This Ginger Pear Tea is quite possibly my favorite homemade tea blend I make. And I make a lot of homemade tea blends.

Ginger Pear Tea Ingredients

3 TB dried pears (I freeze dry organic pears)

3 TB black tea blend 

1 tsp anise 

1 tsp dried ginger root

1 tsp cinnamon chips

1 tsp zinnia petals (optional, see notes below)

Instructions for making Ginger Pear Tea

1. Blend 5 ingredients together by hand in a bowl. 
2. Scoop 1 heaping TB of tea blend into a tea strainer (like this one). Place strainer in a mug and fill mug with hot water. 
3. Let steep for 3-5 minutes. Add sweetener if desired, and enjoy.

Bulk Batch of Ginger Pear Tea

Once you’ve made a small batch and enjoyed a few cups of this tea, you’ll want to mix this larger batch. It almost fills a quart jar. I store all my homemade tea blends in mason jars in a dark cabinet with these lids. The heavy duty seal helps the teas stay fresh and they taste delicious for years.

1 cup dried pears (I freeze dry organic pears)

1 cup black tea blend

5 TB anise 

5 TB ginger

5 TB cinnamon chips

5 TB zinnia petals (optional)

Notes about making Ginger Pear Tea

• I add zinnia for appearance and medicinal benefit. The almost flavorless petals doesn’t change the taste at all. I grow my zinnia, and 15 other plants, in my medicinal drink garden.
• In place of anise (I grow my anise), you can use licorice root–cut and sifted is fine–but I like licorice root chips better. Could also use fennel.

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Ginger Pear Tea Blend

Ingredients

• 3 TB dried pears I freeze dry organic pears
• 3 TB black tea blend
• 1 tsp anise
• 1 tsp dried ginger root
• 1 tsp cinnamon chips
• 1 tsp zinnia petals optional, see notes below

Instructions

• Blend 5 ingredients together by hand in a bowl.
• Scoop 1 heaping TB of tea blend into a tea strainer (like this one). Place strainer in a mug and fill mug with hot water.
• Let steep for 3-5 minutes. Add sweetener if desired, and enjoy.

More tea blends you’ll love:

• Make a tea that tastes like coffee!
• Make a black tea blend that tastes like Lipton!
• Make a Masala Chai blend
• Everything you need to know How to Make Tea Blends

The post Easy Ginger Pear Tea first appeared on Souly Rested.

I switched to cacao powder for my smoothies, baking, and well everything chocolate, and I haven’t bought cocoa powder since.

Today I’m explaining why I made the switch and sharing my all-time favorite cacao smoothie recipe. Because you need cacao in your life.

Oh, AND you need the bonus recipes I want you to have too… make sure you scroll to the bottom

What is a replacement for cocoa powder?

If you want to avoid those undisclosed GRAS ingredients–aka preservatives and addictive flavorings–that could potentially be in cocoa powder, I highly recommend you grab some delicious cacao powder.

 

Another great unrefined option is carob powder. While carob tastes a lot like chocolate, it’s actually a nutrient-rich, slightly sweeter option for a chocolate substitute. Carob is a member of the legume family, but has a similar texture to cocoa and a huge bonus to carob? It’s caffeine-free.

 

Is cacao high in caffeine?

While cacao does contain caffeine, so I always point folks to carob powder if caffeine is a problem for them, it’s not a lot. It’s significantly less than what you’ll find in coffee. Bonus: the primary stimulant you’ll find in cacao is called theobromine, which provides a gentler, more sustained energy boost. (source)

 

How to add espresso without caffeine

I love an alternative to this smoothie, with espresso OR a caffeine-free espresso replacement. It tastes so similar to coffee, but it’s just a medicinal tea that tastes like coffee. In fact, it’s my all-time favorite hot tea. I drink it every day.

To use this medicinal chicory tea as an espresso replacement, simply steep 4 TB of the tea blend in 1 quart of hot water. (Minimum 10 minutes, but I like to steep it overnight when I have the time.) Once you have that ready, you’re ready to make your smoothie. See notes below.

Does cacao heal the gut?

Another huge bonus to cacao is the fact that it’s loaded with fiber, which is so important for feeding out gut properly. (source) So yeah, pour me up a daily glass of kombucha and one of these amazing cacao smoothies often please. My gut says “thank you” every time.

 

Want to know more about gut-friendly drinks I love to make at home?

 

Here are some of our favorite kombucha flavors, complete with recipes for making them yourself.

And these are the best summer flavors for kombucha you’re making at home.

 

 

Cacao Smoothie Recipe

yield: this generous recipe makes 3 smoothies, because there are always a lot of folks in our house who want some whenever they hear my blender whipping up some of this amazing cacao smoothie.

CACAO SMOOTHIE INGREDIENTS

3 frozen bananas

2 scoops of chocolate protein powder

3 TB cacao powder

2 TB maple syrup or date syrup

1/2 cup spinach

3 cups milk

1/2 cup peanut butter

pinch of salt per serving

CACAO SMOOTHIE DIRECTIONS

Toss all ingredients in blender and mix.

Pour into 3 glasses and enjoy!

CACAO SMOOTHIES NOTES

• Feel free to substitute 6 extra TB of cacao powder in place of the chocolate protein powder if you don’t have any on hand.
• You can definitely substitute caffeine-free carob powder 1:1 for both the cacao powder and the chocolate protein powder.
• I haven’t bought peanut butter in years, since i figured out how to make my own peanut butter. It’s amazing in this cacao smoothie.
• Don’t settle for any old protein powder. Two ingredients you will find in almost every brand of protein powder but never in the only protein powder I use? Artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols. The first are chemicals added to make your drink sweet. And most brands add sugar alcohols because they aren’t completely absorbed in your intestines (which means there will be less calories in your drink), but if you eat too many you’ll get gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Check out 17 delicious ways I use protein powders. But try to use ones made with real food, and no junk.
• Other great things to add when I want to switch things up a little? Try tossing in some dates for added natural sweetness, or a double shot of espresso or espresso alternative–see below (and a 1/2 cup less of milk).
• Feel free to use milk substitutes in place of the milk, and almond butter in place of the peanut butter.
• Use Redmond Real Salt in this recipe and add more than 64 trace minerals to your recipe! Use code SOULYRESTED to save & stock up on some of this amazing salt today. I buy it in the bulk size because it stores so easily and keeps forever.

Print

Cacao smoothie

Servings 3 smoothies

Ingredients

• 3 frozen bananas
• 2 scoops of chocolate protein powder
• 3 TB cacao powder
• 2 TB maple syrup or date syrup
• 1/2 cup spinach
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• pinch of salt per serving

Instructions

• Toss all ingredients in blender and mix.

  Pour into 3 glasses and enjoy!

Notes

• Feel free to substitute 6 extra TB of cacao powder in place of the chocolate protein powder if you don't have any on hand.
• You can definitely substitute caffeine-free carob powder 1:1 for both the cacao powder and the chocolate protein powder.
• I haven't bought peanut butter in years, since i figured out how to make my own peanut butter. It's amazing in this cacao smoothie.
• Don't settle for any old protein powder. Two ingredients you will find in almost every brand of protein powder but never in the only protein powder I use? Artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols. The first are chemicals added to make your drink sweet. And most brands add sugar alcohols because they aren't completely absorbed in your intestines (which means there will be less calories in your drink), but if you eat too many you’ll get gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Just ingredients protein powders are only real food, and no junk.
• Other great things to add when I want to switch things up a little? Try tossing in some dates for added natural sweetness, or a double shot of espresso (and a 1/2 cup less of milk).
• Feel free to use milk substitutes in place of the milk and almond butter in place of the peanut butter.

Ingredients in my Cacao Smoothie

* Use code SOULYRESTED for 15% off your entire first order of $100 or more with Azure Standard, delivered to a drop near you.

The post Cacao Smoothie first appeared on Souly Rested.

Truthfully, it hadn’t occurred to me.

Honestly, I’m not really into traditional Dr Pepper. I’ve always been a coca cola girl. 

Heck, growing up some of the stories I remember my Dad retelling the most were about the days when he was a coca-cola delivery driver around the steep streets of Cumberland, Maryland.

But this homemade version of Dr Pepper? Oh. My. Word. Honestly, even my coke-devoted Dad would have loved this.

I’ve tried a lot of “healthy” sodas. I’ve made a ton of sodas. I’ve made soda-flavored kombuchas.

This Homemade Dr Pepper recipe takes the cake on all of them. It’s the best homemade/healthy soda I’ve ever had. Period.

In face, even my picky son-in-law (who will try all of my crazy concoctions but doesn’t usually like them) came back for a second cup of this homemade Dr Pepper. Incredible.

