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

Ginger Pear Tea Ingredients

3 TB dried pears (I freeze dry organic pears)

3 TB black tea blend 

1 tsp anise 

1 tsp dried ginger root

1 tsp cinnamon chips

1 tsp zinnia petals (optional, see notes below)

Instructions for making Ginger Pear Tea

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

Bulk Batch of Ginger Pear Tea

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

1 cup dried pears (I freeze dry organic pears)

1 cup black tea blend

5 TB anise 

5 TB ginger

5 TB cinnamon chips

5 TB zinnia petals (optional)

Notes about making Ginger Pear Tea

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

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Ginger Pear Tea Blend

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

More tea blends you’ll love:

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

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

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.

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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.

Read on for how to make this allergy relief tea and links (and & savings code!) to stock up on the ingredients.

Allergy Relief Tea Blend

If you’d rather buy a great, organic blend already made for you, I love this tea. (Use code SOULYRESTED to save $$)

INGREDIENTS for this allergy

1/2 cup marshmallow root

4 TB mullein

1 cup dried mint

1/2 cup ginger root

3/4 cup  licorice root

1/2 cup cinnamon chips

1/2 cup butterfly pea flower

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine, mix, and store in glass jar with sealed lid, in cool dark cabinet. Your tea blend will be delicious for years.

TO MAKE A GLASS of iced tea

In my pint-and-a-half mason jar, I use this tea steeper and steep 2 heaping tablespoons of the tea blend for 20 minutes. (This is also a great steeper for a mason jar.) Remove steeper, add ice, lid, and straw, and enjoy! Feel free to add sweetener if preferred, but I enjoy this tea as is, no sweetener added.

TO MAKE A MUG of warm tea

Steep 1 TB of tea in 16 oz mug of hot water for 5 minutes, remove steeper, and enjoy. Feel free to add sweetener if preferred, but I enjoy this tea as is, no sweetener added.

Not sure what sugar you want to use? Go here for a break down of all the best options.

Want More Allergy Teas?

I get all the ingredients to make this allergy relief tea from my favorite organic tea & botanicals company. Use code SOULYRESTED to save! And shipping is even free on orders of $50 or more.

See all my favorite teas here.

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Springtime Alergy Relief Tea

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup marshmallow root
• 4 TB mullein
• 1 cup dried mint
• 1/2 cup ginger root
• 3/4 cup licorice root
• 1/2 cup cinnamon chips
• 1/2 cup butterfly pea flower

Instructions

• Combine, mix, and store in glass jar with sealed lid, in cool dark cabinet. Your tea blend will be delicious for years.
• TO MAKE A GLASS of iced tea:
• In my pint-and-a-half mason jar, I use this tea steeper and steep 2 heaping tablespoons of the tea blend for 20 minutes. (This is also a great steeper for a mason jar.) Remove steeper, add ice, lid, and straw, and enjoy! Feel free to add sweetener if preferred, but I enjoy this tea as is, no sweetener added.
• TO MAKE A MUG of warm tea:
• Steep 1 TB of tea in 16 oz mug of hot water for 5 minutes, remove steeper, and enjoy. Feel free to add sweetener if preferred, but I enjoy this tea as is, no sweetener added.

My favorite drinking glass

My favorite drinking glass is actually an amazing canning jar too. For years, followers would reach out asking where they could get that size mason jar and I had to, sadly, tell them Ball discontinued making them years ago.

I can’t tell you how excited I was when my favorite canning jar supplier released this wide-mouth, pint-and-a-half canning jar! I instantly ordered a case, and a case of the smaller ones too–they’re both favorite drinking glasses in our home.

Use code SOULYRESTED on your first order of $100 or more, delivered to a drop near you (go here to find one), and save 15% off your ENTIRE order!

Add a bamboo lid and a nice straw and I’m super happy sitting back sipping my allergy relief tea on the front porch and laughing at the pollen in the air.

Grab great deals on great ingredients

I am happy to share my pantry checklist with you because I firmly believe real food can be much more “doable” and convenient to make if we just make sure to have the important staples on hand.

I also firmly believe we all need to keep some moolah in our pockets whenever possible, so I’ve filled my pantry checklist with exclusive discount codes as well.

Go here to grab yours right now. It will take about 4 seconds & instantly save you time and money.

The post Make Your Own Springtime Allergy Relief Tea first appeared on Souly Rested.

