As I mentioned in my most recent email, here is the promised recipe for a great smoothie that can help improve sleep, energy, libido, plus relieve anxiety and support the adrenals! (If you are not a JHR subscriber, you can subscribe here to stay informed on all the new natural health updates as well as occasional information not shared here on the blog.) This recipe is taken from the newly released book Alchemy of Herbs. If you’d like your own copy, today is the day you want to buy it! More on that below.
Ashwagandha is the star herb in this smoothie recipe!
Ashwagandha is used to treat fatigue, insomnia, low libido, anxiety, asthma, arthritis, insulin resistance, fibromyalgia, hypothyroid, reproductive health, and more! It’s adaptogenic (meaning it supports the adrenals and helps the body adapt to stress), anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, an aphrodisiac and an antioxidant. [1]
By simply adding this herb to a smoothie, you can improve your health in an easy way. I did tweak it slightly and that is indicated in the recipe in parenthesis. Trust me when I say that this recipe is delicious and so very healthy!
Ashwagandha Smoothie
This yummy ashwagandha smoothie is a great way to share the nourishing and supportive qualities of ashwagandha. If you have a sensitivity to dairy, use any nondairy yogurt of your choice. For the nut or seed butter, peanut, almond, cashew, and sunflower seed butters are all good options.
Yield: 5 cups, 3 to 5 servings
Ingredients
2 bananas (I used frozen bananas. This makes it thicker, which is how we like it.)
2 cups almond milk (I used one cup)
1 cup plain yogurt (I used homemade kefir)
1/2 cup nut or seed butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons ashwagandha powder (buy here)
2 teaspoons cinnamon powder (buy here)
maple syrup or honey, to taste (I omitted this because I add extra bananas if more sweetness is needed.)
Directions
- Place all the ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into glasses. Use a spatula to get all the liquid from the sides of the blender—there are lots of good herbs in there.
- Drink immediately.
Recipe from Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients into Foods and Remedies That Heal by Rosalee de la Forêt (Hay House, 2017)
References
Intriguing recipe for a smoothie … I’ll have fun trying this one out!
Hi Jill,
Great post! I am a big believer in writing about herbs backed by science, so do you know the mechanism of action for ashwaghanda? Namely, what molecules are responsible for its adrenal effects? I ask because it seems like it is being used to treat a number of ailments but there are few compounds that have such a diverse effect profile.
Best wishes,
Jonathan
No I haven’t personally looked up the specific molecules. I do have books that I’m sure names them though. 🙂
Jill York recently posted…How to Find Fast Relief for Wasp and Bee Stings
No worries 🙂 The smoothie is delicious!
The meds that I take are blood thiner( Coumadin) and Metformin for diabetics will any of these ingreditions go against my meds.
You would have to check with a pharmacist!
Do I have to simmer/cook the Ashwaghanda first before I put it in the smoothie?
Hi, Mary! No you don’t have to cook it. I use it in powdered form in my smoothies so it mixes well, but you can grind it yourself or just in the blender with your smoothie. If you choose to blend it in the blender, you will have pieces of it throughout your smoothie as it doesn’t blend well that way.