SEASON TO SEASON EATING
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Photography
  • My pantry
  • Inspire
  • Contact me

Cardamom Chai Smoothie || Falling Into Bliss

5/17/2018

2 Comments

 
Picture
Nothing like a rich smoothie to bring you back to your passion. Though it has taken me quite a while to get around to this post, I certainly have not been slacking. Over the past three years I have been working on a degree in herbal medicine! I specifically have been diving deep into learning how to cultivate, harvest, forage, prepare and incorporate herbs into a lifestyle that stretches beyond the physical. Integrating food and medicine has been a part of this journey as well! So my goal here is the same; to create empowering medicinal recipes that are simple and easy to incorporate into any lifestyle. 

​This succulent smoothie recipe uses common aromatic spices, seeds and herbs that help revitalize the mind and nourish the body. Cardamom specifically promotes healthy blood circulation and eases digestion. Healthy digestion and circulation within the body are very important to maintain in order for the body to absorb the nutrients you power it with. Cardamom is often found in many Ayurvedic medicinal formulas used for its anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and congestion clearing actions. 

Sprouted sunflower seed butter adds a rich earthy taste to this smoothie. By sprouting the seeds, we open up the nutrients so that they can be easily digested. The addition of mushroom chai to this recipe is a bit of a spoiler, as that recipe is soon to come! Adding some chai spices to the mix however creates an entire profile for better digestion from cinnamon and clove to ginger and fennel. All of these fragrant spices help our digestive system juices flow. So do not get stuck in a smoothie rut, feel free to experiment with seemingly strange fruits and veggies! Add in some extra super power with powered adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha, cordyceps, astragalus, reishi and holy basil. If you are interested in any of these medicinal plants then stick around. I have many more new botanical inspired recipes to come that focus on using food as medicine! 
Picture

Sprouted Sunflower Seed Butter with Cardamom 

Gluten Free, Vegan, Nut Free 

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups raw sunflower seeds
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom seed (preferably fresh) 
  • 1-2 tbs raw local honey (optional) 
  • 1-2 tbs melted coconut oil 
Instructions:
​Start activating the sunflower seeds by soaking them overnight, or at least 8 hours, in filtered water. This helps the body better digest the raw seeds. After soaking, strain out the water and lay out the seeds flat in a dehydrator. Dry the seeds at 115F for 10-12 hours or until completely dry. *See note if you do not have a dehydrator. 
Next, add the dried sprouted sunflower seeds to a high speed blender such as a Vitamix and blend on high until the mixture resembles crumbs. Then, add all ingredients and blend using a plunger attachment until very smooth. Add more melted coconut oil if needed for smooth blending. 

*Seeds can also be activated by lightly roasting them. If you would rather roast the seeds, skip the soaking step and start with an oven at 300F. Lay the seeds out flat on a roasting tray and roast for about 20 minutes stirring frequently. The sunflower seeds should look golden brown and have a fragrant earthy smell. 

Cardamom Chai Smoothie 

Sweet and spicy cardamom and chai spices lace this smoothie with more than just a happy fragrance, but also an array of powerful medicinal benefits. This nourishing smoothie will tantalize your sweet tooth while also fueling your body with a boost of vitality! Sip and step into bliss after a workout or before taking on the day. 
Picture
Makes two 16oz servings
Gluten Free, Vegan, Nut Free

Ingredients:
For the Crumble
  • 3-4 medjool dates
  • 1/3 cup seeds (hemp, sunflower, pumpkin, chia)
  • a pinch of sea salt  
For the Smoothie
  • 10 baby bananas, peeled and frozen
  • 2 large spoonfuls of sprouted sunflower seed butter
  • 1-2 tbs mushroom chai blend* (NEW RECIPE COMING SOON!) my favorite on the market is Four Sigmatic 
  • 2 tbs hemp seeds 
  • 3/4 cup coconut or seed milk of choice 
​
Instructions: 
For the crumble, add all ingredients to the blender and pulse until chopped and incorporated. For the smoothie, add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. If you wish for a thicker smoothie, add more frozen banana, but if you like it thinner add additional milk until it reaches the desired consistency. To assemble, pour into cute glasses or jars, top with crumble, sip and bliss out. 

*If you have trouble finding a chai blend feel free to throw together this spice blend to use instead: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp powdered ginger, a pinch of clove and 1/4 tsp black pepper 
PictureBeautiful Western Red Cedar gracing my photos with it's magic!
Also these super rad straws were made by my friend, check out his glass work here!

2 Comments

    About the editor

    Picture






    Rebecca is a passionate young cook who enjoys cooking with the freshest ingredients possible, foraged straight from the earth. Season To Season Eating was created to show the world how beneficial it is to find and prepare whole, nourishing foods seasonally and effortlessly. On any normal day you may find her wandering through the forest with herbs in hand or crafting beautiful things to share with friends.

    Popular Posts: 

    Valentine Citrus Juice 
    Ultimate RAW Brownie 
    Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms  
    Cheezy Cauliflower Bites
    Lemon and Ginger Kale Chips   
    Lemony Cheesecake Bites

    Categories

    All
    Appetizer
    Apple
    Autumn
    Avocado
    Baked
    Banana
    Bean
    Biscuit
    Bliss
    Blueberry
    Breakfast
    Cake
    Cardamom
    Carrot
    Cashew
    Cauliflower
    Chai
    Chocolate
    Christmas
    Coconut
    Comfort Food
    Cookies
    Dairy Free
    Dairy Free
    Dates
    Dessert
    Digestive Health
    Dinner
    Donuts
    Doughnuts
    Drink
    Easy
    Egg
    Fall
    Figs
    Food As Medicine
    Gluten Free
    Gluten-free
    Grain
    Granola
    Halloween
    Herbs
    Ice Cream
    Jam
    Low Carb
    Low-carb
    Lunch
    Muffins
    Nourishing
    Nut Free
    Nut-free
    Pancakes
    Pasta
    Peanut Butter
    Pear
    Pie
    Protein
    Pumpkin
    Raw
    Roasted
    Salad
    Side Dish
    Side-dish
    Smoothie
    Snack
    Soul Soothing
    Soup
    Spelt
    Spiced
    Spring
    Sprouted
    Squash
    Strawberry
    Summer
    Sweet
    Sweet Potato
    Thanksgiving
    Tomato
    Valentines Day
    Vegan
    Vegetarian
    Winter