Little did I know that what started out as a coffee shop order would turn into somewhat of an obsession, and, eventually, into this epic homemade masala chai tea blend.

That coffee shop chai latte, come to find out, was hardly even real chai at all, and, shockingly, contained more sugar in one cup that is advisable to consume in a whole day. Sigh.

But it’s okay, because that cup of chai lead me down a rabbit trail that now, years later, is being shared with you.

I hate to tell you this, but once you mix up your own masala chai tea blend, make a homemade latte with it, and sweeten it just how you like it, there’s no going back.

You guys really love homemade drinks. So much so that one of my top posts is one about making DIY coke!

What is masala chai?

Masala literally translates to “spices,” and chai literally translates to “tea.” So masala chai is, quite literally, spice tea. At its most basic form, masala chai is made with black tea, spices, milk, and sweetener. Masala chai can be made without milk as more of a spiced black tea, but I personally enjoy the flavor of the spices much more when they’re mixed with milk, and adding milk is more traditional from what I can tell.

Masala chai vs regular chai

Masala chai and “regular” chai are similar, but masala chai usually has more flavor thanks to the additional spices. Technically, “chai” literally just means “tea,” but lots of coffee shops call their chai lattes simply “chai” to limit confusion, even if the flavor is similar to masala chai.

The “classic” chai flavor we’re used to here in America is almost always masala chai, even if we don’t always realize it because coffee shops simply call it “chai.”

How to make masala chai tea

Although masala chai can simply be prepared as a normal black tea (steeped in hot water), it’s usually prepared as more of a latte, with milk and sweetener added. My personal favorite way to make masala chai tea is by making a concentrate by simmering my tea blend in water, straining it, and storing it in the fridge for future use. (I then add 1-1 ratio of my concentrate and milk, and heat it when I want a cup of masala chai.) But there are a few different ways you can make masala chai tea;

1. Prepared like a simple “spiced tea” by steeping your masala chai tea blend in hot water for about 3 minutes
2. Made into a masala chai concentrate to store in the fridge and make into lattes whenever the mood strikes
3. Brewed similarly to the concentrate, but in one-cup-worth increments (so you don’t have to store extras in the fridge). I like to use 4.5 cups of water with 4 tablespoons tea blend, simmer in a saucepan for about 20 minutes, cool, strain, and store in a glass quart jar in the fridge. Use in a 1-1 ratio with milk.
4. Steeped as a simple black tea, but with milk and sweetener added after the tea is done steeping (I call this my “lazy girl chai latte” and I do this when I’m short on time and don’t want to wait for my concentrate to brew)

However you choose to make your masala chai, it’s hard to go wrong.

Is masala chai healthier than coffee?

Drinking a cup of masala chai has much less caffeine than a typical cup of coffee, which can be a benefit. The spices also offer some level of health benefits, like the ginger. Less caffeine will prevent a crash or burnout, and the naturally-sweeter flavor of masala chai (compared to the bitterness of coffee) may allow you to add less sugar to your cup of chai than you would add to your daily cup of coffee.

What spices are in masala chai?

Masala chai often includes many flavorful spices like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, ginger, and others. Some recipes add star anise to their blend, but I prefer mine without since I’m not a fan of the licorice flavor it adds. Some versions of masala chai also include fennel seeds, but I don’t find them necessary. The most common spices used in masala chai (and the ones I include in my blend) are;

• Black pepper (for that classic “spice”)
• Cardamom (for that warm, sweet, slightly spicy, citrus-y flavor classic masala chai needs)
• Cinnamon (what’s masala chai without lots of cinnamon flavor?)
• Ginger (adds a little kick & classic flavor + added health benefits!)
• Cloves (for that little extra somethin’)
• Star anise (optional, for licorice flavor)

What kind of tea is in masala chai?

Masala chai is made with a base of black tea + spices. Traditionally masala chai is made from Assam black tea. Others can be used, but I tend to like the classic, smooth flavor of the assam. Since I also like the fruity and floral flavor of Nilgiri black tea, I actually use my Lipton copycat black tea blend in my masala chai tea (which is simply a 3-1 blend of Assam and Nilgiri). You can always just us Assam in your blend if that’s easier for you. Another great option for the base of you masala chai tea blend is Dajeerling, but I don’t find the flavor of that as strong or smooth as my black tea blend.