Homemade soda: Dr Pepper edition

There are lots of stories about the origin of Dr Pepper. The most circulated one is that an old-school pharmacist (you know, back when pharmacies used to also be soda fountains) simply mixed Coke and root beer and came up with Dr Pepper.

I don’t know if that story is true or not, but I tend to think maybe not. Dr Pepper seems to have it’s own, distinctive flavor. One of those distinctive flavors being cherry. My homemade Dr Pepper includes either dried or fresh/frozen cherries (your choice), which I personally think is what really takes it over the top, making it amazingly flavorful.

I love homemade coke and root beer, but I truly think this homemade Dr Pepper might be my new favorite homemade soda. It’s that good.

What’s in homemade Dr Pepper?

The ingredient list for homemade Dr Pepper looks rather long. But don’t let that intimidate you. They’re actually pretty simple ingredients that you can interchange if needed. And lots of the herbs/spices used can be found pretty easily. My favorite tea, herb, and adaptogen company sells most of the things you’ll need. We’ll talk about substitutions later on.

Homemade Dr pepper is made with herbs, spices, sweetener, and juice. This combo is really the jackpot of flavor combinations.

The ingredients are:

Cinnamon (for that little “kick”–I link the best option at the bottom of this article)

Nutmeg 

Cloves (for that rich warm-ness)

Cardamom

Anise

Ginger root (either fresh or dried works–I link the best dried option at the bottom of this article)

Pepper (for that dash of spiciness)

Cherries (fresh or dried, for that classic cherry flavor)

Coconut sugar (I link the best option at the bottom of this article, but you can use brown sugar too)

Vanilla & almond extract

Orange juice and lemon juice

See? it’s a long list but not a complicated list. And the homemade Dr Pepper is worth gathering up a few ingredients.

What’s wrong with regular Dr Pepper?

Although I think we all know by now that conventional soda isn’t a health food, let’s talk about a few of the reasons why avoiding “regular” Dr Pepper might be a good idea.

1. Super high sugar content. A 12 oz can has almost 40 grams of sugar. That’s almost twice what an adult female should consume per day! Not only is there tons of sugar in Dr Pepper, but it’s not real sugar, either. It’s high fructose corn syrup (best case), or artificial sweeteners in diet Dr Pepper. Safe to say that homemade Dr Pepper made with coconut sugar is much better for your body. Read more about the best sugars to use (and which ones to avoid) here.
2. Most conventional sodas also contain something called Phosphoric Acid. This is used as a acidic compound in sodas, but it also doubles as–get this–a rust remover/metal cleaner. It’s also used as chemical fertilizer. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather avoid drinking chemicals that double as rust removers, please. Phosphoric Acid is known to lower bone density and also erode tooth enamel. Go figure.
3. Caramel colorings. Almost all cola/soda contains caramel coloring, which doesn’t even impact the flavor, it’s simply for looks. It has been found to cause cancer in some animal studies. I’ll pass, thanks.
4. Artificial flavors–of all kinds. Unlike homemade Dr Pepper, the conventional kind isn’t made with real herbs and spices. It’s made with a nice chunk of artificial (and “natural”) flavors. Their blends of “natural” and artificial flavors don’t even have to be disclosed to us (the consumer), so we’re not even sure exactly what blend of chemicals we’re consuming when we crack open a “regular” Dr Pepper.

It’s safe to say that homemade Dr Pepper soda (made with real ingredients!) is much better for our bodies than “regular” Dr Pepper, which is loaded with corn syrup, artificial flavors, and caramel coloring.

How to make a homemade Dr Pepper syrup for soda

Making homemade Dr Pepper soda syrup is super easy.

Simply gather your ingredients (I source a lot of them from my favorite botanicals company), simmer the herbs and spices together in a saucepan with water, strain, sweeten, and you’re on your way to a delicious homemade Dr Pepper!

If you’re using dried ginger and cherries, it is possible to mix all of the herbs and spices together into a dry “Dr Pepper mix” and use as needed. You’d still want to add the extracts, sweetener, and lemon/orange juice when you actually make your syrup, but if you really love this soda and want to make it faster, try mixing up a big batch of the dry ingredients for later.

Tips for making Dr Pepper syrup

• You do want to make sure that you keep the lid on your pot while you’re simmering your syrup, or else too much moisture will evaporate, and you’ll have very little syrup left by the end. Keep your syrup simmering on med-low with the lid on, and you’ll wind up with perfect homemade Dr Pepper syrup every time.
• If you prefer to leave out the lemon juice at the end of the simmering, try adding lemon slices/rind to your syrup while it’s simmering instead.
• Store your finished syrup in the fridge. I like to throw it into a pint mason jar with a lid. If you’re not able to use all of the syrup up and you’re worried it might go bad, try freezing the syrup in portioned ice cube trays for later usage. Just add seltzer water!
• Play around with the ratios of spices you personally like best. If you like things “spicier” try upping the peppercorns and/or anise. Like things sweeter? Try adding more cherries, or even try adding other fruits like raspberries or strawberries. Make your Dr Pepper syrup your own!

How to make Dr Pepper from scratch

Making Dr Pepper from scratch is as simple as making sure you have all the ingredients. In fact, it’s even possible to grow some of your own ingredients for homemade sodas! I’m growing DIY coke ingredients in my medicinal drink garden this summer. How cool is that? Homemade, homegrown soda.

But I digress. You definitely don’t need to grow your own ingredients in order to enjoy a Dr Pepper made from scratch.

To make Dr Pepper from scratch:

1. Make your syrup
2. Add the syrup to a cup with ice
3. Pour in your sparkling water (either make your own with this handy soda machine or buy plain seltzer in cans)
4. Enjoy your Dr Pepper made from scratch

Is homemade soda healthier?

Making your own soda allows you complete control of what you’re drinking. Not only do you get the plus side of avoiding certain ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and caramel coloring, but you also get to add good stuff like coconut sugar (which has antioxidants) and real ginger root (anti-inflammatory).

Homemade sodas also allows you to avoid the microplastics inevitably in soda cans and bottles. Straight from the ingredients, to the syrup, to the glass. No microplastics needed. (Homemade sodas are also better for the environment, avoiding wasteful single-use containers!)

Store bought sodas also tend to have added caffeine which just feels… unnecessary. Homemade sodas are naturally caffeine-free, which means you don’t need to worry about jitters, caffeine crashes, or mood swings.

Not is homemade soda healthier, but some homemade sodas wind up being cheaper to make than they would be to buy in the store. Which is crazy, especially considering homemade sodas are medicinal, and store bought ones… aren’t. Especially if you’re using a soda water machine instead of buying cans of soda water all the time, you might actually save money making your own sodas.

Dr Pepper syrup recipe

This homemade Dr Pepper recipe is made by mixing up a batch of herbal ingredients, simmering those ingredients together with some water, and adding sweetener. Then you’ve had a homemade Dr Pepper syrup, which you can use several ways (see below).

Dr. Pepper syrup is made with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, anise, ginger root, black pepper, cherries, coconut sugar, vanilla & almond extract, orange juice and lemon juice.

I’ve gotten complaints that this recipe has too many ingredients in it, but the truth is that most of these things you probably have on hand. And anything you need to purchase will last a long time. Although there’s a long list of herbs and flavors in homemade Dr pepper syrup, there’s not a large amount of any of them.

How to use Dr Pepper syrup

You can use Dr pepper syrup in more ways than you think;

• add seltzer water to make Dr pepper soda
• add the Dr pepper syrup to a latte or iced coffee (just add a splash of the syrup to your coffee in place of sweetener)
• make Dr pepper floats with ice cream
• make homemade Dr Pepper ice cream (use my maple ice cream recipe, but substitute 1/2 cup Dr pepper syrup in place of the maple syrup. Yum!)
• turn your regular homemade Dr pepper into a “dirty” soda by adding a splash of cream and an extra splash of lemon juice, if desired
• make a Dr Pepper chocolate cake, adding the syrup either to the cake batter and/or the icing
• use the syrup to make a Dr Pepper milkshake–ice cream + syrup + milk
• as a sweet glaze on a ham roast

Homemade Dr Pepper Kombucha

Another benefit to homemade sodas is that you can actually RE-USE the ingredients! How cool is that. You don’t only get one batch of soda, but you can save the (strained) herbs and spices used to make your soda syrup, place them in a container in the fridge, and flavor kombucha second ferments all week long.

I use a few tablespoons of the Dr Pepper leftover ingredients per half gallon jar of kombucha, and it’s always super flavorful. Dr Pepper kombucha, anyone? Yes, please.

