Raspberry Leaf Tea, to the rescue…

Bill was sick. Like a dog.

I had been taking my daily dose of Elderberry Syrup (learn Does Elderberry Syrup Boost Your Immune System & how to make it here) but this cold was nasty and I knew I needed backup.

So I started playing around with some ingredients that I knew would help and created a DIY tea blend that I now have on hand, premixed and ready, every fall and winter.

Raspberry Leaf Tea

INGREDIENTS

2 TB dried elderberries (save with code SOULYRESTED)

1 TB raspberry leaf (save with code SOULYRESTED)

1 TB astragalus root (save with code SOULYRESTED)

1 TB cinnamon chips (more info about where I source these here)

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a tea steeper. I love this one.

Steep in a quart jar for 4 hours.

Strain, add ice, sweetener (optional), and enjoy cold. Or heat up for a delicious cup of hot tea.

Notes about this Raspberry Leaf Tea

• I’m elated that I’ve heard back from many of you who are making this tea this winter, after I shared the recipe with you, and so far it’s been quite a hit! If you try it, let me know what your family thinks!
• I source the first 3 ingredients at my favorite organic tea company. Use code SOULYRESTED to save!
• For the cinnamon chips I go to Azure Standard. Go here for more details about my favorite food supplier that delivers all across the U.S.
• For even more impact, I sometimes add one or all of these as well, as I’m steeping this tea:

1. 1. 1. dried mint (use code SOULYRESTED and save)
      2. dried yarrow (use code SOULYRESTED and save)
      3. dried stevia leaves (use code SOULYRESTED and save)

• I grow the mint in my garden and dehydrate it every summer. It adds even more flavor.
• The yarrow I forage, along the roadsides, and dehydrate that as well. Both the mint and the yarrow make this tea even more effective at fighting off colds
• The stevia leaves add some natural, no-calorie sweetness if you need that. But honestly I usually drink this without any sweetener. It’s that good.
• If you want to add sweetener when the cold brew is ready, maple syrup is the best option. It’s a delicious all-natural sweetener that mixes beautifully into cold drinks. And huge BONUS: the minerals in maple syrup boost your immune system.
• Make sure your elderberries are organic. The ones I link to above are the only ones I use.

More about these ingredients

Read more about why I chose these 4 ingredients for my immuniTEA blend here:

• Why elderberries? More on them here.
• Why raspberry leaf? Read that here. 
• Why astragalus root? Read that here.
• Why cinnamon chips? Read that here.

Or dive into more info in this detailed list I just sent out to my Insiders right here.

Join my Insiders on instagram right here (it’s free) or hop onto my email list. I send out some Real Food inspiration weekly, but I’ll start by sending you over my detailed Pantry Checklist, because having the right ingredients on hand is the most important step towards making more real food.

Talk to me about your Raspberry Leaf Tea!

If you have any questions, leave a comment below. And please tag me on ig to show me your raspberry leaf tea @souly.rested.

Some of my favorite tools for the best tea

Find out why SoulyRested was considered to be one of the One of the Top Homesteading Blogs.

Glance at my Resource Page if you’d like to get a glimpse of all the supplies I use and recommend for everything from gardening, to homeschooling, to chicken care, to nature journaling, to maple syrup making.

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Where to Listen or Watch

Listen on Apple Podcasts here: Season 5 Episode 12 of the Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy Podcast

Or listen here:

And watch here:

Why Take Elderberry Syrup?

In this episode:

• Medicinal benefits of taking elderberry syrup
• Why elderberries? How does their antioxidant, vitamin, and nutrient count compare to other fruits?
• Warnings if you are foraging elderberries and considering using them raw
• The difference in American and European elderberry shrubs
• Greek and Roman, European, and Native American historical uses of elderberries
• 3 parts of the elderberry shrub you can use medicinally
• What parts of the elderberry shrub are used in medicinal teas
• Intriguing way to use the main stalk of the elderberry shrub
• Details about elderberries to help you locate them where you live, for foraging
• Cultivated elderberry shrubs, compared to wild bushes
• The easiest way to make a quart of organic elderberry syrup
• What to look for when purchasing elderberry syrup

Also in this episode:

Business building tips from successful, family-owned small business success.

Find photos of the elderberry bush, flowers, and berries here.

Michelle’s recipe for elderberry syrup.

Find Today’s Guests:

Their site: abbyselderberry.com

Use code SOULYRESTED for 15% off your entire order!