How much does it cost to make masala chai tea at home?

I ran the numbers and each batch of this recipe costs me $1.85. Considering that this recipe should make 5-6 (large) cups of chai, I’d say you’re well on your way to saving lots of money while enjoying incredible, full-flavored chai. That’s, quite literally, 30 cents per cup of chai you make at home. What a steal!

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Masala Chai Tea Blend

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup black tea blend*
• 1/8 cup cinnamon chunks
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, slightly crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried ginger root
• 1 teaspoon green cardamom pods, crushed slightly
• 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
• 10 "petals" whole star anise optional

Instructions

• Add all the ingredients to a jar, and shake to combine.
• Use as desired to make masala chai tea lattes. For a flavorful cup of tea, I use 1 tablespoon of this blend per cup.

Notes

*My black tea blend is a 3-1 ratio of Assam to Nilgiri. Just Assam can be used as a substitute, or your favorite black tea.

Looking for ingredients to make masala chai tea blend?

I source my Assam and Nilgiri black teas from Positively Tea Company. They’re always organic, responsibly sourced, and crazy affordable too! Plus my code “SOULYRESTED” will save you even more, it even works on BULK sizes!

I order my bulk dried ginger root from the same place. Best price I can find anywhere, and it’s organic. (code “soulyrested” works on this too.)

Most of the other spices I order from my favorite family-run, independent food supplier. (Find out more about them here.) They’re all great prices and most have bulk options for even more savings. Find cardamom pods, whole black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon chunks there.

Don’t want to make your own masala chai tea blend?

I love this pre-mixed blend (use code “soulyrested”), and this different bulk sized one when I need a lot of chai (code “soulyrested).

More like Homemade Masala Chai Tea Blend:

• How to make chai concentrate (it’s SO easy!)
• Homemade Lipton Tea copycat black recipe
• Mocha Frappe without coffee
• Healthy hot chocolate mix
• DIY coke… yes you can make delicious homemade soda

The post Homemade Masala Chai Tea Blend first appeared on Souly Rested.

Sorry, but not sorry.

Because the truth is, while this tea is amazing around the holidays–and it makes such a nice holiday gift!–it is one I love sipping as soon as the temperatures drop in the fall, right through spring. Heck, I’ve even been known to have a mug full of this tea in July–yep, Christmas in July.

Make the best Christmas tea

The base of this tea is made up of best black tea and the naturally-sweet unique flavor of rooibos. When you compliment those with the joy of peppermint, you absolutely can’t go wrong. Especially for holiday get togethers and long nights spent sipping in front of a crackling fire.

Which black tea is most popular?

I did choose one of the worlds most popular black teas for this Christmas tea blend–Assam. It holds a high spot on my list of all-time favorite teas. When you think of your favorite rich breakfast teas, most likely they contain assam. It’s a bold, strong, slightly malty black tea that is named after the region in India where it is grown. It’s even a gorgeous almost-black-red color. Combined with the naturally red rooibos tea in this blend, it’s truly as beautiful as it is delicious.

What is the most loved tea in the world?

According to the World Tea Export Council–and they should know–the most loved tea in the world is black tea. So much so that black tea makes up about 75% of the world’s total tea consumption. Green tea comes in at 20% and herbal and oolong make up the rest… about 5%. (source)

So this amazing Christmas tea blend includes one of the most well-known and popular teas (Assam) in the most popular category of tea (black) along with, in my opinion, two of the best herbal options you will find anywhere (rooibos and mint). I call it “Holiday Warmth” and I think you’re going to love it.

But you’re not going to want to just whip this up for yourself. You’ll probably think of quite a few friends, relatives, neighbors, and others who would love a gift of this Holiday Warmth Tea this year. So I have some gift-giving ideas for you too. Keep reading.

What are some great homemade tea blends for Christmas gift giving?

You can’t go wrong with this Christmas tea blend as a gift, since it’s made of some of the most popular flavors in the world. But there are plenty of choices if you want a variety of options for gift giving.

If the recipient is a coffee fan but trying to cut out the caffeine, make them this delicious tea that tastes like coffee blend.

If they’re a fan of Lipton tea bags but you’d like them to start enjoying a much healthier option, without pesticides lacing the tea leaves or without bags whitened with bleach, this black tea blend would be the perfect gift.

