My favorite thing to do in the wintertime is head out to the forest and look for mushrooms. There is something so special about a scavenger hunt in the woods. The crisp, foggy air, the presence of the trees around me, and the hunt for food or medicine make the whole experience feel like a ritual.
Medicinal mushrooms are one of my favorite things to recommend to friends and clients who are looking for support around immune system function, stress and burnout, and overall multi-system herbal support. They have been used over the ages, and their health benefits have been widely established through traditional use and modern research.
To get you started making medicinal mushrooms into medicine, I recommend a simple chai tea that you can simmer on the stove top. This chai is caffeine-free and supports multiple body systems, including the immune system, the respiratory system, and the digestion. It is the perfect beverage to sip after a chilly day in the forest looking for chanterelles, or in my case Oregon reishi.
On that note, a quick tip about ingredients: this recipe calls for Oregon reishi, but traditionally used Asian reishi species can be used as well. Turkey tail mushrooms can be omitted if they are not readily found, but I do love them. Mushroom powders can be used in a pinch, but they will result in a sediment at the bottom of the tea. Feel free to adjust the herbs and spices as necessary and make it your own. Happy brewing.
Herbal Mushroom Chai Recipe
- 2 slices of reishi (I use our local Oregon reishi species, Ganoderma oregonense)
- 5 turkey tail fruiting bodies
- 1 tbsp dried ginger
- 1 tsp coriander seed
- 1 tsp fennel seed
- 1 tsp cardamom seed
- A pinch of clove
- A pinch of black pepper
- 2 tbsp rooibos tea