Whether you know it as the "mushroom of the gods" or "fungus of immortality," reishi has some special accolades to its name, rightfully so. Given the fact that this wild growing mushroom has been revered for centuries in Chinese tradition, it is no surprise that it is heralded today as one of our absolute favorites for improving all bodily processes, especially daily immunity and relaxation. 

Reishi Mushroom for Relaxation and Immune Support

Reishi's bitter, earthy palate makes a delicious pairing with chocolate, another bitter, sacred substance. The triterpenes and polysaccharides that make up reishi support many vital bodily processes, most profoundly in the nervous and immune systems. Reishi is a well-known longevity tonic, immunomodulator (meaning it regulates the immunity), and cognition enhancer. It is wonderful when winding down at the end of a long day, due to its very subtle sedative (and even dream enhancing!) effects.

It's one of those mushrooms for everybody, an adaptogen that aids the body in better responding to whatever life throws at it, be that stress, inflammation, bacteria, viruses, or simply aging. So it goes without saying that the more regularly you can work reishi into your daily routine, the better. 

It's worth noting that our reishi (Ganoderma tsugae) is extra special as it's locally, conscientiously wildcrafted - making it potent, fresh, and wonderfully bioavailable. In this super easy reishi chocolate bar recipe, we use our combo Reishi Extract, which is an extremely concentrated double extract created to synthesize both the water and alcohol-soluble properties of reishi.

Here is a recipe reminiscent of a reishi "butterfinger" that makes it easy and delicious to bring this amazing mushroom into your everyday life - not to mention the inflamma-busting benefits of marshmallow root and the added antioxidants of goji berry! Chocolate, of course, has its own host of cardiovascular and mood supportive benefits, as an added bonus.

Reishi Recipe for Chocolate Lovers

10 pitted dates
1/2 cup almonds (raw or roasted)
1 1/4 cups organic chocolate chips or broken up squares (dark is preferable!)
5 droppers (about 150 drops) Red Moon Herbs Reishi Extract OR Mushroom Elixir
1 tsp marshmallow (Althea officinalis) powder
2 tbsp coconut oil 
Flaky sea salt
Powdered roses, cardamom, crushed pistachios, and/ or cinnamon (optional)
Goji berries (optional)

1. Halve the dates lengthwise and arrange them on a baking sheet. Cover it with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Stuff each half with a couple of almonds, as many as will fit.

2. Melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave. When they are fully melted, stir in the Reishi Extract or Mushroom Elixir (which includes other beneficial mushrooms chaga, turkey tail, and maitake), marshmallow powder, and coconut oil.

 

3. Pour this mixture over the stuffed dates, creating a thick layer of chocolate over the top. 

4. Top with a sprinkle of sea salt, and a light dusting of either powdered roses, cardamom, crushed pistachios, or cinnamon. Sprinkle in a handful of goji berries. 

5. Let cool, break apart into chunks, and enjoy. Refrigerate to store for maximum shelf life - though they won't last long!



These craveable, herb-forward reishi chocolate bars make it a treat to incorporate more of the immunomodulating benefits of mushrooms into your life. They may become a family favorite - as long as you don't tell the kids they have mushrooms in them!