Women's Red Raspberry Leaf Tea - Herbal tea formula #5 in a series

Time for Tea

Women's Red Raspberry Leaf Tea


This is the fifth post in a series of herbal tea recipes on this blog, I hope you enjoy them.

Women's Red Raspberry Leaf Tea: This tea is specifically formulated for women's needs and supports a woman's reproductive system. It is also useful for soothing symptoms of colds and flu.

A lot of women I know, including myself, drink red raspberry leaf tea during pregnancy. It is known for toning the organs, preparing for childbirth. It is not just for pregnancy however. It's great for both men and women as a general natural tonic.

This version of herbal tea also happens to be very tasty too!


WOMEN'S RED RASPBERRY LEAF TEA Formula:

3.50 ounces  Dried Red Raspberry Leaves
0.50 ounces  Cinnamon Bark Chips, crushed
0.50 ounces  Dried Apple Slices, crushed
0.50 ounces  Dried Orange Peel, crushed


Method:

Mix the dried herbs together.
Store air-tight in a cool dark place.


To Brew Herbal Tea:

Bring purified water to a boil in a stove-top kettle.
Place 1 to 2 teaspoons desired loose leaf herbal tea blend into a cup.
Pour about 1 cup boiling water over the herbs and cover the cup.
Allow to steep 5 minutes.
Strain and sweeten if desired.
Enjoy!


Sun Tea Preparation:

Fill a 1/2-gallon jar with purified water.
Fill a reusable tea bag with desired herbal tea formula (or pour herbs in jar and just strain out later).
Set the jar outside in the sunshine for 6 hours or so.
Chill the tea.


Tips:

You may use a bamboo tea strainer or Tea-ball to make straining your teas a snap.

At our house, we use a French coffee press to make bigger batches of tea - it works great!

Enjoy this herbal blend hot or iced.

Enjoy a cup on cold winter mornings and evenings to chase away the winter chill. They also help chase away colds and are so comforting. Try adding a squeeze of lemon and raw honey when serving. Or make it sugar-free by sweetening with Stevia Glycerite (recipe on this blog). About 4 drops Stevia Glycerite is all you need to sweeten your mug of herbal tea! We find that a cup of hot herbal tea helps us relax before bedtime.

During the heat of summer, try brewing as a sun tea, and then serve chilled with some Stevia Glycerite to lightly sweeten, maybe a splash of lemon or lime and lots of ice. Iced herbal tea makes a great thirst quencher and is so much better for your family than sugar-filled sodas, and such.


To your health,

Leila.

Zesty Hibiscus Tea - Herbal tea formula #4 in a series

Time for Tea

Zesty Hibiscus Tea

This is the third post in a series of herbal tea recipes on this blog, I hope you enjoy them.

Zesty Hibiscus Tea: A very flavorful tea that contains Vitamin C and is a beautiful pink color. A favorite both hot and iced, especially with a splash of lemon.



ZESTY HIBISCUS TEA Formula:

0.50 ounces  Dried Red Hibiscus Blossoms
0.50 ounces  Dried Rose Hips
0.50 ounces  Dried Peppermint Leaves
0.50 ounces  Dried Lemon Verbena Leaves
0.50 ounces  Cinnamon Bark Chips, crushed
0.50 ounces  Dried Orange Peel, crushed


Method:

Mix the dried herbs together.
Store air-tight in a cool dark place.


To Brew Herbal Tea:

Bring purified water to a boil in a stove-top kettle.
Place 1 to 2 teaspoons desired loose leaf herbal tea blend into a cup.
Pour about 1 cup boiling water over the herbs and cover the cup.
Allow to steep 5 minutes.
Strain and sweeten if desired.
Enjoy!


Sun Tea Preparation:

Fill a 1/2-gallon jar with purified water.
Fill a reusable tea bag with desired herbal tea formula (or pour herbs in jar and just strain out later).
Set the jar outside in the sunshine for 6 hours or so.
Chill the tea.


Tips:

You may use a bamboo tea strainer or Tea-ball to make straining your teas a snap.

