With the autumn equinox officially behind us, I have officially decided that it is okay to transition to warm drinks. Because while I love a good Pumpkin Spice Latte, I refuse to have one when it is 90 degrees out! However, because I am currently on vacation in Hawaii at my sister’s place on O’ahu I’m making an exception to my ‘no hot drinks’ rule. Because when you’re in a state when turmeric grows just a couple miles away and it is Meatless Monday, Golden Mylk (Turmeric Milk) is a must-make!
Lots of people know turmeric in its powdered spice form- the spice you pop into curry for the beautiful orange color! But my favorite way to use turmeric is in its natural root form. Turmeric and ginger root look very similar, and are related in the plant kingdom, but have very distinctive tastes and benefits! While I have been using turmeric in cooking for ages, I didn’t know all of the benefits that it could have for your body! I was lucky enough to be invited to a blogger event at Sprouts Farmer’s Market in Denver that was focused on all of what turmeric has to offer-which quite frankly- is astounding!
Largely due to its curcumin (an active compound) content turmeric has health benefits that make it quite the superfood! It is wonderful for fighting and preventing inflammation in the body, is chock full of antioxidants, and also has high levels of manganese, iron, potassium, and vitamins C, E, K, and Bs 1, 2, 3, 6, and 9. While all of these benefits are great, make sure to consult your doctor before consuming large quantities daily! It can have adverse reactions with some medications and for breastfeeding mothers.
So, now that we know why it might be a good thing to add some turmeric to our diets, how exactly do we? You can use the powdered spice to sprinkle on things like apple slices or into yogurt (we tried both of these during the Sprouts event- delicious!) but my favorite is making a cup of Golden Mylk (turmeric milk) for a night cap drink!
Ingredients: (Those pictures are all local to O’ahu, but you can find them at any healthy store)
2 Cups Almond Milk (Any brand will do, I prefer my homemade recipe)
1 Thumb Fresh Turmeric Root (or 1 TBS Turmeric Powder)
1 Thumb Fresh Ginger Root (or 1 TBS Ginger Root Powder)
1 Tablespoon Local Honey (Optional)
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
Pinch of Fresh Ground Black Pepper (Helps to with curcumin absorption!)
Turmeric Milk Instructions:
1 Add almond milk, honey, and coconut oil to a saucepan on medium heat.
2 If using fresh roots, peel the ginger and turmeric root. Then with a fine grater or a mortar and pestle, grate the roots into a fine pieces.
3 Add the turmeric, ginger, and a pinch of black pepper to your warm milk mixture.
4 Bring to a simmer, stirring well (I like a whisk to incorporate the coconut oil), and then turn off the heat.
5 Place the lid on your saucepan and let steep for 3-5 minutes or until your golden milk is a yellow to slightly orange color.
6 Strain the liquid to catch any root remnants and serve hot!
Thank you so much to Sprouts for a wonderful event! What is your favorite way to use turmeric? Let me know in the comments below!
I was compensated with payment and product to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own. Some links are affiliate links.
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