grated) Or (1 teaspoon of ground turmeric — I use this one)
• 1 inch of fresh ginger (grated) (Or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger – I use this one I use)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 ground clove
• 1/4 nutmeg (grated or ground)
• 1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper or two dash
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom or two dash
• Maple syrup or coconut sugar to sweetened

Directions

1. Brake bananas into chunks
2. Add to blender or bullet all other ingredients except sweetener
3. Purée until smooth
4. Add sweetener (i.e., coconut sugar or maple syrup) and add milk to thin if you like
5. Sprinkle a bit of ground cinnamon on top and enjoy

Turmeric tea or Golden Milk (Haldi ka doodh)

• 1.5 cups of coconut milk
• 1.5 cups cashew milk
• 1 inch of fresh ginger (1/2 teaspoon ground — the one I use)
• 1.5 inches of fresh Turmeric grated (or1 teaspoon ground — the one I use)
• 2 whole cinnamon sticks (or 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon) I love the sticks — more flavorful
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 nutmeg (grated or ground)
• 5 cloves (1/2 teaspoon ground)
• 3-star anise
• 1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper – two dash
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom – two dash
• Maple syrup or coconut sugar to sweetened
• Sprinkle some ground cinnamon on top and heaven

Directions

1. In  a small saucepan, add coconut milk, cashew milk, grated fresh Turmeric, grated fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, cardamom, coconut oil, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon sweetener (maple syrup or coconut sugar)
2. Whisk to combine and warm over medium to low heat. Heat until hot to the touch but not boiling (3- 4 minutes – whisking frequently)
3. Turn off heat and taste to adjust flavor. Add more sweetener to taste or more Turmeric or ginger for more spice + flavor
4. Remove cinnamon sticks, using a fine mesh strainer — strain liquid into two mugs and enjoy
5. Fabulous when freshly made but can be stored covered in the refrigerator for 2  days (Reheat on the stovetop until hot)

Enjoy Completely

Amongst the chaotic state of our lives, I find great comfort in the simple things — my self-care routine, and my daily rituals. The warm, comforting, and satisfying taste of my turmeric tea makes me feel safe at night, and the cold, filling deliciousness makes me feel alive in the mornings. I love to enjoy the flavors of fresh ginger and fresh Turmeric and almost always add more of both. Feel free to adjust both recipes to please your tastebuds — play around with it, see what you like or what you don’t like. Maybe you’ll love the ground ginger and Turmeric vs. the fresh ones – it’s your preference.

My recipes are to provide you with a guideline. There are thousands of recipes out there for golden milk (most call it this), you will see if you do some research, mine tend to have more spices than most however I love intense spice and vibrant flavors. The original recipe from India had ghee, but since I wanted it to be vegan and vegetarian, I use coconut oil instead. If you love whole milk, soy, half and half, oat or almost feel free to substitute.

Happy Drinking

As always I’m sending love – stay safe

Cheers

XXOO

Nat

Articles like this one offer practical advice, provide some entertainment, foster a sense of social cohesion, and remind us that life is still wonderful during these strange and isolating times.

Disclaimer:

I am not a doctor or a professional; therefore, you must do your research and listen to your body.

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