Golden Turmeric Paste + Golden Milk

Have you ever heard of or tasted golden milk? I came across a bottle of it while perusing the drink options at Whole Foods a few weeks back and I was intrigued. To my pleasant surprise, the milk was delicious and I've been toying with the idea of making my own ever since. The main ingredients in golden milk are coconut milk and turmeric, which explains the "golden" color of this yummy treat.I discovered a recipe through Larisa's Instagram story and after drooling over it for some time, I decided to make the turmeric paste this afternoon. Her method is easy to follow and the results are incredible! I actually think the milk tasted really similar to the REBBL brand I'm obsessed with from Whole Foods.After I finished making the paste, I took Larisa's advice and added two tablespoons of it to a small pot with coconut milk. It made two small golden milk lattes and Adam and I really enjoyed them. The turmeric made a little bit of a mess on our white countertops (and my hands!) but uhh, so worth it. I think mine turned out a bit thinner than Larisa's, but the flavor is definitely not lacking. I still have a whole glass jar of the paste in our fridge and can't wait to experiment with it this week, trying it as a tea, heating up almond milk instead of coconut milk, and maybe even frothing some of the milk in our Nespresso frother.If you'd like to try making this at home, here's Larisa's recipe:

Yield:

• 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups water, plus 1/2 cup more
• 1/2 cup turmeric powder, good quality
• 3 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt (I like Himalayan pink salt)
• 1.5 tsp cardamon
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 2-4 tbsp honey (optional)

Instructions:

1. Combine pepper, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom in a small bowl.
2. In a small pot, over medium-high heat, combine the turmeric powder and 1.5 cups water. Stir with a wooden spoon and bring to a gentle simmer. The mixture should have thickened up quite a bit by this point, at this point, add the next 1/2 cup of water. Stir and bring up to a simmer again. Stirring constantly.
3. Once a lot of the water has cooked off, add the spices from step one and continue to cook until the mixture is spattering and sticking to the sides. The mixture should resemble a thick paste, a bit looser than a toothpaste and stick to the spoon for a second before it falls off in a thick clump.
4. Turn the heat off and remove the pot from the heat.
5. Add the coconut oil and whisk until combined. If it’s having a tough time coming together, you may not have reduced (cooked off the liquid) the mixture enough but keep whisking, it’ll come together!
6. Add the honey (optional) and continue to whisk.
7. Pour into a mason jar or glass container with an airtight lid and set aside to fully come to room temperature. If you put it away too soon, the mixture could separate. I like to put my jar in boiling water for 30 seconds - 1 minute before pouring the mixture in to sanitize it.
8. Cover and store in the fridge for 2-3 weeks, using a clean spoon whenever you use it (it will last longer that way).

To make a latte:

1. In a pot, place 1-1.5 cups homemade almond milk/coconut milk (or any milk). Add 1-2 tbsp of your paste and heat till little bubbles show up on the sides, but don’t let it come to a boil. Turn the heat off and whisk or stir to combine.
2. Add honey (optional) and serve.

To make a tea:

1. In a pot combine 1-2 cups of water and 1-2 tbsp of your turmeric paste. Stir and bring to a low simmer.
2. Add 1/4-1/2 cup of coconut milk, almond milk, or other milk of choice.
3. Optionally, add honey and/or cayenne to taste.
4. Serve.

Note:

1. If you have something to whip it, like an aero latte, do that just after you add the sweetener.
2. I like to put my jar in boiling water for 30 seconds - 1 minute before pouring the mixture in to sanitize it.
3. 1/2 cup-1 cup is more than sufficient to deliver the benefits without overwhelming the digestive system. So sip this slowly and enjoy the experience.

Thanks for the recipe, Larisa!Happy golden milk dreams, y'all.