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.

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

So let’s make chai.

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

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

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

How to make a good chai latte at home

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

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

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

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

Tips for making a flavorful chai latte

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

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

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

Homemade chai latte technique #1 (chai concentrate)

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

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

Homemade chai latte technique #2 (single stovetop latte)

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

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

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

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

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

How to switch up a homemade chai latte

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

Add vanilla or maple extract for a different flavor.

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

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

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

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

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

More like homemade chai latte (3 easy ways):

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

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

In fact, I love tea so much that even my “coffee” is actually tea. (P.s. my NOT coffee tea was even featured on Fox News!)

But liking chai lattes is a new one for me. Once I realized I liked chai, there’s been no going back. I now make my own chai lattes from scratch, with all real ingredients. Cue this homemade masala chai concentrate. Basically, I got sick of needing to brew my chai tea every time I wanted a chai lattes. So I realized–duh–it would be so much easier to make chai concentrate.

Therefore I’m sparing you the agony of waiting for your chai to brew all the time, and sharing my favorite (easy) way to make a chai latte–with homemade masala chai concentrate.

Like homemade drinks? Grab my viral homemade dr pepper recipe.

What is chai concentrate made of?

Most traditional chai concentrates (*cough* like the one really huge coffee shop, ya know, with the green logo–uses?) are made with some teas and spices for flavor, but mostly just loads and loads of sugar. In fact, real chai lovers know that the best chai–the ones you can’t stop thinking about–are a balance of sweet and spicy.

Too much sweetness and the whole drink is off-balance. Plus, nobody needs to start their day with almost 50 grams of sugar! That’s more than we should have in a whole day! I’ve compiled a list of the sugar content of popular chai concentrates to help convince you that you really need to make your own.

Chai concentrate is made from:

• Loose leaf chai tea
• & Water

…That’s it.

You’ll add sweetener and milk later to make your chai latte from your chai tea concentrate.

Sugar amounts in popular chai concentrate brands:

1. Starting off strong, Tazo chai concentrate has a whopping 24 grams of sugar per serving (and who’s drinking just ONE serving anyways?).
2. Oregon Chai concentrate (this is the brand my local bagel/coffee shop uses!) has 19 grams added sugar per one serving.
3. Trader Joe’s brand chai concentrate (used to be my favorite chai to make lattes at home with!) has 20 grams per 4 oz of concentrate.
4. Oregon Chai latte powder contains 33 grams of sugar per serving. Granted, the powder is a bit different from liquid concentrates, but still. Crazy.

So basically the answer to “what is chai concentrate made out of,” is–basically–sugar. Some concentrates are made from real tea and spices, too, but plenty are also made with just “natural flavors” + sugar. We can do better.

Why is my homemade masala chai concentrate not flavorful?

Funny enough, chai pretty much needs to be sweetened to taste good. But finding the right balance between just-sweet-enough to bring out the flavor and not too sweet to overpower the spiciness can be tough sometimes. Bringing out the flavor of your chai is mostly about finding that sweet spot (pun intended). If you’re sweetening your chai just right and it’s still not as full-bodied as you’d like, here are some tips for making the most flavorful cup of chai you’ll ever drink.

• Try a different chai tea blend, or better yet, make your own. Not all chai teas are created equal, and some have an emphasis on a certain spice that might not be your preference. Making your own blend allows you to tailor it to exactly how you like it. For instance, I’ve found I prefer more black pepper in my mix and some folks do. And I tend to not enjoy chai that includes anise because I don’t love the licorice flavor. Find what you like.
• Use black tea as your base. This offers a robust, strong base for the strong spices but isn’t overpowering. Some chai doesn’t include a tea base at all, and some use green or rooibos as a base, but for that classic chai flavor you’ll want black tea.
• Don’t be afraid to boil your chai to make a concentrate. It won’t get bitter, but it will allow the flavors of the spices to actually come out and create a bold, flavorful chai.

How to make homemade chai lattes taste as good as a coffee shop

First, understand that most coffee shops simply use a pre-made, super sweet chai concentrate to make their chai lattes. So when you make your own, authentic, perfectly-sweet, perfectly-spicy chai at home, it will taste different than most coffee shop chai lattes. But I personally think that chai lattes I make at home are better than any coffee shop chai I’ve found.

Tips for a coffee-shop quality chai latte:

1. Add vanilla bean paste to your concentrate, or when you make your chai latte with concentrate. The extra vanilla adds flavor and creaminess you’ll crave.
2. Use higher-fat milks. Using skim or 2% milk in your chai latte is always an option, but the end result will be less bold and statisfying.
3. Make sure you use enough sweetener. I know we’re all trying to cut back on sugar, but to really taste the bold flavors of your chai, you need to make sure you’re sweetening it properly, not skimping.
4. Add other flavors to your chai, like brown sugar cold foam on iced chai, pumpkin for a seasonal chai flavor, or cherry for a Starbucks knockoff.

