Need a coffee alternative that actually tastes like coffee? Try this Herbal Coffee Recipe.
Nov 23, 2022
Most or all of the ingredients/herbs needed for this recipe can be purchased online from Mountain Rose Herbs (my favorite company in terms of quality and ethical sourcing) by clicking right here.
Coffee is no doubt widely considered pretty delicious and comforting, but it's not the best option if you're looking to repair your own health. It can wreak havoc on the adrenals and keep you in a constant state of fight or flight.
I’ve had a truly bittersweet, mostly bitter, relationship with coffee and energy drinks in my young adult life. Coffee seemed to hold me together in a sense during my worst chronic fatigue symptoms but in hindsight it also ran me ragged.
I live in a colder climate and the winters here are beautiful yet rigid and bold and I tend to want to lean into a cozy sense of comfort. I’ve had to totally rework my life the last few years in order to heal and regenerate my body.
In doing that I’ve had to learn the delicate balance between honoring my own longing for a deep sense of comfort and flow in these winter months vs. maintaining the important discipline in keeping my body calm. Cultivating a safe haven where my nervous system could maintain rest. Softness. No matter the waters.
When I’m feeling the craving for a warm coffee type of drink, which is pretty often these winter days, I make a batch of this super special herbal coffee blend.
Here is the coffee alternative recipe (put all ingredients into a bowl):
1/2 cup chicory (use 1 cup if wanting an extra dark/bold brew)
1/2 cup dandelion root
1/4 cup red rooibos
2 tbsp cacao powder (mine is a reishi mushroom cacao)
1 tbsp Chaga mushroom
1 tsp Maca root powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Cardamom
1/4 tsp high quality sea salt (if desired, I use Himalayan Crystal Salt) Sift it all around so it’s well mixed
To prepare/steep:
Add 2.5 - 3 tbsp of this mix to a tea pot or strainer
Steep for at least 10-15 minutes (you can steep for several hours or even do an overnight infusion to really let things marinate! I've played around with a dark infusion cold-brew, steeping overnight in the fridge with the spout covered and it was delicious)
Use a high speed blender to reheat
*If you want to maintain all the magical and beneficial compounds of the Chaga mushroom in here you want to use 80 degrees Celsius for the temperature (going with a longer steep). If you’re not worried about this you can steep it closer to boiling or somewhere in between.
Here's my favorite way to prepare this brew lately as a latte. Pour the whole steeped pot into a high speed blender, along with:
Add 4-5 soaked and skinned hazelnuts
2 tbsp of hemp seeds
2 tbsp of coconut sugar - I love coconut sugar for warm drinks and the slight maltiness it seems to add
Bit of vanilla extract (1/2 to 1 full ml)
High quality soy milk (so frothy)
1 tbsp of dried coconut creamer (I use Lairds)
Blend it all up until warm/hot/steaming
There are really endless combinations you can use to make this frothy and delicious and flavorful in your own way. Play around with different things and experiment - this base seems to create a perfect little latte every single time no matter what I throw into it. Here are some fun ideas for additions that would create flavor/benefit pops:
Star anise
Vanilla bean
Rose blossoms or lavender (petals or oil)
Whole cardamom pods
Dried/dehydrated orange rind
Other mushroom powders like lions mane, turkey tail, cordyceps etc.
Other cognitive enhancing, energizing and/or adaptogenic herbs or like: ginkgo leaf, ashwaganda, eleuthro root, etc.
Little dusting of a chai or matcha powder ;)
I topped this one with some pumpkin spice and spent some slow time enjoying this frothy delicious herbal coffee. I hope you love this as much as I do. This batch will last 5-7 servings. Let me know what you think in the comments!
You can buy most if not all of these ingredients from Mountain Rose Herbs (my favorite company in terms of quality and ethical sourcing) by clicking right here.
