A Healthy Alternative to Your Stimulants and Sleep Aids!

We've assembled two delicious recipes of vegan golden milk that include the multiple health benefits of mushroom extracts and Ashwagandha. One recipe to kick off your morning with a power-brew that will give your coffee a run for its money. And, one recipe to cap off your day and prime you for a restful sleep.

Imagine waking up feeling refreshed, rested, and ready to go. You’re alert and energetic while knocking off all those to-do’s on your list, promptly and efficiently.

All without caffeine. That’s right, no stimulants.

And when nighttime rolls around, you’re ready for it. No “tired & wired” or restlessness. You fall asleep easily and even get the good stuff- the deep REM sleep, where true healing lies.

All without sleep aids. No sedating “drugs.”

The next day rolls around, and you repeat the same cycle all over again.

I know, I know, sounds too good to be true, right?! But it’s not! It is most definitely possible when you’re in tune with your circadian rhythms.

The truth is, the “drugs” you’re depending on to wake up and go to sleep can be replaced (or avoided) by realigning your body's biorhythms. You can do this through the intentional use of functional mushrooms like Lion’s Mane, Ashwagandha, and Reishi along with the support of daily practices (which we discuss at the end).

So to help get your rhythm going, we have two different mushroom-packed golden milk recipes: one to help you get going in the morning with Lion’s Mane and Ashwagandha and one to help you unwind in the evening with Reishi.

Circadian rhythm and how vegan golden milk with mushroom extracts can help:

So let’s rewind a bit. Where did we all go wrong? Why didn’t our ancestors rely on stimulants and pills like we do?

Brief history: After the light bulb was invented we became out of sync with our environment. Meaning, we don’t eat with the seasons, most of us aren’t exposed to natural light throughout the day, and some of us stay up all night staring at blue light from our electronic devices (basically signaling to our bodies that it’s daytime).

It’s no wonder many of us rely on substances to get by. We’re sending our bodies wrong, distorted signals all day. We need to send it the right signals.

Enter functional mushrooms, herbs, and these two golden milk recipe variations as great ways to send your body the right signals.

To get you going in your stimulant-free morning, we included Ashwagandha and Lion’s Mane. Lion’s Mane is known for its ability to support a healthy brain function (1). Through its rich beta-glucan content and high nerve growth factor synthesis, it’s boosting your cognitive function and combating oxidative stress at the same time. This dual-action support sets you up for clear thinking and to be on top of your game so you can tackle your day. And as a beneficial synergistic partner, Ashwagandha will help lower any overly high cortisol levels that might be making you stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed (in other words - unproductive!). The combination of brain-boosting and stress-alleviation makes this AM Golden Milk a powerful way to start your morning.

And to help you wind down at night, we included the “Mushroom of Longevity.” Move aside sleeping aids, Reishi has arrived on the scene. This powerful mushroom, known scientifically as Ganoderma lucidum or Ganoderma lingzhi, is a potent immunomodulator and sleep-aid (2). It’s a wonderful way to improve sleep, while reducing stress and fatigue, so you can easily drift into deep slumber without any anxious jitteriness. And a huge bonus is that while it sets the stage for deep sleep, it also supports your immune system. Talk about an efficient mushroom!

And of course, golden milk packs a tremendous nutritional punch on its own. When turmeric, a.k.a. the “healing spice,” is combined with ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, and healthy fats, it creates a highly absorbable and delicious form of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich medicine.

Ashwagandha, Lion’s Mane, Reishi, and golden milk are truly fantastic healing resources that have been used for thousands of years. And we at Real Mushrooms are firm believers and advocates of bringing ancient, healing medicines and traditions to the present in a 100% pure way. All our organic mushroom extracts are 100% mushrooms with absolutely no grain fillers or additives - so you can carry on these healing traditions and foods effortlessly and conveniently in the comfort of your own home.

Recipe Notes

Easy recipe rundown:

• Throw all the ingredients into a small saucepan on the stove.
• Simmer for about 4 minutes.
• Strain and enjoy!

