8-10 tablespoons of loose roobios tea
Ginger - 1 inch knob sliced
Cardamon - 10, bruised
Cloves - 2, bruised
Teaspoon of peppercorns, bruised
5 Cinnamon sticks, broken up
1 Bay leaf

Add all the ingredients to a large stock pot. Add 2-2.5 liters of water and bring to the boil. Reduce and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and had milk and honey as desired.

I recently posted this up on my Squidoo lens which you might also want to check out

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Lemon grass or mint plants are great to have in the garden so you can pick a few leaves (or sticks in the case of lemon grass) and steep them in boiling tea to create a fresh and flavoursome tea. And if your plant is growing too profusely instead of letting it go to waste you can harvest and dry your herb so you will always have a supply on hand (blog to come on exactly how to do this). Of course you’ll want to keep your garden pesticide free so all you ingest is the goodness of the herbs.

I found these two recipes in an old book I had called ‘The Body Bible’ by Pamela Allardice. I thought I’d share them as they are a little different to your normal teas.

Lavender Headache Tea
According to the book Queen Elizabeth 1 drank alot of this tea as she suffered from nervous tension headaches. Her gardeners made sure there were always lavender flowers available because no one likes a cranky queen.

3 tablespoons of english lavender flowers
2 cups of boiling water
clear honey, to taste

Allow the flowers to steep for 3-4 minutes, strain and serve, with a slice of lemon if you like.

(I always add the honey and lemon to this one otherwise it tastes a bit too ‘flowery’ for me, but it is definately relaxing and sotthing - good for exam time!)

Parsley Tea
Parsley is a mild diuretic and a body cleanser therefore this tea can be used instead of water if fasting or to improve detoxification of the body overall.

1 bunch whole parsley
250ml of boiling water

Chop up parsley, place in a teapot and pour boiling water over it. Steep for 2-3 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey if needed. 

Enjoy your natural tea!

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Super Easy Spicy Cranberry Chai Tea

To make enough for two people add:

4 heaped tablespoons of loose organic chai tea
2.5 cups cranberry juice

to a saucepan and slowly bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Strain and drink.

How easy is that! If you want something really quick you could always substitute the loose organic tea for tea bags but the flavour isnt quite so good. And if you have a bit more time these holidays why not have a go at making your own chai tea for a real treat.

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And with the holiday season looming large it’s not hard to envisage that a few of us may find ourselves in a food-induced coma after one too many servings of turkey and mashed potato. You know that feeling of being tired, sluggish and really full. So instead of washing it down with another glass of champagne it may help to have these organic teas on hand which when can help keep your energy up as they boost the digestive system allowing it to do its job even faster.

1. Ginger Tea
Ginger has a plethora of natural benefits. It is the king daddy of digestive aids. It increases the production of digestive fluids and saliva which can help to relieve indigestion, stomach cramps and gas. It also treats motion sickness, morning sickness and general nausea and stimulates circulation to nourish the skin and remove toxins from the blood. Definitely one for the top of the list this party season!

2. Fennel Tea
Fennel Tea is made from the seeds and aids the digestive process, improves appetite, relieves stomach cramps, eliminates flatulence and soothes a sore throat or cough.

3. Yarrow Tea
Yarrow tea is created from its flowers and improves digestion and appetite and also reduces cold symptoms and chest congestion.

4. Sage Tea
Sage tea made from its leaves calms nerves, improves digestion and eases lung congestion and cough.

5. Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea is commonly used as a tea for digestion and a remedy for ulcers. It treats indigestion, colic and gas. Peppermint is a refreshing and light aroma so as well as being beneficial to your health it also taste’s great.

In general hot drinks stimulate digestion while cool drinks inhibit digestion so if you want the beneficial effects of these herbal loose organic tea’s then its best to skip iced tea and warm up with a nice hot cuppa.

Why not make your own blend and get the synergistic benefit of a few of these tea’s remembering to add peppermint to even out the taste. Drink before, after of during a meal up to three times daily.

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