At our house, we use a French coffee press to make bigger batches of tea - it works great!

Enjoy this herbal blend hot or iced.

Enjoy a cup on cold winter mornings and evenings to chase away the winter chill. They also help chase away colds and are so comforting. Try adding a squeeze of lemon and raw honey when serving. Or make it sugar-free by sweetening with Stevia Glycerite (recipe on this blog). About 4 drops Stevia Glycerite is all you need to sweeten your mug of herbal tea! We find that a cup of hot herbal tea helps us relax before bedtime.

During the heat of summer, try brewing as a sun tea, and then serve chilled with some Stevia Glycerite to lightly sweeten, maybe a splash of lemon or lime and lots of ice. Iced herbal tea makes a great thirst quencher and is so much better for your family than sugar-filled sodas, and such.

To your health,

Leila

Comforting Chamomile Tea - Herbal tea formula #3 in a series

Time for Tea

Comforting Chamomile Tea

This is the third post in a series of herbal tea recipes on this blog, I hope you enjoy them.

Comforting Chamomile Tea: a very gentle and calming tea. Chamomile has many health benefits. As I was growing up, my mom always made chamomile tea for me when ever I came down with any kind of illness. I'd drink it, fall asleep, and wake up feeling much better.



COMFORTING CHAMOMILE TEA Formula:

1.20 ounces  Dried Chamomile Flowers
0.50 ounces  Cinnamon Bark Chips, crushed
0.50 ounces  Dried Orange Peel, crushed


Method:

Mix the dried herbs together.
Store air-tight in a cool dark place.


To Brew Herbal Tea:

Bring purified water to a boil in a stove-top kettle.
Place 1 to 2 teaspoons desired loose leaf herbal tea blend into a cup.
Pour about 1 cup boiling water over the herbs and cover the cup.
Allow to steep 5 minutes.
Strain and sweeten if desired.
Enjoy!


Sun Tea Preparation:

Fill a 1/2-gallon jar with purified water.
Fill a reusable tea bag with desired herbal tea formula (or pour herbs in jar and just strain out later).
Set the jar outside in the sunshine for 6 hours or so.
Chill the tea.


Tips:

You may use a bamboo tea strainer or Tea-ball to make straining your teas a snap.

At our house, we use a French coffee press to make bigger batches of tea - it works great!

Enjoy this herbal blend hot or iced.

Enjoy a cup on cold winter mornings and evenings to chase away the winter chill. They also help chase away colds and are so comforting. Try adding a squeeze of lemon and raw honey when serving. Or make it sugar-free by sweetening with Stevia Glycerite (recipe on this blog). About 4 drops Stevia Glycerite is all you need to sweeten your mug of herbal tea! We find that a cup of hot herbal tea helps us relax before bedtime.

During the heat of summer, try brewing as a sun tea, and then serve chilled with some Stevia Glycerite to lightly sweeten, maybe a splash of lemon or lime and lots of ice. Iced herbal tea makes a great thirst quencher and is so much better for your family than sugar-filled sodas, and such.

To your health,

Leila

Chamomile Mint Tea - Herbal tea formula #2 in a series

Time for Tea

Chamomile Mint Tea


This is the second post in a series of herbal tea recipes on this blog, I hope you enjoy them.

Chamomile Mint Tea: Both soothing and cooling, this is a favorite body-balancing blend of herbs that is bound to be a favorite in your house, as it is in mine.



CHAMOMILE MINT TEA Formula:

1.00 ounces  Dried Peppermint Leaves
0.50 ounces  Dried Red Raspberry Leaves
0.50 ounces  Dried Chamomile Flowers


Method:

Mix the dried herbs together.
Store air-tight in a cool dark place.


To Brew Herbal Tea:

Bring purified water to a boil in a stove-top kettle.
Place 1 to 2 teaspoons desired loose leaf herbal tea blend into a cup.
Pour about 1 cup boiling water over the herbs and cover the cup.
Allow to steep 5 minutes.
Strain and sweeten if desired.
Enjoy!