If you don’t want to make your own version of Dr Pepper kombucha (or even if you don’t feel like mixing or gathering up all the Dr Pepper soda syrup ingredients, you can use this pre-mixed Dr Pepper flavored tea instead.)

Homemade Dr Pepper kombucha is essentially a naturally fermented Dr Pepper soda. It’s one of my favorite kombucha flavors.

If you’d like to make naturally fermented teas and sodas but are intimidated by the process, I’ve written Kombucha Academy for folks just like you. Use the code “soulyrested” to start making kombucha at home, at a discount.

How to make Dr Pepper kombucha

1. Add 1-2 tablespoons of simmered soda syrup herbs and spices to a jar with 1st ferment kombucha
2. Allow to sit overnight or 12-24 hours for maximum flavor
3. Enjoy your naturally-fermented Dr Pepper kombucha!

Does homemade Dr pepper taste good?

Apparently folks have a LOT of opinions about homemade sodas.

Since this post went viral, I’ve found the self-righteous people (“why on earth would you drink SODA anyways?? I personally haven’t bought soda since 1975…”), the people who adore the Dr pepper recipe and say their family loves it (same!), the folks who try it and say “THAT doesn’t taste EXACTLY like Dr pepper!!,” and even the “why would I spend money on ingredients to make something that costs $3 at the store” peeps.

So, I’ve heard it all by now. And honestly? 

Homemade Dr pepper doesn’t taste exactly like the real thing. (Gasp!)

And the funny thing is, I never claimed it was an exact match.

All I said is that my family loves this recipe as a nutritious alternative to an otherwise overly-processed drink.

The truth is, homemade shouldn’t taste exactly like the “real” thing. (By the way, which one is actually more “real” anyways?) If my homemade, medicinal, nutritious Dr Pepper tasted exactly like the one out of the can? I’d be disappointed. So, no, this doesn’t taste EXACTLY like store bought Dr. Pepper. But I like it my way better.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

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Dr Pepper Recipe (homemade soda)

Ingredients

To simmer:

• 1½ cups water
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon chips (linked below)
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 whole star anise pod
• 1 tablespoon dried ginger root
• 1 tablespoon peppercorns
• 1/3 cup dried cherries OR 1 cup fresh/frozen cherries

After simmering:

• 3/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

• Simmer the spices and water in a covered saucepan for about 20 minutes on med-low.
• Strain the chunks out of the syrup, making sure to get all the syrup out of the cherries. Add the sugar while the syrup is still warm.
• Stir in the extracts and juices.
• Store syrup in a jar in the fridge for 2+ weeks.

To make a Dr Pepper soda:

• Add ¼ cup syrup to roughly 8 oz (or about 1 cup) seltzer water.*

Notes

*You can either use soda machine to make carbonated water for your Dr pepper, or you can purchase cans/bottles of plain seltzer to use instead.

Notes about this Dr. Pepper recipe

I started growing my own anise to use in this recipe and it works great. I dry the plant and use both the leaves and the tiny flowers. Both taste like licorice. Read more about what else I grow in my Medicinal Drink Garden.

Feel free to use fresh ginger root in place of the dried ginger, if you have it on hand. You’ll need about 3 TB of fresh.

You can choose an unflavored or (my preference) cherry seltzer water to make your glass of soda or I use this soda machine.

Some ingredients I use to make Dr. Pepper at home

* Use code SOULYRESTED for 15% off your entire first order of $100 or more with Azure Standard, delivered to a drop near you.

More like Dr Pepper Recipe–Homemade Soda:

• DIY Coke: yes, you can make your own delicious soda
• One Drink we Need to Ditch (podcast episode)
• Homemade Root Beer (with REAL ingredients)
• How to make tea blends
• Homemade chai latte: 3 easy ways

The post Dr Pepper recipe: Homemade soda first appeared on Souly Rested.

Given that Coke and root beer are probably the most popular soda flavors, I’m starting there.

But I’m not stopping there–no. The soda industry will hate to see me coming my the time I’m through developing delicious homemade soda recipes. Okay, they’ll never even know that little ole me was over here doing this, but hopefully YOU will & your family will love these.

To start, let’s talk about why we should be avoiding conventional sodas in the first place. I mean, they’re crisp, sweet, delicious perfection. What can be wrong? If you like artificial flavors, colors, and sugars in your drinks and don’t mind the havoc those ingredients are wreaking on your body, by all means, skip this post by.

Sidenote, to be totally transparent, I definitely enjoy my fake-sugar-fake-color-fake-flavored conventional sodas once in a great while. But these homemade ones have replaced the junk for me and they’re great when I’m craving a soda but don’t want the junk.

More of a Dr Pepper fan? Don’t miss my viral Dr Pepper recipe.

Why is homemade root beer better than store bought?

Store bought root beer is packed full of artificial sugars (hello high fructose corn syrup!), dyes, and flavors.

In fact, most of the soft drinks on the market today are essentially liquid cocaine. Scientific studies have shown that they induce cravings that are comparable to addictive drugs. (source) We dove deep into this in episode 11 of season 3 of the Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy podcast. 

But when you make your own root beer, not only can you control the amount and type of sweetener you’re using, but you can also completely control and customize the ingredients. For example, did you know that homemade Coke can be medicinal?

The same is true of homemade root beer. It contains real ingredients like sarsaparilla root (anti-inflammatory and naturally helps detox your body), licorice root (high in antioxidants), ginger root (good for managing blood sugar and cholesterol), and other beneficial ingredients.

Did you also know that unrefined sugars can be packed full of antioxidants and other beneficial things? Learn more about the best sugars to use.

So homemade root beer can be backed with beneficial ingredients, from the spices used to the sweetener you choose to use. The choice is clear–homemade root beer is SO much better than the fake store bought kind.

Root beer recipe with REAL ingredients

This root beer recipe comes with a few different options.

1. You can purchase an all-natural root beer syrup kit and use that to make your homemade root beer.
2. You can make your own root beer mix (recipe below).
3. You can order a root beer concentrate to use in place of a dry mix. (This is my least favorite option because you miss out on the benefits of the herbs and spices)

What ingredients are in homemade root beer?

Whether you’re using the root beer syrup kit or making your own, the ingredients are relatively the same and will have a similar outcome. The ingredients in this homemade root beer are:

• sarsaparilla root
• licorice root
• anise seed
• ginger root (either fresh or dried)
• clove
• allspice
• vanilla
• mint, optional

Technically you can substitute wintergreen for the anise and licorice root with a similar result. But I found wintergreen difficult to find, and the combination of anise and licorice create a similar flavor profile as wintergreen. (If I keep making my own root beer I just might have to invest in a wintergreen plant so I can harvest my own! I’m eyeing the wintergreen plants from this company.)

I still like to add a little mint in there to add a touch of the wintergreen-esque flavor. But since I don’t have wintergreen around, I just use any old mint I’m growing at the time. This one is orange mint, which adds a nice little “zesty-ness” to this root beer recipe.

Where do I get the ingredients to make root beer?

I’m currently starting my first ever Medicinal Drink Garden and hoping to soon grow every ingredient I need to make homemade sodas.

But, thankfully, you can source every single one of these ingredients from my all-time favorite food supplier. And you’ll save $30 off your first order of $100 or more with code SOULYRESTED. Go here to find a delivery location near you.

Is homemade root beer good?

I’m not going to tell you that homemade root beer (especially the kind made with real spices) tastes exactly like A&W or Barqs. But I will say, when the craving for a bubbly, sweet drink hits, this homemade root beer hits the spot.

I’m a huge fan of olipop soda knockoffs, and honestly that’s exactly what this tastes like, an olipop knockoff of name brand root beer.

A couple tips for making homemade soda taste amazing:

• Make sure it’s ice cold. Nobody likes a lukewarm soda, and using plenty of ice and making sure your seltzer water is crisp and cold will help your homemade root beer taste its best.
• Add enough sweetener to make it taste good. We all want to drink less sugar, but if you’re really craving a sweet, cold, crisp soda, a barely-sweetened one just might not hit the spot. Find the sweet (pun intended!) spot for you.
• Adjust the ingredients to suit your taste buds. More of an A&W root beet fan? Add some extra vanilla (or even a splash of cream!) to lighten it up and add that signature vanilla-y creaminess that A&W has. If you’re more of a Barq’s fan, you might want to add a bit more cloves or allspice for that signature dark, spicy flavor. Or sweeten your drinks with molasses to make them even richer.
• Try adding other flavorings, like citrus peels, fruit syrups, or peppercorns to adjust the flavor. Have fun with it!

How to make homemade root beer recipe

Making root beer is really simple. Basically you’ll mix up the ingredients into a root beer “mix” (or purchase a pre-mixed version).

