Golden Milk (Turmeric Tea)

​Have you heard all of the buzz about turmeric?  It's hard to pick up a health magazine these days without glancing at an article or two about this magical spice. With its warm earthy aroma turmeric gives whatever it touches a beautiful deep yellow glow and subtle warmth.  It is not used widely in traditional North American cuisine, but it has been used for thousands of years in Southeast Asia and the Middle East to enhance the flavor of their local dishes and for its medicinal properties and beautiful colour, so turmeric is definitely not the new kid on the block.

Have you heard all of the buzz about turmeric?  It's hard to pick up a health magazine these days without glancing at an article or two about this magical spice. With its warm earthy aroma turmeric gives whatever it touches a beautiful deep yellow glow and subtle warmth.  It is not used widely in traditional North American cuisine, but it has been used for thousands of years in Southeast Asia and the Middle East to enhance the flavor of their local dishes and for its medicinal properties and beautiful colour, so turmeric is definitely not the new kid on the block.
 
A quick internet search of turmeric will yield hundreds of results touting the healing benefits of turmeric. Numerous studies have shown that turmeric is an anti-inflammatory, improves digestion, reduces the risk of cancer, and can improve cognitive disorders. Wow! So why wouldn't we all want to start gulping down this spice by the tablespoon each day? Well, I for one, wanted to check it out. Down the hatch!


I have been experimenting the last few months with turmeric in soups, stews and appetizers but I wanted a way to incorporate turmeric on a more regular basis. I stumbled upon Golden Milk in a health magazine awhile ago and I finally decided to give it a shot. If you haven't come across Golden Milk yet, I'm seriously expecting to see it on the order board at Starbucks any day now, it's essentially a warmed nut milk with turmeric. I was pleasantly surprised that when I figured out the right ingredients in the perfect amounts for me that I am really loving my Golden Milk. My first batch was quite earthy and a bit gritty.... clearly too much turmeric, but I was determined to keep on trying until I found the right formula for me.


I had also initially thought that I would drink Turmeric Tea in the morning, probably after my first cup of coffee, but I actually enjoy it more in the evening. It has a delicate spice and a wonderful warming sensation as you take your first few sips. Your belly gets all warm - it's soothing and calming, perfect for cold fall and winter evenings.


Golden Milk is surprisingly simple to prepare. Put a small saucepan on the stove top and heat up one cup of almond milk, or your milk of choice, and add a small amount of turmeric, ginger and cinnamon, a shot of honey and stir until well mixed. It's super quick and easy! I prefer to use unsweetened almond milk and to sweeten it with honey but you can experiment with your own but milk of choice. I also add ginger to my Turmeric Tea to further aid in digestion and a bit of cinnamon for taste. Too much ground spice in your pot won't dissolve and you'll end up with a sludgy mess in the bottom of your cup. The spices won't actually all dissolve, cinnamon is notorious for floating on top, but a small amount will suspend in the milk which will help drink down all of the benefits of the turmeric.


Golden Milk might be an acquired taste for some, but I think it's worth trying. Turmeric has even been called the Spice of the Year by many reputable organizations, and rightly so.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk or rice milk
- 1/2 tsp ground tumeric
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon or a cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp honey

DIRECTIONS

1. Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan over medium-low heat and whisk until well mixed an milk is warm. The tumeric won't completely dissolve, so don't worry!
2. Serve warm and enjoy!