Mix up some tea, fill a small mason jar, add a great flip lid (buy the 4 pack for less than the price of 3 and gift teas to four friends) or a nice stainless steel lid option,  and a simple twine bow. Toss in a stainless steel strainer for a mug, a quart jar strainer (my favorite), and a simple tea spoon and you will have a thoughtful homemade gift in only minutes that will be treasured for a long time to come.

While it’s very fun to grow some of my own ingredients for making homemade tea blends, I usually have to buy the black, green, or herbal teas I use to make my own blends. See my 8 top favorite teas right here.

Holiday Warmth Tea 

Yield: 1 pint jar of tea blend

INGREDIENTS

2⁄3 cup black tea (I use this blend that tastes like Lipton)

2⁄3 cup rooibos tea

2⁄3 cup dried peppermint leaves

DIRECTIONS

• Combine the three ingredients in a clean, dry jar.
• Add lid and shake to combine.
• Steep 1 TB in 16 oz of hot water for 2-3 minutes.
• Add sweetener if desired & enjoy.

Notes for making the best Christmas tea

• Optional: add 2 tsp vanilla bean powder for a nice variation.
• If you grow your own mint, feel free to use any variety of all, but my personal favorites for this tea blend are Chocolate Mint and Orange Mint.
• If you’re giving your blend as a gift, attach a small card that gives these instructions: “Steep 1 TB of tea in 16 oz of hot water for 2-3 minutes. Remove tea. Add sweetener, if desired. Enjoy!”

More tea blends you’ll love

The best black blend (it tastes like Lipton)

A homemade healthy tea that tastes like coffee

Raspberry leaf tea (my favorite immunitTEA to fight off colds)

8 of my favorite tea blends

The post Make the best Christmas tea first appeared on Souly Rested.

This drink is one of Favorite Summer Drinks, all listed here as well.

Well, to be fair, it’s a tea blend of 4 ingredients (and I add my favorite sweetener), but I call it Yarrow Tea because it all started with the yarrow.

A few summers ago, I picked a bouquet of yarrow on my morning walk with Bixby.

As I passed all the prolific blooms the next morning, I realized I could collect a ton more and not even put a dent in this patch of flowers. So I pulled out my phone and googled “uses of yarrow” and–being a tea fanatic–“yarrow in tea.”

That day I waltzed home with armfuls of yarrow and loaded up my dehydrator.

Just a few walks later, I noticed the elderberry tree on an abandoned lot that I pass on my walk was blooming. That one I knew was a bloom I’d been wanting to collect and dry for teas, so… well… the rest is history…

I’ve discovered that this simple tea, made up of 5 functional ingredients that help me feel better (keep reading for the other three), is a choice I reach for again and again.

Yarrow Tea

It turns out I quickly found, when Bixby sat by the side of our winding road that summer morning and I scrolled google, yarrow is an amazing addition to tea (just to be clear–it’s great in hot and iced tea as well).

I love so many of it’s benefits, but if I had to pick just one to mention, I love that it helps with inflammation, which is the root of so many other issues. (Read 5 benefits of yarrow here.)

You can even get yarrow powder to sprinkle in your smoothies or over your food.

And if you don’t have a winding road lined with yarrow–not to mention the old, patient dog by your side while you scramble on your phone–I have great news for you!

I have a friend–who runs one of my favorite small family businesses to support–who sells organic yarrow, elderflower (the next ingredient I’m going to tell you about) and so much more. Just check out the ingredients pictured and linked at the bottom of the recipe. And tell Ceanne I said “hi.” She’s the best.

Does yarrow tea make you sleepy?

I’ve never noticed drowsiness when drinking yarrow in my tea, but I’ve read that yarrow tea can have that effect. (source)

Is yarrow tea a laxative?

Yarrow has been long used for lots of effects, including a mild laxative. Native Americas would make a yarrow tea for colds, fever, and headache (source) and crush the leaves and plant for rubbing on burns and wounds.

Elderflower in tea

You’ve probably heard lots about the amazing elderberry. See how I add elderberry syrup to kombucha and listen in on–or watch–this podcast all about why I take elderberry syrup. But did you know the flower is pretty amazing in it’s own right? Read all about it here.

Needless to say, my dehydrator was busy that week. I even took a bucket and garden clippers with me on my morning walk to collect half of the elderflower I could reach. (I saved half so I could collect the elderberries in another month and make elderberry syrup.)

