Treats for the season, and a little everyday magic.
In today's world, a sense of Magic often gets lost in the daily to-do lists and the news headlines. Magic can mean all sorts of things, but I usually attribute it to a moment where I notice the beauty of life happening all around me — a peaceful awareness of the good things that are part of each day.
Sometimes I think the Magic that comes with this particular time of year, late October, is the coziness of the nights spent by the fireplace, warm meals, and loved ones to snuggle up with. Moments like these call for celebration and gratitude, good wine, herbal tea, and the sweets that we let ourselves indulge in — guilt-free.
Whether you are celebrating a traditional Samhain or honoring past lives for the Day of the Dead, this time of year is traditionally a moment of ritual and celebration. Samhain, the Gaelic festival, marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. The festival honors transitions and the year's bounty with merriment, food and drink, and of course, treats.
These herbal treats are just the thing to replace that processed, sugar-filled candy with something that is a healthier choice — natural sweeteners, and of course, herbs. That way, you don't feel so guilty as you reach for another. They feature a few of our favorite herbal formulas: Joy Tonic and Mushroom Immune Tonic.
Our Joy Tonic is just the thing for the occasional stress of life. A mood-brightening formula of nervine herbs like motherwort, rose, mugwort, and lemon balm, traditionally used to promote a joyful spirit and positive mental attitude.* It is also helpful for occasional worry and tension from stress — and we find we could all use a little more support in that area.
There is no denying it: our Mushroom Immune Tonic is the perfect pair to chocolate, which is a great reason to get more immune-supporting herbs into you this season. The blend of roots, mushrooms, and berries is traditionally used to support optimal immune function and healthy defenses. This nourishing blend of organic medicinal mushrooms and herbs builds and strengthens the immune system.*
Recipe One
Nutty Turmeric Truffles with Joy Tonic
Nutty Turmeric Truffles
Makes 10–15 · 30 minutes + chilling
Nut Balls
- 1 cup cashews
- ½ cup dried apricots
- ½ cup coconut
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup of another type of nut — sunflower, almond, hemp seeds, etc.
- 2 tbsp Joy Tonic
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Chocolate Dip
- ½ cup white chocolate
- ½ cup cacao butter
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
Optional toppings: sea salt, turmeric powder, cacao nibs, coconut.
Directions
- Combine all ingredients for the nut balls in a food processor and blend until the texture holds together when rolled.
- Roll into balls — your preference on size — and place on a baking sheet in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
- While you wait, start the chocolate dip. Using a double boiler, melt the white chocolate and cacao butter until liquid. Stir in the turmeric powder and remove from heat. Let it sit 10–15 minutes until it thickens slightly as it starts to solidify.
- Remove the nut balls from the freezer, dip them into the liquid chocolate, and place them back on the parchment tray. Sprinkle with optional toppings.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge. They'll keep about a week.
Recipe Two
Medicinal Mushroom Almond Butter Cups
Almond Butter Cups
Makes 10–15 · 20 minutes + chilling
Chocolate
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- 3 tbsp melted cacao butter
- ¾ cup raw cacao powder
- ⅓ cup raw honey
- Pinch of sea salt
Nut Butter Filling
- ½ cup almond butter (or any nut butter: cashew, pecan, hazelnut…)
- 1 tbsp raw honey (or maple syrup)
- 2 tbsp Mushroom Immune Tonic
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp sea salt
An herbal twist on the traditional peanut butter cup.
Directions
- In a double boiler, melt the coconut oil and cacao butter. Add the honey and whisk to combine. When completely uniform, remove from heat and stir in the cacao, vanilla extract, Mushroom Immune Tonic, and sea salt. Taste for sweetness and saltiness and adjust.
- In silicone or paper muffin cups, spoon just enough chocolate to cover the bottom. You're only using a small bit here — you need the rest to finish the cups.
- Place in the fridge or freezer until solid, about 15 minutes.
- Mix the ingredients for the filling, combining well.
- Add about ½ tsp of filling to each cup on top of the solid chocolate, then drizzle the remaining chocolate over the top, covering the filling completely.
- Refrigerate to harden for at least one hour.
- Keep refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks. If they last that long.
Stock the apothecary
The herbs in these treats
Enjoy — and don't forget to look for the magic in every day. 🧡
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.