Then you’ll simmer that mixture in water until it evaporates into a root beer syrup.

Then you simply strain and sweeten the syrup and mix it with sparkling water whenever the root beer craving strikes.

You can store the root beer concentrate syrup in a jar in the fridge for a couple weeks.

Bam–healthy, homemade root beer that tastes delicious.

In order to assemble your homemade root beer recipe, you’ll need some form of sparkling water or seltzer. I use this handy-dandy machine to make my sparkling water at home, but if you don’t have a machine any ole’ can or bottle of plain sparkling water will do the trick. I made soda for years before investing in seltzer water machine by keeping cans of plain seltzer on hand. Does the trick perfectly.

Old-fashioned root beer float recipe (with homemade root beer recipe!)

It’s hard to not love a good old root beer float, isn’t it? The sparkling, spicy goodness of the root beer combined with the sweet creaminess of the ice cream? Unreal. But when it’s made with this homemade root beer recipe, and homemade maple ice cream? It’s not only insanely delicious, it’s also, dare I say, healthy!

It’s still obviously a treat, but it’s packed with REAL ingredients that you can pronounce. Enjoying a root beer float knowing every single ingredient in the entire float is awesome. 

How to make a root beer float with homemade root beer recipe

• Homemade root beer (recipe below)
• Homemade maple ice cream (or any ice cream will work, but I’m partial to this one!)

Simply mix your root beer syrup with the sparkling water, as described below.

Add a scoop (or two) of ice cream on top, making sure you have enough room in your glass to allow for the fizz.

Enjoy your completely-from-scratch root beer float!

Are you team spoon or straw for your root beer floats? I tend to find I need one of each to fully enjoy mine.

Let’s talk about why we’re addicted to junky soda…

FAQ: your root beer recipe questions, answered

Is this recipe safe for kids?

Absolutely! In fact, all the same principals we talked above about above apply to kids, as well. It’s lower in sugar than the “real” thing and packed full of healthy (and tasty!) spices. They’ll love this sweet, sparkly homemade root beer!

How do I make this without a sparkling water machine?

Although I love my sparkling water machine, it’s easy to make homemade root beer without one. Simply purchase canes (or bottles) of plain seltzer water, and use them as needed to make your root beer!

Can I substitute ingredients if I can’t find one?

You certainly can. I can’t guarantee the end result will taste exactly the same unless the recipe is followed as written, but, who knows–maybe you’ll come up with a homemade soda you’ll love even more than the original!

Can I ferment this recipe for natural bubbles?

Definitely. In fact, I’ve even made all-natural root beer kombucha before! It’s tasty, but I will warn you that the kombucha overpowers the root beer flavors just a bit and still tastes like, well, kombucha. That’s why I tend to just use sparkling water when I’m craving that “real” soda flavor. But play around with what you like and let me know what you try in the comments!

If you want to know more about kombucha, find out How to Make Kombucha with a SCOBY.

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Root Beer Recipe (real ingredients!)

Servings 8 cups root beer

Ingredients

For homemade root beer mix*

• 2 tablespoons dried sarsaparilla root
• 1 tablespoon licorice root
• 2 teaspoons anise seed
• 2 teaspoons dried ginger root
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 2 sprigs fresh mint* optional
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-1.5 cups coconut sugar or brown sugar

For homemade root beer

• 1/4-1/3 cup root beer syrup concentrate
• 1 cup sparkling water

Instructions

For the Root Beer Syrup

• In a saucepan, combine either 1/3 cup of THIS root beer mix, OR entire mixture listed above (minus the vanilla and sugar) with 4 cups of water.
• Bring to a boil, than reduce heat to simmer. Allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the water has been reduced to roughly half.
• Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, add sweetener, and store in a jar. If using homemade root beer mix, add the vanilla extract now.

To Make Root Beer Soda

• Combine 1/4-1/3 cup root beer syrup with about 1 cup cold sparkling water (I make my own with this fancy machine). Adjust the syrup-sparkling water ratio to suit your taste. Add ice and enjoy.

Notes

*OR substitute for pre-mixed Root Beer kit. Use code "soulyrested"

I like to add fresh mint to my root beer syrup whether I'm using a homemade or bought mix. It adds a touch of extra flavor that I enjoy. I usually just use peppermint or spearmint, but any type of mint will do.

My favorite way to "jazz" this homemade root beer up is to finish each cup with a splash of lemon juice and a dallop of vanilla bean paste.

More like root beer recipe (with real ingredients!):

• DIY coke… yes you can make your own homemade soda!
• Lipton tea knockoff recipe
• Homemade chai latte: 3 easy ways
• Make Kombucha
• Dr Pepper recipe: homemade soda
• One Drink we Need to Ditch (podcast episode)

The post Root Beer Recipe (with real ingredients!) first appeared on Souly Rested.

Copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball

INGREDIENTS for Medicine Ball

16 oz hot water

1 TB Lemon Pound Cake

1 TB mint

1 tsp lemon balm 

1/4 tsp stevia leaves

1-2 tsp local honey or wood-fired maple syrup (save with code SOULYRESTED)

DIRECTIONS for Medicine Ball

• Steep all ingredients, except honey, in water for at least 3 minutes, using a tea strainer like the one linked at the end of this article.
• Remove tea strainer and stir in honey.

NOTES for making a Medicine Ball

Another great tea to use for the base of this recipe is Peach Oolong . Substitute for Lemon Pound Cake for a slightly different taste profile.

Print

Copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball

Ingredients

• 2 cups hot water
• 1 tbsp Lemon Pound Cake tea
• 1 tbsp dried mint leaves
• 1 tsp dried lemon balm leaves
• 1/4 tsp stevia leaves
• 2 tsp honey or maple syrup

Instructions

• Steep all ingredients, except honey, in water for at least 3 minutes, using a tea strainer like the one linked at the end of this article.
• Remove tea strainer and stir in your choice of sweetener.

Notes

Another great tea to use for the base of this recipe is Peach Oolong . Substitute for Lemon Pound Cake for a slightly different taste profile.

The post Copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea first appeared on Souly Rested.

You’re wondering how to make tea blends, and I’m here to tell you it’s easier than you think.

I’m a pretty simple gal. But I guess I might be… just kinda… a little bit of a tea snob. In fact, even my “coffee” is tea.

Making your own tea blends

I wasn’t always this crazy lady… over here blending up new teas all the time.

In fact, concocting my own teas was something that seemed way too complicated to me… in fact, I didn’t even know it was possible.

But over the years, I would find many different teas that I really loved except for one little thing… too much cinnamon or not enough mint… that sort of thing. I finally got up the courage to see if this was something I could do myself.

I started making my own tea blends by trying to recreate teas. Then I did a really crazy thing and tried to make my own organic blend that tastes like Bill’s favorite tea bags that I knew were bleached bags holding pesticide-laden tea.

Spoiler alert: I succeeded! I tell you how in this video:

Once I gained some confidence (getting your husband to replace a life-long tea habit for your knockoff recipe will do that to a girl), I realized that the most fun thing about the process was actually creating my own blends, from scratch.

Giving homemade tea blends as a gift

I also learned that friends were fascinated with my tea blends (I think they actually think I have a super power), so I started gifting away my tea blends. It turns out that gifting homemade teas is a simple thing that makes a friend feel very pampered and loved. It’s a win-win.

Add a jar of simple syrup and your friends will start asking you where you hide your super hero cape. I explain the easiest way to make simple syrups here. And I created a gift tag for you to add to your simple syrups here.

If you’d like a homemade holiday-themed tea blend that’s perfect for gift giving, you need this recipe: Make the Best Christmas Tea 

So let’s start building up your tea-blending super powers, shall we?

What is the process of tea blending?

While there are tons of methods you can follow to make your tea blends, I like to keep things simple and follow this formula, choosing something that falls into each category.

1. Base — This is what “holds” your blend together, flavor wise. The base tea is often a black, green, herbal, oolong, or rooibos tea. If you want to add caffeine, or intentionally keep the caffeine level moderate, or make your blend caffeine-free, this is where you need to keep that in mind.
2. Support — This part of your blend will enhance the base and develop the flavor of your tea, but it’s usually not the most flavorful part of your blend. Bonus if you add in functional herbs here, because they can act like an additional base and also help to support you as well. Just a few favorites are cinnamon “chips” (these are broken, hard pieces of a cinnamon stick, not the processed cinnamon flavored baking chips), chamomile, mint, and basil.
3. Accent — This is where you add in some extra fun and flavor, usually a spice or fruit or something to carry the top notes of the blend that is distinct enough to taste it over your base. Cinnamon, dried fruit, cacao nibs, etc.
4. Visual — This category is one I often skip, but it’s fun to think about adding, especially if you’re making tea blends as gifts. You can add things like blue cornflower, safflowers and other little pops of color to make your blend extra pretty (you don’t want the visuals to add to flavor most of the time).