And, needless to say, Bixby was very patient with me on that walk. Never mind what the passing cars might have thought about the crazy lady with her flower-ladden bucket walking along the side of the road.

Here’s a picture of the elderberries I collected about a month later (yet another reason for passersby to call me a crazy lady with a bucket).

What else is in this Yarrow Tea?

I forage red clover in my own fields (no crazy-lady-carrying-a-bucket-and-garden-clippers-along-the-road involved). And I grow lots of variety of mint, all of which are delicious in this tea blend.

Go here to read up on red clover & why I love using it.

Go here to read up on mint & why I love using it.

A note about the sweetener

I choose maple for both the taste and the added polyphenols and antioxidants. In fact, I substitute maple syrup for sugar in almost everything.

If you use maple syrup, always be sure you’re using 100% maple syrup. (It’s the second most faked food in the world, topped only by olive oil.) This site is loaded with information about how to make your own syrup. Or if you want to buy the best, grab some of this maple syrup.

Go here for great insights in all the best all-natural sugars.

Yarrow Tea Recipe

Ingredients you need to steep:

2 TB yarrow

2 TB elderflower

4 TB mint

2 TB red clover

Ingredient to add as sweetener:

1-2 TB maple syrup

Directions:

Steep herbs in a quart jar of hot water. Cover and let sit for about 6 hours, to steep the full benefits. I will often do this overnight, but, fair warning, if it steeps too long it can taste bitter. Usually overnight is perfect.

To make the removal of the herbs super easy, I love my quart-size tea steeper, linked below.

Add sweetener and stir. (Read more above.)

Serve over ice, or you can warm it as well and enjoy a mug-full of this delicious tea.

Items I use for making Yarrow Tea

Yarrow (save with code SOULYRESTED)

Elderflower (save with code SOULYRESTED)

Mint (save with code SOULYRESTED)

Red clover blossoms (save with code SOULYRESTED)

maple syrup (save with code SOULYRESTED)

stainless steel tea strainer for a mason jar

stainless steel tea strainer for a mug (save with code SOULYRESTED)

My dehydrator is a work horse, and worth every penny

But I’ve also used this dehydrator with great success.

More tea blends you should make:

• How to make (decaf) tea that tastes like coffee
• Make the best cup of black tea (a homemade blend you’ll love)
• Raspberry Leaf tea (if you like yarrow tea, you’ll LOVE this!)
• Maple chocolate iced coffee

Talk to me about yarrow tea…

If you have questions, leave a comment below. And please tag me on ig to show me your yarrow you forage or your yarrow tea you make, over at @souly.rested.

“He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” Psalm 107:9

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 sugarmaking, to chicken care, to baking.

 

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

 

 

 

 

The post Yarrow & elderflower tea | A tea worth foraging for first appeared on Souly Rested.

Until I created this Lipton copycat blend. It’s organic. And delicious. Keep scrolling for the full recipe.

And snag some asssam and nilgiri and make this deliciousness yourself.

Is Lipton tea good?

Lipton tea might taste good to some folks, like my husband. But I imagine 100% of Lipton fans would prefer a true, organic, loose-leaf copycat of Lipton over those familiar bleached bags of tea crumbs any day.

Now that I created this DIY blend, which I always keep mixed and ready, in bulk, in a canister on our kitchen counter, my husband is enjoying a much healthier drink every day, and I haven’t purchased those bleached tea bags, filled with who-knows-what potential chemicals in over 5 years.

I also hear from you guys pretty often, on instagram or youtube, that this tea blend is a huge hit in your house too. Like this recent comment on my youtube video about this black tea blend (see the video below):

Yep, this Lipton copycat recipe is definitely a keeper!

Is drinking Lipton tea good for you?

While I’m the first person talk up the benefits of a good, loose-leaf tea, I would never say drinking Lipton tea is good for you.

I’m not a fan of soaking bleached tea bags in my hot water before drinking it. Or potentially-pesticide-laced tea leaves.

Is it okay to drink Lipton tea everyday?

Because of the potential bleach and chemicals leaching into your hot water, no, I would not recommend drinking Lipton tea daily. But I do have a fantastic alternative for you! Keep scrolling for my Better-than-Lipton Sweet Iced Tea Recipe.

Is Lipton tea bad for you?

