Cinnamon Love
The season of warm and comforting flavors is upon us.
With Thanksgiving just a couple of days away and the autumnal air in full
force we are reintroduced to the herbs and spices this season brings out of our cabinets; cloves, nutmeg, rosemary, thyme, sage, coriander, and others
along with one of our favorites, cinnamon. These herbs lend us their flavors as
well as their medicinal properties that are all too often forgotten. Culinary
herbs too, have potent medicinal qualities that can be extracted when we cook
with them. Cinnamon in particular is one that boasts both amazing flavor as
well as healing properties. Obtained from the inner bark of
close to a dozen species of trees from the genus Cinnamomum, cinnamon can be
both sweet and savory and carries with it feelings of warmth and tranquility.
In
her book Medicinal Herbs, Rosemary
Gladster says of cinnamon, “Because of its warming and stimulating properties,
cinnamon is used to boost vitality, improve circulation, and clear congestion.
It is a well-respected digestive aid, particularly for cases of overeating,
bloating, and sluggish digestion, and one of the best herbs around for
stabilizing blood sugar levels. It is also a powerful antiseptic, with
antiviral and antifungal properties, and is often indicated in cases of viral
infections, fungal infections, and colds and flus. It is a mild emmenagogue,
making it useful in cases of sluggish and painful menstruation. And finally,
because of its sweet, warming flavor, cinnamon is often used in medicinal
formulas simply to improve the flavor.”
We personally use cinnamon after meals, as a tincture or in
tea, as well as in combination with other tinctures that don’t have agreeable tastes.
Here are two of our favorite beverage recipes that contain cinnamon. The first, Warm Cinnamon Milk, is a wonderful nighttime drink or anytime something warming is desired that is sweet and creamy as well as soothing to your stomach.
Warm Cinnamon Milk
You will need:
1 ½ cups Almond or Coconut milk
1 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
Honey to taste
One pot
A blender (if possible)
Over a low flame, heat the milk until hot, but not boiling.
Add in cinnamon and honey and stir well. (It mixes best if you blend all of the
ingredients in a blender as it becomes latte-like in consistency). Pour into
your favorite mug and enjoy!
Cinnamon Ginger Apple Cider
You will need:
Apples (enough to make 1 ½ cups when juiced, about 3 large apples)
One piece of ginger about an inch long
One tsp. Cinnamon Powder
Whiskey (for an alcoholic version)
Juicer
One pot
First, cut your apples into pieces that can fit into the
juicer and peel the ginger skin off with a spoon. Juice the apples and ginger.
Pour the apple-ginger juice into a pot and heat over a low flame until hot but
not boiling. Add cinnamon slowly and stir until sufficiently mixed. If adding
whiskey, pour one ounce of whiskey into a mug and add in your warmed cider mix.
