Immune-Boosting Hot Chocolate
Moms are always writing me to ask for holistic home remedies, so I figured I would share the hot beverage we’ve been sippin’ in my household. This immune boosting hot chocolate recipe includes the immune supportive herb astragalus, the medicinal mushroom reishi, plus the fat soluble vitamins A, D and E which are necessary for natural cold & flu prevention. Even better—it's super rich and delicious—a treat your whole family will love!
This fall, Hattie (my 4½ year old) was getting walloped with one cold after another. Her pediatrician offered no help, so I eventually up-leveled her to my naturopath, who is also an herbalist. Much of what she suggested we were already doing, but one pro-tip she threw my way was the addition of daily astragalus powder—¼ teaspoon a day to be exact.
Astragalus has a pretty distinctive taste—kinda smoky—so slipping it into yogurt worked, but did raise a little suspicion with the wee one. One day I was making hot chocolate and had a lightbulb moment. I could whisk in the astragalus root, along with some other immune-supportive ingredients. It was a hit!
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Here’s exactly what I used to make our new favorite hot cocoa.
Immune-Boasting Players:
REISHI POWDER
Medicinal mushrooms like reishi, chaga, cordyceps, lion’s mane are in heavy rotation in my house for a number of different reasons. Reishi is a safe and gentle-tasting mushroom that can bolster the immune system against colds and infections
Bonus for tired parents: reishi is also an adaptogen, meaning it helps the body adapt to stress and is nourishing to the adrenal glands.
You can go high with the dose, so feel free to add more than the recipe calls for.
ASTRAGALUS POWDER
If you’ve never heard of this ancient herb, now is the time to get acquainted. Widely regarded in Chinese Medicine as an immune strengthener, astragalus is a very safe herb to use for the whole family. You can use the fresh or dried root in soups, stews, broths, teas and rice.
It’s also preventative for Lyme disease, according to master herbalist and Lyme expert Stephen Buhner.
RAW CACAO
One of my all-time favorite foods is cacao. And not just because it contains minerals like magnesium and iron. Or because it contains antioxidants and prebiotics. But ALSO because cacao is dopamine pusher. Yup, eating chocolate literally makes us feel good. Sipping this hot cocoa will bring you pleasure. You’re so welcome.
GRASS FED GHEE
When you blend in the ghee, it takes this hot chocolate from yum to WHOA. It gets super creamy and feels like a rich dessert. Grass fed ghee contains the fat soluble vitamins A, D and E which are all necessary for regulating the immune system. Don’t skip this ingredient! But if you’re totally dairy free, then you can sub in coconut butter.
BRAZIL NUT MYLK
In the video below I tell you how I made Brazil nut mylk. You can also use store-bought, like Califia Farms. I like Brazil nuts because they contain selenium, a necessary antioxidant for immune health.
HOT CHOCOLATE INGREDIENTS
Serves 1
1 cup non-dairy milk (homemade or store-bought)
½ cup water or brewed dandelion root tea
2 Tablespoons raw cacao powder
½ teaspoon reishi powder
¼ teaspoon astragalus powder
1 Tablespoon grass fed ghee or coconut butter if allergic to dairy
1 Tablespoon organic maple syrup or honey
INSTRUCTIONS
If you’re using tea, pour 1/2 cup boiled water over one tea bag in a bug. Cover and steep 5-10 minutes. If not using tea, use 1/2 water or extra milk.
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Stir with a whisk until mixed and heated.
Optional: transfer to blender and blend until frothy. Serve hot!
