Elevate your mood this autumn and winter and dose up on Mother Nature’s prescription, using roots as medicine. Push your coffee to the side and enjoy this medicinal concoction instead. Sip yourself into a harmonious state of being.
Ingredients
1/4 cup (60 mL) dried valerian root
1/4 cup (60 mL) dried ashwagandha root
1/4 cup (60 mL) dried eleuthero root
1/4 cup (60 mL) dried marshmallow root
2 Tbsp (30 mL) dried or fresh turmeric root
1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh ginger root, peeled and roughly chopped
4 Ceylon cinnamon sticks
1 Tbsp (15 mL) whole dried cloves
1 cup (250 mL) unsweetened soy milk or plant milk of choice
8 1/2 cups (2.125 L) filtered water, divided
6 pitted Medjool dates
Optional toppings: frothed plant milk, Ceylon cinnamon powder
Directions
Into medium pot, place valerian, ashwagandha, eleuthero, marshmallow, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Pour in 6 cups (1.5 L) filtered water. Bring to boil for 15 to 20 minutes. Take off stove. Pour in 2 cups (500 mL) filtered water. Strain decoction into jug. Pour in milk.
In food processor, add dates and no more than 1/2 cup (125 mL) filtered water. Process until paste-like consistency forms. Add date mixture into liquid concoction. Stir.
Evenly pour into 4 mugs. For that extra bit of wow factor, add some frothed plant milk and powdered Ceylon cinnamon overtop. As you enjoy your cup of medicine, be sure to stir from time to time, since dates have a propensity to settle on the bottom.
Tip: store leftover mixture of roots in refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can reuse the mixture of roots for another round of decocting.
