Times are difficult this year, we all are in an unforeseen situation. This pandemic has left us all confined to our homes with no access to the outside world. While its good to have your daily doses of supplements but then it is equally important to take advantage of the natural ingredients to strengthen our immunity and ease ourselves now and then. The monsoon has just started and it is here to stay for a few more months so you better gear up and keep those ailments at bay. Turn your glass of milk into something interesting and also stay healthy this monsoon. This steamy glass couldn’t get more tempting when loaded with ingredients ready to fight all the waterborne germs and other ailments that secretly enter your system and affect everyone around.
Here is how…
Honey Milk
Honey and milk go well together and in unison can combat various kinds of allergies both in adults and little ones particularly sore throats. It is also said to boost memory, act as an antibiotic, provide energy, and above all taste divine. Moreover, honey milk lets you sleep well also. Do give it a try!
Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 cup skim milk
1⁄2 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
DIRECTIONS
Get out a mug of your choice, and put honey, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in the bottom. Set aside. In a separate mug, warm up milk for 2 minutes or until hot in the microwave. Pour hot milk over honey and spices, stir until dissolved. Taste to make sure it is sweet enough, if not add in more honey. Microwave for one more minute, or until the desired temperature is reached.
Recipe Source: http://www.food.com/recipe/hot-vanilla-honey-milk-376362
Golden Milk
This milk comes with the goodness of peppercorns, turmeric, and ginger; all of them capable enough to keep you protected from a common cold, sore throats, headache, congestion which is common during monsoons.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
2 cups of milk (or substitute coconut milk)
1 teaspoon dried turmeric (or one-half inch fresh turmeric thinly sliced or diced)
1 teaspoon dried ginger
A sprinkle of black pepper
Honey to taste
Direction:
Place milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Add turmeric, ginger, and pepper. Stir well if you are using the dried spices. Let the milk begin to simmer — small bubbles will form on the sides of the saucepan. Stir. Allow heating for another minute or two being careful not to let the milk overheat. Continue to stir at this point to get better heat distribution and so that you don’t end up distracted in your kitchen and end up with boiled turmeric in your burner pans. Turn off heat, cover, and allow the mixture to sit for ten minutes or so to improve the infusion. Strain the milk through a strainer if you have used fresh ingredients. Serve warm.
Recipe Source: http://www.freshbitesdaily.com/turmeric-milk/
Kesar Milk
Kesar milk is healthy and delicious and when combined with almonds it becomes all the more desirable and nobody can say no to this for sure. Pleasing to the eye and palate, this healthy drink can be served to both young and old.
Recipe:
Ingredients
1/4 tsp saffron (Kesar) strands
1 tbsp warm low-fat milk (99.7% fat-free)
1 cup low-fat milk (99.7% fat-free), boiled and cooled slightly
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp finely chopped almonds (badam)
2 tsp finely chopped pistachios
1/2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
Direction:
Combine the saffron and the warm milk in a bowl and mix well. Keep aside. Combine the milk, saffron-milk mixture, sugar, almonds, pistachios and cardamom powder in a mixer and blend till smooth. Pour equal quantities of the milk into 2 small glasses and serve immediately.
Recipe Source: http://www.tarladalal.com/Kesari-Milk-4833r
Cinnamon Milk
Cinnamon milk is fragrant, healthy, and can be had at any time of the day. It heals that clogged throat, lessens the production of mucous thereby helping you breathe easily and packed with anti-oxidants. This magical drink also helps you sleep well and can be prepared in no time.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
2 small pieces of cinnamon bark
Granulated sugar (or vanilla-flavored sugar)
Grounded cinnamon, for garnish
Direction:
Place the milk and cinnamon bark in a small saucepan and heat almost to scalding; little bubbles should just begin forming around the perimeter. Remove the cinnamon bark and any skin that has formed on the surface of the milk. Stir in sugar to taste. If desired, use a whisk to lightly froth the surface of the milk. You can do this by quickly pivoting the whisk handle in a back-and-forth motion between your palms. Pour the milk into a cup or mug and garnish with the froth and a little ground cinnamon. Serve immediately.
