There’s something I like to make every so often that has been, for me, a private, intimate, close-to-my heart endeavor.
It’s something I make for special occasions. Or so I think. Probably I make up excuses to make it for special occasions at times when what I really need is to make something sweet (tender) and holy – times when I need to honor the moon, or the earth, or the medicine of herbs, or deep quietude, or nature’s gentle flow, or simply to be alone with my ancient treasures of dusty cacao, exotic herbs, silk road spices, and sweet oils.
I make this with a still as yet, little known herb. While Ayurvedic herbs are prolific these days – Tulsi in the teas, Triphala in tablet form in health food stores, Ashwagandha now in many doctor’s formulas – my beloved Brahmi remains a great, rare treasure. Described as a “food of the gods” for its heavenly gifts, it is one of my favorites and “working with it” always gives me a secret delight.
The whole process of making this, as quick and simple as it is, feels ancient and sumptuous. I feel called back to a timeless time: stirring the powders into the oils stirs up the merry voices of mothers, aunts, and grandmothers who once shared their stories and delights around the stirring of daily medicines and meals. It helps restore me to myself, and to the whole that we are, all of us alive together in this one world. It’s a prayer of sorts: something you don’t really talk about, yet is deep and connecting.
It’s holy work, and it’s good medicine.
Brahmi Bark
4 T coconut oil
2 hearty shakes of cinnamon
1 dash of cardamom
1 pinch of pink salt
1 t vanilla extract
4-5 T maple syrup
3 T raw cacao
1/4 – 1/2 t Brahmi powder (I purchase mine online here)
Your choice of: chopped nuts, minced dates, lightly toasted seeds – my favorites are macadamia, medjool, and pumpkin
In a shallow pan, melt the coconut oil. Add the spices, vanilla and maple syrup and blend. Bring to a very light simmer and reduce heat. Stir to release steam. After a few minutes, mix in the cacao and blend well. Keep stirring and releasing steam, careful to keep it just under a boil.
If you are adding nuts, push a bit of the mixture to the side, add the nuts to a clear, dry spot and allow to brown a bit (or toast in a separate pan).
Add the Brahmi – careful not to add too much. More is not necessarily better. Ayurvedic herbs are potent, so a little goes a long way. Start with 1/4 teaspoon, mix well and taste. If you can’t taste it add a little bit more going to 1/2 teaspoon at the most. If you add too much, it will ruin the taste of the chocolate, and when that happens even your body doesn’t like it – it will reject the medicine, and the whole thing becomes a distasteful waste. Medicine is an alchemy. It deserves our respect.
In a small baking dish, lay a piece of parchment paper. Whisk your chocolate mixture one more time in the pan. When it is thoroughly, thoroughly blended, pour into the baking dish and allow it to flow to the edges until it is evenly spread. Place the dish in your refrigerator and let cool.
After an hour or so (sometimes even 2-3), it will harden. Remove from the fridge. Lift the parchment paper out of the baking tray. Carefully break the bark into pieces. It will break according to its own design, so just give it a nudge and allow it to break as it will. Place each piece onto small pieces of parchment, stack and place back in your fridge until ready to be served.
Enjoy with a rose fennel tea, or a lovely light lassi. The point is, enjoy.
Why brahmi?
Brahmi is a brain tonic. It strengthens cognitive function, memory, focus, concentration. It is said to coat the nerves, so it calms even while it strengthens. It makes you smarter, increasing your capacity to meet the demands of your day with patience and clarity. For its impact on the mind and mood, I think of it as the “happy herb.”
Traditionally, it’s added to stress-relieving formulas, as well as rejuvenative tonics. I love it for its Sattva – light, uplifitng, elevating actions. Sometimes I imagine a sage took his best meditative experience from his mind and placed it in the Brahmi plant as a gift for all of us to experience.
I guess in some way that is what happened, right? After all, the intelligence that created our world created Brahmi, and that divine mind is in its leaves for all of us to taste a bit of heaven.
Speaking of Ayurvedic herbs, I am leading a small group on a trip to India to experience one full week of Ayurveda – daily treatments including warm oil massage, lessons in herbs, delicious healing meals, Yoga, walking meditations, jungle hikes – followed by a tour of some of the most important shines, temples, ashrams, sacred mountains and beautiful ancient villages. It will be a sumptuous, healing, heart-expanding trip. I invite you to join us – or at least check it out and dream with us.
I’ll send a few ounces of Brahmi powder to three of you. Just leave a comment below (names randomly picked).
To heavenly tastes, holy stirrings, healing adventures, and your good health ~
Namaste!
Laura! I’ll be right over! 😉 So lovely connecting. Wishing you and Bhava Many Blessings and Heavenly Tastes!
Thank you and many heavenly blessings to you!
Sublime!
Thank you, Bhava-ji!
Divinely inspired, Divinely delivered. Your words also bring holy healing and this is a recipe I shall make with meditative grace. Thank you for sharing in your characteristically divine way. Peace.
Thank you Kate. I love your grace. You understand holy work and holy being.
That looks amazing…can you use a sweetener other than maple syrup? Not a huge fan…honey if you don’t heat it too high?
Yes, honey could work, if you mix it in after you’ve removed the mixture from the heat and allowed it to cool a bit. Let me know, Marcelle. Thanks!
I love your food-love story Laura! Thank you for the generosity and the masterful offering. Can’t wait to try this recipe !
DevaVani
Thank you DevaVani – it gives me such delight to think of these as offerings of gratitude to your divine beauty and gifts! Thank you for all the holy work you generously offer our world.
