Tis the season

for nourishing, warm + cozy drinks.

We've been making this cozy drink at home and to serve at markets for years now, and finally put it into recipe form to share with all of you. It is one of the most delicious, deeply nourishing, nutritive drinks you'll taste. Full of vitamin a, vitamin c, carotenoids, and warming spices that support digestion and circulation and soothe the nervous system. Not to mention all of the ways that our Sunshine Golden Milk supports good health on its own.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, each one of the five elements is assigned various qualities. The earth element happens to be associated with nourishment, the color orange and the taste of sweetness--among other things. It's about being grounded, well resourced and well nourished. From this tradition, our Pumpkin Golden Milk makes the perfect earth element tonic, supporting a sense of grounded stability. Preparing a cozy cup of this is a great way to center and bring yourself back into your body and the present moment--and to give yourself the strength and resources you need to move through this sometimes hectic world.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Spice Base:

1 C cooked pumpkin (*see recipe notes below)

1/2 C water

1 Tbsp + 2 Tsp Sunshine Golden Milk

1/2 Tsp Cinnamon

2 Tbsp maple syrup

generous pinch of sea salt

Pumpkin Golden Milk:

8 oz milk of choice (we've been enjoying oat milk with a small splash of coconut milk lately!)

1/4 C pumpkin spice base (*see recipe notes below)

Optional shot of espresso

Directions

Making the base:

Combine first five ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer with lid on. Immediately turn down and cook on a low simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Remove from heat and blend well using a whisk or immersion blender until it’s reached a smooth consistency. If you’re having a hard time blending, add a tablespoon or two more of water. Store the base in a jar or other container in the fridge. Use within one week.

Making the drink:

Whisk milk and a rounded 1/4 cup of pumpkin spice base in a small sauce pan until dissolved.

Bring to a low simmer for 5 minutes with lid on, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan. If you notice sticking, turn down the heat.

Remove from heat and add espresso if desired. If you have a frother or steam wand, use it to make your drink extra frothy and creamy.

Pour into your favorite mug and enjoy!

Recipe Notes:

*Any fleshy, flavorful winter squash can be used in place of pumpkin in this recipe. Our current favorite is red kabocha or koginut squash. Canned pumpkin will be delicious, but if you can roast up a squash or pumpkin, we recommend that. It imparts a richer flavor and makes the drink even more nourishing and restorative.

*The pumpkin spice base makes five servings. This is a little over 1/4 cup per serving, so round your 1/4 cup up a little bit.

*If you're making this into a coffee drink, you may want to add a little more maple syrup to balance out the bitterness of the coffee.