Meet Lauren Nixon, the vivacious food and wellness educator from Washington, D.C that teaches adults and children the importance of creating positive and healthy relationships with food by utilizing local, organic, seasonal fruits and vegetables. We've drooled over the colorful meals Lauren showcases frequently on her social media feeds and we thought it would be a great idea for her to share with all of our readers a tasty winter recipe that is not only easy to prepare but extremely nourishing to the body and Chakra system. Viva La Colores!

Warm Beet and Rose Drink By Lauren Nixon

When the weather is chilly, it’s tempting to turn to a dense cup of hot chocolate, a tried and true favorite, to warm your bones from the inside out.  Lately, I’ve been interested in warming drinks that are earthy and grounding—drinks that are a bit more nuanced and complex than excessively sweet.  Enter this warm beet and rose drink.

Although the humble beet might not seem like the typical flavor to add to a warm drink, its earthiness is balanced by the creaminess of full fat coconut milk,  the floral hint of rose tea,  the lush sweetness of raw honey, and the nutty flavor of maca powder.  It’s an off the beaten path combination that’s still warming and decadent and a tiny bit naughty. 

Plus,  the reds and pinks from the rose and beets will no doubt ignite your Muladhara or root Chakra.  A drink that features a root vegetable that helps you to tap into your root Chakra is obviously a win-win situation.   

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 2 cups boiling water
• 2.5 tbsp organic dried rose petals
• 1 can organic unsweetened full fat coconut milk
• 2 tbsp raw honey (feel free to substitute with maple syrup or coconut sugar)
• ½ tbsp maca powder (feel free to substitute with cacao powder)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 small beet, peeled and chopped into quarters

Directions

Pour two cups of boiled water over 2.5 tbsp of organic dried rose petals.  Let steep for 10 minutes.  While the tea steeps, add one can of unsweetened full fat coconut milk to a pot with two tablespoons of raw honey, ½ a tablespoon of Maca powder, and a cinnamon stick.  Strain rose tea and add to the pot.  Bring the contents of the pot to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.  

Remove the cinnamon stick from the pot and add the liquid to a blender along with your small chopped beet.  Blend until the beet is thoroughly incorporated and the drink is creamy and frothy.  

Follow Lauren Nixon for more delicious recipes and information on her next wellness workshop! http://www.laurennixon.com