If you’re a believer that organic is better when it comes to our food, trust me, our drinks are no different. Lipton tea is NOT organic and never will be. Tea crops are often heavily sprayed with cancer-causing pesticides. And you don’t have to just take my word on this… This extensive scientific report, from vol. 179 of Food and Chemical Toxicology (dated September 2023) states this:

…the cultivation of tea plants often faces challenges due to their high vulnerability to pests and diseases, resulting in the heavy use of pesticides. Consequently, pesticide residues can be transferred to tea leaves, compromising their quality and safety and potentially posing risks to human health, including hormonal and reproductive disorders and cancer development.

So yes, I can say pretty confidently that Lipton tea is bad for you… not as any expert in this arena (I’m not, and I’m not claiming to be), but simply by reading reports by folks who seem to have the credentials to know what they’re talking about and the research to back up their claims.

Is black tea good for you?

There are lots of studies out there that list many reasons black tea is good for you (mind you, given all we’ve talked about here so far, the black tea does need to be organic, if it’s going to be good). So I’ll just choose some of my personal favorite reasons (after the delicious taste) that black tea is my go-to:

Focus.

Black tea is well-known for it’s ability to help us focus. You may think that’s all because it has caffeine, but here’s the cool thing… many drinks that are high in caffeine don’t give a stable, long-lasting boost of alertness the way black tea does. Because black tea also has an amino acid called L-theanine, which can improve alertness and focus too. They pack a great punch, the duo team of caffeine and L-theanine.

Mood.

Crazy enough, black tea even helps keep our blood sugar level under control. This study went into great detail analyzing this very fact, which mean black tea can help you fight diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, and even depression. I mean, I always knew a cup of one of my favorite black teas always makes me happy, but now I genuinely know why!

Gut.

Tthe coolest little-known fact about black tea, in my mind, is this: Black tea can improve your gut health. You see, the polyphenols found in black tea feed the good bacteria and inhibit the bad bacteria in your gut. I’m a huge fan of fermented food and drinks for this exact reason, so of course I’m also a huge fan of black tea.

Better Than Lipton Sweet Iced Tea Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp nilgiri
1 TB assam
2 cups hot water
3/4 cup raw cane sugar
6 cups ice cold water

DIRECTIONS

1. Steep the nilgiri and assam tea in 2 cups of hot water for 10 minutes.
2. Add 3/4 cup raw cane sugar, maple syrup, or my personal favorite, coconut sugar, and stir well.
3. Stir in mint extract (learn my hack for making Easy Mint Extract here) or other flavor options, if you’d like, and add 6 cups ice cold water.

Notes for making this better-than-Lipton sweet iced tea

1. If you’d like to make a bulk batch, just mix 1 cup nilgiri and 3 cups assam and store in an airtight glass jar. Steep 1 1/2 TB of your blend in a few cups of hot water and add enough cold water to fill a 3-quart pitcher.
2. If you’d like to make a no-calorie option, steep 1/2-1 tsp of stevia leaves with your tea blend and there’s no need to add any other sweetener.
3. To save the most money, buy these teas in bulk (I will order 1 1-pound bag of nilgiri and 3 1-pound bags of assam when I order) and store the extra in an air-tight container in a cool dark place until ready to use.

What I use to make this knock-off Lipton tea

Use code SOULYRESTED to save $$ on my favorite teas.

Talk to me about your black tea, if you make this blend

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

Listen in to the full story behind this blend

This mini podcast episode breaks down all the details about the Lipton copycat recipe. (episode 93)

And be sure to Download my FREE Pantry Checklist and all the discounts on the best ingredients

The post Is Lipton Tea Good? | Best Black Tea first appeared on Souly Rested.

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.

The post Raspberry Leaf Tea first appeared on Souly Rested.

In fact, I loved this “coffee tea” so much, I had to experiment with making my own blend, and I have to say… WOW, this is a keeper.

It turns out, officially, this tea that tastes like coffee isn’t tea either.

Fun facts about this tea that tastes like coffee

As it turns out, all official tea is made from the Camellia sinensis plant. But this tea we’re talking about today is made from parts of a chicory plant, dandelion roots, and a spice, so officially it’s an herbal tea.

It’s an herbal tea that tastes like coffee. Crazy, right? But deliciously true.

Another fun fact? Chicory, which is a perennial plant (Cichorium intybus), offers such a deeply roasted flavor, some say it tastes more like coffee than coffee does. In fact, many coffee manufacturers add chicory to their coffee to cut down on caffeine content while boosting flavor.

