Tag: Plant Based Recipes

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National Tea Day 2018

Today celebrates a tradition that I dearly love. Afternoon tea has been a regular part of my day since my first trip to Scotland in 2014. I cherish this pause to savor a cup of tea and relax. It allows me to center myself and reflect on the day, before thinking about dinner prep and evening activities.

My afternoon teas used to feature a variety of Scottish or black teas and the typical fare: finger sandwiches, sweet treats and a Scottish shortbread cookie. None of those foods are part of my diet now. Tea time usually includes an herbal tea or a Scottish heather or thistle blend and fresh fruits and veggies.

In honor of this special day, I tried out a new recipe for a healthy treat, with a surprising ingredient.

National Tea Day 2018

I found this recipe, from Joyfully Healthy Eats, on Pinterest. It is egg, dairy and gluten free.

National Tea Day 2018

Who would have guessed chickpeas could be so versatile and the base for a dough? Instead of rubbing the chickpeas with a paper towel, I picked them up and squeezed lightly, popping them into the strainer. This action left the skins behind. It only took a few minutes and my dough was smooth and creamy. I became proficient at using both hands to pop out the chickpeas simultaneously.

National Tea Day 2018

National Tea Day 2018

I used all organic ingredients and a peanut butter without added sugar. The chips were 70% cacao. Before combining the ingredients in the blender I started a cup of tea steeping. I used dried rose hips for today’s celebratory drink.

The vitamin C in rose hips is the most bioavailable form in existence. Rose hips are anti-inflammatory, increases the blood’s white count and boosts the immune system. They also dissolve biofilm, a jelly like substance caused by the Epstein Barr virus. This biofilm can gunk up vital organs, including the heart, causing palpitations, tachycardia, atrial fibrillation and arrhythmia. Plus, rose hips help to alleviate all types of infections. On this chilly, rainy Saturday, rose hips tea sounded perfect.

National Tea Day 2018

As the herbal tea steeped, I completed the vegan cookie dough and sliced up fresh organic strawberries. I was ready for tea time, in honor of National Tea Day.

National Tea Day 2018

The Chickpeas Cookie Dough was amazing. It wasn’t too sweet, which is ideal for me. I don’t care for sweets anymore. The texture was smooth and creamy and I couldn’t taste the chickpeas at all. The tart strawberries created a wonderful contrast to the dough.

I enjoyed this special tea time this afternoon. I will fix the Chickpeas Cookie Dough again, although it will be an infrequent treat. I prefer to stick with whole foods primarily.

Catherine Douzel says, “Each cup of tea represents an imaginary journey.”

I love that. Where shall I journey to today?

National Tea Day 2018

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Vegan Egg Nog

Two years ago, I became reacquainted with a traditional holiday drink, egg nog. During the Christmas season, I enjoyed a nightly cup of the store purchased variety, with a splash of rum added. However, last year, adhering to a plant based lifestyle, I didn’t want to drink egg nog, at least not the sugar laden dairy version with eggs in it. I searched everywhere for a non dairy, sugar free product in the stores, without success. I looked for a recipe online, so I could make it myself, but my search didn’t turn up a good, plant based one.

Today, without any effort on my part, I found a vegan egg nog recipe, posted on a Medical Medium Support Facebook page. I knew it was completely compatible with my chosen diet, and I couldn’t wait to try it. After a busy day, tonight I created my first dairy, egg, sugar and alcohol free egg nog. My daughters teased me, when I mentioned during a group text that I was excited to try this drink, asking me what it was, exactly, since this egg nog doesn’t contain any of the traditional ingredients. It’s more properly a faux egg nog. Or a non nog!

I already had all of the ingredients on hand. Here is the simple recipe, from Incredible Smoothies.

I used unsweetened coconut almond milk. Any non dairy milk would be fine. I have whole cloves so I broke one in two and tossed half into the blender. I purchase very ripe bananas on sale at the grocery store, chop them up, and keep them in the freezer for smoothies and making banana ice cream. I had frozen bananas ready to use.

