Tonics are quite the hit these days, especially in the world of raw foods ~ the primary reason for this is that raw foods are very cooling, and well, sometimes we need a balance in warmth and cool. Tonics are perfect for this since you can add herbs that support immunity, support detox, give you some serious energy, heat up the system (like cayenne adn cinnamon) and offer a sweet delight in the summer that you can feel confident is good for you.
The basic template for tonics are:
some kind of liquid or tea,
superfoods and superherbs,
a good fat,
and flavorings of your choice.
You can add in whatever flavors you'd like - lemon ginger, maca and cinnamon (like ours), chocolate and cayenne, caramel vanilla, the ideas are as endless as your taste buds. But definitely MAKE them, and make them YOURS. While many people sip on starbucks and donuts in our afternoon slump (which by the way, is your body screaming for nutrition and support, not sugar), I'm sipping my cold or hot tonic (dependin on the season), knowing I'm getting what my body needs. Oh, and it's gorgeous to look at and wicked delicious, mind you.
Again, get your type-A personality out of this one, since you can't go wrong...have fun, enjoy it, and be dazzled by your new favorite tonic beverage! But first, here are a few tips:
1. brew your tea: gynostemma, nettle, even peppermint, chammomile or straight almond milk could work too
2. add in medicinals and herbs: chaga, gynostemma, reishi, maca, etc.
3. add in your good fats: coconut meat, coconut butter or oil, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, etc.
4. add in your flavors: here we have cacao, cardamom, cinnamon, and english toffee
5. sweeten to taste: I'm always going for low-glycemic (since you don't want to slump again after drinking this) so my choice is stevia, but you can go with raisins, maybe a date or two. But stevia seems to be the hit with me, so aim for that.
Cinnamon Cacao Tonic:
4 cups boiling water, brewed with 1 tea bag of gymnostemma tea ~ let cool (you'll only need 2 cups of this)
1.5 dropper fulls of liquid english toffee stevia
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp black maca (or regular is good)
pinch cardamom powder
1 tablespoon cacao powder
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
pinch salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil or coconut butter
1/4 cup walnuts
drizzle of almond milk (optional)
ice (optional)
Combine everything except the almond milk in a blender until smooth. This is a super generous portion, so maybe share it with someone you love :) Drizzle in some almond milk at the end and enjoy! ps. you can use any tea, but one bag of gymonstemma tea uses 4 cups of water. I save the remaining two cups and use it for tomorrow's batch.