Curl Up With A Cup Of Moon Milk
Blue Lagoon and Dreamy Dragon moon milks
Delicious, nutritious, soothing and warming, Moon Milk is an ancient Ayurvedic drink made with milk, spices, honey and adaptogens - herbs which help your body deal with stress - and considered a natural remedy for sleeplessness.
Nowadays, it’s often made using plant-based milks like oat and almond but traditionally, it was made with cow’s milk which contains melatonin and the amino acid tryptophan - two natural substances which help the body relax and feel sleepy.
There are infinite ingredients you can put together to make the most delicious Moon Milks but here are two of my favourites, Blue Lagoon and Dreamy Dragon.
Blue Lagoon moon milk - a delicious coconutty concoction with spirulina and ashwagandha
Blue Lagoon
Blue Lagoon moon milk - a delicious coconutty concoction with spirulina and ashwagandha
This gorgeously creamy and coconutty concoction uses the adaptogen ashwagandha which is thought to have a calming effect and lower anxiety thanks to its ability to bring down levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, in our bodies. But you can substitute ashwagandha with alternatives if you prefer – liquorice root and tulsi, aka holy basil, have similar stress-reducing and calming properties. Lavender, which you can use to garnish, is widely-used for promoting sleep and relaxation.
o 1 ½ cups coconut milk
o 1 tsp maple syrup
o 1 tsp coconut oil
o 1 tsp blue spirulina powder
o 1 tsp vanilla bean extract
o 1 tsp ashwagandha
o A sprinkle of cornflower petals and lavender flowers (optional)
In a small saucepan, gently heat the coconut milk. Stir in the maple syrup, coconut oil, spirulina powder, vanilla bean extract and ashwagandha. Pour into a mug, garnish with the edible flowers and enjoy, ahhh.
The nutritional lowdown on ashwagandha and spirulina
Besides its calming credentials, ashwagandha is rich in powerful, immune-boosting antioxidants which defend the body against viral and bacterial illnesses. It’s thought to improve cognitive health by preventing damage to brain cells and to help balance hormones by supporting our thyroid and adrenal gland function.
Spirulina contains all nine of the essential amino acids (proteins we can only get through our diet because our body doesn’t make them) which support important processes like energy production, tissue growth, immune function and nutrient absorption. It also contains twenty-six times more calcium than milk and almost the full spectrum of B-vitamins which are vital to our brain health, including mood and cognitive prowess. Spirulina’s distinctive blue-green hue comes from a chemical called phycocyanin which is thought to have extremely high antioxidant and powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
Dreamy Dragon moon milk tastes like chai latte and gets its pink colour from dragon fruit
Dreamy Dragon
Dreamy Dragon moon milk tastes like chai latte and gets its pink colour from dragon fruit
This Moon Milk doesn’t contain any adaptogens and is perfect for little taste buds too. Flavour-wise, it’s very much like a Chai Latte only much prettier and with extra good stuff!
o 1 ½ cups whole milk
o 1 tsp maple syrup
o 1 tsp coconut oil
o 1 tsp cinnamon
o 1 tsp dragon fruit/pitaya powder
o Dried rose petals (optional)
In a small saucepan, gently heat the milk. Stir in the maple syrup, coconut oil, cinnamon and dragon fruit powder. Pour into a mug, garnish with the edible flowers and let it work its soothing magic.
The nutritional lowdown on dragon fruit
Dragon fruit, also known as pitaya, is ultra-rich in antioxidants which protect the body against cell-damaging free radicals than can lead to cancer and premature ageing. It’s also packed full of fibre, including the type known as prebiotics which promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut. Dragon fruit is also loaded with minerals including magnesium, phosphorous and, unusually for fresh fruit, iron.