Making your own coffee allows you to use good coffee (not the mold-ridden beans most coffee shops use, yikes!), control the ingredients (no fake syrups here!), and you also save a ton of money.

BUT.

Have you ever made a coffee at home… that just, well, doesn’t taste as good as the latte your local coffee shop makes? That changes today.

Grab all of my Starbucks Dupe recipes right here then read on for 7 tips you need to know for making at-home coffee taste like a coffee shop.

7 ways to make at-home coffee taste like a coffee shop

We’ll talk about all of these in-depth, but here’s the rundown on my 7 tips:

1. Make it salty.
2. Use the right coffee.
3. Add a splash of heavy cream.
4. Use enough ice (for iced lattes/coffees).
5. Add colostrum powder for an extra-creamy coffee.
6. Don’t be shy with the sweetener (if you’re craving a sweet coffee).
7. Learn how to make your own easy syrups. You don’t have to leave flavored coffee behind!
8. (bonus) Use the right equipment–it doesn’t have to be fancy, but it does need to suit your needs and make good coffee.

How to make better coffee at home: make it salty

If your espresso is tasting bitter, stale, or sour, try adding a pinch of salt to the warm espresso, either before or after it’s finished brewing.

Or start with a naturally sweet, never bitter coffee like this one.

Don’t add too much (unless you want a salty-tasting latte). Just enough to take the edge off the bitter espresso. Just a tiny pinch will do the trick.

This works because the sodium interacts with how we perceive taste. It literally suppresses the flavor of bitterness! 

As an added bonus, add minerals too with my favorite salt. And the salt will also help the naturally sweet flavors in the coffee stand out! You might notice more natural notes of chocolate, caramel, or more nuttiness in your coffee (which flavor notes you’ll taste depend on the roast of coffee you’re using).

Salt + espresso are a match made in heaven.

The salt simply balances out the bitter espresso and makes your latte taste sweeter, less bitter, and more smooth and rounded out, all before we even add sweetener.

What type of coffee should I use for at-home coffee?

Here’s the thing about coffee… there’s tons of bad coffee in the world. 

I’m talking toxic, mold-ridden, acidic, bitter, poorly roasted coffee. And you can taste it in your cup. If you’re looking for the best cup of coffee at home, you need to ask a few questions…

Where is the coffee grown?

Coffee naturally grows in the shade. But for commercial coffee companies, it’s easier to clear cut a large area for growing and machine harvesting the coffee. So most coffee is grown in the hot sun. This results in more acidic, bitter coffee that often gives you headaches because of the unnaturally high acid.

Shade grown coffee, on the other hand, like my favorite, is lower in acid, naturally, so it’s much better for someone with a sensitive stomach or concerns about their tooth enamel. And it tastes sweeter and less bitter.

How is the coffee harvested?

During the harvesting process, only ripe coffee cherries should be picked.

Commercial coffee growers? They go in and mechanically harvest all the cherries at once: ripe, unripe, and broken cherries all go into one vat. Unripe cherries are very bitter, and broken cherries harbor mold. But with most commercial coffee, both wind up in your cup of coffee.

Hand-picked coffee like my all-time favorite is a different story. Only ripe, high-quality cherries end up in your final cup. Not only does that taste better, but you’re also less likely to be drinking mold.

How is the coffee roasted?

Roasting coffee is best done at low, regulated temperatures. But commercial coffee roasters are always looking at their bottom line, and roasting beans at hot temperatures is a lot more cost effective.

Lower temperature, carefully roasted coffee like my favorite allows for better flavor development, a smoother taste (less “burnt” flavor), and leaves you with a sweeter cup of coffee, naturally.

Which coffee should I buy for making it at home?

I’m so glad you asked. I could nerd out about coffee all day long, but you’re probably not interested in that. If you are, you’ll love this podcast episode: Episode 240… A functional medicine doctor breaks down what you should be looking at when choosing your coffee.

The main things to look for in a GOOD coffee:

1. low-acid,
2. shade-grown,
3. organic,
4. hand-picked,
5. low-temperature roasted

These things will give you the best tasting cup of Joe that, bonus, is actually better for you.

It’s hard to find a coffee that meets all of these qualifications, but THESE GUYS do. They’ve been my go-to for years. I  used to avoid coffee; I got headaches and brain fog after drinking it. 

