Hello dear reader!  It’s time for tea!  We love all kinds of tea here, black teas, green tea, chai, matcha and of course, herbal. Today we’re going to focus on a few herbal teas that we like to indulge in on nice slow mellow days. These tea blends are the perfect accompaniment for those days that lend themselves to curling up with a good book of poetry in a window seat full of overstuffed pillows at the Poet’s Cafe. Or maybe in a little corner of your garden amongst the flowering plants, befriending the pollinators who come to visit.

Some of our favorite blends

Our first tea is one we created from our home herbal apothecary. By utilizing the lessons we learned in our Herbal Medicine Making course at Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, we formulated this lovely blend.

Calendula flowers and Lemon Balm both act as digestive aids, while also working synergistically with Lemon Verbena for its anti anxiety properties.

Hibiscus flowers are well known for their amazing amounts of vitamin C as well as supporting heart and liver health.

Meadowsweet has long been used for digestive support and pain management. It adds a delicate sweetness to any blend to make it more palatable as well.

We named this one after one of favorite songs by The Cure, and when you taste it you’ll know why! I like to add a little dash of organic cane sugar, or a few drops of local honey to sweeten my tea, but it’s lovely as is if you prefer to not use sweeteners. Alternatively, this blend is wonderful as an iced tea and can be enjoyed for Spring or Summer tea parties.

Just Like Heaven

  • One (1) part Lemon Balm
  • One Quarter (1/4) part Meadowsweet
  • One (1) part Lemon Verbena
  • One (1) part Hibiscus Flowers
  • One (1) part Calendula Flowers

Hibiscus flowers give this beautiful tea its rich, red hue and you can garnish it with an extra Calendula flower for an added pop of brightness. You can see ideas for a colorful herbal tea party here, and a woodland themed tea party here.

 

Next up is an immune boosting tea that we love to have during the changing of the seasons. This seems to be when colds get caught, and this blend hits just right. Boasting a gorgeous deep wine color, thanks to the Elderberries and Cinnamon chips, it feels like a warm hug in a cup. We call this blend Immune-Ah-Tea as a play on words for all of the immunity building synergy that combining these herbs lend.

Super Immune-Ah-Tea

  • Two (2) parts Stinging Nettle
  • One (1) part Ashwagandha
  • Half (1/2) part Rosehips
  • Half (1/2) part dried Elderberries
  • Half (1/2) part Cinnamon chips
  • Half (1/2) part Licorice Root

In addition to its wonderful help during allergy season, Nettles are rich in anti-oxidants as well as Vitamins A and C. This helps make this tea blend a great immune booster.

Ashwagandha not only helps our immune system with its anti-inflammatory properties, but it also reduces stress, anxiety and depression. This adaptogenic herb also reduces fatigue and gives you energy without caffeine.

Rosehips and Elderberries are power packed with Vitamin C, and Elderberries help to reduce colds if used at the onset of symptoms. In addition they help protect us from bacteria, heart disease and diabetes.

Cinnamon has long been used as a warming herb, helping clear our sinuses and soothing a sore throat. It is loaded with antiviral, anti fungal and antibacterial properties and fights off pathogens.

Licorice root has been used for centuries for its immune strengthening benefits. Although this plant has been used to give licorice candy its flavor, Anise is more commonly used, and Licorice Root does not have the same taste. Its flavor is more earthy than the candy that bears its name. Another benefit of this root is its throat soothing capabilities. Although more testing is needed, Licorice Root has also been shown to help treat asthma by keeping our airways open.

 

How to make, store & brew your teas

Using dried herbs, mix all ingredients together in a bowl large enough for thorough blending. With the measurements listed in “parts”, you can choose the measurement depending on how much of a batch you want to make. So, if you want to make a large batch, you can translate “parts” into “cups”. To make a smaller batch, you can make the parts tablespoons or teaspoons.  For example: 1 part = 1 cup  OR  1 part = 1 teaspoon.

Store in an airtight container (we like these Mason Jars).

  • One cup of tea: 1 – 2 teaspoons in a tea ball (we like this one) or reusable teabag (like these)
  • To take on the go: 3 – 4 teaspoons into the tea strainer of your 17 oz Bamboo Tumbler
  • If you’re serving this at your tea party:
  • If you like a stronger flavor tea, use the higher measurement. Steep in boiling water for up to 20 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea.

 

 

Where to get the ingredients

We source our herbs from different places. We love to support our local organic food co-op, but we also buy in bulk online. You can get all of these herbs at either Starwest Botanicals or Mountain Rose Herbs.

 

Learn more!

If you’d like to learn about how to make these and many other awesome herbal remedies, drop us an email at [email protected] and put CHESTNUT in the subject line. We’ll give you a special code (exclusively for our readers!) for 10% off the price of a course at Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine. It’s where we got our certification in Herbal Medicine Making, and our go to source for help in formulating remedies we create for our families and ourselves.

 

 

Disclaimer:

We aren’t medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment. Please consult your medical care provider before using herbal remedies, particularly if you have a known medical condition or are pregnant or nursing. Please read our full disclaimer here.

 

Disclosure:

We only recommend products that we have used or would use ourselves. This post may contain affiliate links that, at absolutely ZERO cost to you, may earn us a small commission. Please read our full disclosure here.

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