The Turmeric Latte That Won't Stain Your Blender
It might seem odd to toss up a Turmeric Latte / Golden Milk recipe now when it's been out in the mainstream world for months on end already. Yet, the many uses for it in recipes and the endless studies supporting the health benefits of it don't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Until they do (if they ever do), it's my duty and honour to continue to show you how delicious and healing it can be.
I have to be honest – when I tried my first Turmeric Latte about 6 months ago, I wasn't sure if I was hooked. I was definitely one of those people that was turned off by its curry-like colour.
While curry is amazing and I love its vibrant flavours, there's a time and place for it. And yet, somehow, every other post on Instagram has someone raving about how delicious turmeric is in latte, juice or paste form. They were talking about it as if they had just sunk their teeth into the moistest, decadent chocolate cake. Don't get me wrong, I most definitely adore my vegetables and healthy eats, but I'll be the first to admit that there's a finite difference between a piece of chocolate and a floret of broccoli.
With that said, I thought it would only be fair to give it another go. After all, the health nut in me cannot resist all of the incredible health benefits it has to offer including the following:
It acts as an anti-inflammatory. It is believed that low-level long term inflammation plays a role in contributing to almost every chronic Western disease such as heart disease, cancer and various degenerative conditions
Curcumin, the active potent anti-inflammatory component in turmeric, has been shown to provide relief to arthritis symptoms
It has been shown to lower the relapse rate in ulcerative colitis patients who took curcumin for 6 months
It has a great number of antibacterial properties, especially when used in conjunction to other antibacterial agents
Early evidence shows that it can actually help support skin health, including providing relief for acne and psoriasis.
Though it might sound a bit diva-like, I was also a bit hesitant to start whipping these golden beauties in my beloved Vitamix knowing the staining tendencies of turmeric. If you've ever played around with this stuff, you'll know what I'm talking about (aka yellow-stained EVERYTHING!) I know that sounds silly, because appliances are meant to get used but I wasn't ready to take that step yet. I knew there had to be a work-around to keep my Vitamix glimmering in the way it does (I know, I know - diva diva diva!).
But get this – last Summer, I finally took the plunge (researching natural stain removing remedies prior to, of course) and made a Turmeric Latte in my Vitamix. I then proceeded to clean it with the baking soda wash I was recommended to wash it with, only to find that the stains weren't going anywhere (eep!) I looked up another natural solution that suggested I put my Vitamix outside and expose it to the UV rays under the sun and that would zap the stains away. I'm sure you can imagine the sarcastic look on my face when I came across that one (puh-leeeease!).
But hey, I was desperate, so again, I took the plunge ...Within 1 hour, the stains were GONE! I couldn't believe it. I was laughing at the whole thing and just so incredibly enthused and excited all at the same time. I haven't tried it again since, especially in this Canadian Winter of ours where sunshine and UV rays are sparse, but if you're up for some solid entertainment, I highly recommend it![Tweet "Enjoy your Golden #Turmeric Latte without staining your blender with this special trick!"]All that to say, after a few attempts and recipe tweaks, I finally found a blend that excites my taste buds and didn't stain my blender as a result (partially because I didn't need my Vitamix for this) – now I'm officially on the turmeric train! Instead, I start my blending up the cold ingredients in my Magic Bullet just to give it a quick whip and then transfer it to a pot. I haven't tried it in my Vitamix yet, but given that it's not hot when you blend it, I'm sure you could get away with doing so without it staining your blender.
Creamy Golden Turmeric Latte
Ingredients
1.5 cups almond or coconut milk
1 tsp organic ground turmeric
1/2 tsp organic ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp organic ground ginger
1/2 - 1 tsp raw honey (optional / to taste)
pinch of black pepper
Directions
Put all ingredients into a blender (or magic bullet) (except for raw honey) and blend for 10-15 seconds.
Transfer contents to a small pot and heat on high without bringing to a boil.
Remove from heat, add honey (if using) and transfer to a large mug.
Sip and enjoy!
I actually made this on my way to work the other day and forgot to add a sweetener altogether and I still found it super tasty! The warming spicy flavours are just the thing to warm you to the core on a nippy day!
What's your favourite way to use turmeric?