After I researched coffee and made the switch, I’ve been headache-and-brain fog-free ever since.

If you want to enjoy truly healthy coffee, use code “soulyrested” to save. (Bonus: if you don’t love it, they even have a money-back guarantee.. What!?)

Add a splash of heavy cream for better at-home coffee

I can’t fully explain why, but adding just a splash of heavy cream to my homemade lattes always elevates it.

It gives your coffee that little extra “umph” that coffee shop lattes have. It tastes creamier, and, frankly, more luxurious. 

Give it a try–just a splash, though. Not too much heavy cream or your latte will feel, well, heavy. You could also make a homemade cold foam for the top of your latte and have a similar effect.

Simple cold foam base recipe

• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• A splash of maple syrup (or honey or simple syrup)
• Any flavor you like (optional)–I like to add a splash of DIY mint extract, vanilla extract or some cinnamon

Simply froth that together until it’s thick, but still pourable. Pour on top of your favorite latte or iced coffee.

You’ll find my pumpkin cold foam recipe here.

At-home coffee tips to taste like a coffee shop: ice

We all know that coffee shops add a lot of ice to their iced lattes and coffees.

And we’re all guilty of rolling our eyes about it from time to time… we all know this helps them keep costs down and make drinks look bigger than they are.

However.

There is something about having lots of ice in an iced latte that just feels… right sometimes.

If you’re making iced lattes at home and they just don’t seem to taste as good as coffee shops, try adding more ice. Trust me.

How (and why) to add colostrum powder to at-home coffee

When I first started adding colostrum powder to my iced lattes, it was purely for the healthy benefits. (Better skin plus a healthier gut, a natural anti-inflammatory, and better immunity? Yes, please!)

But I immediately realized that my lattes were creamier and more flavorful. Man, the creamy, rich, butter-y colostrum really elevates your coffee.

BTW, if you’re like me and like the added benefit of eliminating achy joints, and fighting off the dreaded osteoporosis, choose the colostrum + collagen powder (study). Same rich, creamy taste, with additional bone & joint health thrown in (hello, mid-life!). Stick with the “regular” colostrum if your main goal is gut health.

From my personal experience, low-acid coffee + colostrum are a powerhouse together. Both are easy on your stomach and the gut-healthy benefits of the colostrum seem like they work really well with the healthy benefits of drinking shade-grown coffee.

How to sweeten at-home coffee like a coffee shop

Listen, we all know that coffee shop syrups are sweet.

If you’re craving that sweet, flavorful coffee shop coffee, you’re going to need to add a decent amount of sweetener. Like, more than you think.

I never crave an ultra sweet coffee (partially because this coffee is naturally sweet without adding sweetener) but if you’re in the mood for that, don’t feel guilty about lots of sweeter–they do it at coffee shops, and you can choose all-natural sweeteners, with zero junk, at home.

Learn how to make your own coffee syrups at home

The best coffee shops are making their own syrups. So why not save money (and use better ingredients) and make your own syrup at home?

Most syrups are very simple to make. If you’re looking for a very simple at-home coffee syrup, try my homemade strawberry syrup recipe. Although, truthfully, it’s really an any-fruit syrup. I also love mango, raspberry, or blueberry!

Use your strawberry syrup in an iced strawberry latte, a strawberry matcha latte, or even make a chocolate-covered strawberry frappe by adding your syrup to this mocha frappe recipe. Yum!

Or, if you want to skip making syrups all together (and if you’re trying to hit protein goals), try adding your favorite protein powders to coffee.

My favorites are my protein vanilla latte and protein peppermint mocha latte.

Best at-home coffee syrup recipes

• Caramel sauce (made with maple syrup)
• Strawberry (or any fruit) coffee syrup
• Homemade peppermint syrup
• Floral lilac syrup
• From-scratch Dr Pepper syrup (Dr Pepper lattes are surprisingly delicious!)

Using the right equipment for at-home coffee

When I first started making coffee at home, my goal was to save up and invest in a fancy $700 espresso machine.

Surely, that’s what makes the best coffee, right? Not really.

These days, I actually make my espresso in a $30 moka pot that I’ve had for years. And my coffee has never tasted better. So apparently it was never really about the machine!

