Lavender Moon Milk with Ashwagandha

It is widely known that sleep is a fundamental piece of the “health” puzzle, yet millions of Americans, like myself, still struggle with getting enough sleep. I blame it on the fact that I have two young children, but winding down at night has always been a struggle for me. I find it difficult to calm my mind and body after a crazy day which typically includes working, exercise, taking care of children and household work (plus trying to run a blog!).

Lately, I’ve been trying to focus on getting at least 7 hours of quality sleep. To do this, I’ve begun a winding down ritual which includes no TV or phone after 9:00 pm, reading, diffusing lavender, and drinking this nutritional blue lavender “moon milk” with herb ashwagandha to help lower my cortisol and settle in for a great night’s sleep.

What is Moon Milk?

Moon milk is a warm beverage that has its roots in Ayurvedic medicine. Moon milk is an anti-inflammatory drink that is infused with spices and herbs, and has calming effects to help you sleep. There are many different recipes for “moon milk” and this vegan featured here infuses lavender, blue algae and ashwagandha.

What is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha is an ancient medicinal herb used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine and is an adaptogen. Adaptogens have been clinically shown to help your body better manage stress.

Aswagandha has been clinically shown to:

• Help reduce stress
• Regulate cortisol levels
• Enhance focus and mental stamina
• Reduce irritability
• Reduce stress-related cravings

You can buy ashwagandha as a powder or capsules. My favorite brand is from Moon Juice.

How to Use Ashwagandha?

You can use this herb in smoothies, coffee, tea, tonic, milks and in baking. The standard dose is 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon a day. Ashwaghanda has an earthy taste (but I do not find it to be overly strong in my drinks).

I like to mix ashwagandha in my teas, such as this lavender moon milk tea, to help me relax before bed and help me sleep.

How to Make Blue Lavender Moon Milk

This drink is vegan and made with five simple ingredients:

• Vanilla unsweetened almond milk – I like to make my own almond milk with my Almond Cow, but my favorite almond milk is Califia Farms. I prefer to sweeten the milk lightly with honey or use no sweetener at all.
• Dried lavender – Lavender has also been shown to help ease anxiety and promote sleep. You can find dried culinary lavender at grocery stores in the spice aisle or you can order off Amazon.
• Blue-green algae – Blue spirulina has a potent concentration of omega-3s and 6s and is rich in vitamins, amino acids and minerals. The antioxidant phycocyanin gives the algae its beautiful blue pigment. Blue algae has been shown to lower inflammation and rid the body of toxins. I ordered mine online from E3 Live.
• Ashwaghanda – Ashwaghanda is an adaptogen which can help lower cortisol and help your body better manage stress.
• Raw honey – optional.

To make the milk:

• First, you will infuse the lavender into the almond milk by heating gently and letting steep. Note, if you are going to add honey or another sweetener such as maple syrup, you will add it here. (You can use a cheesecloth to wrap the lavender, but I simply heated the lavender directly in the milk and used a strainer).
• Separately, mix the blue algae with a little bit of reserved milk.
• After straining the lavender from the milk, you will mix in the blue algae mixture and ashwagandha.

The dried pink rose petals add a beautiful touch but are really just for decoration.

I’m totally “over the moon” for this moon milk recipe. I hope you will be too! Let me know in the comments below!

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