Rich Turmeric Tea

Between Facebook feeds and trendy lattes, turmeric is sure you be on your radar. It's totally the spice of the moment, and you've no doubt heard about its magical healing powers (immune booster, digestive aid, and pain reducer). All hail the mighty T, amiright?!

Curcumin, an active constituent of turmeric, is the real superstar. It can be helpful in reducing pain, specifically joint pain, and reducing inflammation. Curcumin extracts are effective as ibuprofen in the treatment of knee osteoporosis.

The thing is, it would appear that you need quite a bit of it to feel the effects. A sprinkle of turmeric in your big pot of stew once a week probably won't cut it. SO!

Here are some ways to include turmeric in your diet.

Try this Inflammation-Busting, Gut-Loving Smoothie Bowl

Add to other smoothies (carrot juice, ginger, cinnamon and turmeric—YUP!)

Add to plain rice

Add to eggs and tofu scrambles

Add to soups, stirfrys, curries

Make this yummy tea—I drink it once a day!

I love ending my night with a sweet treat and this tea always hits the spot. If you're making this as a midday snack, you could also transfer to a blender and add 1 Tablespoon coconut oil or ghee and/or 1 Tablespoon collagen peptides - I use this brand (use code FUNK for 20% off) for more fat, protein and calories.

To make this easier, I make a batch of the spice mix ahead of time.

I combine full fat coconut milk with water (or ginger tea if I'm looking for an extra spicy kick), as REAL coconut milk is quite rich.

What is real coconut milk?

Real coconut milk should have one, maybe two ingredients: coconut milk, or coconut and water (canned Native Forest does use guar gum as a stabilizer). I don't recommend using most store bought "coconut milk beverages," such as Silk and SO Delicious, as the list of ingredients is a mile long, and many of the ingredients are not things we should be consuming on a regular basis. Also, the primary ingredient is water. So what are even you paying for?

BUT, if you are using a store-bought coconut milk beverage from a carton, use for all 1 1/4 cups of liquid in this recipe. Diluting with water will make the end result too thin and runny.

RICH TURMERIC TEA/GOLDEN MILK

1 cup water (or brewed ginger tea)

1/4 cup full fat coconut milk (I love this brand)*

1 teaspoon turmeric tea mix (see below)

1-2 teaspoons honey

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan and whisk over low heat until warm and combined. You could also blend if you want an extra frothy final product.

TURMERIC TEA MIX INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons ground turmeric

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1-2 teaspoons ground black pepper* (optional)

*consuming black pepper with turmeric helps your body absorb curcumin, the active constituent of turmeric