A simple formula for creating tea blends

Once you’ve chosen your ingredients, the next step is to decide how much you want of each item.

Essentially, there are 3 parts to a good tea blend:

1. The Base: Mix your base item and support item in a 3-to-1 ratio. (So add 1 tsp of support for every 3 tsp of base.)
2. The Accent: Add in your accent item in a 6-to-1 ratio to the base item. (So add 1/2 tsp of an accent item for every 3 tsp of base.)
3. The Visual Element: This one is optional, but if you’re adding a visual element (again, totally optional), add that in in a 12-to-1 ratio. (So add 1/4 tsp of visual element for every 3 tsp of base.)

Of course, these ratios certainly aren’t set in stone, feel free to play around these general guidelines and make teas that taste best to you.

How do you make tea at home?

In addition to following the simple 3-step formula above, there is an important tip to keep in mind as you start mixing your own tea blends.

My biggest tip when you’re just starting out creating tea blends? Start really small.

You don’t want to waste the ingredients if a blend doesn’t taste how you had hoped. There’s nothing worse than your vision for a delicious tea blend not being fulfilled AND wasting tons of ingredients!

When I’m building a new blend, I start with 1-2 spoonfuls of loose leaf tea as the base, just barely enough to steep one mug and taste it.

 

But… can I really make my own teas?

Yes, anyone can make their own tea blends. And because you’re the one tweaking every little detail of each blend, the tea will genuinely taste better to you than any tea you could buy. Bonus: you’ll know everthing about every ingredient that you’re steeping in you hot water.

 

To help you further, I’ll break down some of my favorite teas, herbs, flavors, and adaptogens that I personally like to use.

 

 

 

 

What teas mix well together?

The fact is, you don’t have to only use teas to make your own tea blends. There are so many medicinal ingredients, adaptogens, and even herbs and spices, that are great additions to homemade tea blends. Here are just a few ideas to inspire you…

-These tea ingredients are medicinal and flavorful:

Chicory (makes a tea that tastes like coffee), licorice, and ginger are three of my favorites.

-These are nice visual items for homemade tea blends:

Blue cornflower, safflowers, and calendula.

 

How to choose a flavor profile when you make your own teas

First of all, you want to decide what flavor profiles you enjoy… Is a smooth taste your jam, or maybe spicy? Fruity, floral, or herby? Maybe you’re a mint girl, or a chamomile fan?

Once you’ve decided what flavor profile you want, build your tea blend using the flavors that make sense.

Some examples to get you started:

• If you like a fruity tea: Great ingredients are dehydrated orange peels, apple pieces, or blueberries.
• If you prefer a spicy tea: I love dried ginger, cardamom, or cinnamon chips.
• If you enjoy a subtle herbal tea: Great choices here are chamomile, sage, tulsi basil, and echinacea
• If you like floral teas: Some favorite floral choices for tea blends are lavender, calendula, and rose.
• If you’re a mint tea kind of person: This organic mint is amazing. And there are SO many delicious (all subtly different) varieties of mint available if you can grow your own. My personal favorites are chocolate mint, orange mint, and apple mint.

Select the ingredients you want to try, and make sure they’re organic (you really don’t want to go to all this effort of making teas and then soak pesticides in your cup of hot water… ick!). If you’re growing some ingredients yourself, you can definitely make your tea from fresh ingredients, but I love the convenience of drying my ingredients so I can make large batches of my favorite teas, to have on hand all year round. Here are a few examples:

Dehydrated dandelion flowers… how I dehydrate them & why

Yarrow and elderflower tea… how I forage for the flowers & dehydrate them

Dehydrating Academy will make you an overnight expert. Use code SOULYRESTED to save $$

Some of my favorite things for homemade tea blends

 

More about how to make your own teas:

• A tea blend that tastes better than Lipton
• Healthy hot chocolate mix recipe
• DIY coke blend recipe
• Homemade healthy tea that tastes like coffee
• Yarrow and elderflower tea

 

The post How to make tea blends first appeared on Souly Rested.

I was hesitant that this would work… could I actually make a great tasting latte without any coffee, espresso, or refined sugar? And could I also add in adaptogens and colostrum and still create a latte I love?

I can answer that now with a resounding “Heck YES!” For all the details on how I chose the specific ingredients (and discount codes!) I shared all those details in this article I just emailed to my Insiders. I’d love to add you to my email list, btw, for the recipe and real food encouragement I send out a few times a month. Go here & I’ll send over my pantry checklist & 5 favorite recipes too.

A delicious sugar free latte?

It was a challenge, but when there’s a chance to improve a snack or drink that I love, I am here for it.

There’s my DIY Coke.

And my copycat Crumbl cookie.

And let’s not forget my copycat Lipton tea & my tea that tastes like coffee.

And today I am elated to add this latte with no caffeine and no refined sugar to my list.

How to take the caffeine out of your latte

The real star of this latte is the espresso replacement. It tastes so similar to coffee, but it’s just a medicinal tea that tastes like coffee. In fact, it’s my all-time favorite hot tea. I drink it every day.

To use this medicinal chicory tea as an espresso replacement, simply steep 4 TB of the tea blend in 1 quart of hot water. (Minimum 10 minutes, but I like to steep it overnight when I have the time.) Once you have that ready, you’re ready to make your latte.

How to take the refined sugar out of your latte

Yes, this latte does have an all-natural, complex sweetener. So officially I should call it a refined-sugar-free latte, but that’s a tongue twister. And, as a sugarmaker and the author of Sweet Maple, I’m here to tell you that complex REAL sugar is always a good choice, in moderation of course.

Go here for my complete guide to choosing a good sugar.

While maple syrup is my favorite complex sweetener for this recipe, another good choice would be date syrup, another complex liquid sugar.

Make a Refined Sugar Free Latte

Ingredients for an adaptogen latte

3/4 cup chicory concentrate (see notes, below, to make & use code SOULYRESTED)

1/2 tsp maca root (use code SOULYRESTED)

1/4-1/2 tsp ashwagandha (use code SOULYRESTED)

1/2 tsp lions mane (optional)

1 TB colostrumOR 1 scoop of this combo

1-2 TB maple syrup

1 1/2 cups milk

ice to fill glass

Directions for making a sugar free latte

1. Brew your chicory concentrate for at least 1 hour for maximum medicinal benefits, and so it’s not hot when making your latte. (Or cold brew your chicory concentrate overnight).
2. Pour 3/4 cup chicory concentrate into glass.
3. Add the maca, lions mane, and colostrum and blend well. I use a hand-held frother.
4. Add maple syrup, milk, and ice.

Notes about this adaptogen latte

• Use this medicinal chicory tea as an espresso replacement: steep 4 TB of the tea blend in 1 quart of hot water. (Minimum 10 minutes, but I like to steep it overnight when I have the time.)
• Read why I chose each ingredient here.
• Ashwagandha can taste pretty strong, so you may want to start with the lower amount and work your way up to see what tastes best to you. I will use 1/2 tsp of ashwagandha.
• The maca root powder I link to in this article is a gelatinized powder, which is better for hot drinks, especially when compared to raw powder, because the gelatinization process breaks down the starch in the powder, and it’s easier to mix with hot liquids; this also usually results in a smoother taste with less bitterness. 
• I personally don’t purchase raw maca root powder. It’s complex starches are almost impossible for our digestive systems to break down. Raw maca also has a high water content, which dilutes the concentration of nutrients in comparison to cooked maca. Then this moisture in the powder can be a breeding ground for bad bacteria to grow. So I stick with gelantinized.
• Some of the biggest brands on amazon that sell adaptogens like maca root and lions mane have been exposed for not being what they claim. And worse, some have failed their bacteria/mold contamination tests, yet somehow they are still being bought and sold daily. So I stick with a source I know I can rely on. Find out more about Azure Standard here & here, in this summary of my talk with David Seltzer, the CEO of Azure, on my podcast.
• Turn this into a delicious mocha latte by simply adding 1/2 tsp cacao powder with your adaptogens.
• Turn this into a yummy hot latte by mixing your adaptogens into the cold chicory tea blend with a hand frother like this then adding in maple syrup and warm milk.
• OR another option for a hot latte: Steep 1 TB chicory in 1/2 cup hot water. Mix all medicinal ingredients into 1/4 cup cold milk, using a frother, then top that with the warm chicory tea and the rest of the milk, that you warmed. Either of these options will keep your colostrum below 145 degrees which maintains all its medicinal properties.
• Why do I prefer this amazing combo over straight-up colostrum? Together, they’re a dynamic duo. Especially if you’re a woman who wants to age with grace. Starting in your twenties, your body starts losing collagen. About 1% per year. By the time you hit 30? You’re already lost 10% (incoming: good news!) Collagen is literally the blocks holding your skin, joints, hair, and nails together. Less collagen = more fine lines, achy joints, and that “why does my hair feel thinner?” moment in the mirror. While collagen rebuilds structure, colostrum supports your gut lining, immune function, and helps your body actually absorb all the good stuff you’re putting in it (like that collagen!) It’s the foundation that makes everything else work better. The bottom line? I want to get both daily and this one amazing option does it all.

