Spicy Anti-inflammatory Turmeric Slushy {paleo + vegan}

This spicy anti-inflammatory turmeric slushy is healthy homemade refreshment at its finest! An icy treat made with fresh pressed apple cider, lemon juice, ginger, turmeric and cayenne. Packed with anti-inflammatory and immune boosting goodness that is not only good for you, but also crazy delicious!

A quick note on this recipe! The original version of this post was published back in 2016. Since then I’ve re-tested the recipe, updated the photographs, and the content. I’m republishing it for you today to enjoy! I hope you continue to make and love this delicious spicy anti-inflammatory turmeric slushy! xo

The kid in me is a little bit slushy obsessed.

Can you guys relate? There’s just something sooo satisfying and almost calming about letting spoonful after spoonful of an icy frozen treat slide down your throat.

Worth the brain freeze every time.

I went to burning man for this first time this year and just by chance we happened to be camped a few doors down from the CHAMPAGNE SNOW CONE CAMP.

It was love at first sight. I’m pretty sure that’s the exact moment I felt at home.

It also made me realize how much I need to step up my game the next time I go.

I’ve been thinking about everything from a fancy martini bar to a multi-course gourmet meal. Or maybe a health tonic slushy bar?

After a week in that breathtaking desert I’m convinced it’s the one place on earth where human imagination can bring literally any dream to life.

If you’ve ever had the desire to go, I whole-heartedly urge you to make the dream a reality. The experience both challenged and thrilled me to the very edge of my being, in the best possible way!

But let’s get back to this homemade slushy recipe!

This spicy turmeric slushy is the grown up version of my little kid obsession. No champagne involved here – although a recipe mod could probably be made for it.

But it DOES have allll the frozen goodness you love about an icy slushy without any of the not-so-good-for-you ingredients.

Made with lemon, ginger, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and fresh pressed apple cider, this icy spicy little number sing songs of restorative + refreshing perfection.

All those super star ingredients also get you one mega dose of anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, hydrating electrolytes, and metabolism boosting properties.

So whether you’re fighting off a cold, looking for a way to ease your hangover, or just want something super healthy to keep you from melting into a puddle in the late summer heat – this slushy is here for you in a very BIG way.

How to make this spicy anti-inflammatory turmeric slushy

This glowing golden frozen super hero of a drink is as easy to make as adding a few ingredients to your high speed blender and blending until smooth.

Here’s the details:

Add fresh pressed apple cider, ice cubes, lemon, ginger, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and black pepper to your blender and blend.

For the best results start on low so everything has a chance to get moving, and then gradually increase the speed of the blender until the slushy runs smoothly through the blades and no large pieces of ice remain.

If the slushy isn’t blending smoothly, add a little extra liquid at a time until it does.

It can also be helpful to stop and scrape down the sides with a spoon, or use your tamper to get things moving if you have one.

Once it’s completely smooth, serve immediately. You could also transfer blender container to the freezer and store for up to 2 hours, and re-blend before serving.

Health benefits of this spicy turmeric slushy

The main health boosting ingredients in this slushy are:

• Turmeric
• Ginger
• Cayenne

In ayurvedic tradition turmeric has long been appreciated for it’s countless healing and nurturing properties.

The most studied and prized agent in turmeric is called curcumin, a polyphenol that has been shown to have many beneficial health properties for everything from acting as a systemic anti-inflammatory, to a liver, digestive, and immune tonic.

And by adding just a pinch of black pepper to the slushy in addition to turmeric you can potentially enhance the bio-availability of turmeric by 2000%!

This makes it a pretty important pairing for the bright orange spice.

Ginger is also a long praised food-as-medicine ingredient for it’s anti-inflammatory and digestive soothing properties. This warming spice adds another layer of support for the body.

Cayenne pepper’s health benefits are also widely appreciated in many cultures.

The chemical that cayenne pepper contains called capsaicin has been found to help with pain relief, stimulate blood circulation, relieve stomach pain / gas, and even remedy headaches.

A few notes on this recipe

• The fresh pressed apple juice adds a nice amount of sweetness to this recipe, but for a less sweet slushy you could substitute partially (or completely) with water or coconut water. You could also substitute orange juice. 
• To make this drink ahead of time transfer the blended slushy in the blender container to the freezer, and store for up to 2 hours. Re-blend before serving, adding a little more liquid as you blend if needed.
• If you don’t have a high speed blender like a vitamix or blendtec, make sure that you finely grate or chop the ginger before blending.
• You can substitute the dried powdered turmeric with about 1 tablespoon freshly grated turmeric
• This is a great brand of powdered turmeric. You can also find it at most natural food stores in the spice section.
• Turmeric is a powerful spice that also can leave a stubborn stain. Avoid using any dish towels that you don’t want bright yellow marks on, make sure to wash your hands after making the latte, and clean up any spills quickly. It may also stain your blender container. If this happens, wait for a sunny day and place your blender container outside in the sun for several hours – the stain will quickly fade!

Try these other good-for-you drink recipes!

• Strawberry Hibiscus Slushies
• Mango coconut smoothie with turmeric and lime
• Blended citrus juice with ginger and turmeric
• Bulletproof bedtime golden milk latte

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