Recipe Source: http://moroccanfood.about.com/od/Coffees_and_Hot_Beverages/r/Hot-Milk-With-Cinnamon.htm
Cashew Milk
If you are someone who is always found in the company of a steaming mug then brewing this drink in coconut milk can be something that might excite you. This drink is creamy, smooth, fragrant, and soothes you during those rainy days when you just can’t step out. A cup of cashew milk is enough to keep you entertained in the company of a book. Do try it once!
Recipe:
Ingredients
¼ cup/ 28g organic cashews (soaked 8 hours or overnight in the fridge in water)
½ cup / 40g unsweetened shredded coconut
1 large soft Medjool date (pit removed)
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tsp. good quality cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract or half a vanilla bean scraped
2 cups/ 480ml hot water (not boiling)
1 oz. dark rum (optional)
Grated nutmeg or more cinnamon, to garnish
Direction:
Rinse the cashews and add to blender along with unsweetened shredded coconut, Medjool date, ginger, cinnamon, and hot water. Blend in a high-speed blender for about 2 minutes, until frothy and steaming. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl and press on the solids to extract as much milk as possible. Stir in rum if using, then pour into mugs and garnish with nutmeg or cinnamon if desired.
Recipe Source: http://gourmandeinthekitchen.com/2012/hot-spiced-cashew-coconut-milk-recipe/
Nutmeg Milk
Pic Courtesy: https://milliemirepoix.wordpress.com/2011/07/24/hot-milk-honey-nutmeg-the-best-hot-drink-hands-down/
If it’s one of those rainy days where you are drenched from head to toe and need an urgent and easy fix to calm yourself down then this milk recipe is the answer. Slightly fragrant, smooth, sweet, and warm; this milk can instantly help you feel better.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 cup milk, soy milk, or almond milk
1/2 teaspoon powdered nutmeg
pinch of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon raw honey
1 teaspoon water
Direction:
Add the spices to your mug. Add just enough water to make a paste. Slowly heat your choice of milk to just under boiling and then pour over the nutmeg and cinnamon paste. Stir well and let the drink cool to a reasonable temperature. Sip and enjoy as you drift off to a peaceful sleep.
Recipe Source: http://soakingserenity.blogspot.in/2013/06/drinking-warm-milk-and-nutmeg.html
Ginger Milk
Ginger milk is soothing, fragrant and can surely give you a relief from the monsoon blues.
Ingredients
2 tbsp grated ginger
4 cups of milk
4 tsp sugar
3 to 4 mint leaves (pudina) for the garnish
Direction:
Combine the ginger and 3 cups of water in a pan and bring to boil. Lower the flame and simmer for 10-15 minutes until a hot yellow liquid is formed. Strain and keep aside. Boil the milk in a pan. Remove from the flame, add the strained liquid and sugar and mix well. Serve hot garnished with mint leaves.
Recipe Source: http://www.tarladalal.com/Ginger-and-Milk-Drink-22613r
Kashaya
This traditional sweet and spicy herbal drink is a must-have during monsoons. This not only strengthens the immune system but also wards off all the common monsoon ailments away.
Ingredients: (For Kashaya Powder)
1 cup Dhania/Coriander Seeds
1/3 cup Jeera/Cumin Seeds
¼ cup Saunf/Fennel Seeds
1-2 heaped tbsp Black Pepper Corns (Adjust as per taste)
1-2 cm Dry Ginger (Optional)
Ingredients: (For Kashaya Drink for one)
1 heaped tsp Kashaya Powder
¼ cup Milk (Add more or less based on your preference)
1 cup Water
½-1 tbsp Jaggery/Brown Sugar/White Sugar (Adjust as per taste)
A pinch of Cardamom or Turmeric Powder (Optional)
Direction:
To Prepare Kashaya Powder:
Dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and peppercorns separately for a 1-1½ minute on a low flame till the heady aroma of roasted spices fills your home! Make sure that you don’t overdo it and burn the spices. The coriander seeds will take about 1½ minutes while the fennel and cumin seeds will not take more than 1¼ minutes for roasting.
Spread the roasted spices on a wide plate and let them cool down completely. This is an important step, make sure that you cool the roasted spices to room temperature.
Grind all these roasted spices along with dry ginger root if using to a medium-fine powder.
