It's week #17 of my 2018 challenge to try one new whole-food plant-based (WFPB) recipe each week. Turmeric is a spice that is well-known for its potential health benefits. I came across this recipe on the Wellness Mama website (wellnessmama.com).

What I like about this recipe (besides the fact that it's healthy):

• It's an easy and delicious way to consume more turmeric.

• It's a cozy, warm, aromatic beverage that "smells like French toast," according to my kids. :)

• It's not overly sweet.

• You can mix up a big batch, keep it in the fridge, and warm up a cup when you want it.

What I ended up using/doing:

• 2 cups milk of choice. I used cashew milk. Note: I prefer to make cashew milk in my Vitamix by blending one cup of cashews (soaked in water for a couple hours beforehand) with about 7 1/2 cups water (after the cashews, I add water to the blender until it reaches the 8-cup line and blend on high until smooth). You can add more or less water, depending on the thickness/creaminess you desire.

• 1 tsp ground turmeric

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• pinch of ground black pepper

• ¼ tsp ground ginger

• pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

• Pure maple syrup to taste. I used 2 tsp.

The original recipe recommends blending the above ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth, then heating (but not boiling) the mixture in a saucepan on the stove.

Please note that turmeric's golden pigment can stain counters, containers, and clothes. I didn't want to stain my blender, so I just put the above ingredients into an air-tight container and shook it until well-mixed.

I microwaved individual cups of the mixture, using a low power-level setting, being careful not to boil it.

The original method likely yields a smoother mixture, but the convenience was worth it to me. :)

RECIPES Page

This post was originally published on April 28, 2018.