There are few desserts in my book more comforting than panna cotta. It's smooth, creamy, and downright decadent. It's also very simple to make unlike its creamy cousin crème brulee. No blowtorch needed.

For this dessert I decided to add some herbal immune enhancing elements to make this dish give colds and flus a run for their money. You won't even know that these powerful herbs are even in here! Let medicine be thy food right?

So let's give the underrated yet so delicious panna cotta some love shall we?

How to Make Astragalus Chai Tea Panna Cotta

• 2 cups full fat coconut cream
• 2 cups full fat coconut milk
• ⅓ cup raw local honey
• 2 ½ TB loose chai tea of choice
• 3 , cardamom pods bruised or ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
• 3-10 slices of astragalus root
• 3 slices of reishi mushroom
• 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
• 4 thin slices of fresh ginger root
• 1 TB high quality gelatin
• 2 teaspoon good vanilla extract or the seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
• A pinch of sea salt

Loving Preparation - Astragalus Chai Tea Panna Cotta

• Slowly mix 1 TB of gelatin in ¼ cup of water little by little and set aside
• Heat the coconut cream and milk on the stove until it comes to a gentle simmer
• Add the loose chai tea, cardamom pods, orange zest, ginger root, vanilla, salt, and honey to the coconut mixture
• Stir until the honey is mixed in thoroughly and let simmer, covered, for 20 minutes
• Strain the mixture through a very fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth to catch all of the chai bits, pour it back into a clean pot, add the gelatin, and continue to simmer until the gelatin is completely dissolved
• Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for 10 minutes
• Stir once more and then pour into mason jars, ramekins, fancy wine glasses, or any container that suits your fancy
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap (don't let it touch the panna cotta) and refrigerate for 5 hours
• Once chilled, run a knife along the edges and flip it out onto a plate
• Dust with cinnamon, cardamom, or even cocoa powder and drizzle with raw honey if desired

[yumprint-recipe id='2']Keep in mind that you CAN omit most of these ingredients and still get a very tasty result, but here's why I've added spicy, immune enhancing elements:

Chai Tea-

Chai tea is delicious all year long, but is especially delicious and useful during the winter as the herbs are warming, digestive, and uplifting.

You can easily create your own delicious chai spice mixes like this one.

Astragalus-

If you twisted my arm, I'd tell you that astragalus might just be my favorite herb of all time. It's sweet, energizing, digestive, and is wonderful to use against colds, flu, and difficulty breathing. Imagine astragalus like a protective shield that keeps you protected against sickness and helps build and restore your body to health. It is also very effective against adrenal fatigue and works well for those who feel completely run down.

Reishi Mushroom-

Often heralded as the elixir of life, reishi mushroom is known to combat degenerative disease and auto-immune disorders. It has the ability to protect and even regenerate liver tissue and can even regulate blood pressure, normalize cholesterol, and oxygenate the blood.

I often pair reishi mushroom with astragalus for those who easily catch colds and flu to help boost their immunity.

Gelatin-

Besides being an essential ingredient for making panna cotta, gelatin has some pretty amazing health benefits.
Gelatin is known to sooth the digestive tract, regulate hydrochloric acid levels, promote better digestion, repair degenerative joint disorders, supports the liver, and helps you achieve supple beautiful skin. What's not to love! (I get mine here)

For more on the benefits of gelatin, check out these articles:

There's Always Room for Jell-O: 14 Superpowers of Gelatin
Superfood: Gelatin -- aka Gut Healer
Gelatin: Worth The Hype? Stupid Easy Paleo - Easy Paleo Recipes