Category Archives: Recipes

The Benefits of Golden Milk

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I have been finding ways to add turmeric into my daily routine for a while now.  With more and more credible information coming out in favor of this super food, I was needing to find creative ways to enjoy it even more.  I have stumbled upon golden-milk, and I am loving it!

First, let us talk about the health benefits of turmeric, specifically curcumin.  Turmeric comes from the roots of the Curcuma longa plant, a member of the ginger family.  Curcumin is the most active ingredient found in turmeric.  Because only about 3-4% of the turmeric root holds curcumin, it is hard for us to get its full effect.  If you are looking for higher doses of curcumin then you would need to look into curcumin supplements.

Since curcumin has been shown to reduce body inflammation, turmeric has been a top choice in natural medicine for many people that suffer from several types of inflammation.  Turmeric has been used for arthritis, heartburn, joint pain, stomach pain, Crohn’s disease, stomach bloating, stomach ulcers, IBS, gallbladder disorder, high cholesterol, and skin inflammation from radiation treatment.  It has also been used to help with colds and lung infections,  bronchitis, menstrual problems, and most importantly, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.

Curcumin sounds like the super food of all super foods, doesn’t it?  Well this super food needs a little help to do its job properly.  Knowing how your body absorbs certain nutrients is very important.  Curcumin is poorly absorbed into the blood stream when left to its own devises.  However, studies have found that piperine, found in black pepper, enhances curcumin’s bioavailability by 1,000 times.  Also, curcumin is fat soluble (this is why we add coconut oil to our tea) which means without fat, the most important ingredient, curcumin, will have difficulty traveling though the stomach, into the small intestines and into the blood, where it achieves its effectiveness.

So let’s make some tea!

Ingredients:

-1 cup organic almond milk- Read my blog to learn how to make your own fresh organic almond milk.  You can use organic coconut milk too.

-1/2 tsp. organic ground turmeric (I really love this brand)

-1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp. organic raw honey (optional, especially if you sweetened your almond milk with honey)

1/2 tsp. organic extra virgin coconut oil 

Dash of vanilla

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

You can make this two different ways.  You can mix all ingredients in a sauce pan until warmed or you can make a turmeric paste first (which can be stored in the fridge for weeks) and add it to your warm milk whenever you want your tea.

To make paste:

1/4 cup turmeric powder 

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/2 cup distilled water

 

Place all ingredients in a small sauce pan and mix well.  Turn the heat to medium and stir constantly until the mixture is a thick paste.  This will happen quickly so do not walk away from the pan.  After the paste has cooled completely, pour it into a glass jar and store in the fridge.  When you are ready to make tea, heat your milk, oil, vanilla, honey and add 1/2 tsp. of the paste.  Top it off with the cinnamon.  You may need to stir while you are drinking to avoid a strong turmeric gulp at the end.  A cinnamon stick added in place of the cinnamon can help with this.

You will love this powerhouse drink, especially in the evening.  One of the blessings of naturopathy is finding a way to bring healing into our lives within our daily habits.  By learning how and when to eat certain foods, we can have a profound impact on our health.  Remember, curcumin is a strong anti-inflammatory so turn to your turmeric next time your body is screaming at you and let’s see what it can do for you!

I am in love with one other tea.  I drink it hot and cold all day long.  If you love turmeric/ginger, then you have got to try this tea.  Turmeric/Ginger Tea.  It’s not the powerhouse tea like the golden milk tea is, but it is wonderful tasting!!

Happy “tea” time!

 

Sources:

  1.    http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-662-turmeric.aspx?activeingredientid=662
  2. https://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-turmeric/
  3. http://naturalsociety.com/turmeric-absorption-super-benefits-black-pepper/ 

 

Disclaimer
All material on this website is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.

 

The World’s Best Homemade Ice Cream

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My favorite treat growing up on the ranch was my mom’s homemade ice cream.   We didn’t get it very often which made it even more special!  It seemed like it took days for that old ice cream maker to work its magic.  My sister, dad, and I would watch my mom fish out the paddle attachment knowing that she would soon be handing it over to us to get the first lick…..heaven!

My mom very willingly shared her recipe but mine just never quite tasted the same.  I am convinced it was because she made her ice cream with absolute love.  Love is a secret ingredient, you know!