Turns out, today I’m nationally recognized as a chicory expert.

A national news network interviewed me to pick my brain about all things “not coffee” for National Coffee Day. Read the article & watch the video of me harvesting my chicory in my New England garden right here.

Chicory even makes amazing lattes, frozen coffee, and more

Go here for all my chicory drink recipes. I love making a Decaf Frozen Coffee Alternative using chicory. And, if this article is your first introduction into making your own tea blends, congrats!! It’s so much fun. I love sharing about How to Make Tea Blends that you love.

Reasons to drink this tea that tastes like coffee?

When I did a little research I was shocked at all the health benefits that seem to come from all three of the ingredients in this tea: chicory, dandelion root, and cinnamon. I also realized I can grow and preserve 2 of the 3 ingredients right in my own backyard!

When I faced some dental issues and the dentist told me I needed to cut back on acidic drinks (think coffee) and all sweeteners in drinks (I do love maple in my tea) I was elated to realize this amazing cup of tea has zero acid and when I sweeten it with stevia I have a totally dental-friendly drink to sip on all day, without any unhappy dental visits.

Chicory

I was excited to read that chicory root contains inulin. I learned a lot about inulin when I wrote my book. Inulin is a complex carbohydrate, or a natural fiber, that’s a sort of prebiotic. Amazingly enough, inulin works to encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria in our guts, which can help with digestion, inflammation, and lowering blood sugar. And it tastes great? Score. (btw, dandelion root has inulin too… read below for details on that and lots more.)

I get my chicory root from my favorite tea company, they actually sell the chicory root as an adaptogen in their botanical line. Code SOULYRESTED saves you $$.

Speaking of great tastes, the dandelion root is another surprisingly delicious taste for a tea blend that you want to taste like coffee. The roots add an earthy, nutty undertone to your cup of tea.

While you could use the dandelion plant to make a sweeter tea, the dandelion’s roots–when dried, cut, and roasted–are a great alternative to dark coffee. And dandelion root is naturally slightly sweet because of natural fructose.

As for its health benefits? The dandelion plant is known for its detoxifying quality, but I came across so many medical reports about the health benefits of dandelion root that I had to share more details below (and I link to the studies as well).

I typically get my dandelion root via Azure Standard. Find out if they deliver in your area here. You can also grab some dandelion root right here.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a powerful spice that boasts of amazing health claims (in fact, it falls #1 for antioxidants on a list of the 26 most popular spices in the world).

So it’s no surprise that cinnamon has been used medicinally around the world for thousands of years. But not just for its high levels of antioxidants. It also boasts of other health benefits:

• antibacterial,
• antifungal, and
• anti-diabetic properties.

So while cinnamon chips are optional in this homemade bulk tea, I can’t imagine why you would want to leave it out.

I get my cinnamon chips via Azure Standard. Find out if they deliver in your area here. You can also grab some cinnamon chips right here.

All of these ingredients are included on my complete Pantry Checklist, which I have ready to share with you, just let me know where to send it. I include lots of discount codes as well, on all of my favorite ingredients I keep stocked in my pantry.

Why add dandelion root to a tea that tastes like coffee?

As I mentioned above, I stumbled across so many scientific articles about the benefits of dandelion root, I had to share some of them here:

Dandelion root is loaded with inulin, a fiber that’s found in plants. Inulin supports healthy gut bacteria in your digestive tract. (source) 

Roots are rich in antioxidants, including polyphenols—which are micronutrients that are essential to our overall health. (source)

One interesting study found that dandelion extract significantly reduced inflammation in cells  (source)

And I love it that dandelion extract may help you manage your weight, pretty cool, yes? (source)

Quite a few studies have found that dandelion root extract seems to slow the growth of cancer cells. (source 1, source 2, source 3, and source 4)

Because it’s a good source of inulin, dandelion improves gut health! (source 1, source 2) 

It’s so encouraging that studies have documented that dandelion extract significantly reduces a viruses’ ability to replicate. (source 1, source 2)

And other research shows that compounds in dandelion protect against  harmful bacteria. Amazing, no? (source)

What does it cost to make tea that tastes like coffee?

