Category: Brews and Teas

Protection Tea

Protection Tea


1 tablespoon Irish or English Breakfast tea
2 teaspoons elder flower
1 teaspoon linden flower (tila)
1 teaspoon valerian
2 teaspoons burdock root
1 teaspoon comfrey
1 teaspoon hyssop
2 teaspoons rose hips

Spice Bags for Warm Winter Drinks

Spice Bags for Warm Winter Drinks

 

8 sticks cinnamon, broken into small pieces

2 whole nutmegs, crushed

1/3 cup whole cloves

1/3 cup minced dried orange peel (or 1/4 cup ground)

1/4 cup whole allspice berries

optional: garnish with cinnamon sticks,

slice of orange, lemon peel

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Tie in sachets of 1 tablespoon each in a double thickness of cheesecloth; transfer to an airtight container. One sachet of the mixture will flavor 1 quart of cider, tea or wine.

To use, simmer 1 quart of the chosen beverage with 1 sachet for 20 minutes; ladle into mugs. If desired, add a garnish or a sprinkling of additional spirits.

Strawberry-Banana-Mango Smoothie

Strawberry-Banana-Mango Smoothie

Yield: 2 servings

  • 8-10 large strawberries
  • 1 mango
  • 1 medium banana
  • 6 ice cubes
  • 1/2 cup orange juice

Wash and cut fruit into medium-size chunks. Mix fresh fruit with ice cubes and cold orange juice in blender until smooth. Optionally, add yogurt and protein powder if you want a healthier power-punch!

Balmy Lemonade

Balmy Lemonade

Yield: 8 servings

  • Juice from 5 medium to large lemons
  • 5 cups Cold water
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 Lemon – cut into paper thin-slices
  • 1 tray ice cubes
  • Lemon balm leaves & fresh sprigs of lavender blooms

Squeeze the juice from 5 fresh lemons and pour it through a coarse strainer into a pitcher. Add cold water and sugar to taste, adding another additional water if the lemons are particularly juicy. Add lemon slices and ice cubes and stir into pitcher. Pour into tall glasses, garnish with lemon balm and lavender and serve.

Chrysanthemum Tea

Chrysanthemum Tea

Recipe suggested by Isabeau Vollhardt
If you’re caught in a heatwave Chrysanthemum tea is a traditional oriental medicine remedy for heatstroke. If you can find a prepackaged brand in a nearby Chinatown or specialty shop, great (Gold Kili brand makes an instant tea with honey, all chrysanthemum no caffeine). If not, get some chrysanthemum flowers (not sprayed) preferably white but yellow is ok, not red or purple; about two big handfuls (approximately 9 grams) and cover with water in a pot; bring to boiling and let simmer for 20 minutes, decant and drink.

How to Make Fresh Mint Sun Tea

How to Make Fresh Mint Sun Tea

By Phylameana lila Desy

Nothing could be easier than making a jar or jug of refreshing sun tea infused with mint.

What You Need

  • Scissors
  • Mint Sprigs
  • 2-4 Tea Bags (green or black tea)
  • Jar or Jug
  • Drinking Water
  • Sunshine

Easy Sun Tea with Mint Recipe

Stroll outdoors to your herb garden and gather a a handful of mint sprigs. Check the clippings for any bugs or blight. Deadhead or trim away any flowers and discard. Rinse the stems with leaves still attached under a water faucet. Fill your container with purified water, add tea bags (one tea bag per quart) leaving enough room to stuff in your mint clippings. Cover jar with lid and set in sun to brew. Chill in fridge.

To serve: Pour mint tea over ice in drinking glasses. Serve plain or with honey.

Note: It is best to make no more tea than you will consume in 3 days. You can experiment with the different varieties of mint herbs to discover your favorite. I favor orange and variegated pineapple mint over the traditional peppermint herb.

Cauldron of Cerridwen Brew

Cauldron of Cerridwen Brew

(caution)

Items Needed:

Acorns*

Barley

Honey

Ivy*

Hellebore*

Bay

Boil water in a cauldron over an open fire. Place all ingredients into the cauldron. Sit before it and entrance yourself by watching the flames. Smell its mystic scent and receive wisdom. (Do not drink. Why? It’s poisonous, that’s why)

Keep Me Healthy Tea

Keep Me Healthy Tea

Prepare this tea when you are already in good health and want to maintain it. As you drink it, visualize yourself in the days to come as healthy, happy, and active.

