Turmeric Tea

A while back I posted a recipe for the highly popular turmeric milk. Nonetheless, dare I say, I might have found something that tops it. Homemade turmeric tea! I am in love, love, love with this drink! It is quickly becoming my favorite hot drink of all time - move over coffee. Bold statement, I know.

I've already posted the long list of turmeric's benefits and making it as part of one's regular routine will no doubt do the body good. One benefit I have noticed right away is the clarity and quality of my skin. It does the job. Again, for those that are experiencing joint pain or minor muscle aches, turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that help in the healing process, naturally. Solid gold.

The good thing is this recipe is simple and easy. Two words I undoubtedly like to hear. Here are the quick and dirty details adapted from one of my favorite healthy cooking blogs, 101 Cookbooks.

Ingredients

1/3 Cup Raw Honey
2 1/2 - 3 Teaspoons of Turmeric
Lemon
A dash of Black Pepper or Cayenne Pepper

Optional Additions
Fresh Ginger
Peppercorns
Cardamom
Cinnamon

Mix the honey and turmeric together forming a thick paste. It will make enough for multiple uses so whatever is extra can be stored in the refrigerator.

For each serving place a heaping teaspoon (sometimes I go for a little extra) in a cup. Pour hot water (not boiling hot) into the cup and stir, dissolving all of the turmeric paste. Then, squeeze half a lemon into the cup adding a few dashes of black pepper, or my personal favorite, cayenne pepper. The turmeric and spices have a tendency to settle to the bottom so it is a good idea to have a spoon on hand to stir the tea occasionally. For added benefit, I like to add grated fresh ginger to my tea or you could also add cardamom or even cinnamon depending on your taste.

FYI. Just a little side note in regards to the effectiveness of turmeric is it's a good idea to add black pepper in that it increases it's potency making the compound curcumin found in turmeric more bioavailable. No worries, it actually complements the tea quite well. 

Healthy Joint Tonic and Much More: Golden Milk

Got joint issues or want to implement a practice that will benefit your overall health? Welcome to the miracles of turmeric! What are the benefits of turmeric exactly? Well for one it is a natural anti-inflammatory, which let's face it we could all use from time to time. Also, it is known for its' anti-parasitic and anti-bacterial properties. The list goes on. This healing herb from India is cost effective and worth having in your kitchen especially when learning all the good that it does. I've started taking turmeric in the form of Golden Milk to help alleviate a bit of joint and muscle pain I've been experiencing lately. I figure I have nothing to loose so might as well try it.

Benefits Include

• Supports healthy joint function.
• Promotes radiant healthy skin.
• Improves digestion.
• Promotes healthy blood and liver function.
• 5 - 8 times stronger than vitamin E and stronger than vitamin C.
• Research has found it has cancer fighting properties.

Believe me, I could have added much more to the list. Do the research and you will understand what I mean. 

Below is the recipe for Golden Milk with the above video. I have already made my first cup and really enjoyed it. I think it will make a suitable nightcap as I settle down at the end of my day. I also added Udo's oil like was suggested in the video. Feel free to use any type of milk you choose. I actually used an organic coconut/rice milk combination, sweetened with a dab of organic maple syrup. Loved it.  

Turmeric recipe

Take 1/4 cup turmeric powder, mix with 1/2 cup pure water and simmer over medium-high heat for at least 7 minutes, stirring constantly. You will notice a thick paste form. If it get's too dry while cooking you can add addional water. Once cooled, put into a glass jar and put in fridge. This is good for up to one month. 

Golden Milk:

Add 1 tsp. to 1 cup. hot milk (cow, goat, soy, rice, almond, or any combination), maple syrup or honey to taste and 1/2 tsp. of almond or sesame oil. Gently heat and stir. 

Pepparkakor

Pepparkakor, the cookie of Christmas in Sweden. Or, better yet, traditionally eaten on the day of St. Lucia on December 13th. I'm a bit backwards, however, I'll write a little blog post on the significance of St. Lucia at some point.