But why avoid coffee?

I’ve been an avid tea drinker for a long time. And then when I discovered I liked coffee, I still tried to limit my coffee intake because I was getting headaches and some dizziness when I had too much coffee in a day–but I loved the taste of coffee! So that’s why I turned to coffee alternatives, like this drink.

–> However, it turns out the headaches I was getting were from using poor quality coffee. Who knew that coffee is the most heavily chemically treated crop in the world? Unless you’re purchasing organic coffee, you’re likely drinking lots of pesticides with your daily cup of joe. I think those pesticides were the reason I was getting coffee headaches. So now I use this stuff and–boom–no more headaches. I still love my coffee alternatives, but I enjoy a “real” latte made with high-quality coffee, too.

Did you also know that coffee naturally grows in shade, but most commercial coffee farms force it to grow in sun? Shade-grown coffee not only tastes better, but is so much better for the soil. Plus, this coffee I’ve come to love is also tested for mold, so you won’t be getting any mold OR pesticides in your coffee or lattes. It’s also low-acid which makes it better for your teeth and mouth microbiome, as well.

If you want to make the switch to regeneratively-shade-grown, low-acid organic, mold-free coffee, use the code “soulyrested” to save some cash.

Print

Sugar Free Latte

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup chicory concentrate see notes
• 1/2 tsp maca root
• 1/4-1/2 tsp ashwagandha
• 1/2 tsp lions mane (optional)
• 1 TB colostrum
• 1-2 TB maple syrup
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• ice to fill glass

Instructions

• Brew your chicory concentrate for at least 1 hour for maximum medicinal benefits, and so it's not hot when making your latte. (Or cold brew your chicory concentrate overnight).
• Pour 3/4 cup chicory concentrate into glass.
• Add the maca, lions mane, and colostrum and blend well. I use a hand-held frother.
• Add maple syrup, milk, and ice.

Notes

• Use chicory (or this medicinal chicory tea) as an espresso replacement: steep 4 TB of the tea blend (or just chicory) in 1 quart of hot water. (Minimum 10 minutes, but I like to steep it overnight when I have the time.)
• The maca root powder I link to in this article is a gelatinized powder, which is better for hot drinks, especially when compared to raw powder, because the gelatinization process breaks down the starch in the powder, and it's easier to mix with hot liquids; this also usually results in a smoother taste with less bitterness. 
• I personally don't purchase raw maca root powder. It's complex starches are almost impossible for our digestive systems to break down. Raw maca also has a high water content, which dilutes the concentration of nutrients in comparison to cooked maca. Then this moisture in the powder can be a breeding ground for bad bacteria to grow. So I stick with gelantinized.
• Some of the biggest brands on amazon that sell adaptogens like maca root and lions mane have been exposed for not being what they claim. And worse, some have failed their bacteria/mold contamination tests, yet somehow they are still being bought and sold daily. So I stick with a source I know I can rely on. Find out more about Azure Standard here & here, in this summary of my talk with David Seltzer, the CEO of Azure, on my podcast.
• Turn this into a delicious mocha latte by simply adding 1/2 tsp cacao powder with your adaptogens.

Why use these add ins?

maca root powder

When I use maca root powder I notice I’m able to focus better and work right through what was an afternoon slump, before I drank the maca root. But there are lots more reasons to love maca root powder here.

ashwagandha

I’ve been using ashwagandha for years to help with menopause hot flashes and bonus it helps me feel less stressed/anxious and helps me sleep better too. But here are more reasons to love this amazing root.

lion’s mane

I added lions mane to this recipe for my Son-In-Law. He was cutting out energy drinks and high amounts of caffeine he had been drinking and was looking to replace his drink obsession by buying a fancy mushroom drink that was made from lions mane. I told him to let me make him a caffeine free, sugar free latte that I think would fit the bill for him, without having to buy any fancy drink packs. He was an instant fan of this delicious latte. And when I read the great reasons to love lions mane here, I decided it would become a set ingredient in my recipe.

colostrum

Because, as a woman in my 50s I’m facing some of these issues that colostrum can help with, and because it’s so good for us (source), I knew I wanted colostrum in this latte. This is the only one I use. I respect this company so much, I asked them for a savings for my friends, so be sure to use code SOULYRESTED and save a nice 15% all the time. If you want the dynamic duo combo of colostrum & collagen (see “notes” above) you want this amazingness.

Some products I use to make this delicious Sugar Free Latte

Make more drinks like this sugar free iced latte:

Make this tea blend that tastes like coffee as your espresso alternative for this latte

Make a Delicious Protein Latte

Homemade Chai Latte

High Protein Peppermint Mocha Latte

How to Make Tea Blends that you’ll love

The post A Delicious Sugar Free Latte made with adaptogens first appeared on Souly Rested.

SCROLL DOWN to see the 16 medicinal plants I grew this year. And stock up on seeds from my favorite source: True Leaf Market (In fact, here are all the things I stock up on.)

I was even nationally recognized for the fact that I grow a coffee substitute in my New England garden. Read the article & watch the video of me harvesting my chicory in my New England garden right here.

After making a few original tea blends that I love–like my tea that tastes like coffee that the national news outlet wrote about last fall and this Lipton knockoff–I figured out a recipe for making a delicious DIY soda too.

Huge bonus: I even grow some of the herbs and other ingredients I need for making these delicious drinks.

Can you grow your own herbs for tea?

Absolutely! There are so many herbs you can easily grow for making your own delicious, organic tea blends. I grow a large number of mints, lemon balm, tulsi basil, lavender, and rosemary. Herbs are so easy to grow, so easy to dry, and so easy to keep for years.

Mixing herbs, flowers, and other adaptogens in unique combinations to make my own tea blends is a delicious hobby that gets more fun every year as I grow more and more herbs for tea.

I’m writing this on a cold snowy Saturday in January and while summer seems far away, as I sit here in front of the warm fireplace with my seed packets strung out all over the carpet and my wish lists getting longer, out of nowhere the idea hit me…

I grow so much of my own food but why don’t I grow more of my own teas and other drinks?

First, of course, I thought of some more tea ingredients I would love to grow myself. I make a lot of homemade tea blends, and I currently grow a lot of mint, some ingredients for making our favorite flavors of kombucha, and chicory, for making tea that tastes like coffee. (This is the variety of chicory I grow to harvest the roots to make a coffee substitute.)

But sitting there cross-legged in front of the wood stove, with the (spoiled) barn cat and piles of seed packets around me, I realized I’d never once thought about trying to grow the ingredients for my DIY soda.

So I’m planning a garden of herbs for tea and soda.

I’m sure you know the old saying… If you learn how to make your own soda, you’re gonna want a garden to go with it… or, something like that…

So I pulled open my DIY Coke recipe to peruse the ingredient list:

• maple syrup
• lemon juice
• lavender
• anise (well, officially anise extract )
• ginger
• 1 TB vanilla extract
• vinegar
• cinnamon
• nutmeg

Those first two ingredients I already grow myself! We’ve been making our own maple syrup for a decade now, and I’ve had my lemon tree that Bill helps me cart outside in the spring and back indoors in the fall (it’s gotten challenging now that it’s grown so much!) for almost as long.

I moved to the bottom of the ingredient list the 4 things that I will never be able to grow myself, here on our New England farm, but I was really excited to realize there are 3 other things, on the middle of my list, that I definitely can grow myself.

What I’m planting to grow ingredients for soda

I immediately started a new list of seeds to order. Here’s my list of seeds and plants I’ve ordered to make my Soda Garden…

• lavender,
• anise, and
• ginger.

I’ve grown lavender many years, so that is a no brainer to me. But the other two are new to me.

Officially I won’t be adding anise seeds directly to my soda, but making an anise extract. Making extracts is something I am familiar with, so I knew that would be easy when the time comes. (See my mint extract recipe here. It’s the same idea.)