Recipe Substitutions:

• You can easily switch out the honey for your favorite sweetener. Use stevia for a sugar-free version.
• You can swap out the coconut oil for ghee. But, I wouldn’t leave the fat out altogether as it helps with the absorption of the fat-soluble turmeric.
• For the nighttime golden milk, you can leave out the carob or swap for cacao, though cacao can be stimulating for some at night. The reason carob is used is that it’s caffeine-free while having a natural sweetness that pairs well with the intensity of our Reishi Mushroom. The reason our Real Mushroom’s Reishi is so intense is that, unlike many other products on the market, ours contains no added grain fillers that would otherwise mute the bitter profile. In fact, the bitterness is what you want in a powerful Reishi extract because it means there are high levels of the medicinal triterpenes. One way to identify the purity of our reishi product is the dark color and bitter taste.
• You can use your preferred milk in the recipe.
• You can substitute the fresh ginger for ground ginger, and the cinnamon stick for ground cinnamon.
• Another optional add-on to really boost the restoration effects of the nighttime recipe is this full-spectrum CBD extract from our friends at BioCBD+. Check out their delicious CBD hot chocolate recipe for inspiration on how you can incorporate CBD into this recipe.

Servings: 1 morning beverage, 1 evening beverage
Prep Time: 1 minute for each beverage
Cook Time: 5 minutes for each beverage

Ingredients for Morning Vegan Mushroom Golden Milk

• 1/2 cup of coconut milk
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 TB honey (or favorite sweetener)
• 1/2 TB coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• small pinch of black pepper and grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp Real Mushrooms Lion’s Mane extract
• 1/2 tsp Ashwagandha

Kitchen tools you’ll need:

• 1 saucepan
• a glass to drink out of
• measuring cups and spoons
• a whisk

Instructions for Morning Vegan Mushroom Golden Milk

1. To a small saucepan, add coconut milk, almond milk, ground turmeric, grated ginger, the cinnamon stick, coconut oil, black pepper, Ashwagandha, Lion’s Mane, and sweetener of choice.
2. Whisk to combine and warm over medium heat. Heat until hot to the touch but not boiling - about 3-4 minutes - whisking the whole time.
3. Turn off heat and taste to adjust sweetness level.
4. Take out the cinnamon stick and if you like it very smooth, you can strain the golden milk to take out the ginger pieces.
5. Enjoy!

Ingredients for Evening Vegan Mushroom Golden Milk

• 1/2 cup of coconut milk
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 TB honey (or favorite sweetener)
• 1/2 TB coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. carob powder (optional)
• small pinch of black pepper and fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp Real Mushrooms Reishi extract

Instructions for Evening Vegan Mushroom Golden Milk

1. To a small saucepan, add coconut milk, almond milk, ground turmeric, grated ginger, the cinnamon stick, coconut oil, black pepper, Reishi, carob and sweetener of choice.
2. Whisk to combine and warm over medium heat. Heat until hot to the touch but not boiling - about 3-4 minutes - whisking the whole time.
3. Turn off heat and taste to adjust sweetness level.
4. Take out the cinnamon stick and if you like it very smooth, you can strain the golden milk to take out the ginger pieces.
5. Enjoy!

Enjoy in good health

So we already discussed how herbs and functional mushrooms can be used to help you swap out your caffeine, stimulants, and sleep aids, and to get in tune with your circadian rhythms for better sleep and more energy in the morning. But, lifestyle is also incredibly important.

Some lifestyle habits that you can choose to adopt that will send your body the right signals are:

• Turn off your lights at night to help induce your body’s regular melatonin production. In other words, go to bed when it’s dark. As this is not always an option, you can use red light at night, such as red or blue light blocking glasses.
• Go outside when you can! Experience the different natural cycles of the sun. Spend about 15 minutes exposing yourself to natural sunlight first thing in the morning. This resets cortisol receptors.
• In the evening, a few hours before bed, turn off your electronic devices. These emit electromagnetic fields that influence hormonal production and prevent you from getting sufficient sleep.

How to give your other recipes a power boost

Here at Real Mushrooms, we always encourage creativity and intuition in the kitchen. If you’re looking for a different benefit from our line of functional mushrooms, you can easily swap the Ashwagandha, Lion’s Mane, or Reishi for another mushroom of your choosing. And we’d love to hear about it and see it!

In fact, we want to see all your different Real Mushrooms creations! Join the mushroom recipe challenge! Get creative in the kitchen with different ways to get more mushrooms in your diet. Invent your own recipe and share via insta @realmushrooms. We will feature the winner’s recipe on the blog and give you a coupon for a Real Mushroom product of your choice!