Other Articles & Resources You Might Enjoy:

Michelle’s research on the immune boosting properties of elderberry syrup (and recipe)

How to add elderberry syrup to kombucha (and recipes)

Tips for Improving Your Health, at any age (podcast)

My 7-page Pantry Checklist (free download)

For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:9

I’d love to connect!

To find me in some other neck of the woods, just click any (or every!) icon below:

The post Why Take Elderberry Syrup? (s5 E12) first appeared on Souly Rested.

Can I make elderberry syrup to use in kombucha?

While you can definitely buy amazing elderberry syrup, you can also make your own. Here’s my recipe for how to make your own elderberry syrup, with maple syrup as the sweetener.

If you don’t have elderberry bushes in your neck of the woods, no fret, you still have options:

You can purchase organic dried elderberries.

You can purchase organic elderberry syrup.

Listen in to this podcast episode for lots more information about elderberry.

How do I find elderberry bushes and forage elderberries?

Look for the tall, round shrubs covered in white wispy blooms in mid to end of July here in New England. And the tiny deep purple berries cover the shrub in end of August around here.

Listen in to this podcast episode for lots more details about elderberries and how to forage for them.

Is Kombucha even better for you with elderberry syrup?

Kombucha is an amazing elixir.

Kombucha can help you fight off colds and flus because it’s fermented tea. It’s filled with good bacteria and yeast that boost your immune system and contribute to a healthy gut.

Add in elderberry syrup and your kombucha will pack quite an amazing punch, because elderberry syrup offers vitamin A and C, potassium, folate, calcium, iron, fiber, flavonoids, and antioxidants. I make my elderberry syrup with maple syrup for added polyphenols–which do a great job fighting viruses as well. (Or you can buy elderberry syrup made with maple syrup!)

How can I add elderberry syrup to kombucha?

It’s super simple, really, just add about 2 TB of elderberry syrup to every cup’s worth of your kombucha you’re using for a second ferment. While it’s wonderfully delicious just like that, you can have fun playing with other complimentary flavors to add along with the elderberry syrup. Here are some of my favorite recipe combinations:

How can I add elderberry syrup to kombucha?

Recipes for Elderberry Kombucha

All recipes are for making a second-ferment elderberry kombucha in a 1/2-gallon-size mason jar. For more info on DIY kombucha: Simple DIY Kombucha

Mango Elderberry Kombucha

Mango Elderberry is one of my current FAVORITE kombucha flavorings that I make. You’ll need:

• 1 tsp mango flavoring for kombucha (find it here and use code SOULYRESTED for 10% off)
• 1/4 cup elderberry syrup (this is my all-time favorite and use code SOULYRESTED for 15% off!)
• first-ferment kombucha to fill 1/2 gallon jar

Orange Elderberry Kombucha

• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup elderberry syrup
• first-ferment kombucha to fill 1/2 gallon jar

Elderberry Sage Kombucha

• 1/2 TB crushed dry sage leaves
• 1/4 cup elderberry syrup
• first-ferment kombucha to fill 1/2 gallon jar

Elderberry Mint Kombucha

• 1/2 TB crushed dry mint leaves
• 1/4 cup elderberry syrup
• first-ferment kombucha to fill 1/2 gallon jar

Strawberry Elderberry Kombucha

• 3-4 frozen strawberries, cut up
• 1/4 cup elderberry syrup
• first-ferment kombucha to fill 1/2 gallon jar

More Things You’ll Love:

How to make elderberry syrup yourself, sweetened with maple syrup

Where to buy the best elderberry syrup (use code SOULYRESTED for 15% off!)

Our family’s favorite kombucha recipes

My complete Pantry List for you to download and make your own

Kombucha Academy--you’ll be saving money and making your own delicious kombucha in just days.

He has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever. Psalm 111:5

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The post Can I add elderberry syrup to kombucha? first appeared on Souly Rested.

I didn’t even think about this. I didn’t know about any of the scientific studies that have shown all the wonderful reasons to enjoy elderberry syrup when I was scaling a concrete wall and inching down a steep incline to reach the river bed where a neighbor had spied a wild elderberry tree.

I just knew I wanted to make some of this delicious syrup myself and it was worth the climb. Plus, y’all know I’m a maple syrup fanatic, so it stands to reason I love elderberry syrup. Read more about maple goodness here and grab a copy of my book if you want to know more on that topic.