My new Ninja Blender quickly turned the assembled ingredients into a thick, cold, creamy drink. The frozen bananas sweetened the nog naturally and gave it some body. I added an additional sprinkle of cinnamon across the top, and took my first sip.

This non nog was so good! I preferred to keep it alcohol free as well, however a splash of rum could be added. The cinnamon, nutmeg and clove piece gave it that classic egg nog taste. I could enjoy it without concern about foods on my “no” list.

I am grateful that the plant based egg nog recipe I was searching for last year, found me. In the past 12 months I have come to appreciate a variety of wonderful, health boosting drinks that I can sip on in the evenings. Perhaps because of that, I had not felt compelled to hunt for a healthy egg nog this year. I’m glad for the recipe however. It is a tasty addition to my night time drink choices.

Cheers! And Merry Christmas!

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4 Bean Vegan Chili

On cold winter evenings, a bowl of steaming hot chili makes a satisfying and warming meal. I have used a chili recipe for many years, adapted from one my dad created. Since going plant based, I have tried several chili recipes I found online or in cookbooks. They tasted fine. And yet I still felt compelled to keep trying, keep looking.

Ultimately, I ended up creating a recipe of my own.

This simple to make chili comes together in minutes, and uses easily found ingredients. I used organic, and non GMO, canned goods from the grocery store, with fresh veggies such as onion, green bell pepper and garlic.

Putting together this recipe gave me the opportunity of also try out a recipe maker. The app I selected works well enough, but doesn’t have a format that makes it suitable for using in my blog posts. I will keep searching.

I chose to use pinto, black, great northern and red kidney beans, however, any variety of beans could be used. I want to add lima beans next time. More, or less, seasoning could be used. And red bell pepper could be substituted for the green.

I liked the ease of preparation and the spicy aroma that filled my kitchen as the pot of chili simmered on the stove. I diced an avocado and anticipated a homey, warming bowl of chili.

I was not disappointed. This was a very tasty chili, and exactly what I have been looking for. That old adage that says “if you want something done right, do it yourself”, rings true in this case. I created what I was looking for.

There isn’t any meat in this recipe, but there is wholesomeness, goodness and lots of love. I think my dad would approve.

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An Abundance of Goodness

Day 4 of Gratitude Week falls on Thanksgiving Eve. I am doing what I usually do on this night before Thanksgiving…I am preparing food for tomorrow’s meal. We had our big family Thanksgiving Sunday, while my son was off work. Tomorrow is a more casual meal with my two daughters and their husbands, Greg, and grandson Dayan.

We are all contributing to the meal, which will include smoked turkey and brisket, for the carnivores in the family, and an abundance of veggie side dishes, for the plant based eaters.

My gratitude today is for the delightful fact that holiday meals and a plant based lifestyle are not exclusive of each other. I will dine well tomorrow and enjoy spending an afternoon with family. We will share food, talk, laugh, play games and celebrate a birthday.

I am grateful for a wealth of healthy recipes to try out. Tonight I made three dishes for tomorrow, trying out two new recipes and recreating a favorite from last year.

The foundation of the recipes was plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Here is a peek at what I am contributing tomorrow:

I made Raw Cranberry Relish, from Life Changing Foods, last year for the first time. I like cranberry sauce, even the blob of stuff from the can. This relish, made from fresh cranberries, apples and oranges is amazing. And it is so easy to make, using a food processor. The recipe calls for coconut sugar, which is a natural, unrefined sugar. Last year I substituted raw honey. Tonight I had coconut sugar on hand. This is seriously so delicious, that even people who think they don’t like cranberries might be surprised.

Cranberries are full of antioxidants. They not only aid in healing urinary tract infections, they reverse gallbladder disease, cleanse the liver and help with kidney stones. They also help heal cardiovascular disease and draw radiation out of the body.

I wonder why I only make this around Thanksgiving? While cranberries are plentiful, I should be making this relish once a week!