Not to mention, my moka pot is completely stainless steel, while expensive machines are adding microplastics to your coffee by sending heated water through plastic tubes. Gross.

My top 4 tools for making good coffee at home:

1. a stainless steel moka pot,
2. GOOD coffee,
3. fun latte cups (for that better-than-coffee shop experience)
4. my trusty colostrum powder (I don’t make a latte without it)

Make at-home coffee taste like a coffee shop

More like 7 ways to make at-home coffee taste like a coffee shop

• homemade coffee ice cream recipe
• Grow chicory for “coffee” anywhere in the US
• vanilla colostrum latte
• how to use a moka pot to make espresso at home
• Grab all of my Starbucks Dupe recipes right here

Pin all of these tips and recipes here

The post 7 ways to make at-home coffee taste like a coffee shop first appeared on Souly Rested.

You know, those fall days that you want to savor but, let’s face it, you’re busy.

Skip the junky ingredients and make this easy from scratch recipe now so you have it tomorrow when you need it. 

Zero weird ingredients. Zero refined sugar. Zero fake flavorings.

Just real chai, real pumpkin, and real delicious chai latte. On hand. At all times.

I love having a quart or half gallon of this on hand for whenever the pumpkin chai latte craving hits.

It also makes it super easy to treat a friend to a delicious homemade pumpkin chai latte if they stop over unannounced (the best kind of friend, btw… you know who you are ). Just mix concentrate + milk, and boom, you have a chai latte in your hand.

What you’ll love about this from scratch pumpkin chai concentrate:

1. It’s completely from scratch. Real pumpkin, real spices, real chai.
2. It’s so quick and easy to make. Plus, once you have this concentrate in your fridge, it takes 20 seconds flat (okay, well, I haven’t actually timed it…) to have a from-scratch pumpkin chai latte. No thanks, Starbucks, I’ll keep my $7, thank you!
3. It tastes like REAL pumpkin because it’s made with real pumpkin. No weird aftertastes, chemical flavors, or fake stuff.
4. You can control the ingredients. Like a spicier chai? Cool, add more black pepper. Like it sweeter? Cool, add more sweetener.

Is pumpkin chai made with real pumpkin?

Sadly, most chai lattes available at cafes or coffee shops aren’t even made with real chai, let alone real pumpkin. Many coffee shops rely on chai concentrates made from “natural flavors” rather than real spices, and fake pumpkin syrups for their pumpkin flavor. If you want to know more about why “natural flavors” aren’t as good as they sound, you’ll love listening to episode 131 of the Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy podcast. Or watch episode 234 here or below:

Also… did you know an average coffee shop pumpkin chai latte has around 30-40 grams of added sugar ? (50 grams is the maximum daily amount most of us should have.)

Not around here.

This pumpkin chai is made with real pumpkin puree, real tea and spices, and real pumpkin pie spice for that extra level of pumpkin flavor. And we’re using real, unrefined sweeteners instead of 40 grams of high fructose corn syrup.

How to add pumpkin to a chai latte

If you like having chai concentrate on hand for making quick and easy chai lattes whenever the mood strikes, the easiest way to add pumpkin to your chai latte is to add pumpkin to your homemade chai concentrate. I like to simply add pumpkin pure (and extra pumpkin pie spice on top of the chai spices!) to my concentrate as it boils to really pull out the pumpkin flavor.

You could also make a pumpkin syrup to add to your normal chai latte.

Can you use canned pumpkin to make pumpkin chai concentrate?

Canned pumpkin is a great option for making pumpkin chai concentrate. You can have cans on hand for whenever the mood strikes. (If it isn’t pumpkin chai, it’s pumpkin muffins or pumpkin pancakes.) I have a dozen or so quart jars of freeze dried pumpkin powder that I reach for to make this recipe. Ever since I took the plunge and invested in a freeze dryer I’ve never regretted it, especially when I’m making this concentrate.

Just make sure you grab pumpkin pure, not pumpkin pie filling.

What you need to make pumpkin chai concentrate from scratch

The first ingredient in pumpkin chai concentrate is chai tea. If you’re making your loose leaf chai tea from scratch, find my homemade masala chai tea blend here. If you prefer to purchase a pre-made chai tea blend, this one is my favorite, or this one (code “soulyrested” saves on both).

