Lavender Blueberry Moon Milk is a comforting cup of cozy to lull you to sleep tonight. With just a hint of lavender for relaxation, and the sweet-tart flavor of blueberry, which is rich in magnesium, who wouldn’t want to drink moon milk? Sweet Dreams.
What is Moon Milk?
When I was flying home from Oregon, stopping in Seattle for a quick minute, I stumbled upon the book Moon Milk by Gina Fontana in a gift shop. Filled with stunning pictures, I needed something beautiful to pass my time as I traveled. Excitedly, I picked up the book and bought it on the spot. Yes, I am one of those people who buys things in an airport. I had never heard of Moon Milk before, but the concept was familiar. Don’t you just love the name?
When you were little, did your mom give you a mug of warm milk and send you off to bed? Warm milk is soothing, nourishing, and calming to the body, especially at bedtime. When health-promoting adaptogens, superfoods, herbs, and spices are added, the body gets that little extra boost to help it reach its slumber. Sleep is a necessary factor in our health, regulating our mood and memory. In my herbal certification course with Herbal Academy, I fell in love with the holistic Ayurvedic approach to health. In particular, the use of adaptogens—plants and mushrooms that help the body “adapt” and respond to stress, anxiety, fatigue, and overall well-being.
Bedtime drinks such as Golden Milk (also a Moon Milk) or Chai tea have been essential in my bedtime routine, but when I discovered Moon Milk (the name alone thrills me), I was all over discovering and jumping into a new cup of cozy. Moon Milk is made with a base of either whole cow’s milk or any plant-based nut milk that you prefer. I love my raw dairy, but I have also enjoyed preparing this recipe with my favorite nut milk I prepare with my Almond Cow: almond, cashew, and macadamia milk. Feel free to use whichever milk you prefer.
Recipe
Lavender Blueberry Moon Milk
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk (I use organic whole, unhomogenized, and low-heat pasteurized or raw cow milk or my favorite plant-based milk with almonds, cashews, and macadamia nuts that I prepare with my Almond Cow). Feel free to use whichever milk you prefer.
- 1 T Blueberry extract powder or ground freeze-dried blueberries
- 1/2 tsp lavender paste (a little goes a long way)
- 1 tsp ashwagandha powder (optional)
- 1 T pure maple syrup
- 1 T raw, grated Cacao Butter, MCT Oil, or Ghee
Instructions
- Warm milk in a pot on the stove on medium-low heat.
- Swirl in lavender paste, blueberry powder, ashwagandha powder, and maple syrup.
- Using a fine zester/grater, grate in 1 T Cacao Butter OR 1 T healthy fat of your choice such as MCT oil, or Ghee,
- Use a whisk or hand frother to fully incorporate all the ingredients.
- Pour into your favorite mug and garnish with freeze-dried blueberries and lavender buds (optional for asthetics and beautiy). Truthful disclosure...freeze dried blueberries and lavender buds look beautiful in pictures but they are rather annoying and uncozy in real life. I omit the garnish when preparing this in real life. Just say'n.
- Share with your favorite person and EnJOY! Sweet Dreams
The Star Ingredients
Lavender: Lavender is probably best known for its soothing aroma and association with relaxation. It has a distinctive herbaceous, slightly pungent flavor, but when used sparingly with blueberry, the flavors marry beautifully. Culinary lavender has also traditionally been used to support relaxation and digestion. A little goes a long way! You can use lavender extract, but I prefer the paste for this recipe.
Blueberry: Besides adding delicious flavor and creating the beautiful bluish-purple color of this gorgeous moon milk, blueberries are packed with antioxidants—particularly anthocyanins, the plant compounds responsible for their deep blue color. These compounds help protect our cells from oxidative stress and have been studied for their role in supporting brain, heart, and overall health. And blueberries and lavender happen to be a lovely combination.
Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb traditionally used to help the body respond to stress. Research suggests it may help reduce perceived stress and support healthy cortisol levels in some people. I love adding it to an evening drink as part of a calming wind-down ritual.
Cacao Butter/Ghee/MCT Oil: Adding a healthy fat makes this moon milk rich, creamy, and satisfying. Dietary fat also helps our bodies absorb fat-soluble vitamins and provides important fatty acids, depending on which one you choose. Cacao butter lends a subtle chocolatey richness, ghee makes it wonderfully creamy, and MCT oil is an easy neutral option. Mostly, though, the fat gives this cup of cozy that luxurious texture that makes it feel like a treat.
Precautions When Using Herbs and Roots
Just a note of caution: Ashwagandha is not appropriate for everyone. If you are pregnant or nursing, take medications, or have a medical condition, consult a qualified healthcare professional before using ashwagandha or other herbal products.
The information shared here is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Furthering Your Herbal Education
If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of herbs, either for culinary purposes, learning to make your own herbal remedies, herbs with children, or even furthering your education to become a certified herbalist or start your own herbal business, I highly recommend these websites:
Learning Herbs.com
I began my herbal journey on LearningHerbs.com. I took my children through the Herb Fairies course and enjoyed the Wildcraft board game with them. Learning and discovering with my children has enriched our relationships and passed on a wonderful herbal heritage to them.
I recommend all their courses and Rosalee De La Foret’s excellent book, Alchemy of Herbs. You can watch a video trailer of her book here. Truthfully, this book launched me into my herbal studies as it easily introduces you to twenty-nine of the most common herbs and several recipes to make with them. I have tried almost all of them. Alchemy of Herbs is one of my favorite go-to herbal cookbooks. Honestly, the recipes have been amazing, and I will feature some of them as well as adaptations of her recipes on this blog in the future.
Herbal Academy
As I continued my herbal journey, I wanted to go further and become certified as an herbalist and possibly create my own body, home, and wellness care products to sell as a business. I am currently enrolled at Herbal Academy in their Introductory, Intermediate, and Business courses, where I have been engaged in over four years of intensive study. The courses are phenomenal, and I encourage anyone to take charge of their own healthcare, even if mastery is not the goal. Learning how to incorporate healing herbs and plants into your diet, as well as discovering how the nutrients in various foods have healing properties, is a wonderful skill. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, is famous for saying, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Amen that.
Romanticize Your Evening Routine
Truthfully, Moon Milk does not need to be complicated or involve many expensive ingredients. I have suggested a few alternatives for things that you may have more readily on hand. Other ingredients are totally optional. When you discover a moon milk recipe you are over the moon for (and I intend to discover more), it is worth investing in some quality ingredients to aid in your nighttime routine. Create those precious moments of sanctuary for yourself, and look forward to romanticizing your life with a bit of self-love at bedtime. This recipe makes two delicious cups for you and someone you love. P.S. Check out my Morning Sanctuary video on my YouTube Channel if you want a little morning inspiration.
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Organic Blueberry Extract Powder
Organic Ashwagandha Root Powder
Zester/Grater (one of my most used kitchen utensils!)
Freeze-dried blueberries—Trader Joe’s carries freeze-dried fruit at the best prices if you want to be fancy and garnish your Moon Milk. This is not necessary but totally pretty.
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In everything you do -eat, play, and love- may it always be Seasoned with Joy!
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