Store this aromatic Kashaya Powder in an airtight jar. It stays fresh at room for about a month and a half. You can pop in a fridge and it will stay fresh for around 2 and a half months.
To Prepare Kashaya Drink:
Take 1 cup of water in a saucepan and bring it to boil. Once the water comes to boil, mix in 1 heaped tsp of Kashaya Powder and jaggery or white/brown sugar to taste.
Let it boil for half a minute and mix in ¼ cup of milk along with cardamom/cinnamon/turmeric powder if using. Switch off the flame and let it rest for 1 minute for the flavors to infuse.
Strain the Kashaya through a fine sieve and drink it while hot.
Recipe Source: http://www.monsoonspice.com/2013/03/kashaya-or-kashayam-recipe-herbal-or.html
Hot Chocolate
This is everybody’s favorite and just can’t go wrong. A cup of hot chocolate and a book in hand, imagine sitting by the window and enjoying the rain, pure bliss isn’t it? This easy to make recipe is a hit during monsoon and you got to try it for sure in case you still haven’t. And by the way cocoa has got health benefits as well so you better try it this season.
Recipe:
Ingredients
Miniature marshmallows or sweetened whipped cream (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
Dash salt
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups (1 qt.) milk
1/3 cup hot water
Direction:
1. Stir together sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium saucepan; stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Add milk; stirring constantly, heat to serving temperature. Do Not Boil.
2. Remove from heat; add vanilla. Beat with rotary beater or whisk until foamy. Serve topped with marshmallows or whipped cream, if desired.
VARIATIONS: Add one of the following with the vanilla extract:
SPICED COCOA: 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Serve with a cinnamon stick, if desired.
MINT COCOA: 1/2 teaspoon mint extract OR 3 tablespoons crushed hard peppermint candy Serve with peppermint candy stick if desired.
CITRUS COCOA: 1/2 teaspoon orange extract OR 2 to 3 tablespoons orange liqueur.
SWISS MOCHA: 2 to 2-1/2 teaspoons powdered instant coffee.
COCOA AU LAIT: Omit marshmallows or whipped cream. Spoon 2 tablespoons softened vanilla ice cream on top of each cup of cocoa at serving time.
SLIM-TRIM COCOA: Omit sugar. Combine cocoa, salt, and water; substitute nonfat milk. Proceed as above. With vanilla, stir in sugar substitute with sweetening equivalence of 1/2 cup sugar.
CANADIAN COCOA: 1/2 teaspoon maple extract.
MICROWAVE SINGLE SERVING: Combine 1 heaping teaspoon HERSHEY’S Cocoa, 2 heaping teaspoons sugar and dash salt in microwave-safe cup or mug. Add 2 teaspoons cold milk; stir until smooth. Fill a cup with milk. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 1 to 1-1/2 minutes or until hot. Stir to blend; serve.
Recipe Source: https://www.hersheys.com/recipes/en_US/recipes/5265/hersheys-perfectly-chocolate-hot-cocoa.html
Caramel Latte
It’s raining and you just don’t want to step out? But then you wish to sit by the window and relish the perfect latte watching the rain, how? Well, that’s not a tough job, you just need 3-4 ingredients plus some little efforts and your caramel latte is ready. The best part is you can have it at the comfort of your home and on top of that, you don’t need to burn a hole in your pocket for those overpriced versions of the latte at the coffee shops.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
Evaporated milk
Caramel syrup
Coffee
Hot water
Direction:
In a small microwave, safe bowl mix together evaporated milk and caramel syrup. Microwave this mixture on high for 2 minutes or until high. Now put it in a blender and blend it for a minute. Add 2 teaspoons of coffee and hot water in a mug and stir. Pour the mixture and drizzle it with additional caramel syrup.
Recipe Source: http://www.prideofcows.com/5-quick-easy-recipes-milk/
A cup of coffee
A rich creamy coffee is what you need to spice up those boring rainy days and it can be prepared in a jiffy. The quick shot of energy that you get from coffee is enough to keep you going and elevate the mood for sure.