Loose leaf masala chai tea (I like to make my own blend)

Pumpkin puree

Pumpkin pie spice

Sweetener, if desired (I love using maple syrup or coconut sugar)

Vanilla bean paste (optional)

How should I sweeten pumpkin chai concentrate?

My preference is to leave my chai concentrate unsweetened, then add maple syrup or coconut sugar when I make my latte. This allows me to customize each latte, and it also helps the concentrate stay fresher for longer in the fridge.

If you prefer to have your concentrate already sweetened and ready to go, that’s an option. To sweeten an entire batch of chai concentrate, I add 1/2 cup maple syrup for a quart’s worth of concentrate. 

Add the sweetener after you strain the tea and pumpkin out.

Some great options for sweetening your pumpkin chai concentrate are:

• Maple syrup (adds even more fall flavor)
• Coconut sugar (gives a slightly caramel-y flavor)
• Brown sugar (pairs so well with chai spices)
• Cane sugar (simple and gets the job done)
• Honey (makes it even sweeter)
• Date syrup (lends a caramel note)

How to make a chai latte with pumpkin chai concentrate

Once your concentrate is made, your chai latte is almost ready to enjoy.

Keep in mind, I store my concentrate unsweetened–see recipe notes.

1. Make your pumpkin chai latte by combining a 50/50 ratio of pumpkin chai concentrate to milk. Feel free to use any milk you like such as almond milk or oat milk. I prefer whole milk for the creamiest pumpkin chai.
2. Add ice for an iced chai latte, or add the milk + concentrate to a sauce pan and heat for a hot chai latte.
3. Add sweetener of choice. I personally choose to add a generous splash of maple syrup.
4. Enjoy your homemade pumpkin chai latte made with REAL pumpkin, REAL tea, and REAL spices.

How to make pumpkin chai concentrate at home

If you love a cozy pumpkin chai latte, you need this concentrate on hand all fall.

Whenever you’re craving a latte, you’ll have one in-hand in 30 seconds flat. It’s awesome.

Making pumpkin chai concentrate at home is simple.

-> Add all ingredients to a saucepan. 

-> Simmer everything together.

-> Strain all the chunks out (tea and pumpkin)

-> Store for later or make a latte.

That’s it!!

Modifications/substitutions for pumpkin chai concentrate

Obviously my favorite way to make pumpkin chai is as-written. But here are a few ways you can easily modify this recipe to suit your needs.

Dairy-free pumpkin chai latte

Simply swap the whole milk for your favorite non-dairy milk. Oat milk is probably the best option for a deliciously creamy chai, but almond milk would have a similar result.

Sugar free pumpkin chai latte

If you’re avoiding sugar, feel free to leave it out all together. Other options are using stevia to sweeten, allulose, or any sugar-free sweetener.

Using bagged chai tea

If you really don’t want to use loose leaf tea (I highly recommend loose leaf for better flavor!), substitute 10-12 tea bags for the loose leaf tea called for in the recipe.

How to make a dirty pumpkin chai latte

What’s better than pumpkin + chai + coffee? I’ll wait…

Since a dirty chai is simply a chai latte with espresso added, it’s easy to make.

Simply make the concentrate as listed, and make your chai latte as usual. Then brew 1-2 shot of espresso (your preference) and add to your chai latte.

Boom. A homemade from scratch dirty pumpkin chai latte.

Making your pumpkin chai latte taste more like Starbucks

If you love Starbuck’s pumpkin chai latte in the fall, I don’t blame you. It’s pretty freakin delicious.

But it also comes with a whopping 55-60 grams of sugar.

Not to mention it’s not made with real pumpkin.

If you want your pumpkin chai latte to taste more like Starbucks, add more sugar. If we’re going to compete with a 60 grams of sugar, we’re going to need to a lot of sweetener. Obviously homemade is still much more affordable and much better for you, even if you do add the extra dose of sugar for a Starbucks-like vibe.

Also, to mimic a Starbucks Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai latte, add homemade pumpkin cold foam. (Read on, my friend.)

Pumpkin Cold Foam recipe (for iced pumpkin cream chai latte)

• 3 tbs heavy cream
• splash maple syrup
• sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice
• heaping teaspoon pumpkin puree

Froth those things together until thickened, but still pourable. Enjoy over an iced pumpkin chai latte. (Or any drink–it’s crazy good on an iced latte too!)