Tips for making homemade chai lattes more flavorful:

1. Don’t use tea bags. Instead, loose leaf tea allows the flavors to seep into your latte really well, creates a more robust flavor, and, not to mention, avoids the toxins in tea bags. Steeping the loose leaf tea directly into the water rather than using tea bags (where the tea never really makes contact with the water) was such a game-changer for my chai lattes. I personally think my homemade masala chai tea blend is the best ratio ever. But find a good loose leaf tea that works for you. (Go here for the 7 reasons I prefer loose leaf tea over bags.)
2. Use high-quality, fresh spices from reputable sources. It’s easy to find bland, cheap versions of spices. But it’s rare to find truly flavorful, aromatic spices that make your tastebuds dance. When I’m making my chai tea blend, I source most spices from Azure standard and I’ve had pretty good luck with them. And I source as much as I can from Positively Tea and Positively Botanicals because they simply have the highest standards and, as a result, the best-tasting spices. Not to mention they also have the best prices and bulk options for even better pricing. Plus my code “soulyrested” saves even more. Their dried ginger literally makes my chai taste better than and other ginger I’ve used.

How to make chai concentrate with loose leaf tea

I’ve tried many chai lattes over the years, and the best ones I’ve ever had are made from scratch, with my homemade loose leaf tea chai blend. This not only allows you to customize the flavors to your preference, but also just tastes the best.

Bagged tea are often made with low-quality tea, the bags don’t give the tea room to breathe (you get the most flavor from your tea when it has more room to brew!), and tea bags themselves (as well as the staples and glue used to keep the bags closed) are generally not the best for you.

So I stick with loose leaf tea whenever possible (I’ve been known to travel with my tea steeper and bags of my favorite tea blends…).

And loose leaf chai is top-tier. Full of rich flavor from the black tea, spice from the cardamom, pepper, and cinnamon, and sweet/spicy flavor from anise, cloves, and ginger.

Chai tea concentrate recipe

To make chai tea concentrate, you’ll need:

• loose leaf chai tea blend (you can make your own or purchase some)
• water
• sweetener of choice (to make your chai latte)
• milk of choice (to make latte)

To make the concentrate, simply simmer your tea and water together, allow to sit and cool, strain, and store in the fridge.

Add milk and sweetener to taste when you’d like to enjoy a chai latte made with homemade chai tea concentrate.

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Masala Chai Concentrate

Ingredients

For a quart of concentrate:

• 4 tablespoons masala chai tea blend*
• 4 1/2 cups water

For a half gallon of concentrate:

• 8 tablespoons masala chai tea blend*, or roughly 3/4 cup
• 9 1/2 cups water

Instructions

• Add your tea and water to a pot.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to make sure all the tea gets incorporated
• Allow the water to boil pretty rapidly for 1-2 minutes, before turning the heat to med-low or low, to where the water is slowly and gently simmering.
• Allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes, covered.
• Remove from heat. If you have time, allow the tea to continue to soak in the water for 2-3 hours. When done, strain well and store in the fridge.

To make a Chai latte with concentrate:

• Mix your chai concentrate in a 1:1 ratio with milk. Heat, if desired, sweeten to taste (I love 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey), and enjoy! I also love to add a tab of vanilla bean paste and an extra sprinkle of cinnamon, when I'm feeling fancy.

*Find my recipe for homemade Masala Chai Tea Blend here.

Or if you prefer to buy your tea blends, this bulk sized one from Positively Tea is my to-go, or this one from farmhouse teas. Use code “soulyrested” for both.

More like Masala Chai Concentrate:

• Homemade Masala Chai Tea Blend
• DIY coke… yes you can make delicious homemade soda!
• Homemade Lipton tea copycat blend
• High protein peppermint mocha latte
• How to Make Tea Blends

The post Homemade Masala Chai Concentrate 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!

Print

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.

All summer long I’ve been sharing new summer drink recipes over on instagram. This article you’re reading is a conglomeration of the best..

So pick a favorite and whip one up today to beat the heat deliciously. Heck, try them all & let me know in the comments what’s your favorite!

Maple Orange Sweet Iced Tea

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1 cup cold brew Golden Monkey tea (I brew 3 TB Golden Monkey tea in a quart of cold water overnight, so I can make a few of these all day long)

Add a double shot of espresso (this is my favorite) or a 1/4 cup of cold-brew chicory root tea (to make this strong, and use as a medicinal alternative to espresso, brew 4 TB of chicory in 1 quart of water overnight)

Mix in 1-2 TB of maple syrup, to taste

Serve over ice.

Other black teas I’m loving in this drink:

Juicy Peach

My Organic Lipton Knockoff

Starbuck’s Pink Drink Knock Off

I’m in love with this knock off of Starbuck’s Pink Drink.

I show you how to make this delicious pink drink in this video on instagram.

And a lot of folks have asked about my tea strainer for a quart jar–find the strainer here.

Grab the Coco Berry Mango tea here.

Use code SOULYRESTED and save 10% off your entire order of tea or botanicals all the time.

I stock up on the 1 lb bag when I buy it because it’s so good as a straight up iced tea too. I drink it all summer.

Bonus: The 1 pound bag is 4x the amount of tea as the medium size bag but only 2x the price.

Spend $50 or more and shipping is FREE–go here for inspiration of what you might want to try–> all my favorites.