I am super excited about this Sweet Potato Casserole. I found the recipe on Pinterest, posted by Nutritional Foodie. I made a sweet potato casserole for years. That one was full of butter and brown sugar and used canned yams. This one started with fresh sweet potatoes that I cooked myself and then mashed with coconut oil, spices, coconut sugar and unsweetened almond coconut milk. The topping, which I’ll add in the morning before baking, has pecans, coconut sugar, coconut oil and garbanzo bean flour.

After I poured the sweet potato mixture into the casserole dish, I tried a bite, from the bit left in the pan. It is so wonderful! And this version is good for me. Sweet potatoes are full of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients and promote productive bacteria in the stomach while starving out unproductive bacteria and fungi. They help regulate hormones and promote sleep.

Look at this colorful dish! The Mixed Veggies with Brown Rice features fresh carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and zucchini, along with organic peas and red kidney beans. Combined with the brown rice, this will be a wholesome, protein rich dish that will be the main part of my meal tomorrow. This recipe comes from a little cookbook called Slow Cooker 100% Vegan.

I have the raw brown rice in the slow cooker and the veggies prepped and seasoned with mixed Italian herbs, sea salt, coarsely ground black pepper and fresh garlic. I’ll stumble into the kitchen at 3:00 am to add the veggies to the slow cooker, along with two cups of water, and turn it on low. It will finish cooking just in time to cart it to Adriel’s house. I’ll bet it will smell wonderful as it simmers.

I am so full of gratitude as I sip on my turmeric milk, all my food preparations completed. During my healing journey I have realized this truth, and accept it wholeheartedly…

What I eat becomes the fuel that my body uses to live and thrive…or exist and struggle.

EVERYTHING I eat and drink matters. Poor nutrition results in poor health, illness and pain. Good nutrition results in good health and an immune system that can fight off invaders and heal itself, maintaining well being.

I choose carefully what I nourish myself with. During celebrations or the holidays, I am not missing a thing by holding to my plant based lifestyle. What I gain is continued health, not extra pounds or an upset digestive system.

Here’s to a healthy and abundant Thanksgiving!

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My First Chia Pudding

Until recently, the only thing I knew about chia seeds was that you could grow them on clay figurines, creating the look of “hair”. As a kid, I never had a chia pet, so during my Year of Firsts in 2014 I bought one and had fun sprouting the chia seeds.

Because of that connection, I was a bit dubious about consuming chia seeds. However, during my healing journey, I’ve learned these little seeds are considered a super food, full of health boosting benefits. I routinely add a spoonful to my morning smoothies. I’ve seen recipes for chia pudding, made from the same little seeds, but I have not tried a recipe…until today. Anthony William shared a simple basic chia pudding recipe and I thought, I must try this.

The basic recipe couldn’t be more easy.

Chia Pudding

• 1 cup dairy free milk ( almond or coconut)

• 1/4 cup chia seeds

Combine ingredients and let chill overnight in refrigerator. Top with favorite fruits and nuts.

I purchase bags of chia seeds at the Walmart Market. They are found in the baking aisle. And I love the unsweetened almond coconut milk blend, available in the refrigerator section wherever milk is sold. Two brands I’ve tried and like are Almond Breeze and Silk.

Chia seeds are an excellent source of protein, vitamins E and B complex, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron. They are higher in Omega 3 fatty acids than any other food and they are particularly beneficial for chronic inflammation, heart disease, brain function, cancer and autoimmune diseases. Chia seeds also combat diabetes by helping to stabilize and control blood sugar levels.

I started chia pudding this afternoon, so I could sample it this evening. As it set up in the fridge, I searched on Pinterest for more recipes. There are many ways to create a variety of chia puddings, starting with the basic recipe and then adding fruits, nuts, unsweetened chocolate, maple syrup and other healthy foods.

Inspired, I headed back into the kitchen to create a blueberry chia pudding to have as a midmorning or afternoon treat tomorrow. For this pudding, I used a small wide mouth mason jar.