Beautifully written!
Thank you, Laura.
How wonderful ❤️
Brahmi is a new one for me but I’m intrigued. Loved learning more about it. I also appreciate how you’ve worked it into a deliciously satisfying chocolate bark.
Katie, it’s a lovely herb for your clients – really wonderful for students and all who need a clear mind and strong brain. I’d love to hear if you try this. Thanks!
It looks and sounds lovely and delicious. I definitely will give this a try. Thank you honey.
💚
Laura, I love this recipes and the colors!
Have a great Sunday
Thank you Manu! How is your sweet daughter?
She’s fine, thanks!! Ready to go to Valencia, Spain, tomorrow with the school for ten days! Licky girl!
Hope you’re fine too!!
Yes lucky girl! Hope she can keep all the languages straight! How was the UK visit?
Wow it was great!!! We had fun. We visited beautiful places and stunning landscapes. It was typical British weather that’s to say rain turns into sun in a while. Bea enjoyed the trip a lot even if she said the weather in Coronado was more and more better.
Thanks for asking
xox
😊 I love them both. And Bea too! Glad you all had such a great trip. Are we going to see scones on your blog now?
Oh I’d love to make scones as the ones I enjoyed in UK not only delicious but beautiful as well!…Later on my blog you’ll see just some pics of the dishes we ate…
I look forward to that. Thank you.
Looks Divine, Laura.
Always inspired by your love for food and bliss.
Thank you Maureen. I am inspired by our dedication to Yoga.
This looks soooo heavenly. Xoxo. Thanks for the fun raffle!
Kelly
as are you kelly!
I love dark chocolate can be prayed and ritualized into brain food! Thank you for the lovely prayer…I’m looking forward to trying this!
yes, it’s all really about that anyway, isn’t it? love to you julie.
Ahhh! Laura! This is beautiful! And your words are so soulful and inspiring! I want to learn so much from you! If you’re still giving away samples, I would love to try! Thank you so much! Light and love!
thank you christine. we are all learning from each other, so you inspire me too! love always, back at you.
Yummmy! Dark chocolate and nuts are my favorite things:) I am definitely trying this. Thank you, Laura.
wonderful to hear from you victoria. it’s been so long! i hope your entire life is full of all your favorite things, and love always.
Although I’m not a chocolate fan, I’d like to try this! Noticing I’m needing something sweet in my new home in New Mexico teaching the great Navajo children. Looks yummy!!
brahmi is such great brain food for teachers and students alike. how sacred to share this medicine in that medicine circle. love you, queen d!
Holy Brahmi Yes! I’m Dreaming! (Oops, already left a comment)
Sweet article. Would love to receive some brahmi. I had found some in one of the hothouses at the Missouri Botanical Garden –
Dhanyavādaḥ.
i wonder if that hothouse would ever let us have cuttings? it would be so great to grow our own. thank you! dhanyavadh to you.
Pure poetry Laura. Thanks for sharing a recipe so intimate and dear to you. A food of heaven for sure! i look forward to making this recipe. Bless you. xo
you will turn it into a pure poetry taste sensation i am sure robyn. thank you for your love and healing light. xo
Oh, Laura, you make everyday holy. You with your ancient treasures and silky spices, you with your deep quietude and unwavering grace, you and your ever-growing beauty, sumptuous creativity and boundless love. If there’s a more perfectly sweet recipe for my sensibilities, I haven’t yet found it. Can’t wait to dive into this chocolate dream. Love to you and Bhava.
You. are. everyday. holy. love you rebecca t!
And I love you, Laura-ji!
Looks lovely Laura! I am definitely going to try this. I could use some tonification for my nervous system and greater mental clarity.
I’d like to order is asap to give it a try. I found two dif (i think) formulas from Banyan Botanicals. What is the difference between the Brahmi/Gotu Kola and Brahmi/Bacopa?
Thank you so much for the inspiration and love that you transmit thru your blog ☺
Joyfully,
Cimone
Brahmi/Gotu Kola, although Brahmi/Bacopa may be wonderful too.
I’ve enjoyed many of your recipes, and now must try this! Lovely photos, lovely words. Inspiring.
Thank you, Anne. Inspiration comes from feeling we are all born of the one mother, alive on this one earth, living under this one blue sky. We are more alike than we are different and we have so much to gain by sharing, caring, healing growing, and remembering we are one. And so, my inspiration is you. Thank you!
So interested in this recipe. I just began reiki training which has worked its way into what I eat as well. Making the change to go plant based. Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
Dear Lucy, The world just got brighter. Your love, your healing power, your light body is a gift to all. Thank you for being here, and thank you for dropping by.
Reblogged this on Travels with Mary and commented:
To good to be true!
Wow! I just discovered your blog. Absolutely amazing. And this recipe, oh my. To good for words. Thank you!
Thank you! I love your blog.
Thanks a bunch!
Hi Laura, I just tried this recipe as I thought it would make wonderful holiday gifts. However, it turned out to be too soft and mushy, never quite firming up enough to “break”. Any suggestions?
hi jennifer, try cooking it over a low heat for a longer period of time, stirring as you go, to release as much moisture as you can. also add a bit more dry ingredients, like the raw cacao, spices or herbs. it always works for me, though it will get mushy if it is not kept in the fridge. thanks for asking. xo
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Hi Laura, your chocolate brahmi bark sounds wonderful and I am looking forward to trying it. Looks like it’s from an earlier posting but thanks so much for sharing again!!
Thanks Sande. It’s so good to hear from you!