Decaf Frozen Coffee Alternative

Did you know decaf coffee is often chemically altered, with methylene chloride, a chemical also used in paint strippers, and a cousin, so to speak, of formaldehyde.

All in the name of a profit. With no concern for your health.

Decaf tea is very similar, so do some due diligence and find out if your favorite decaf teas are decaffeinated with CO2 or chemicals.

So you need this herbal tea that tastes like coffee in your life. And then you can whip up your own Decaf Frozen Coffee Alternative all summer long.

Grab the recipe and tips for making this deliciousness right here: Decaf Frozen Coffee Alternative

Mint Chocolate Chip Protein Shake

We should be eating about a third of our calories in protein.

That’s almost impossible for me somedays, but this delicious shake covers a full serving of protein.

Bonus: freeze some for amazing ice pops on a hot summer day. Find the recipe for the shake and the ice pops here: Mint Chocolate Chip Protein Shake

Sweet Iced Tea (without the chemicals)

A lot of sweet iced tea gets downed around here, all year long actually. So years ago I decided we had to ditch the Lipton tea bags, with bleach and pesticides… no thank you.

Grab my Better Than Lipton Sweet Iced Tea recipe here. It’s life changing. Seriously.

Yarrow Elderberry Tea

I’d drink this tea just for the medicinal benefits, but when you realize how delicious it is too, well, don’t say I didn’t warn you that this might be your new addiction.

Get the printable recipe and the full inside scoop on this refreshing drink right here: Yarrow Tea with Elderberry and Maple

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.

There’s more!

Be sure to follow on instagram for the full Summer Drink Series!

Talk to me about your favorite summer drinks here

If you have any questions, leave a comment below. And please tag me on ig to show me which ones of these summer drinks you’re loving @souly.rested.

My Favorite Things for Making These Summer Drinks

The post Favorite Family Summer Drink Recipes 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.

 

I’d love to connect!

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.

Or maybe you stumbled across this article because it’s fall and you’re looking for a good fall drink that will help you fight off sickness as we’re entering into flu and cold season.

Either way, I gotcha covered with some delicious, healthy drinks for this fall (or anytime).

What is best to drink when sick?

Today I’m sharing my top 5 favorite drinks to make and serve the family when someone’s feeling under the weather.

1. Electrolyte drinks are great options when sick. Just make sure they’re all-natural and not loaded with sugars and chemicals. These are my favorite. Zero junk. And it even contains minerals needed for your hair, skin & nails. This one is Bill’s favorite. (He thinks my favorite is too salty.) 
2. Homemade gatorade is a fantastic option. I share my recipe for homemade gatorade right here.
3. Kombucha naturally improves your digestive health, so it is a great option for a drink when sick. This elderberry probiotic drink mix is my next-favorite option if you don’t make kombucha.
4. Herbal teas can be amazing, because you can load them up with functional herbs that will help improve your symptoms. This Raspberry Leaf Tea with elderberries is a favorite in our house, along with the delicious one I’m sharing today… scroll down a little for the recipe.
5. And, last but not least, a healthy, homemade hot chocolate can really hit the spot when you’re feeling under the weather.

What is the best drink for electrolytes when sick?

This Guavo Mango Electrolyte mix is an amazing choice, all-natural and zero junk. Use code SOULYRESTED to save.

Or any of the flavors here, honestly.

Download my complete Pantry Checklist (for free) for lots more of my all-time favorites that I keep stocked in my pantry.

Is Coke good when you have a cold?

There is nothing redeeming, in any way, to Coke. Sorry.

I used to be a Coke Zero fanatic, so trust me, it wasn’t easy to swallow, but when I learned exactly how bad Coke is for us, I had to find another option. Even so, my healthy DIY Coke and this functional, delicious Coke Syrup (use code SOULYRESTED) still aren’t necessarily the best think to drink when you’re under the weather.

On the other hand, if you have an upset stomach and/or you’ve been vomiting. I do find a glass of soda will settle my stomach and taste really good to me. If you’re choosing an all-natural version of soda, it turns out it might be the perfect choice.

This Herbal Tea is a Great Drink When You’re Sick

I’ve discovered yarrow tea is my favorite thing to drink, made up of 5 functional ingredients that help me feel better.

Ingredients you need to steep:

2 TB yarrow

2 TB elderflower

4 TB mint

2 TB red clover (optional)

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 at least 6 hours. 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.

Add sweetener and stir. I choose maple for both the taste and the added polyphenols and antioxidants.

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

My favorite tea steeper and more

I link my mason jar steeper here, as well as my other favorite tea products, a few tea blends I always have on hand, and my favorite no-calorie way to naturally sweeten my tea:

Talk to me about your favorite drinks when you’re sick.

If you have any questions, leave a comment below. And please tag me on ig to show me your herbal tea you make with yarrow, elderflower, and mint @souly.rested.

More options for delicious drink when sick:

Homemade gatorade

How to make delicious Raspberry leaf tea

Healthy, homemade hot chocolate

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

“Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Cor. 10:31

Pin this for later!

Click on the image below to pin this post.

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.

I’d love to connect!

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

The post The 5 Best Things to Drink When Sick first appeared on Souly Rested.