I found a link to this recipe in my email this morning and had to share. It’s perfect for these dark times in which we find ourselves.
During times of uncertainty and overwhelm, the best support comes from an easy DIY stress relief tea. It is simple to make and calms stressed-out nerves.
For the main recipe follow this link: Easy DIY Stress Relief Tea | Home Herb School | Get Recipe
We’ve been discussing water this week. One way to get water is through herbal tea. You get double benefit through herbal tea as well. When discussing food as medicine, herbal tea is an excellent way to immerse your body in healing and rejuvenating anti-oxidants, micro-nutrients and phytonutrients.  Making your own herbal blends is the best way to do this.
So, why not just throw a tea bag in some hot water? The tea bags are getting newer, better and fancier, with special pyramid shapes for better “infusions”. However, these new fangled tea bags come at a cost. According to an article from Dr. Joseph Mercola, research indicates many tea bags contain a variety of plastics including, nylon, rayon thermoplastic, PVC or polypropylene, all cancer causing agents. You may be asking if these “plastic” bags are dangerous. Let’s put it this way, water boils at 212 degrees. Nylon breaks down at a temperature below 169 degrees. So, chances are, if you’re using a tea bag, there’s plastic in your tea. That’s why I encourage you to make your own blends.
Making your own blends is very easy and fun. When you make your own blends, you can tailor it to your taste, and they taste amazing. It’s fun to experiment with different combinations. All you need is a tea pot and a strainer. You can get fancy tea stuff if you want, but that’s not necessary. You can get a set of 3 tea strainers at Amazon for $10 and a nice stone teapot for $15. To make the tea, just put a few spoonfuls of your blend into the pot, add boiling water and let it steep. Then, pour the tea into a mug, using one of the mini strainers to catch the loose leafs.
There are literally an infinite number of combinations, when it comes to blending tea. You really are limited to your imagination. But, to get you started, I’ve gathered together 9 delicious combinations, as well as one recipe to make your own chai tea concentrate. That’s right, now you can make your own Chai Latte’s at home…without the added sugar or artificial sugar that comes in the pre-made store bought versions! ENJOY!
From: Recipes to Nourish
From: Nourishing Simplicity
From: Real food Outlaws
From: The Greenbacks Gal
From: Recipes to Nourish
From: A Delightful Home
From: Nourishing simplicity
From: Real Food Outlaws
Immunitea (Wellness herbal tea)
From: Real Life Outlaws
Immunitea (wellness herbal tea)
Anti-Inflammatory Weight Loss Tea
From: Natural Fit foodie
Anti-Inflammatory Weight Loss Tea
When I saw this muffin, with both AVOCADO and MATCHA as ingredients, I knew I had to share it with you. This muffin packs a punch when it comes to nutrients. The avocado throws in healthy fat and fiber, while the matcha kicks in TONS of nutrients and anti-oxidants. You really can’t go wrong with this one!
As we continue talking about all things Matcha this week, I’m diverting from the traditional use as a tea, and into the world of cooking with Matcha. Now, this isn’t something I’ve done myself, but REALLY want to try. We’ll start with something simple!
I must have spent an hour looking for the right smoothie recipe. They are all very similar, but this one stood out for one reason – TURMERIC! Turmeric is an amazing spice with so many wonderful health benefits. Combine it with Matcha and WOW! What a powerful combination!
Drinking a cup of Matcha every day is wonderful, but sometimes it’s nice to switch things up a bit. I made a hot Matcha Latte one day, and was HOOKED! SO GOOD!
Hello everyone! I’m taking the day off! Since today is a holiday here in the USA, I decided to repost this article, which was written about a year ago. I’ll be spending the day with my family. Mean while, you all can read about making your own syrups, creamers and lattes, and avoid the toxins in restaurant and store versions. ENJOY!
HERE’S THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE!
Last week, in my “How to eat healthy” series, I began a series on food additives. In the comments of that article, someone discussed just how unhealthy Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes are, filled with sugar and chemicals. This sparked an idea. I decided to post recipes highlighting how people can make their own specialty coffees right in their own kitchen.