Print

Pumpkin chai concentrate

Sweet, spicy, and flavorful, this fall-inspired chai concentrate makes the best pumpkin chai lattes, ever.

Servings 4 chai lattes

Ingredients

• 1 quart water
• 4 heaping tablespoons loose leaf chai tea*
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients together in a saucepan. Stir to combine.
• Cover, and allow everything to simmer together for about 20 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and allow to sit for an hour or so. Then remove the lid and allow to cool.
• Strain into a jar. Seal tightly & store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

To make an iced pumpkin chai latte with your concentrate:

• Combine concentrate and milk of choice 50/50. Add sweetener, if desired. I like a generous serving of maple syrup.
• Add ice and enjoy.

To make a hot pumpkin chai latte with your concentrate:

• Combine concentrate and milk of choice at a 50/50 ratio. Add sweetener, if desired. Add the concentrate and milk mixture into a saucepan and heat through.
• Pour into your favorite mug and enjoy!

Notes

To sweeten a whole batch at once, add 1/2 cup maple syrup to the concentrate after straining. (See above for alternate sweetener options.)

*I prefer to make my own loose leaf masala chai tea blend, but purchasing loose leaf tea works fine.

More like pumpkin chai concentrate from scratch:

• Masala chai tea blend recipe
• DIY coke: yes you can make delicious homemade soda
• Whole wheat pumpkin muffins
• Shop all my favorite loose leaf teas 

The post Pumpkin Chai Concentrate from scratch first appeared on Souly Rested.

When I first started making homemade sodas, my DIY coke recipe went semi-viral.

But when I developed and shared my homemade Dr pepper recipe? Holy cow, it went bonkers.

Who knew how badly the world needs homemade soda recipes! Although most of you love the Dr pepper recipe, I’ve also received haters for it. You’d be shocked how passionate some folks are about making sodas at home!

Some people complain that it doesn’t taste exactly like store bought Dr pepper.

Well, no duh. It’s not store bought.

Some people complain that the ingredients for making the soda are too expensive.

Well, they’re all organic, and the links are for bulk ingredients, so it’s going to be expensive off the bat. But per serving, it works out to roughly $0.60/per serving.

Not a bad price for a medicinal, organic glass of homemade soda.

But I stand firm in the fact that Dr pepper syrup makes the best homemade soda I’ve tried yet.

Why make DIY Dr pepper syrup?

If you look at the ingredients in store bought soda, you might be surprised. Even beyond what’s actually on the label, conventional sodas are packed with “natural flavors.” This is essentially an unregulated term that can include and number of troubling chemicals.

Think of conventional soda as a cocktail of;

“natural” and artificial flavors,

artificial coloring,

TONS of refined sugar,

unnecessary added caffeine,

and added preservatives just to keep things fresh

Homemade Dr pepper syrup and soda?

Medicinal herbs, spices, and fruit.

Plus, coconut sugar (an unrefined sugar packed full of antioxidants) & plain seltzer water.

Sound better?

Instead of a chemical cocktail, we turn soda into a truly medicinal powerhouse. It’s a soda you can truly feel good about.

You control the ingredients and flavor.

What’s in DIY Dr pepper syrup?

Homemade Dr pepper syrup is made from botanicals, real fruit, and spices that may provide medicinal benefits.

Is it hard to make soda at home?

Making soda at home is very simple.

First, you make the soda syrup (in this case, Dr pepper syrup, of course) by combining the Dr pepper syrup ingredients, adding water, and simmering. Then you strain the chunks out and store the syrup to use later. Add the right amount of seltzer water and homemade Dr pepper syrup, and there you have a glass of homemade Dr pepper.

Isn’t that crazy simple?

What ingredients are in homemade soda?

The ingredients in homemade soda will very. But the general idea is herbs and spices, fruits or aromatics of some kind, sweetener, and flavors/extracts.

Then you’ll also need seltzer of some kind to make the homemade soda bubbly and fizzy. I like to use my awesome homemade soda machine, but you can also purchase plain seltzer or soda water and that will work just fine.

Homemade soda syrup + seltzer water = homemade soda.