A garden of herbs for tea & other drinks

I got pretty excited thinking about this new garden (up until now I’ve grown a lot of my herbs in pots or in random sections of my vegetable gardens) and I realized, as I added more great new-to-me plants to my list, it’s going to be a garden to feed my passion for healthy drinks. But a “Garden for Making Healthy Drinks” doesn’t really have a nice ring to it… so the verdict is still out what I’m going to call this garden.

Reply and tell me your ideas!  Every great garden needs a name.

In the end, after I cleaned up all my garden seed packets, put the cat back in the barn, and stocked the fire a few times, I have a finalized list of all the seeds and plants I’ve ordered for this unnamed Garden of Healthy Drinks. All but one are from an amazing seed company. I love this company so much I asked them if they’d give my readers a discount.

Use the exclusive code you’ll find when you click over and save on any seed or plant orders from Territorial Seed Company.

The 16 ingredients in my garden (& their benefits)

1. Lavender (Lavandula x intermedia) Lavender tea is a soothing and calming drink that gives a nice floral note to a blend that includes other herbs (by itself it tastes kinda soapy if you ask me) and it’s an important ingredient in my DIY Coke recipe. Read about the benefits of lavender tea here and listen to this podcast episode I recorded with a lavender farmer and this episode where the lavender farmer answers all your questions.
2. Blue hyssop (Agastache rugosa ) Also called “Korean mint,” this gem, is in the mint and basil family. The leaves offer a smooth, sweet licorice taste to your tea blends. Read about the benefits of blue hyssop here.
3. Ginger… You can plant a piece of plain old ginger from the grocery store and grow lots more, so I plan on trying this. I know it needs warmth, so I’ll plant a big piece of giner in a pot that I can easily bring inside during the winter months. When the root is ready to harvest, I’ll slice it and dehydrate it, dice it into chunks, and use it in my DIY Coke and my Ginger Peach tea blend.
4. Tulsi basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) This variety of basil has a very subtle minty flavor, but it’s so subtle that this pairs nicely in almost any and all tea blends, so I am often tossing some tulsi basil in my steeper. And why not? Take a look at the benefits of tulsi basil!
5. Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) In the mint family, lemon balm makes a delicious tea. And all the benefits of lemon balm will blow you away.
6. Ginger mint (Mentha x gracilis) This variety of mint is not only delicious in teas but it’s so pretty and aromatic in the garden too, with pinkish stems and golden-streaked, tooth-edged leaves. Read more about the benefits of ginger mint tea here.
7. Mojito mint (Mentha x villosa ) While it’s named for the alcoholic drink that it’s perfect for, I grow this particular variety of mint for flavoring my non-alcoholic kombucha. Strawberry Mojito Kombucha is one of my all-time favorites. And all varieties of mint pack a big punch of benefits–read here.
8. Orange mint (Mentha citrata) This wonderfully citrus-y mint is my all-time favorite mint to sip as a warm cup of tea. Just steep the leaves in hot water and mmmmm. If I have some dried cherries on hand, I’ll steep a few of those in with the leaves and wow… so good.
9. Chocolate mint (Mentha × piperita f. citrata) This mint variety is my favorite for making mint chocolate smoothies or mint chocolate chip ice cream.
10. A yerba mate plant (Ilex paraguariensis) Tea is made from the dried leaves and stems of the plant that offer numerous benefits. But I’m new to growing this and hope it overwinters inside–here in New England–well. 
11. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) Lemongrass tea has a refreshingly sweet citrus flavor (it’s pretty popular with herbal tea enthusiasts), made from both the leaves and stalks of the lemongrass plant. Read more about the benefits of lemongrass here.
12. Echinacea (Echinachea purpurea ) These beautiful flowers are not the only part of this medicinal plant that makes a wonderful addition to tea. The stems and leaves do as well. Read the benefits of echinacea here.
13. Calendula (Calendula officinalis) I love this particular calendula. While I’ll just be using the flowers for teas, the leaves are great for making an extract. Read about the benefits of calendula here.
14. Turmeric (Curcuma longa ) The spicy, earthy flavor of turmeric pairs nicely with many ginger, green, black, and chai tea blends. Read here the benefits of turmeric in your tea if you also add a little pepper.
15. Chicory (Cichorium intybus) Chicory makes me happy. I’ve been growing it for 4 years and love the fact that I can (kinda) grow my own coffee. You see I harvest the roots, dehydrate and roast them, then grind them up to steep in hot water as a delicious tea that tastes like coffee (recipe here). Read about the numerous benefits of chicory here.
16. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) This plant is another one I’m familiar with. I experimented with growing 2 plants last year and I was so pleased with the big roots that I harvested and roasted to make a medicinal powder that I add to my healthy hot chocolate mix. Read about the benefits of ashwagandha here.

Stay tuned. I’ll be updating you on my garden and all the yummy things I’ll be making from its harvest.

Follow on instagram and you can join me in the garden often, every summer.

Listen in to my updates on this year’s garden–my failures and what I’d do differently–on this episode of the Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy podcast: Crazy Things I Grew This Summer.

Gardening tools you might want if you’re growing herbs for tea

More like Growing Herbs for Tea & Medicinal Drinks

Sunflowers in the garden–a secret you need to know

My chat with the lavender farmer (listen to the podcast episode)

A lavender farmer explains why you need this herb in your life (watch on youtube)

5 best all-natural drinks when you’re sick

How to Make Tea Blends that you’ll love

The post The Ultimate Guide to Herbs for Tea first appeared on Souly Rested.

All kinds of tea. But chai lattes have a special place in my life. So much so that I make them several different ways, depending on what mood I’m in and how much time I have. These 3 different ways to make a homemade chai latte are all so simple and easy you’ll wonder why you ever spent $7 for a chai latte at the coffee shop.

So let’s make chai.

What kinds of milk can I use to make a chai latte?

Traditional chai is made with whole cow’s milk, and that’s my go-to. Full-fat cow’s milk offers a really rich, creamy, authentic taste. Although whole milk is ideal, other milks can definitely be used to make a good chai latte. There are lots of milks that can be used to make a delicious chai latte at home;

1. Whole cow’s milk. Ideally, authentic chai is made with full-fat cow’s milk for a creamy, rich flavor.
2. Low-fat cow’s milks. While it’s not traditional and obviously won’t be as creamy, lower fat milks can be used to make good chai lattes.
3. Soy milk is a good dairy-free option for a creamy chai latte. I’m told it also mixes really well with the spices of the chai without overpowering the flavor.
4. Oat milk has a rich, creamy flavor similar to whole cow’s milk that pairs really well with the rich chai spices.
5. Coconut milk has a sweet, coconut flavor that makes for a sweeter, subtly coconut-y chai latte.

How to make a good chai latte at home

Good chai all starts with good tea. In fact, for all 3 of the ways I’m going to show you, I highly recommend using a homemade loose leaf tea blend. You can find my recipe for my favorite chia tea blend here.

Even if you don’t want to make your own tea blend, ideally you should still use a loose leaf tea blend to be able to extract as much flavor from the tea and spices as possible. Pre-bagged tea blends just don’t quite have the same level of flavor and “umph” as loose leaf tea. My two favorite pre-mixed loose leaf chai tea blends are this one (economical bulk size), and this one (maple chai).

If you are using loose leaf tea (you are using loose leaf tea, right? Read why loose leaf tea is better than tea bags here), an easy way to ruin your chai latte experience is by not straining your tea well, leaving behind chunks that will inevitably ruin your day when you drink them. An easy way to avoid this is by using a fine mesh strainer to carefully strain your chai, or using a special fancy tea steeper like this one to strain the chai through (use code SOULYRESTED to save 10%).

My final tip for really yummy homemade chai lattes is to not be scared of really boiling your chai to get as much flavor as possible out of your tea and spices. Some people say your tea will get bitter if it boils or steeps too long, but I’ve just never had that issue. For the most part, the longer I’m able to steep my chai the more flavorful my latte is.

Tips for making a flavorful chai latte

There’s not much worse that looking forward to a strong, flavorful, rich and creamy chai latte and instead getting a weak, watery, not-very-flavorful chai instead. There are a few simple tips you can use to keep that from happening and instead make the best homemade chai ever.

To summarize, here are my top tips for making the best homemade chai latte, ever:

• Use a high-quality loose leaf tea, not tea bags. This will give you more flavorful chai.
• Make sure to strain your tea well, using a loose leaf tea steeper or a fine mesh strainer. Nobody likes a chunky chai latte, amiright?
• Don’t be afraid to boil your chai or steep it longer. Your tea won’t get bitter it will only get more flavorful.

