Reishi Hot Chocolate

Reishi is a powerful mushroom that helps the immune system. It's supposed to regulate blood sugar and lower blood pressure and it is renowned for many other uses as well - the internet can fill you in on the details if you are curious. I have been making reishi tea, which is quite bitter, which has led to experiments in doctoring the tea to make it more palatable. Which has led to this reishi hot chocolate recipe!

The bitterness is completely tempered by the cacao and honey in this recipe so that you don't even notice the reishi taste. If you use raw cacao this hot chocolate is even better for you, but if you don't have any, cocoa powder will taste just as good. Dried reishi chunks can be ordered from the same health food companies that sell raw cacao (like upayanaturals.com or trulyorganicfoods.com)…so I like to do a special order of these types of things once or twice a year, if you order enough at a time there is usually free shipping. Reishi pieces can be stored in the freezer after using and are good for at least 3 batches of tea.




Basic Reishi Tea

8-10 cups of filtered water
a handful of dried reishi

Put the water and reishi in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower to a medium-low heat and gently simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 to two hours. The tea should taste bitter. Strain out the pieces of mushroom and store the tea in a mason jar in the fridge for several days. I take 1 cup of tea a day, either cold (by itself or mixed with kombucha), or warmed up (as is, or as hot chocolate).


Reishi Hot Chocolate
1 cup reishi tea
1/2 cup almond milk or other milk
1 heaping tbsp cacao or cocoa powder
2 tbsp water
pinch cayenne
pinch salt
1 tablespoon raw honey (or maple syrup or agave)

Combine the reishi tea, almond milk, cayenne, salt and honey in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. In a small dish, mix the cacao into the water until it forms a smooth paste, then add to the milk and tea mixture. Heat and stir until desired temperature is reached. If you are using raw cacao/milk/honey then you really don't want to have it simmer, just heat it up to below that point to maintain the benefits of using those raw ingredients, although the recipe itself is not raw due to the tea preparation.

Makes one big mug of cocoa.