How to make a soda with DIY Dr pepper syrup

My preferences on seltzer-to-syrup ratio change based on my mood. Sometimes I want a less sweet, more “crispy” Dr pepper, in which case I’ll add less syrup and more seltzer. Some days I crave a sweeter, more syrup-y Dr pepper. 

And that’s the beauty of making soda at home: you can make it exactly how you want it.

My general recommendation is to mix 1/4 cup of DIY Dr pepper soda syrup with about 8 oz (roughly 1 cup) of seltzer. This will create a classic, sweet soda.

What sweetener should I use in DIY Dr pepper soda?

My personal choice for sweetener in homemade Dr pepper is coconut sugar. This is only only because it’s actually nutritious and full of antioxidants, but also for it’s deep, rich, caramel-y flavor.

Brown sugar is an easy substitute if you don’t have coconut sugar on hand, or simple use cane sugar. 

You could also easily use liquid sugars like maple syrup or honey. I’d use a heaping 1/2 cup of either of them in place of the 3/4 cup coconut sugar.

Can I buy pre-made Dr pepper syrup to make soda?

While you can buy pre-made syrups like these ones, which will provide more flexibility as they’re shelf stable. But there’s nothing quite like making your own Dr pepper syrup for homemade sodas, where you know each ingredient.

I’d rather stick with making my own syrup with spices and real fruit. It’s easy, and made with things you most likely already have on hand.

Just store any leftover syrup in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze in ice cube trays for longer term storage.

Print

DIY Dr pepper syrup + making soda at home

medicinal, homemade Dr pepper syrup with minimal ingredients

Keyword DIY soda syrup, Dr pepper, homemade soda

Servings 1 glass

Cost $0.65/serving

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup homemade Dr pepper syrup (see note)
• 8 oz seltzer water

Instructions

• Add Dr pepper soda syrup to a clean glass
• Slowly add seltzer water to the glass, about 8 oz, but adjust to your sweetness preference
• Slowly and gently stir to combine, if necessary. Try not to stir to aggressively or it might go flat
• Add ice and enjoy your Dr pepper made with DIY Dr pepper soda syrup!

Notes

*See my full recipe for full syrup instructions

*SEE FULL SYRUP RECIPE HERE.

What you need to make DIY Dr pepper syrup:

More like made soda at home: DIY Dr Pepper syrup:

• Dr pepper recipe: homemade soda
• DIY coke: yes, you can make delicious soda at home
• Root Beer recipe (with real ingredients!)
• How to make tea blends

The post Make soda at home: DIY Dr Pepper syrup first appeared on Souly Rested.

This Hibiscus Tea is easy to make yourself (or you can try this amazing blend). It’s a delicious combination of 4 herbs that all work together to help your body deal better with stress and anxiety, plus the actual act of preparing a cup of this tea, and enjoying the beautiful color, smell, and taste of it, will also give you a great excuse to slow down and relax a little.

Hibiscus Tea Blend

To make enough tea to fill a 3-quart (or 96-oz) pitcher of tea, you’ll need:

3/4 cup dried mint leaves

2 TB hibiscus

2 TB tulsi basil

1 tsp dried rosemary

Directions for making Hibiscus Tea Blend

Combine 4 ingredients in a large bowl and mix well, using your hands or a wooden spoon.

Store tea blend in a sealed jar in a dark, cool cabinet.

To mix a pitcher full of hibiscus tea

1. Steep 3/4 cup of tea in 4 cups of hot water for 20 minutes.
2. Strain out loose leaf tea and discard.
3. Add sugar to taste. (Bill likes 2/3 cup organic cane sugar)
4. Then place sweetened tea in a 3-quart (96 oz) pitcher and fill remaining space in pitcher with cold water, until the pitcher is full.

Cold brew hibiscus tea

I love to make this tea with a cold brew method that does the “work” while I sleep. I use this cold brew system, place 1/3 cup of the loose leaf tea blend in the filter, fill the glass pitcher with filtered room-temperature water, and let it sit 8-10 hours or overnight. Remove filter, sweeten, and store in fridge in the lidded pitcher.

To sweeten, since you’re adding sugar to a cold liquid, you have a few options: add 1/4 cup maple syrup and stir OR add 1/3 cup organic cane sugar to 3/4 cup hot water, in a separate bowl, and stir until dissolved then add sugar water to pitcher, there should be just enough room without overflowing after removing the strainer and loose leaf tea.

