Earlier in the fall, I shared a hearty mushroom soup recipe and talked about the health benefits of mushrooms. Mushrooms have immunity-bolstering properties and are high in selenium and Vitamin D. The chaga is a type of medicinal mushroom that is particularly great for boosting immunity.
WHAT IS CHAGA?
Chaga mushrooms grow on birch trees. Harvested out in the wild, this super fungi looks like a chunk of charcoal. It’s a powerful antioxidant and adaptogen, which makes it a good foil for energy boosting drinks like coffee. Personally, I prefer to buy my chaga in tea-cut sized “grounds” packets, but we also sell a good brand of chaga mushroom powder here at the clinic.
I usually make a huge pot of chaga tea to have on hand at home. The taste is mild and can be covered up by anything you’re mixing it with. I use this as my base for smoothies, coffee, soups, and steaming vegetables.
Here are the recipes for my go-to chaga hot beverages. They are the best way to start or warm up a day!
CHAGA TEA BASE
This tea base is mild in taste and can be enjoyed on its own or as the base for a coconut chai latte or a chaga coffee.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 small handfuls of chaga (powder or tea cut-size)
- 2 litres of water
METHOD:
- Boil the water in a pot on the stove
- Once at a roiling boil, bring temperature down to a low simmer
- Add your chaga to the water
- Simmer on low for 20-30 minutes
- Pour liquid through a sieve into another pot to catch any grounds — set aside the sieve with grounds (you can reuse the grounds for another batch!)
- Ladle yourself a mug to enjoy
- Let cool and keep leftovers in a sealed container refrigerated
- OPTIONAL: Use leftover grounds to make another batch. I usually add another little spoonful of chaga to get that dark colour.
COCONUT CHAGA CHAI TEA LATTE
This recipe starts off the same way as the tea base, but adds spices for some chai-inspired flavours.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 small handfuls of chaga (powder or tea cut-size)
- 2 litres of water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- Handful of cardamom pods
- 4-6 slices of fresh ginger (more if you like it spicy)
- 1 tsp of black peppercorns
- Coconut milk to taste
- Honey to taste
- OPTIONAL: cloves, star anise
METHOD:
- Bring chaga powder and water to a boil with the cinnamon sticks, cardamom, peppercorns and other spices
- Simmer on low for 20-30 minutes
- Pour liquid through a sieve into another pot to catch any grounds — set aside the sieve with grounds (you can reuse the grounds for another batch!)
- Ladle yourself a mug with room to add coconut milk and honey to taste
- Let remaining liquid cool and keep leftovers in a sealed container refrigerated
CHAGA COFFEE
This is your morning coffee with a little oomph!
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 small handfuls of chaga (powder or tea cut-size)
- 2 litres of water
- 3-6 tbsp ground coffee (depends on how strong you like your coffee)
METHOD:
- Bring 1-2 cups of your chaga tea base to a boil (in a pot or in your kettle)
- Add the ground coffee to a French press
- Pour the hot tea base in the press
- Steep for five minutes before plunging the press
Let me know how you enjoy these morning drinks!
