Let's talk ☆ P O W E R F U L ☆ P O W D E R S ☆ So three of my favorite powerful powders are Turmeric, Cayenne, and Spirulina. Not only are they beautifully vibrant, but they're so good for you! And so delicious!
In this post I'm going to show you my favorite ways to prepare these powders and also talk about why they're so important to have in your diet.
💚 S P I R U L I N A 💚 I first found spirulina two years ago in a small cafe in Kyoto, Japan that I would go to after school. They served it as an ice cream and it was SO delicious! But as it's winter, we'll come back to making it into ice cream once it's a bit warmer out. The way I most commonly take spirulina is through spirulina steamers I call Swamp Milk. If you're already familiar with turmeric, it's probably through drinks called Golden Milk and this is my own little twist on it. As with Golden Milk, the best way to get the powder to mix with your milk is by making a paste first. This can be as simple as hot water and powder until it forms a syrupy substance--you can also add honey for taste. Another thing I've learned is that powders tend to mix best with non-dairy milk so often I'll use coconut or soy as they're my favorites. So just put some of the paste in a mug, heat the milk over the stove, and start mixing! The next thing you know you'll have a deliciously wicked, piping hot Swamp Milk. So why take spirulina in the first place? Spirulina is an algae that's rich in chlorophyll, high in protein, and packed with antioxidants and nutrients. What got me so interested in spirulina in the first place was that it's highly recommended as a supplement for vegans and vegetarians due to the natural protein and iron in it. And due to all these vitamins packed in every spoonful, it boosts your energy levels and also improves your overall health. Plus, personally, I love the smell and taste!
So find your inner Swamp Witch and give this algae a try!
💛 T U R M E R I C 💛 At this point you're probably living under a rock if you haven't heard of turmeric yet. Most cafes are carrying Golden Milk on the menu and dozens of DIY face-mask recipes swear by it. But instead of Golden Milk, I wanted to try experiment with new ways of taking turmeric. And then I stumbled upon ~Golden Butter~. Imagine Golden Milk but SPREADABLE! So following the basics for making your own herb butter or cinnamon-sugar butter, I concocted a simple and delicious recipe for my own Golden Butter. Now this specific recipe isn't vegan, but if you use earth balance instead of regular butter, it should be an easy enough switch!
What I did was take one stick of butter, chop it into smaller pieces and melt it in the microwave--you can also do this in a pan over the stove but be careful not to burn it. Once the butter was completely melted, I mixed in about a tablespoon of turmeric, a pinch of ginger, and a pinch of cinnamon. And then I canned it, and popped it back in the fridge! The turmeric will naturally want to settle to the bottom so check it before it hardens and give it another stir so make sure the turmeric is entirely throughout the butter. I served mine on toasted rye with a bit of brown sugar on top! It was drool-worthy. So why turmeric? Turmeric is an Indian spice of the ginger family that is rich in curcuminoids. Like spirulina, it's chock full of antioxidants and vitamins that improve your overall health and energy levels. It's known to be helpful with everything from inflammation to headaches to acne. It combats heart and brain diseases, and has even been used to fight depression.
So get a little golden in your life and it may just get brighter.
❤️ C A Y E N N E ❤️ Cayenne is a moderately hot chili pepper from Central and South America known best as a staple in your spice drawer, but it's much more powerful than most people realize! Cayenne can help with digestion, heart conditions, promoting circulation--and that's just if you take it internally. But externally, cayenne is even more incredible. Applied externally, cayenne has been known to alleviate pain from arthritis and fibromyalgia. And even more amazing--it's widely known for its ability to stop bleeding in roughly 10 seconds. I first heard about this from a fellow witch who said a woman once came to him with a gunshot wound. He immediately cleaned it and applied cayenne to it, and when she went to the hospital they didn't believe her when she said the time of the shooting. The wound had clotted and healed so quickly, they thought it was much older. And not only does it stop the bleeding, it disinfects the wound! So make sure to keep cayenne in the kitchen and also your first aid kit. For cayenne I decided to try something extra special. The vibrant red and strong taste demand attention and I was committed to doing it justice. And one thing I particularly love to make is chocolates!
To make chocolates you'll need a mold--something you can pour the chocolate and fixings into, to give it shape. I recently bought a great gemstone-shaped mold from a craft store, but ice cyber trays can always do in a pinch! Silicone is best so you can get the chocolates out easily and won't risk damaging them. You'll also need a double boiler (essentially a bowl over a pot of boiling water). You don't want the chocolate burning so the double boiler keeps it off direct heat. There are also some microwave versions to save you to time in a pinch! Next you need chocolate of course! Milk or dark is up to you but personally I find cayenne and other red peppers go best with dark. Once the chocolate is melted, pour it into the mold. You can then choose to brush it up the sides or entirely flip it and dump the remainder--leaving only the thin outer coat. Depending on how many layers or fillings you have, you may want a thinner or thicker coat. Put the mold in the fridge and wait for it to cool. Prepare some red pepper jelly and when the chocolate in the mold has cooled, spread a layer of the jelly over top. Send it back to the fridge to make the jelly firm. Finally, add one more layer of chocolate over top and chill it again. Once the chocolate feels firm in the mold, pop it out on a flat surface and sprinkle cayenne pepper on top. Now you can put some fire in your belly when you need a boost!