SAVE 15% OFF the already discounted sale price on this amazing cold brew system with code SOULYRESTED.

To make a cup of hibiscus tea

This tea blend is delicious hot or cold. If you want to just make a cup at a time:

1. Steep 1 TB of blend in 16 oz of hot water, in a steeper (use code SOULYRESTED) in a 16 oz. mug, for 20 minutes. (I use a mug cover to keep the tea warm while it steeps.)
2. Remove the filter from the jar, discard or compost the tea leaves, and rinse the filter or place it in the dishwasher.
3. Add sweetener of choice and enjoy.

Why these 4 ingredients?

Bill has been battling high anxiety and stress over the past year, leading him to the Emergency Room twice, in two different states, and multiple scary incidents of amnesia.

It’s been a terrifying experience for me to watch. I share the details and warning signs of how stress led to this and how you can hopefully avoid this, in episode 226 of the Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy podcast:

The Hidden Dangers of Chronic Stress (that noone talks about), ep. 226

Or watch on youtube:

He’s been drinking this tea daily, for a few months, and we’ve seen definite improvements and his blood pressure has lowered considerably. 

I’m not a medical expert, I’m only sharing our personal journey and this tea has been an wonderful part of his healing.

HIBISCUS

I source mine here. (Use code SOULYRESTED)

Hibiscus has long been known as a natural way to lower blood presssure, but it also can help your body fight inflamation, infections, and so much more. See many medicinal benefits of this flowering plant here.

MINT

This is a great source for organic mint. (Use code SOULYRESTED)

You probably already know that just a few sips of mint does amazing things to calm your stomach. It also helps us relax by easing muscle tension and lowering anxiety. See lots more benefits of mint here–including headache relief and improved cognitive function.

TULSI BASIL

This organic tulsi basil is wonderful. (Use code SOULYRESTED)

This wonderful herb is a natural adaptogen that lowers stress, calms the mind, and even does a great job of balancing stress hormones. Read lots more amazing benefits of this adaptogen here.

ROSEMARY

I get my rosemary here. (Find out more about this amazing food supplier & how to save $$ with them, here.)

Rosemary can help you relax by easing stress and quieting your mind. This study shows the impacts of this wonderful herb.

Print

Hibiscus tea blend

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup dried mint leaves
• 2 TB hibiscus
• 2 TB tulsi basil
• 1 tsp dried rosemary

Instructions

Directions for making Hibiscus Tea Blend

• Combine 4 ingredients in a large bowl and mix well, using your hands or a wooden spoon.
• Store tea blend in a sealed jar in a dark, cool cabinet.

To mix a pitcher full of hibiscus tea

• Steep 3/4 cup of tea in 4 cups of hot water for 20 minutes.
• Strain out loose leaf tea and discard.
• Add sugar to taste. (Bill likes 2/3 cup organic cane sugar)
• Then place sweetened tea in a 3-quart (96 oz) pitcher and fill remaining space in pitcher with cold water, until the pitcher is full.

To make a cup of hibiscus tea

• This tea blend is delicious hot or cold. If you want to just make a cup at a time:
• Steep 1 TB of blend in 16 oz of hot water, in a steeper (use code SOULYRESTED) in a 16 oz. mug, for 20 minutes. (I use a mug cover to keep the tea warm while it steeps.)
• Remove the filter from the jar, discard or compost the tea leaves, and rinse the filter or place it in the dishwasher.
• Add sweetener of choice and enjoy.

Don’t want to make it yourself?

If you’d rather support an amazing small family business, go say “hi” to my friend, Amber, and check out her Heart to Heart Tea

Tea Supplies, Tools, and Favorites

I love loose leaf, organic teas, whether I’m mixing the blend myself or purchasing a new delicious blend. Go here to find out lots more: My Favorite Teas & Tea Tools

More like Hibiscus Tea

Copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball

Make your own Masala Chai Tea Blend

Yarrow & Elderflower Tea

Ginger pear tea

DIY Coke (yes, it’s medicinal)

The post Hibiscus Tea | How to blend it and make it yourself first appeared on Souly Rested.

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.

Print

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.

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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.

Print

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.