Mood Boosting Holiday Hot Chocolate

I don’t know about you, but pretty much everything feels better when I have a big old mug of hot chocolate in my hands. And what makes me feel even better is when that hot chocolate is actually going to be supporting my body with real food, unprocessed sweeteners and maybe even some adaptogens (herbs that support our body’s stress response and help bring systems into balance).

This time of year has me jonesin’ for a warm drink in my hand at all times. It also tends to increase stress levels by way of lots of social engagements, busy shopping everywhere, crowded parking lots, heightened emotions, rampant germs, etc.

I’m all about food as medicine (in case that wasn’t abundantly clear by now) so I really like my foods and beverages to be functional. And I also want them to taste damn good. And so I present you with this Mood Boosting Hot Chocolate, specifically crafted for the holiday season (because honestly, when else do you drink hot chocolate?).

Cacao has huge mood-boosting benefits - it stimulates the release of endorphins, it contains tyrosine which is a precursor to dopamine, and is actually incredibly good for your brain. Dates contain magnesium, which is a mineral known to be relaxing and which is easily depleted during times of stress (and which 80% of Americans don’t get enough of). I’d recommend using milk with a little bit of fat in it (or add a teaspoon of coconut oil) since fat is essential for brain health.

This basic recipe is all you need to kick back with a relaxing hot bevvie, but you could further boost the de-stressing properties with any of the optional add-ins I’ve listed. Beside each I let you know what the main affect on mood or stress is.

Mood Boosting Holiday Hot Chocolate

serves 1

Ingredients
12-16 oz your favorite non-dairy milk
1 tbsp cacao powder
1 medjool date
pinch of salt

optional (mood-boosting) add ins
ashwagandha - supports stress response, immune booster
rhodiola - supports stress response, immune booster
reishi - supports stress response, immune booster
chaga - supports stress response
vitamin D - promotes positive mood
tocos - vitamin e, antioxidants, supports skin, plus adds creaminess
collagen - supports gut health, will make your drink extra foamy!
lavender - supports relaxation
peppermint extract - supports relaxation
Rasa Koffee - blend your hot chocolate with some of this in place of milk to get extra EXTRA support from stress-busting adaptogens

Instructions

1. Add non-dairy milk, cacao powder, date, salt and any other add-ins you desire to small saucepan over medium heat. Gently warm until it’s to your preferred drinking temperature.

2. Transfer to a blender and blend 30-60 seconds, until date is totally incorporated.

3. Pour into your favorite mug, get cozy doing something that relaxes you and enjoy!

Notes

• If I don’t have non-dairy milk around (which is more often than not) I use either 2-4 tbsp full fat coconut milk or 1 tbsp coconut butter + water.

• Mountain Rose Herbs is where I get most of my herbs and superfoods.

• These are the vitamin D drops I recommend. They’re flavorless and I love adding them to these sorts of drinks since fat helps our bodies absorb the vitamin D.

Good Medicine Everyday: Parsnips

Parsnips - the underrated root veg. Have you had them before? They look like white carrots. They’re a little sweet. Creamy on the inside when roasted. I LOVE them!

My favorite thing to do with them is cut them into strips and make parsnip “fries” but you can also cut them in whatever shape you like and roast them with some oil, salt and pepper. You can also steam and mash them (think with mashed potatoes or cauliflower), use them in soups and stews. I consider them a highlight of the winter vegetable selection. They’re sweet and creamy and have a very grounding quality to them

Lucky for me (and you!) they’re also chock full of compounds that support our health. Let’s check it out (1):

• Parsnips have an impressively high vitamin C content, making them great for our immune system and eye health.

• They’re high in fiber, which keeps the good bacteria in your gut happy and also keeps everything moving so you avoid constipation.

• Folate - just 1/2 cup of parsnips contains 11% of your daily folate, which is pretty awesome! Folate is an essential nutrient that we need for gum health, brain health and to avoid birth defects.

• Parsnips also contain manganese, which supports bone health.

Good Medicine Everyday: Bay Leaves

If your experience with bay leaves is pretty much non-existent, join the club. It was something that was in my spice cabinet growing up, that my mom would use occasionally in soups and stews. As an adult, if a recipe called for a bay leaf, I usually skipped it thinking it wasn’t that important. Sure, it might impart some flavor but I wasn’t going to go out of my way to track one down.

Recently, Rich nonchalantly mentioned that he had read about the health benefits of bay leaves and that they were impressive. I’m all about increasing my health benefits with minimal effort, so if throwing a few leaves in my soups is going to give me a boost, I’m all for it!

People have been using bay leaves forever - the wreathes used to crown victorious athletes in ancient Greece were made of bay leaves. They’ve also been used as poultices and some tribes would place a single leaf in one nostril to cure headaches. Hunters would use it to attract deer. And of course, people have been using it for centuries to impart a savory flavor to soups, stews, and meats.

And yes, the health benefits are warranted. Here’s what the humble bay leaf can do for you (1):

• It contains high antioxidant levels. Antioxidants fight damaged cells and keep us young and healthy.

• The essential oil from bay leaves has antimicrobial activity, which can boost immunity.

• Its antifungal properties make it a food that can be used to help treat candida, which is an overgrowth of yeast in the gut. One study demonstrated that the bay leaf disrupted adhesion of candida to cell walls.

• Several studies that have been done that suggest bay leaf fights cancer cells - especially breast and colon.

• Regular consumption of bay leaves may help regulate blood sugar and support cardiovascular health.

• Bay leaves can enhance digestion and prevent bloating and gas.

So if you can reap some of these help benefits simply by letting a couple leaves simmer in your next soup, wouldn’t you do it? That’s exactly what I’ve been doing. Bay leaves are inexpensive and extremely easy to find. Now that’s the kind of #goodmedicineeveryday I like.