I used to not really put much thought into the food I ate. It wasn’t that I necessarily made the worst food choices all the time; I just wasn’t very conscious of the ways the various things I was eating were affecting the way I felt on a day to day basis. I can’t pinpoint an exact moment when things shifted for me, but over the course of a few years in which I started making wellness the focus of pretty much everything that I did, I started looking at food in a new way. Whenever I would prepare a meal, I would ask myself if the food I was about to eat was going to truly nourish my body and support me in feeling healthy, happy, and vibrant. I began to seek out foods that were known to be especially healing and that’s when I discovered turmeric.

Turmeric is a plant that is native to South and Southeast Asia and the root of the plant has been used in culinary and medicinal applications for thousands of years. Turmeric root is rich in curcumin, a natural chemical that is credited for many of the healing properties of turmeric, such as its tendency to reduce inflammation in the body.

Because inflammation has been linked to a number of health concerns including chronic pain, depression, anxiety, digestive issues, autoimmunity, and neurodegenerative diseases, just to name a few, it was a no-brainer for me to start making fresh turmeric root a staple in my diet, and one of my very favorite ways to enjoy turmeric is in a Golden Milk Latte. I’ve been making Golden Milk Lattes for years now and have tried many different variations, but this one is definitely my favorite so far!

It combines powerfully healing turmeric with a spicy kick from its close cousin and fellow medicinal plant, ginger root. Fresh cinnamon stick adds warmth, Manuka honey offers a little sweetness and powerful antibacterial properties, and black pepper makes the curcumin in turmeric more bioavailable, which is just a fancy way of saying that it makes it easier for your body to absorb and utilize a substance. The gut-healing collagen protein makes this elixir balanced enough to be a truly nourishing replacement for a light meal and in the winters I often enjoy this warm, spicy drink first thing on mornings that are too chilly for a frosty smoothie.

If you’re ready to venture into the wild and wonderful world of Golden Milk Lattes, I would definitely recommend giving this recipe a try. It’s super easy, delicious, and just might end up becoming one of your new favorite rituals! Try it out and let me know what you think!

Bulletproof Golden Milk Latte

Ingredients:

Directions:

Okay, okay. I already know what you’re thinking. “Ashley, there are no measurements in the ingredient list above!!”

And I promise, you don’t need them. Not only is this one of the most healing elixirs you can make, it’s also one of the easiest! Here’s what you do…

Use a small, sharp paring knife to cut the rough skin off of both the turmeric and ginger roots. You don’t have to be incredibly meticulous about it, especially if you’re using organic roots, which I highly recommend. Simply cut off one end of the root, set it upright on that side, and then run the knife down each side of the root to slice away the skin. If you have very knobby roots, you can cut the knobs off and do the same with them as well. Once you have more or less peeled roots, cut them into roughly die-sized chunks and add them to a small sauce pan along with a cinnamon stick and some black pepper. (If you’re using black pepper oil, don’t add it in just yet.) Add your desired amount of water and place on a burner on the stove on medium heat. Once the water comes to a slow, rolling boil, let it continue to boil for 5-15 minutes. You can adjust your ratios of each of your ingredients, how much water you add, and how long you let the mixture boil based on how strong you want your elixir to be. I personally love a really spicy, potent elixir so I usually use fairly large pieces of ginger and turmeric roots (each about the size of a couple of packs of gum put together), 3-4 grinds of my black pepper grinder, a single cinnamon stick, and I cook this in a small sauce pan filled ¾ of the way full with water and the ingredients. I usually let everything simmer for about 15 minutes.

While the mixture is simmering, gently stir in Manuka honey. I usually add about a teaspoon, but you can add more or less depending on your desired sweetness.

Once the honey has mostly dissolved and the water has turned clear orange, turn the heat off and transfer the liquid into a high-powered blender. You can strain out the ingredients, or if you’re feeling really bold, you can pour the entire mixture right into your blender.

Next, add a serving of collagen protein, almond milk, and, if you are using black pepper oil, a drop of oil to the ingredients in the blender. You can also add any other healing ingredients you desire. I often add medicinal mushroom powders, vanilla, and maca root.

Blend on low speed for about 10 seconds, and then on high speed for another 10 seconds or until mixture is well-combined and frothy. Pour into your favorite mug and enjoy!

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