4 parts calendula flowers

1 part mullein leaves or flowers

1 part marjoram leaves

1 part St. John’s Wort

Heal Me Tea

Heal Me Tea

Although your potions should never replace a trip to the doctor when you are ill, this tea can give you a magical boost to speed your healing. Focus on ridding your body of whatever ails you. If you are running a fever, add 1 part of Feverfew.

4 parts rose petals

3 parts violet petals

2 parts dried apples

1 part dried blackberries

1 part eucalyptus leaves

1 part ginseng root

Sip for Success Tea

Sip for Success Tea

While sipping this tea, envision yourself succeeding at a current project you are undertaking. Use tangible images such as  seeing the project complete. Feel yourseld doing your job successfully. This tea works best when working with specific projects or situations. Don’t just  imagine yourself successful—define what success means to you.
4 parts clover flowers
2 parts lemon balm leaves
1 part ginger root

Hormonal Headache Tonic

This tonic will calm the storm you feel brewing in your head.

2   tablespoons cramp
2   tablespoons chasteberries (Vitex)
2   tablespoon wild yam
2   tablespoons black cohosh root, optional

Simmer in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes, covered. Remove from heat and steep the following herbs for herbs for 15 minutes before straining:

1   tablespoon chamomile flowers
1   tablespoon passionflower
1   tablespoon lavender leaves and flowers

Drink half a cup every hour until headache abates.

Energizing Tonic

This tonic will increase energy and enhance digestion.

1   tablespoon fresh peppermint leaves
1   tablespoon lemon grass leaves
1   teaspoon suma, optional

Steep peppermint and lemon grass leaves in 2 cups of boiled water for 15 minutes, covered. Strain and drink warm or cold.

Optional:  Suma may be steeped in the combination for an extra boost.

Clear Vision Tonic

This is a valuable tonic for tired eyes and blurry vision.

2   tablespoons fennel seeds
2   tablespoons eyebright
2   tablespoons bilberry powder
2   tablespoons gotu kola leaves, optional

Simmer in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes. Strain and drink half a cup daily. Two tablespoons of gotu kola leaves may be steeped for 10 minutes after the tonic has been simmered to increase circulation from the carotids.

Nobody Loves Me Tonic

When life has let you down and no one seems to care; have a cup of tea and wait for things to come your way.

1    tablespoon skullcap leaves and flowers
1    tablespoon passionflower
1    teaspoon lavender flowers and leaves
1    teaspoon chamomile flowers
1    tablespoon lemon grass

Combine all and steep in 2 cups of boiled water, covered, 15 minutes. Strain and surrender.

Relaxation Tonic

This is a soothing tea to enjoy when the mind can’t slow down.

2   tablespoons hops
2   tablespoons chamomile flowers
2   tablespoons lemon balm or spearmint leaves (peppermint is too stimulating)
1   teaspoon chopped lavender leaves

Steep in 2 cups of boiled water, covered. Strain after 10 – 15 minutes and drink 1/2 – 1 cup to relax.

Lung Tonic

Native Americans of the Midwest used this tonic to alleviate bronchial coughs and congestion.

2   tablespoons pleurisy root
1   tablespoon mullein root
2   tablespoons elecampane root
1   tablespoon cramp bark
1   teaspoon licorice root or ginger
2   tablespoons osha root, optional; take only if there is congestion or a productive cough
2   tablespoons yucca, dried and split, optional; take only if there is wheezing

Simmer in 2 cups of water, covered for 15 minutes.  Strain when cool and drink half a cup daily to facilitate the lungs or drink half a cup three times daily to alleviate congestion. For wheezing, add dried and split yucca, and add half a cup to coffee or drink alone up to 3 times daily.

Sinus and Allergy Tonic

This tea may also be used as a gargle for sore and tickling throats or as a compress on the forehead to relieve a stuffy head.

1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 teaspoon sage leaves
1 teaspoon lavender leaves

Steep the above herbs in 2 cups of boiled water for 10 – 15 minutes. Strain and drink 1 cup to relieve sinus congestion.