Moon Milk – For Better Sleep

Makes 1 serving

I tend to have trouble sleeping, and try to avoid any sort of over-the-counter sleep aids. I came across this recipe by Bon Appetite columnist Alaina Sullivan last week for Moon Milk. I made a large batch of it with cashew milk, and I increased the honey a bit to 2 teaspoons. I was able to find both the pill and liquid form of ashwagandha at Whole Foods and you should probably have luck at any local health food store. I also increased the recipe and kept the extra in a mason jar in the fridge and then heat up as needed. In Ayurveda (one of the oldest systems of natural healing in the world), warm milk is a common remedy for sleeplessness. In the herbal world nutmeg is a natural sleep aid, cinnamon and cardamom help to keep your body functioning; turmeric is a natural anti inflammatory and ashwagandha is an adaptogen root herb that helps your body deal with stress. I found this warm drink to be comforting and delicious and has become one of my pre-sleep rituals. Note, if you are going to be making a large batch of this and reheating when needed, add honey at time of consumption as not to lose its medicinal properties through too much heat!

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk or unsweetened nut milk (such as hemp, almond, or cashew)
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon ground ashwagandha (or another adaptogen, like shatavari or astralagus)
• 2 pinches of ground cardamom
• Pinch of ground ginger (optional)
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon virgin coconut oil or ghee
• 1 teaspoon raw honey (I used 2 teaspoons)

Preparation

1) Bring milk to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat (be attentive as milk will boil over very quickly!).

2) Whisk in cinnamon, turmeric, ashwagandha, cardamom, ginger, if using, and nutmeg; season with pepper. Whisk vigorously to incorporate any clumps.

3) Add coconut oil, reduce heat to low, and continue to cook until warmed through, 5–10 minutes (the longer you go, the stronger the medicine).

4) Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in honey right before drinking – pour into a mug and drink warm.

Enjoy and sleep tight!