Back to the cookies. I've already coined the term, peppar-crack-or, because of how delightfully addictive they are! Fun to make with the kids, and otherwise known as ginger bread cookies or ginger snaps, here's a recipe that will make the holiday season that much sweeter. Also, I apologize for not having healthier options but, whatever, sometimes we need to be a bit naughty.



Pepparkakor History

The Ginger snap or Ginger thin, Pepparkakan is a cookie that has been developed in Sweden during centuries, to become the cookie it has been the last hundred years. With its delicate flavor of ginger, pepper and other Herb’s baked so thin and crispy. It has become one of the favorite cookies in Sweden.As far back as the 15th century came the first ginger cookies to Sweden through German monks. The first documented evidence of the cookies is from 1534 the time of the famous king Gustaf Wasa, that the world’s biggest skiing event in Sweden is named after. Through the centuries the ginger cookies has mostly disappeared in the other countries and developed into the Swedish specialty that it is today.

The Name in Swedish “pepper cookie” is probably a name that the cookie got because the people in older times could not specify the spices so it was the dominant one that gave name to the cookie. The first Pepparkakor that was made was not brown as it is today. Instead they were white and often decorated with caramel color. That was the tradition in to the 1800. About 1830 changed the color to brown and the heart shaped Pepparkakan started and became popular. The heart shape is from old tradition combined with goodness and kindness. Perhaps has the belief of the cookies good influence of your spirit life connection with the heart shape of the cookie. It is believed in the folklore that you became kind after eating Pepparkaka, so just in case, take one.

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  
• 1/4 cup light molasses or dark corn syrup
  
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons water
• Melted white chocolate or Royal Icing, for decoration (optional)
  

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and baking soda together until the mixture is smooth. Blend in the flour and cream to make a stiff dough. Chill at least 30 minutes, overnight, or until firm.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8 to 1/16-inch thickness and cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. (The thinner you roll the dough, the crispier the cookies will be). Place about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Slide cookies and parchment off the baking sheet onto the counter top to cool. Dip cooled cookies into melted white chocolate to decorate, or decorate with Royal Icing. Icing is optional. Still good plain.

Glögg

Glögg. A holiday staple in Sweden. This yuletide beverage warms from the inside out. Perfect for chilly evenings and holiday cheer. If you're into trying something different, go ahead and give it a go! I've been told, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas in Sweden without a swig of this warm spicy drink! Traditionally eaten with gingerbread cookies (in Swedish, pepparkakor), yum, yum.

I took a recipe from chef Jamie Oliver, gotta love him. Glögg is also know as mulled wine. And, for those who prefer a nonalcoholic option, sub wine for grape juice. No problem.

Also, on a side note, in Sweden glögg is topped off with a spoonful of chopped almonds, and raisins once ladled out. Something worth trying. Enjoy!

• 2 clementines
• peel of 1 lemon
• peel of 1 lime
• 250g caster sugar
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 1 whole nutmeg
• 1 whole vanilla pod, halved
• 2 star anise
• 2 bottles of Chianti, or other Italian red wine

Peel large sections of peel from your clementines, lemon and lime using a speed peeler. Put the sugar in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the pieces of peel and squeeze in the clementine juice. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and about 10 to 12 gratings of nutmeg. Throw in your halved vanilla pod and stir in just enough red wine to cover the sugar. Let this simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved into the red wine and then bring to the boil. Keep on a rolling boil for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until you’ve got a beautiful thick syrup. The reason I’m doing this first is to create a wonderful flavor base by really getting the sugar and spices to infuse and blend well with the wine. It’s important to do, make a syrup base first, because it needs to be quite hot, and if you do this with both bottles of wine in there you’ll burn off the alcohol.

When your syrup is ready turn the heat down to low and add your star anise and both bottles of wine. Gently heat the wine and after around 5 minutes, when it’s warm and delicious, ladle it into glasses and serve.

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