Blueberry Chia Pudding

• 1 cup unsweetened non dairy milk, such as almond or coconut

• 1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries

• 1/4 cup chia seeds

Combine milk and blueberries in a blender. Process until berries and milk are well mixed. Pour into a small mason jar. Add chia seeds. Screw on jar lid and shake to mix blueberry milk with seeds. Chill in refrigerator overnight to set. Top with additional blueberries and nuts before eating.

These puddings are so easy to make! I have ideas for a variety of chia puddings. Tomorrow I will be at the grocery store, stocking up on small mason jars, chia seeds and plenty of fruits, unsweetened coconut and nuts such as walnuts and pecans. I saved recipes for such delights as pumpkin pie chia pudding and chocolate raspberry chia pudding. I will be playing with these recipes and coming up with some of my own. (The blueberry chia pudding is one I created using the basic recipe as the foundation.)

Tonight I intended to dress up the basic recipe by topping it with sliced bananas, wild blueberries and walnuts. However, the pudding isn’t completely set up yet. I don’t want to rush it. I will let it chill overnight and add an update to this post in the morning. And I’m excited to sample the blueberry chia pudding tomorrow and create more fun variations.

No more chia pets. I have a much better, and more beneficial, use for these amazing little seeds.

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Chaga Mushroom Tea

I had never heard of chaga mushrooms, before reading Life Changing Foods by Anthony William. In the book there is a chapter on the benefits of this immunity building wild food, which is technically a pre-mushroom fungus growth.

As I have been nurturing myself and allowing my left knee to heal, I used the Life Changing Foods book to look up all the foods that fight inflammation in the body, and especially in joints, as it feels like I have inflamed tendons and/or muscles around my left knee . Included on my list of beneficial foods was the chaga mushroom.

It was time to try this food, sold in the form of a very fine powder that can be added to smoothies or made into a tea. My order from Amazon arrived today, in time to prepare my first chaga mushroom tea.

According to Anthony, the chaga mushroom is all about building immunity in the body. The phytochemicals in chaga fight cancer, regulate blood sugar, boost the adrenals while regulating the rest of the endocrine system, break down and dissolve biofilm (a jelly like substance that’s a by product of certain viruses and fungi) and destroys unproductive fungus in the digestive tract.

Chaga is beneficial to those with cancer, autoimmune diseases, and a host of major disorders such as MS, ALS, tendonitis, sciatica, HIV, and chronic fatigue syndrome. It fights inflammation causing viruses such as Epstein Barr and shingles.

These symptoms warrant bringing chaga into your life: inflammation, shoulder, neck, head or back pain, headaches, pre fatty liver, joint pain, rashes, hives, body fungus, neurological symptoms, joint inflammation and poor circulation.

With so many health benefits, I was very willing to add chaga to my diet! Tonight I tried this easy to make tea. The recipe is included in Life Changing Foods.

Chaga Tea Latte Makes 1 cup

• 1 teaspoon chaga powder (fine powder)

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon raw honey

• 1/8 cup coconut milk

Boil one cup of water. Place chaga powder in mug and add boiling water, stirring until powder is dissolved. Stir in honey, using more if desired. Stir in coconut milk or use frother to create coconut foam on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

The addition of the raw honey helps to deliver the chaga to hard to reach places within the body, enhancing body system functions.

I like that Anthony includes an Emotional Support section for each food in the book. He writes that chaga is invaluable for those who feel like they’re missing out on something, or who feel trapped in their life’s direction, emotionally stagnant and numb. Add chaga to your diet when help is needed envisioning the future.

What a powerful food. I cupped my mug of hot chaga tea and closed my eyes for a moment, feeling gratitude for all this wild food brings into my life. Then the first sip.

How does a fungus made into a tea taste? Wonderful! There isn’t a musky or moldy smell or taste AT ALL. Chaga tastes like tea…with honey, cinnamon and a splash of coconut milk added.

I’m excited to include this hot drink in my daily health routine. Chaga tea will serve as an afternoon pick me up and the turmeric milk will remain as my night time drink. Both will flood my body with powerful anti inflammatory nutrients. And that means increased health, wellness and vitality for me.