How to Make Elderberry Syrup

Ingredients

2 cups berries (fresh, frozen, or dried elderberries)

4 cups water

1 TB fresh, grated ginger

1 cinnamon stick

Maple syrup (roughly 1-2 cups)

Directions

1. Remove berries from stems. This is the most time consuming part, because these berries are small. 
2. Simmer all ingredients except maple syrup, over medium heat for 30 minutes
3. Crush berries with fork occasionally, as they simmer
4. Strain berries out of juice, with one more crush session, to get out all the juice
5. Add 1 1/2 cup maple syrup for every 2 cups of syrup that you have
6. Store in fridge for months, or bottle in pint jars and hot water bath can for 10 minutes.

Recipe Notes

• Don’t have fresh elderberries? Use these dried elderberries, in the same ratio as fresh berries. With 1 pound of dried elderberries you can make roughly eight 16-oz bottles of syrup… way more than my little recipe makes. And buying dried berries will be a huge savings over buying elderberry syrup! Code SOULYRESTED saves $$!
• Want to make it but have all the guess work taken out for you? Make your own elderberry syrup using this kit. Use code SOULYRESTED and save!
• Don’t have the time to make your own? This family’s elderberry syrup is amazing, not to mention the best price I’ve found! And code SOULYRESTED saves 15%!
• If you purchase this elderberry syrup you can even choose if you want your syrup sweetened with honey or maple syrup! (nd code SOULYRESTED saves 15%!)

More Articles About Syrup

How to make Lilac Syrup

The Hands-Down Easiest Way to Make Simple Syrup

How to Make Maple Syrup–20 Tips for the Beginner

Using Lilac Syrup & Elderberry Syrup to make Kombucha

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The post Does Elderberry Syrup Boost Your Immune System? first appeared on Souly Rested.

Aside from Bill, who is my favorite sugarmaker but not a soul-mate when it comes to loving kombucha, our family loves kombucha.

Okay, I’ll just admit it, Bill refuses to taste kombucha. He just can’t get over the look of that scoby. But that’s fine, it leaves more for me and the girls. Before we dive into my favorite kombucha recipes, you may want to know more about how to make kombucha and the products I use.

My course, Simple DIY Kombucha breaks down every detail you could ever want to know about making kombucha–perfectly every time–at home. And  you can go here to find out the full scoop on every product I use for making kombucha.

Enjoy 10% off this organic scoby for your kombucha using code SOULYRESTED.

And take 10% off this kombucha starter kit using code SOULYRESTED10.

Our favorite kombucha flavors

Since we have so many we love, today I’m sharing with you some of the favorite flavors that are often brewing on the kitchen counter in our little farmhouse.

But I am holding back a little on you… the best of the best recipes are only in my totally FREE kombucha e-course , which you can sign up for in a hot second at that link or at the bottom of this article.

These measurements in the recipes here are all for a 33-ounce second ferment bottle. I decided that was the best way to offer you the recipes, since I always recommend folks start fermenting kombucha with flip-top bottles like these. (affiliate link) With their tight seals and thin bottle necks, they’re great at building up carbonation. And who doesn’t want their homemade kombucha on the extra bubbly side, am I right?

Once you become more of an expert at brewing, you’ll discover what ingredients aid in carbonation and you’ll have lots of tricks up your sleeve for great success, even using mason jars for brewing. If you’d like to learn from my failures experimentation and research, check out my crash course (and the amazing bonuses that come with it) right here–>  Simple DIY Kombucha.

Citrus Rosemary

 1/4 cup of chopped tangerines and 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary

This is my personal favorite. I think. I really shouldn’t try to pick a favorite though, because I’m pretty sure I’ll have a new favorite in a few weeks.

Maple Apple Pie

1/4 cup diced frozen apple pieces, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon maple syrup 

This one is Kayla’s favorite. She’s my teen-homestead-mentor who inspires me to do something amazing almost daily.

While you can use these flavors with first ferments that you’ve made with any variety of teas and sweeteners, I prefer to start this second ferment with a first ferment that I’ve made with one of these specially-blended kombucha teas and maple syrup. (Use code SOULYRESTED on both and save $$!)

If you’d like to make your own maple kombucha, you will need to grow your own maple scoby (it’s not nearly as hard as it sounds). In my last post I gave you the full directions for growing a maple scoby.

Blueberry Ginger

1/8-1/4 cup frozen blueberries and roughly 1 teaspoon finely diced fresh ginger

This one is Hayley’s favorite. Hayley is my youngest but possibly most creative daughter, at least with words and a camera. Check out her youtube channel here if you’d like a view of homesteading from a teen’s perspective.

