The Best Golden Milk Recipe Ever

The Best Golden Milk Recipe Ever (Turmeric + Black Pepper + Coconut Oil + Honey!)

Around October of last year, just as the leaves were squeezing into their orange party dresses, I was diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia. The only thing that really helped, apart from lining up an army of water bottles on the ledge of my bed and buying stock in lozenges, was consuming copious amounts of turmeric tea. Most of you probably know Heidi Swanson, if you’re around my age, you grew up with her, coming of age as soba noodles and tofu-based dips and spelt pancakes entered mainstream language. Still, I’m not sure I ever imagined sipping on a latte bowl dancing with warming spices and sweetened with local honey.

Golden Mylk RecipeServes: 1Prep time: 5 minutesCook time: 1 minuteIngredentsInstructions

This version — one I’ve come to appreciate quite a lot — is mine. You can serve it at lukewarm temperature if you like. It’s how I drink it, when I’m busy doing important things like dancing in my kitchen all by myself and pretending like I don’t have piles of work on my plate, or when it’s warm and I’m craving something comforting. You can also serve it piping hot, though I recommend adding the lime juice at the end, as it cools, to protect the delicate Vitamin C. That’s how I like to serve it when it’s damp in Toronto, when the city’s spirit seems to slip behind the shadows. It’s dark and depressing. That’s why you have this Golden Mylk, to restore your energy and reinvigorate your mind.

My recipe, like all of those for Golden Mylk, originates in Ayurveda. Traditionally it was made with cow’s milk and was served at bedtime to encourage a restful sleep. There’s multiple versions of Golden Mylk in circulation, but all you really need is turmeric, a liquid (ideally milk or other non-dairy beverage), a pinch of black pepper, and some form of sweetener. I’ve added powdered ginger here, too, for more anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting power, coconut oil for frothiness (the saturated fat is also excellent for keeping our immune systems strong), and a squeeze of lime to mask the astringent nature of the turmeric and to contribute a touch of Vitamin C.

Because of turmeric’s potent anti-inflammatory properties, it’s fantastic to consume when sick or under the weather, since it may soothe sore throatsand hacking coughs. Turmeric may also have a preventative effect on various cancers, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes.

A delicious, comforting and immune boosting recipe, Golden Milk is great for coughs, colds, and simply for drinking on damp days.

• Turmeric Paste
• ¼ cup ground turmeric
• ½ cup or so of filtered water
• Pinch of salt
• Generous pinch black pepper
• Golden Mylk
• 2 tbsp hemp seeds
• 1 cup of filtered water
• 1 – 2 tsp turmeric paste
• 1 tsp – 1 tbsp local or Manuka honey
• ½ tsp ground ginger (optional)
• Juice of ½ lime
• 1 tsp – 1 tbsp coconut oil or MCT oil

1. In a small bowl, add the turmeric powder, black pepper, and salt. Stir in water slowly until the mixture forms a paste (about ½ cup of water or slightly less.)
2. In a high-speed blender, combine the hemp seeds and water and blitz until frothy and fully combined, about 50 seconds.
3. Add the remaining ingredients (turmeric paste, honey or other sweetener, ginger, lime, coconut oil) and blend until fully combined, about 45 seconds. Serve or continue to blend until heated. If you like, you can also reserve the lime juice until after the milk has been warmed.