Sun Tea Preparation:

Fill a 1/2-gallon jar with purified water.
Fill a reusable tea bag with desired herbal tea formula (or pour herbs in jar and just strain out later).
Set the jar outside in the sunshine for 6 hours or so.
Chill the tea.


Tips:

You may use a bamboo tea strainer or Tea-ball to make straining your teas a snap.

At our house, we use a French coffee press to make bigger batches of tea - it works great!

Enjoy this herbal blend hot or iced.

Enjoy a cup on cold winter mornings and evenings to chase away the winter chill. They also help chase away colds and are so comforting. Try adding a squeeze of lemon and raw honey when serving. Or make it sugar-free by sweetening with Stevia Glycerite (recipe on this blog). About 4 drops Stevia Glycerite is all you need to sweeten your mug of herbal tea! We find that a cup of hot herbal tea helps us relax before bedtime.

During the heat of summer, try brewing as a sun tea, and then serve chilled with some Stevia Glycerite to lightly sweeten, maybe a splash of lemon or lime and lots of ice. Iced herbal tea makes a great thirst quencher and is so much better for your family than sugar-filled sodas, and such.

To your health,

Leila

Soothing Mint Tea - Herbal Tea formula #1 in a series

Time for Tea

A few years back, When we owned our food manufacturing business, I had intentions of creating and selling a line of delicious and healthy loose-leaf herbal teas. I developed and tested several tasty and unique formulas, found the sources I needed for bulk herbal supplies, found the desired packaging, worked on name and logo ideas... Well, That project wasn't to be...

I hope you will pamper yourself and enjoy making and drinking these teas. They are naturally caffeine-free so you do not have to worry about them being over-stimulating. The individual herbs used are beneficial to the body and are worth learning about on their own. Beside being very enjoyable, these herbal tea blends are good for your digestion, are loaded with minerals and antioxidants, and have uplifting effects upon the body.

These teas smell heavenly and will delight your taste buds, and are designed to use year round!

Enjoy these herbal blends hot or iced.

Enjoy a cup on cold winter mornings and evenings to chase away the winter chill. They also help chase away colds and are so comforting. Try adding a squeeze of lemon and raw honey when serving. Or make it sugar-free by sweetening with Stevia Glycerite (recipe on this blog). About 4 drops Stevia Glycerite is all you need to sweeten your mug of herbal tea! We find that a cup of hot herbal tea helps us relax before bedtime.

During the heat of summer, try brewing these teas as a sun tea, and then serve chilled with some Stevia Glycerite to lightly sweeten, maybe a splash of lemon or lime and lots of ice. Iced herbal tea makes a great thirst quencher and is so much better for your family than sugar-filled sodas, and such.

Soothing Mint Tea is the first of a series of herbal tea recipes that I will be posting on this blog, I hope you enjoy them.

Soothing Mint Tea: This blend is a favorite in our home any time and is especially good for settling the tummy and easing sore throats or fevers.


SOOTHING MINT TEA Formula:

1.00 ounces  Dried Spearmint Leaves
0.60 ounces  Dried Peppermint Leaves
0.20 ounces  Cinnamon Bark Chips
0.10 ounces  Dried Pink Rose Petals


Method:

Coarsely grind the cinnamon chips in a seed mill.
Mix the dried herbs and cinnamon together.
Store air-tight in a cool dark place.


To Brew Herbal Tea:

Bring purified water to a boil in a stove-top kettle.
Place 1 to 2 teaspoons desired loose leaf herbal tea blend into a cup.
Pour about 1 cup boiling water over the herbs and cover the cup.
Allow to steep 5 minutes.
Strain and sweeten if desired.
Enjoy!


Sun Tea Preparation:

Fill a 1/2-gallon jar with purified water.
Fill a reusable tea bag with desired herbal tea formula (or pour herbs in jar and just strain out later).
Set the jar outside in the sunshine for 6 hours or so.
Chill the tea.


Tips:

You may use a bamboo tea strainer or Tea-ball to make straining your teas a snap.

At our house, we use a French coffee press to make bigger batches of tea - it works great!