You can order Life Changing Foods and Chaga Mushroom Powder below.

I am an Amazon Affiliate and may make a commission on purchases made through my links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for purchasing these items, or any other items, through my Amazon links.

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Sweet Potatoes with Braised Cabbage

This time of year, with its cooler, shorter days, I appreciate food that comforts and nurtures, without compromising my health. This colorful and nutritious meal is so satisfying, and it is not only full of flavor but full of health benefits as well.

This recipe comes from Life-Changing Foods, by Anthony William. In his second book, Anthony writes about 50 of the best foods to eat to heal and maintain health and wellness. Each chapter lists the benefits of the food and what conditions and symptoms it eases, and there are even sections on how that particular food provides emotional and spiritual support. For every food listed, there is a wonderful recipe to try. This book has been invaluable to me.

Sweet potatoes promote productive bacteria in the stomach, small intestine and colon, while starving out unproductive bacteria and fungi. These more colorful cousins of regular potatoes enhance the body’s production of vitamin B12. They are also packed with carotenoids, which are extremely powerful and protect against a host of cancers.

Sweet potatoes also rid the body of unusable, cancer causing estrogen that interferes with hormone function. And if insomnia is an issue, this potato will aid in a sound night’s sleep.

I’ve always enjoyed sweet potatoes, which made me an oddity as a child! As an adult I quit adding additional sweetness, in the form of brown sugar or marshmallows, nor do I douse my orange spuds in butter. I most often eat a baked sweet potato plain, with sprinkles of sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper. However, this easy to prepare recipe is a wonderful way to dress up my sweet potato in a healthy way.

These are so delicious. I love the tangy sauce that tops the stuffed sweet potato. Anthony writes that if you need some coddling, there is nothing more comforting than a baked sweet potato. I agree!

And this comfort food will not have an adverse effect on my body. What I have known in my life as comfort food rarely provided anything more a sugar rush or an excuse to overeat and twinges of guilt. Not so with the humble and benefit packed sweet potato.

This recipe will be prepared frequently this fall and winter.

I am an Amazon Affiliate and may make a commission on items purchased through my links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for purchasing this item, or any other items, through my Amazon links!

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Body & Soul Day

This beautiful fall Sunday was perfect for nourishing myself, body and soul. The weather lured me outdoors. My desire to cook was present in full force. I had another new plant based recipe to try. And this afternoon I enjoyed relaxing and catching up on a new series. This was a day of deep self care.

My soulful Sunday began with caring for my body. This was Day 10 of my 30 Day Walking Challenge. Not only have I walked every day, I have also met my fun intention of walking in a different location each time.

With a relaxed schedule today, I headed south of Joplin, to the trails meandering through Walter Woods Conservation Area. I appreciate Greg accompanying me. In this remote location, it is good to walk with a companion.

I am loving the daily walks. My body is responding, feeling stronger and more flexible. The walks in neighborhoods and city parks deepen my sense of connection with my community. I’ve met some wonderful people as I walk. And the walks in nature nurture my soul as well as my body. The beauty found in streams and falling leaves, mossy tree trunks being gently embraced again by the earth and flittering butterflies on their migration paths, awakens my senses and fills my heart with quiet joy.

The last time I explored the trails at Walter Woods was before switching to a plant based lifestyle. My pain wracked left leg necessitated frequent rest stops. I was surprised today by how quickly we made the loop through the woods. I was immensely grateful for pain free legs that moved freely without a limp. And I was saddened to recall what I used to consider normal, in my health or lack of health.

We walked further, to the pond on the other side of the property, and sat on a bench, enjoying the darting dragonflies and the gorgeous weather.

Back at home it was more body care, mixed with creativity, which enlarges my soul. I’ve been in the mood to cook. This afternoon provided the perfect opportunity to cook up a couple of hearty and healthy plant based meals. After popping the Macaroni & Broccoli Bake into the oven, I made a large pot of vegetable soup, with lots and lots of veggies.