Recipe:
Ingredients
1 cup of skimmed milk
2 tablespoons of coffee
A pinch of cocoa powder
Brown sugar (to taste)
½ a tablespoon of vanilla extract
Wee bit of cinnamon
A bit of whipped cream to garnish (optional)
Direction:
Mix milk, coffee, cocoa powder, and sugar and let it come to a boil. Keep on stirring it. Remove it from direct heat and add vanilla extract to it. Garnish it with whipped cream.
Recipe Source: http://www.indiatimes.com/health/recipes/monsoon-recipes-fun-with-coffee-241657.html
Masala Milk
In case you want your steamy glass packed with all the goodness of health then this can be the best milk recipe for you. With dry fruits, fragrant spices like nutmeg, pepper, turmeric, saffron, and fennel seeds, this glass of milk will help you relax. Good for both the young ones and grownups, you can prepare the masala mix and store it in an airtight container and use whenever you want.
Ingredients (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)
½ cup almonds/badam
½ cup Cashews/Kaju
½ cup Pistachios/Pista (shells removed)
20 green cardamoms/hari elaichi/choti elaichi, only seeds, and the husks removed
Half nutmeg/jaiphal, grated or powdered or 3.5 tsp nutmeg powder
½ to 1 tbsp dry rose petals (optional)
¼ tsp black pepper/sabut kali mirch, if you prefer you can increase the amount to ½ tsp
½ tsp saffron strands/kesar, check notes if you plan to skip saffron
5 tbsp organic cane sugar or regular sugar, you can also add as required
1 tsp aniseeds/fennel seeds/saunf (optional)
½ cup pumpkin seeds or melon seeds/magaz (optional) – check notes if not adding pumpkin seeds
¼ tsp turmeric powder/haldi for additional yellow color (optional), check notes if you want to skip saffron and just add turmeric powder
Direction:
Heat a pan and add all the dry fruits – almonds, pistachios, cashews, pumpkin seeds/melon seeds. Dry roast for 3 to 4 minutes on a low flame. Remove and keep aside in a plate or tray. use fresh nuts and not the ones whose shelf life has expired. In the same pan, add the saffron strands.
Stir for more than half a minute, till the color of the saffron changes to a darker shade. remove and keep aside. Grate the nutmeg and keep aside. Once the dry fruits cool down, then add everything in a dry grinder jar, including rose petals, fennel, black pepper, turmeric powder, cardamom seeds, and sugar. If you have a small dry grinder jar, then you will have to grind in batches. Grind to a fine powder.
Remove the masala milk powder and keep in an airtight container or jar. store in the fridge, as the nuts may get rancid. The recipe yields a medium jar of milk powder. To serve, dissolve 2 to 3 teaspoons of the milk powder in a glass of hot milk, add sugar as required. Stir and serve masala milk.
Recipe Source: http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/masala-milk-powder-recipe-masala-doodh/
Vanilla – Cinnamon- Almond Milk
Almond milk is yet another variation that you can try this monsoon. This beverage will keep calling you back for more. This almond milk with dates, cinnamon, and sea salt can be a refreshing hot drink during the monsoon for someone who has an intolerance to lactose.
Recipe:
Ingredients
1 cup raw almonds, soaked
3 1/2 cups filtered water
2 to 4 pitted Medjool dates,* to taste
1 whole vanilla bean, chopped or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Small pinch of fine sea salt
Directions
Place almonds in a bowl and pour some water. Soak the almonds in water overnight (about 8-10 hours). For a quick soak method, soak the almonds in boiled water for 1 hour. Rinse and drain well. Place drained almonds into a blender along with the filtered water, pitted dates, and vanilla beans. Blend on the highest speed for 1 minute. Place a nut milk bag into a large bowl and slowly pour the milk into the bag. Gently squeeze the bottom of the bag to release the milk. This process can take a few minutes. Rinse out blender and pour the milk back in. Whisk in the cinnamon and sea salt.
Using a funnel, pour into a large glass jar and secure lid. Refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days. Shake the jar very well before drinking, as the mixture separates when sitting.
Recipe Source: http://ohsheglows.com/2013/01/24/my-favourite-homemade-almond-milk-step-by-step-photos/
So, this monsoon enjoy the rain to the fullest without having to compromise. After all these warm drinks are just enough to comfort you and keep you going. Also, do let us know about any other of your favorite milk recipe which is missing from the above list.
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