Homemade chai latte technique #1 (chai concentrate)

Let’s talk about how to actually make chai. The first way, and my personal favorite when I have time and fridge space is to make a chai concentrate. This allows the tea to steep longer, creating a more flavorful and robust end result. This way I can have concentrate on hand for whenever the chai latte craving strikes. To make a latte you simply grab the concentrate from the fridge, mix it 50/50 with water, sweeten, and either heat it up or add ice. Easy-peasy.

Find my full recipe for how to make chai concentrate here.

Homemade chai latte technique #2 (single stovetop latte)

When I don’t have concentrate made and I still want a rich, flavorful chai latte and have 10+ minutes to make it, this is what I do.

1. In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup of water with 1 heaping tablespoon of your loose leaf chai tea blend. Let that come to a rapid boil, then turn it down and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes.
2. Slowly add 1 cup of whole milk, turn up the heat and bring back to a rapid boil, then remove from the heat and let sit steeping for another 5-6 minutes.
3. If you want a hot latte, reheat the chai after it’s done sitting. If you want iced, strain the tea from the chai, pour over ice, sweeten, and enjoy.
4. Kick back and enjoy your homemade chai latte.

Homemade chai latte technique #3 (the lazy chai latte)

Admittedly, this way of making chai is not only the laziest, but the least flavorful. It’s still delicious, but will give you less of that rich-and-creamy traditional latte flavor, but will allow you to be drinking a cozy chai drink in 3 minutes flat with no preparation at all.

1. In a mug with a loose leaf tea strainer, steep 1 tablespoon of chai tea blend, pouring boiling water into your mug until it’s about 3/4 (or a little more) of the way full.
2. Let that steep for about 3 minutes, then remove the tea strainer.
3. Add milk until it fills up your mug, sweeten, and enjoy.

How to switch up a homemade chai latte

Although chai is great, sometimes you just want something different. With that in mind, here are lots of ways to switch up “normal” chai.

Add vanilla or maple extract for a different flavor.

Add a shot (or two) of espresso. Or add a strong shot of chicory (espresso alternative) that’s also caffeine-free but with all the flavor of espresso.

Or make it frappe-style by blending your normal chai latte with a frozen banana or ice.

Make it a protein powerhouse (and even more rich & flavorful) by adding chai protein powder to your latte.

Try adding cacao nibs to your chai tea blend to make it a chocolate chai latte. Delicious.

Finally, switch up the base of your chai tea blend. Rooibos-based chai is very different in flavor but with the same chai spiciness we all love. You could also try using Darjeeling as your base instead of normal black tea.

More like homemade chai latte (3 easy ways):

• Homemade masala chai concentrate
• Masala chai tea blend recipe
• Protein vanilla latte recipe
• DIY coke recipe

The post Homemade Chai Latte: 3 easy ways first appeared on Souly Rested.

I drank (and enjoyed) my not-coffee tea for over a year before my daughters convinced me it, truly, tastes EXACTLY like coffee, and therefore I would, in fact, like “real” coffee if I gave it a try. They were right.

Now I enjoy all three–tea (of course), coffee (still getting used to being a coffee-liker), and my chicory not-coffee tea (that tastes like coffee + has tons of added benefits). Now when I make lattes, I try to add additional health benefits. Enter this Protein latte.

A high-protein vanilla latte? Yes, please.

Now, I’m usually more of a chocolate girl, so this high-protein peppermint mocha is my go-to protein latte, but this vanilla latte is my go-to when I want to switch it up. Also, if you want to use chicory to make a mocha frappe, here’s my recipe for that.

Protein latte: flavor options

If you’re using flavored protein power in your latte, you’re only limited in flavors by the protein powder you can find. You can also easily use plain protein powder. Then add your own syrups and flavors to make any kind of protein latte your heart desires.

In fact, one of my favorite protein lattes is a simple shaken brown sugar latte (just like Starbucks but without the crazy sugar and with an extra 30+ grams of protein!). I just use plain protein powder in my latte, and shake my espresso in a jar with coconut sugar, a splash of sorghum syrup (or molasses), cinnamon, and ice. Pour over milk. Boom. Homemade high-protein shaken brown sugar latte.

While peppermint mocha and vanilla are my personal favorite high-protein latte flavors, there are tons of options. Some other great favorites are;

1. high-protein salted caramel latte
2. a just chocolate protein latte
3. protein snickerdoodle latte
4. and even a creamy peanut butter & chocolate protein latte.

Is protein powder good in lattes?

Some folks worry adding protein powder to a latte will make it chalky or clumpy. As long as you’re using a high quality protein and frothing it into your liquid well, your protein latte will be delicious. Clump- and chalk-free.

In fact, I personally think protein lattes are even more delicious than non-protein lattes! If you’re making a hot latte, I swear the protein powder makes the milk even frothier and creamier, not to mention the flavor it adds!

Why add protein to lattes?

I’m so glad you asked. While there are a million reasons to add a high-quality protein powder to your daily latte, I’ll list my top 5 reasons:

1. Getting in the habit of adding protein powder to your lattes will help you get more protein in every single day. Protein is so important for reaching or maintaining a healthy weight, building or maintaining muscle (nobody wants to loose muscle!), feeling full, satiated, and content after meals, and for building and maintaining healthy and balanced cells and hormones.
2. Making protein lattes offers so many fun flavor options. Even more than just using sauces or syrups, adding protein to your latte allows you to keep tons of fun, shelf-stable latte flavorings on-hand and switch up your lattes!
3. If you’re using the right protein powder, you’ll benefit from not only the extra protein, but also be getting added vitamins and minerals in your life! The protein powder I use contains 5 different sources of protein, including chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and collagen. They’re all extremely nourishing in different ways.
4. Your protein latte just might help you achieve glowing skin, healthier nails, and longer, thicker, silkier hair! If you use a protein powder with added collagen, your hair, skin, and nails will thank you!
5. No added sugar in your lattes. Using a high-quality protein powder in my lattes helps me cut down on my sugar consumption because I don’t need to add ANY extra sugar to my lattes–just protein powder.

Can I make a protein latte hot or iced?

Protein powder can be added to any latte or coffee drink. In my experience, hot lattes do dissolve the protein powder just a tad easier and quicker than iced lattes. But with some frothing, protein powder can easily be added to either an iced or a hot latte for a flavorful, protein-packed drink.

Protein latte recipe

Making a protein latte is really easy. Fortunately, all you need is an espresso maker, milk, and a good protein powder.

I love this stovetop espresso maker because it’s cheap, easy to use, and small and easy to store.

I use this protein powder because it’s free of any junk and comes in so many amazing flavors. The code “soulyrested” will save you moolah.

Instructions to make protein vanilla latte

You need to know this about coffee…

I’ve been an avid tea drinker for a long time. And then when I discovered I liked coffee, I still tried to limit my coffee intake because I was getting headaches and some dizziness when I had too much coffee in a day–but I loved the taste of coffee! So that’s why I turned to coffee alternatives, like this drink.

–> However, it turns out the headaches I was getting were from using poor quality coffee. Who knew that coffee is the most heavily chemically treated crop in the world? Unless you’re purchasing organic coffee, you’re likely drinking lots of pesticides with your daily cup of joe. I think those pesticides were the reason I was getting coffee headaches. So now I use this stuff and–boom–no more headaches. Now I enjoy my protein lattes, headache-free.

Did you also know that coffee naturally grows in shade, but most commercial coffee farms force it to grow in sun? Shade-grown coffee not only tastes better, but is so much better for the soil. Plus, this coffee I’ve come to love is also tested for mold, so you won’t be getting any mold OR pesticides in your coffee or lattes. It’s also low-acid which makes it better for your teeth and mouth microbiome, as well.

If you want to make the switch to regeneratively-shade-grown, low-acid, organic, mold-free coffee (that’s a mouthful!), use the code “soulyrested” to save some cash.

Print

Protein Vanilla Latte

Ingredients

• 1-2 shots espresso depending on how strong you like your lattes
• 1-2 cups milk
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder

Instructions

• Brew your espresso & heat your milk (if desired).
• Add your espresso to your favorite mug or cup.
• Into the milk froth one scoop of vanilla protein powder.
• Pour the milk over the espresso and enjoy!

things you need to make a protein latte

Also, we love these large glass cups for iced lattes.

More like protein vanilla latte:

• High-protein peppermint mocha latte
• Homemade tea that tastes like coffee
• DIY coke… yes you can make your own soda!
• Mocha frappe without coffee
• Healthy hot chocolate mix
• Delicious high protein cacao smoothie

Love making your own drinks? Try my DIY coke or my homemade root beer recipes!

Pin this for later!

The post Protein Latte: Easy Vanilla Latte at Home first appeared on Souly Rested.