The Macaroni & Broccoli Bake is an amazing and very comforting dish. I use brown rice pasta and fresh broccoli. The “cheese” sauce is made from cashews, lemon juice, garlic and a chopped date, with sea salt and chili powder. With colder weather coming, this satisfying meal will become a weekly favorite. See the recipe for Macaroni & Broccoli Bake HERE.

I also tried another healthy cookie recipe. Similar to the traditional No Bake Cookie recipe, this version has just four ingredients.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Coconut No Bake Cookies by Beaming Baker

• 1 cup natural peanut butter (no sugar added)

• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup

• 1 cup gluten free rolled oats

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Combine peanut butter and maple syrup in medium sized glass bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds, stir, and continue, microwaving for 20 seconds and stirring, 4-7 times, until mixture is warm and fragrant and just beginning to dry out a bit. Add oatmeal and coconut flakes, stirring until well combined. Drop by spoonfuls onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Press down on cookie mounds with a fork, to desired thickness. Pop into the freezer for 20 minutes and then enjoy. Store in refrigerator. Makes about 24 cookies.

This recipe was another success! The cookies are delicious and so quick to make. I enjoyed a couple for afternoon tea. I appreciate how wholesome they are.

As I had afternoon tea, and later a bowl of Macaroni & Broccoli, I settled onto my bed and caught up on the newest Star Trek series, Discovery. While some might not see watching Star Trek as a soulful experience, for me it is.

Watching episodes 2 and 3 today, my eyes filled with tears several times. I was deeply moved by the stories, which while offering hope in standard Trek ways, were much grittier and darker. I was captivated by the action and special effects, and quite on edge during episode 3!

My cat Shy Boy slept through Star Trek, only because I had ear buds in, to spare him the noise of space battles.

I am loving being back in the star Trek universe. Subscribing to CBS All Access is worth it to me, to follow these adventures featuring wonderful new characters amid familiar Trek favorites such as tribbles and the wise Vulcan, Sarek. It is hard for me to explain the teary eyes. So much of who I am is connected to Star Trek, in ways that most would not understand. No one has to get it, except me.

And even I can be surprised by the depth of my emotions for this long running series. When tears gathered after a starship was destroyed, full of characters I never saw, I muttered to my cat…“I didn’t even know those people…why the tears?” I can only surmise that my soul knows why. Under the tender care it is receiving, my spirit, my essence, is very expansive and responsive.

What a beautiful day. How perfectly suited it was for the care of my body and my soul. I feel rested. I feel nurtured. I feel nourished. I feel ready for more walks, and more creativity expressed in the kitchen…and another Star Trek episode.

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Thumbprint Cookies

I know fall has arrived, no matter what the temps are outside, when I wake up full of energy, and with a strong desire to cook! A trip to the market today yielded bags of veggies, fruit, gluten free brown rice pasta, and staples to make a variety of healthy, plant based meals this weekend.

And, I picked up the ingredients to try a new recipe from Anthony William…Thumbprint Cookies.

Among the many things that I appreciate about Anthony is that he continually offers health information and new ways to prepare foods in healthy ways. These cookies are grain…and gluten…free, dairy free, and don’t contain refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup. The ingredient list is wholesome and the cookies are easy to prepare.

Thumbprint Cookies by Anthony William

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/2 cup tahini

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar or maple sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon alcohol free vanilla

• 1/2 cup white sesame seeds

• 1/2 cup raspberry sugar free jam (or other flavor) or make your own sugar free fruit jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine almond flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Whisk together and set aside. Combine tahini, coconut sugar and vanilla in a food processor and process. Add flour mixture to processor and combine until smooth and mixture sticks together. If mixture is crumbly, add a small amount of water slowly until dough sticks together. Form dough into balls and roll in sesame seeds. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet and make an indentation in the center of each cookie with thumb. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool. Add a small dollop of jam to each cookie. Makes about a dozen cookies.