Strawberry Ginger

1/8-1/4 cup frozen strawberries and 1 teaspoon finely diced fresh ginger

Okay, maybe this one is my favorite. Yeah, I’m just gonna stop trying to choose, cause I had to include this one too.

Strawberry Mojito

1 tablespoon lime juice (or small chunks of a lime), 1/4 cup strawberry chunks, and 1/2 tablespoon dried mint

This recipe is Wilma’s favorite. Wilma is a sweet, older friend who watched my kombucha obsession from the side lines for a while. Until she was over for dinner one evening and decided to put her reservations aside and give it a try. I had quite a few flavors on hand that night. (I try to plan ahead when I know we’ll have company over and make multiple flavors for a kind of kombucha smorgasboard.) She sampled them all and knew with certainty that strawberry mojito was her absolute favorite. I often take the super easy way out when making my strawberry mojito (especially if I don’t have limes on hand). I love the strawberry mojito flavored tea that Ceanne expertly blends over at Farmhouse Teas (and all the others too for that matter). I just add about 1/2 teaspoon of this tea to my 33-ounce bottle.

If you want to try this amazing option, make sure you use the coupon code SOULYRESTED for 10% off your strawberry mojito teas and anything else your heart desires over at Farmhouse Teas.

Elderberry

1/4 cup elderberry syrup

This recipes is everyone’s favorite and I love that it adds even more immunity-boosting umph with this amazing elderberry syrup that you can make yourself with these dried berries. Of course you can purchase elderberry syrup too. Use code SOULYRESTED for 15% off already amazing prices on all things “elderberry” with this amazing small business.

Lemon Lavender

1 tsp lavender lemon kombucha tea

This recipe is Eliya’s favorite. Eliya is a friend of Kayla’s and Hayley’s who–yes, it’s a little unusual for a teen boy–loves kombucha. I got him hooked when he spied all the colorful creations on our kitchen counter and asked to sample them. While it took him numerous tastes of almost all of them, he declares Lemon Lavender his favorite. (He even went full-blown-test-test-mode and did a blind test. Yeah, I guess the teens were a little bored that summer afternoon.)

In Eliya’s honor, be sure to use coupon code SOULYRESTED on your lavender lemon tea (or anything else that looks great to you) for 10% off. Whooo Hooo!

Of course this barely scratches the surface of the kombucha recipes I’m creating weekly around here.

More of our favorite kombucha recipes:

• We love the taste of summer in a glass of kombucha when we brew some Blueberry Lilac Kombucha.
• Or Blueberry Mint is just as heavenly and just as summery. Add 1 TB frozen blueberries and 1 tsp dried mint to a 1/2-gallon jar of kombucha.
• Orange Creamsicle is pretty much loved by everyone… Add a 1/4 cup frozen citrus pieces and 1 tsp vanilla to 1/2-gallon jar of kombucha.
• We are big on all simple yet fruity flavors and this Rose Berry Kombucha really hits the spot for being super, simply refreshing.
• Raspberry Lilac is yummy, made with 1-2 TB frozen raspberries and 1/4-1/2 cup of lilac syrup.
• This one I call New England Springtime and it is wonderful: 1-2 TB frozen blueberries and 1/4 cup lilac forsythia syrup.
• My favorite drink with breakfast (especially if it’s buttermilk pancakes drizzled in maple syrup)? Orange Forsythia Kombucha. I add my first-ferment kombucha; 1/4 cup frozen, chopped oranges; and 1/4 cup of my maple forsythia syrup to 1/2-gallon jar. So yummy!
• Rhubarb kombucha is delicious. In spring I enjoy a lot of it, when I have easy-to-make Rhubarb Simple Syrup on hand. Just add 1/4 cup of the syrup to your 1/2-gallon second ferment.

More kombucha goodness you’ll love:

Listen in as I spill the beans about a perfect cup of kombucha.

Go here to find out the full scoop on every product I use for making kombucha. (Including that awesome filter and pour lid.)

Find out how I dye Easter eggs with kombucha!

And read my cost analysis of the insane amount of money I save by making my own kombucha.

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Find out why SoulyRested was considered to be one of the Top 20 Must-Read Homesteading Blogs of 2018 and then one of the Top Homesteading Blogs of 2019 as well.

Glance at my Resource Page if you’d like to get a glimpse of supplies I use for maple syrup making, DIY kombucha, gardening, homeschooling, and homesteading.

Many readers often ask what camera I use to take the images you find here on SoulyRested. I love my Nikon.

I’d love to connect!

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The post Our Favorite Kombucha Flavors first appeared on Souly Rested.