To your health,

Leila

French Press

Bamboo Tea Strainer

Tea Ball Infuser

A delicious unique salad recipe - Easy to make and very good for you

Flaked Broccoli Stem Salad

Finally a great use for those broccoli stems you don't know what to do with. When you are preparing broccoli, reserve the stems for this salad. It's yummy. I had this salad at my parents house in 2005. It's another of my mom's creations. It is very high in fiber and makes a great lunch or side. The texture is great, and there is an array of complimentary flavors, like sweet, tangy, savory... YUM.

Look on this blog for the recipe for Dad's Dressing. It is very easy to make and is preferred for this salad.


FLAKED BROCCOLI STEM SALAD RECIPE:

1 pound raw broccoli stems, peeled and flaked into 1 1/2-inch lengths (can use a sharp vegie peeler)
1/2 to 2/3 c. cubed roma tomatoes, or 2 to 4 T. flavored sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Pitted black olives, to taste

Dad's Dressing, to taste

Garnish: Pine nuts, "Crispy Walnuts", or Spicy Seasoned Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)


Method:

Mix up the salad to taste, toss with "Dad's dressing", and garnish as desired.
Serve immediately.



Note:

See the recipe for "Crispy Soaked Almonds", to see how to make in advance the Crispy walnuts. the process is the same. Our method makes walnuts have a much better taste and texture!

Enjoy,

Leila

Our 3 Favorite Fiber Blends for Gluten-Free Baking - Great to have on hand for other recipes too...

Our Favorite Synergistic Soluble Fiber Blends - Critical for Superior Gluten-Free Baking!

Besides using our favorite 4-Flour Blend in gluten-free baking, using one of these fiber blends is crucial for obtaining superior gluten-free baked goods that have nice chew, rise, stability, moisture retention, and bread-like texture and structure.

We have given you 3 choices of fiber blends to give you more flexibility. Some people prefer one gum over another. In the Cheetah Test Kitchens, we feel all of these gums are healthful and beneficial to the body. Soluble fiber improves gut health, helps to level out blood sugar levels, and helps you feel satisfied longer after a meal. Fibers and gums are superior to using starches for thickening purposes for these reasons, and more.

We use these soluble fiber blends a lot in our households, not only for gluten-free breads, but also for GF cakes, muffins, and cookies. We also use it in sauces, salad dressings, smoothies, etc... We recommend having some in your pantry too!

3 BEST SYNERGISTIC SOLUBLE FIBER BLEND FORMULAS:

In order of preference...


SYNERGISTIC SOLUBLE FIBER BLEND #1:

50 % Konjac Flour and 50 % Xanthan Gum



SYNERGISTIC SOLUBLE FIBER BLEND #2:

50 % Konjac Flour and 50 % Guar Gum



SYNERGISTIC SOLUBLE FIBER BLEND #3:

50 % Xanthan Gum and 50 % Guar Gum




Method: 

Place in a jar with an air-tight lid and shake the tar out of it to thoroughly blend together.
Store air-tight in your pantry.




Notes:

About gum synergy: When mixing 2 or more soluble fibers or gums together, they are more powerful than when used on their own. These gum blends are carb-free and basically calorie-free. Only small amounts are needed.

Konjac Flour - A naturally occurring gum. Contains Glucomannan, a water-soluble polysaccharide and a dietary fiber. Glucomannan is derived from a tuber called Amorphophallus Konjac. Glucomannan has the thickening power that is about 10 times stronger than corn starch.

Guar Gum - A naturally occurring gum from guar beans, a commonly eaten vegetable in other countries. It is a galactomannan, which is a soluble fiber.

Xanthan Gum - A polysaccharide created by a fermentation process.
To quote +http://modernistcuisine.com/ - "First discovered by USDA scientists in the 1950s, xanthan gum is fermented by plant-loving bacteria, characterized by sticky cell walls. It is no less natural than vinegar or yeast. We think xanthan gum is one of the best discoveries in food science since yeast."


We will be sharing more on how to use these gum blends, along with recipes using them.

Happy baking!

Leila & Nancy