The cookies only took a few minutes to prepare and pop into the oven. I purchase tahini, which is a paste made from sesame seeds, from a local health food store. I also use it making homemade hummus and dressings. I bought coconut sugar for the first time today, finding it at my usual food market. It resembles brown sugar and has a rich, not-too-sweet flavor.

I could not find the white sesame seeds, so I did not roll my cookie balls in it. I will check the health food store for this item and include the sesame seeds next time. And instead of raspberry sugar free jam, I used apricot “Just Fruit” jam, which doesn’t contain sugar or corn syrup.

These wonderful treats are good for me. The tahini, and sesame seeds when included, strengthen the nervous system and improve thyroid function. Raspberries are a powerful antioxidant that removes toxic impurities from the body. Apricots are an antioxidant as well, and rich in vitamin A. They strengthen the heart, blood and bones.

The thumbprint cookies were wonderful! Not too sweet, with a taste that reminds me of molasses cookies, these treats were so rich and satisfying. The apricot jam added a nice hint of tartness. I intend to make these treats often, and try different jam fillings.

I savored several cookies tonight, with a cup of hot Scottish thistle tea with a splash of almond coconut milk. Ahhhhh…what incredible bliss on an autumn evening.

You can preorder Anthony’s newest book, Thyroid Healing, which is due out in November.

I am an Amazon Affiliate and may make a commission on products purchased through my links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for considering making a purchase of this item, or any other items, through my Amazon links!

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Warm Bedtime Drink

I enjoy a warm drink in the evening, year around. During the summer, my drink of choice is a cup of hot herbal tea, brewed from herbs freshly picked from my garden. As the days become shorter and cooler temperatures mark the true arrival of fall, I look for additional nighttime drinks to sip on. It is essential to me that these bedtime drinks be warming and soothing and also full of health boosting benefits.

I was excited to try this turmeric milk. I found the recipe on Facebook, in a group I am part of called Avocado. This delicious and easy to prepare recipe comes from Anna Davis.

Warm Turmeric Milk

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried turmeric

• 1 tablespoon raw organic honey

• Dash of coarsely ground black pepper

• Dash of cinnamon

• 1 cup of unsweetened dairy free plant based milk such as almond or coconut

In a small bowl mix together honey, turmeric, black pepper and cinnamon, making a paste. Warm plant based milk. Add small amount to turmeric mixture, stirring until smooth and thinned out. Add turmeric mixture to remainder of milk. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon and enjoy.

I used unsweetened almond coconut dairy free milk. The coconut adds a subtle flavor that I like. Plain almond milk can be used as well. As the milk heated, I whisked the honey, turmeric, black pepper and cinnamon together.

The spicy aroma was wonderfully tantalizing as I added a small amount of warm milk to the honey mixture. After it was thinned out, I poured the mixture into the cup of milk.

A sprinkle of cinnamon on top and my bedtime turmeric milk was ready to savor. And savor it I did. This drink was so good that I had to pace myself. The taste is flavorful but mild.

Turmeric is considered one of the most effective medicinal herbs with powerful benefits for the body. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. The body absorbs curcumin much better when black pepper is ingested at the same time.

Curcumin is linked to improved brain function and a lessening of brain diseases, less risk of heart disease, cancer prevention, depression prevention, inhibition of Alzheimer’s, improvement of arthritis through lessening of inflammation and anti-aging properties.

That’s a lot of health benefits packed into a tasty nighttime drink. In addition, turmeric soothes the digestive tract, which contributes to a better night’s sleep.

Raw organic honey, locally produced, is a good source of antioxidants. Health benefits of honey include soothes the digestive tract, eases seasonal allergies and sore throats, protects the body from cell damage, and it is antibacterial and anti-fungal.

Best of all, this drink centers me as it warms me, preparing me for a time of deep rest. I drank the turmeric milk last night, and fell asleep easily and quickly.

Writing about the drink and its many health benefits makes me crave another cup of turmeric milk tonight. This could become my favorite bedtime drink!