I just recently mastered her recipe.  Now my children beg for homemade ice cream as much as I did as a kid.  Of course, I use all organic ingredients now.  I have even dabbled into a couple different flavors and have found a family favorite!  I felt guilty about keeping it all to myself, so here it is.  Enjoy!

MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM

Recipe:

– 6 large organic eggs

– 3 cups organic sugar

– 15 drops Peppermint Vitality  EO (if you do not use Young Living EOs then DO NOT   ingest EOs.  Use an extract instead)

– 1 Tbsp vanilla

– dash of salt

– 2 quarts organic half and half

– 3 pints organic heavy whipping cream

-1 10 ounce bag organic mini chocolate chips

You will also need:

– Homemade Ice Cream Maker (I highly recommend this one)

– Ice Cream Salt

– Ice

 

Directions:

  1.  Beat eggs in mixer until fluffy.  Add sugar, flavoring, and salt.

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  1.  Turn mixer on low and add cream one pint at a time.  This will fill the entire mixer  bowl.  Pour mix into ice cream container and add remaining half and half.
  2. Attach container to ice cream maker and turn on.
  3. Add layers of salt and ice until ice reaches the lid of container.
  4. Half way through the process, when you see the ice cream starting to thicken, shut off machine and carefully pull lid off (DO NOT LET ANY ICE WATER GET INTO ICE CREAM).  Pour bag of chocolate chips in and start machine back up until finished.
  5. You will know it’s finished when the motor is slowing down.
  6. When finished the ice cream will be soft.  Store in freezable containers in the fridge.

 

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This recipe makes 6 quarts so you will need to adjust your recipe if your ice cream maker is smaller.

*RAW EGG WARNING… This recipe contains raw eggs.  Make sure you are using the freshest eggs possible.

 

 

*This post may contain affiliate links for products I love. This means I earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of these links.

Organic Almond Milk

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Why make your own almond milk? Besides the nutritional value, you have the assurance of knowing what is exactly in your milk. Guaranteed to be free of dairy, soy, lactose, gluten, casein, egg, and carrageenan, you can also be reassured that your milk has no artificial colors, flavors or anything else that you can’t pronounce as ingredients (a good nutritional rule to follow:  if you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it).

So now let’s talk about what your almond milk DOES have in it…. each cup has about 60 calories and is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin D, and Potassium. You are also in control of the nut-to-water ratio and allowing a much higher nut percentage than commercially available options. A good ratio to follow is 1 cup of almonds to 2 cups of water.

Because of our pure ingredient list, fresh almond milk does not have a long storage life (about 5-6 days in fridge). We rarely let our milk go to waste though. Just a few of our favorite uses for almond milk are in creamy smoothies,  cereal, oatmeal, and a splash for coffee lovers.

Are you hungry yet? Let’s get started!

What you will need:

Organic Almonds
Distilled Water
Sea Salt
Organic Vanilla or Vanilla Bean
Organic Raw Honey (if you like to sweeten it up)
Blender
Fine Mesh Strainer
Nut Bag or Cheese Cloth
Glass Storage container

1. Soak the amount of almonds you wish to use. I generally use 2 cups. This is the amount my family will use within a week with no waste. Place almonds in a glass bowl and fill with double the volume of cool water. If you’re using a vanilla bean, soak this as well. Let soak at least 8-12 hours.
2. After nuts have soaked, rinse and place in a blender with double the volume of distilled water. If you soaked 2 cups of almonds then use 4 cups of distilled water.
3. Add a pinch of salt, the soaked vanilla bean or extract, and blend on high for about two minutes.
4. Place the mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the milk slowly into the strainer. This is the first filtering step. Let drip until almost all the liquid has seeped through.
5. Next, take the liquid and pour it through a nut bag into another bowl and squeeze to get all liquid separated from the almond meal. You will see beautiful almond meal left in your bag. DO NOT THROW THIS AWAY! For now, set aside for further use.
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6.  Take the remaining almond meal that is left in the mesh strainer and filter it through the nut bag the same way, extracting all the milk you can. Again, save that almond meal. I let the almond meal dry out for 2-3 hours before storing or making cookies with it.

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7. Store the almond milk in the fridge in an airtight, glass container.

Congratulations on making your first batch of many more to come!