Here’s the ingredients I purchased to make a bulk blend of 6 cups (or 1.5 pounds) worth of tea (see links to where I source these organic ingredients in the recipe below):

4 oz organic roasted dandelion root ( I used all of this)

1 lb roasted chicory root (I had 3.75 oz left over for my next batch)

1 lb cinnamon chips ( I had 9.25 oz left over, so this amt of cinnamon makes a double bulk batch)

So my total cost for the ingredients I used to make my bulk batch of this amazing tea that tastes like coffee? $27.39

Sidenote–the cinnamon is a great deal because it includes 3 types of cinnamon in one (there are only 4 types total):

1. Cinnamomum verum–this ceylon cinnamon is called “Mexican cinnamon.” It’s herbal and savory, not overly sweet
2. Cinnamomum burmannii–this one is a common cinnamon that is mild and well-loved
3. Cinnamomum loureiroi–this Vietnamese cinnamon is the hardest to find. It’s the cinnamon grown for royalty and it’s super sweet & super spicy

If I steep 1 TB per mug to make my tea that tastes like coffee, my bulk batch will make 96 large mugs of tea. btw, my mugs are generous 16 oz or more (I can’t stand a whimpy mug), so officially this is 192 cups of tea.

Total cost per 8 oz serving? 15 cents. Wowzer!

Where can I buy tea that tastes like coffee?

Sourcing your ingredients and blending your own tea is definitely a big added step that I totally understand isn’t for everyone. If that is you, I gotcha covered!

If you’re not interested in blending your own and would rather support an amazing small family business, in Oregon, the heart of small town America, I have found an amazing source for you. It’s a top-notch company that I adore. And you can trust all the ingredients are organic and hand-blended with Farmhouse Teas.

Which of these teas is the best?

I’ve tried them all, and am hard pressed to choose a favorite, so instead I’ll break down which ones I prefer with (or without) maple syrup (because, afterall, I did write the book on all things maple )

The Chocolate Not Coffee is a perfect dessert substitute and I prefer it without any added sweetener, so the subtle chocolate taste shines.

On the other hand, the Hazelnut Not Coffee has a wonderfully detailed taste profile that (in my opinion) lends itself to the slightly “sour” side, so added maple syrup gives it a wonderful balance.

The Plain Jane Not Coffee is delicious either with or without sweetener, depending on my mood, but don’t let the name fool you… it’s anything but “plain.”

And the Sugarmakers Not Coffee is best without sweetener, in my opinion, so you can taste the natural flavors of the tea itself.

So go ahead and choose one of these amazing chickory-based teas that taste like coffee and let me know your thoughts. They’re all delicious! And be sure to use code SOULYRESTED on every order you place with this fabulous family-run business. My friend, Ceanne, will give you an additional 10% off your total!–>

Sugarmakers Not-Coffee Tea

Mountain Hazel Not-Coffee Tea

Chocolate Conniption Not-Coffee Tea

Plain Jane Not-Coffee Tea

Why I love my instant hot water heater

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Chicory Tea that Tastes like Coffee (single serving)

Ingredients

• 1 tsp cinnamon chips
• 1 tsp dandelion root
• 2 tsp chicory

Instructions

• Mix all 3 ingredients and steep 1/2 TB in 8 oz of hot water.
• Steep at 195F for a minimum of 2 minutes (But you really can't over steep it, and you can use any temperature of hot water. This tea is very forgiving.)

What I Use to Make this Tea that tastes like Coffee

How to Make a Bulk Amount of this Tea that Tastes Like Coffee

INGREDIENTS

1 cup cinnamon chips*

DIRECTIONS

Mix all three ingredients and store in a quart-size mason jar. Use a lid with a great seal (important to keep your tea fresh). I use these lids, btw, on so many things… herbs, dried fruits, popcorn kernels, rice, and all my teas. 

To make a cup, steep 1 TB of tea in hot cup of water.

If you’d like to add a little all-natural, zero-calorie sweetness to your tea, add 1/4 cup of stevia leaves for every 4 cups of your bulk tea. (Or 1 TB of stevia for every 1 cup of tea blend. This equals just a smidgen of stevia leaves per cup of tea.) I like to have two jars of this in the pantry at all times (one with stevia and one without) because I love this tea sweetened with maple syrup and I also love it totally unsweetened, so for both of those situations I grab the jar made without stevia.

The post Homemade healthy tea that tastes like coffee first appeared on Souly Rested.