Before we get to the recipes, let’s touch on just why you want to make your own. Simply put- to avoid excess sugar and, most of all, chemicals. Now, in case you’re thinking “Why don’t l just buy creamer or syrup and make my own?” Not so fast!
Below I have the ingredients for 3 different “pumpkin spice” items:
As the first infographic says…WHERE’S THE PUMPKIN? None of the 3 have ANY pumpkin. You’ll also notice, except for the “topping” on the Starbucks latte, there’s no “spice” in ANY of the 3 items. only “flavorings”. (And even the topping contains sulfites!) Have a look:
Ingredients in a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte:
Ingredients in Jordan’s Skinny Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Syrup:
Ingredients in Coffee-Mate Pumpkin Spice Creamer:
Now that you know why you should make your own, you’ll need a few recipes to get you going. After all, that’s what Wellness Wednesday is all about…doing things a bit healthier. I have 16 different recipes: 6 lattes, 5 syrups, and 5 creamers.
I am a tea drinker myself, so Chai latte or matcha latte is my preference. Let me know your thoughts and what your favorite coffee or tea is. I want to know! ENJOY!
First the Lattes:
Ingredients
Click this link for the complete recipe.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more to garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups whole milk
1 to 2 shots espresso, about 1/4 cup
1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped until firm peaks form
Click this link for the complete recipe
Ingredients:
Click this link for the complete recipe
Ingredients:
The Syrups:
Click here for complete recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup water
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water, divided
1 teaspoon corn syrup (I would use raw honey instead)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Click here for the complete recipe (and 4 others!).
Click here for the complete recipe
Click here for the complete recipe
The Creamers:
Click here for the complete recipe
Click here for the full recipe
This week, I’m focusing on Matcha tea preparation and recipes. For more information on the incredible health benefits of matcha tea, FOLLOW THIS LINK.
I drink Matcha tea on a regular basis, so I decided to splurge and purchase traditional tools used in Japan to prepare this beautiful tea. (see below). Strictly speaking, they aren’t necessary to make a good cup of Matcha. However, I’ve made it with just a spoon, and the traditional way is much easier.
If you’ve ever had Matcha tea, you’ll know it comes in a powder form, but doesn’t easily dissolve into water like other powders. That’s because it’s not actually a powder, but very finely ground tea leaves. That’s why the traditional method works so much better. The scoop is the perfect measuring spoon for the powder, while the whisk blends the powdered leaves into the water beautifully. The other little wooden spoon is used to stir the tea as you drink it, and the powdered leaves settle to the bottom.
If you’re interested in purchasing these traditional tools, you can find them on AMAZON.
Hibiscus tea is made from the hibiscus flower. According to my research, the tea is sour and sometimes called “sour tea”, with a flavor slightly reminiscent to cranberry.
Going into this week of covering different types of tea, I assumed that matcha tea probably had the highest anti-oxidant content. But, after watching a video from nutritionfacts.org, I may have been mistaken. Could Hibiscus be healthier?
According to the video, a study done in 2011 on the anti-oxidant content of 3100 foods, shows that HIBISCUS TEA has a higher anti-oxidant content than MATCHA TEA!
Yes, you read that right.
The study looked at the anti-oxidant content of 283 beverages.
The video reviewed a few, here’s how they scored: (1)
See the infographic and today’s 1 minute video below for other health benefits.
The video below is not the video sited above.
If you’re interested in seeing the sited video,
That’s it for our week of tea! I hope you enjoyed this and learned something new.
SOURCES:
Tulsi tea, also known as Holy Basil, has been used in Ayurvedic medicine in India for thousands of years (1,2). It is considered the most popular beverage in India. In fact, it’s so common that many families in India grow the plant in their homes. (2)
The main health benefit for Tulsi/holy basil is that it is an adaptogen. An adaptogen is “a non-toxic substance that will increase your resistance to stress…fatigue…anxiety, and trauma.” (2)
See the infographic and today’s 1 minute video below for other health benefits.
SOURCES:
Purple Almond Wellness 