It’s Marshmallow Season!
Here is a highly requested recipe – home-made, gut-healthy herbal marshmallows!
I spent most of my (vegan) life avoiding gelatin at all costs, but it’s actually an incredible superfood and so amazing for our gut lining and digestion. We make tons of home made marshmallows and bone broth for that very same reason! Bone broth was one of the first animal foods I started eating when I began transitioning away from veganism and it’s helped with my digestion so much. A big part of what makes bone broth so good for you is the gelatin. Gelatin is a protein that comes from collagen found in bones and cartilage of animals and was likely a central part of our ancestral diet as our ancestors ate nose to tail (including cartilage, skin, and bone). An easy and delicious way to make sure your family eats enough gelatin is to make marshmallows!
We make gut healthy marshmallows pretty much every week. It’s so easy and takes absolutely no time at all. I love making my marshmallows with real marshmallow root (because it’s fun and so good for our health!) but you can make them plain or with any herb you want. All you need is gelatin, water and honey and by infusing your water with an herb or spice of choice you level up to your liking. It’s essentially making a strong herbal tea instead of using just water – nettle marshmallows are great, chamomille too… and you can add any flavorings you want in the end (cacao makes chocolate marshmallows! or sprinkle in a little bit of freeze dried raspberries and they’ll turn pink!).
Here is the how:
1 cup water
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup gelatin
Herbs and superfoods of choice
1. Start by infusing your water with 1 tbsp herb or spice of choice (not necessary but fun!)
2. Add half the water to the gelatin in a bowl and let bloom/rest while you make your syrup.
3. In a pot, add the honey and the rest of the water and simmer on low for about 10 minutes (you want it very hot!)
4. Pour the syrup into the gelatin while mixing very slowly. I use a stand mixer – you definitely don’t want to hand whisk this or you might lose an arm!
5. When everything is incorporated you can bring the speed up! Mix until fluffy and white with stiff peaks (can take anywhere between 8-15 minutes. Be careful not to let it go too far or you won’t get it out of the bowl!)
*If you want to add any extras, do it in the last minutes of mixing! I always add vanilla, some probiotics, collagen… Colostrum is great too. Ashwagandha makes for some amazing adaptogenic marshmallows if you’re feeling any holiday stress!
6. Pour/spread into a pan (parchment paper makes your life easier here) and let set in the fridge for an hour or two.
7. Cut up in squares! You can dip your knife in tapioca or rice flour to make cutting easier but I don’t think it’s necessary.
8. Store in an airtight container in the fridge! Should last at least a week but ours are gone in a few days so I’m not sure.
Enjoy! These melt into a gooey mess in your hot chocolate which is just the best. I put mine in my morning coffee too!