Allergy Season Herbal Tea - Herbal tea formula #11 in a series (Caffeine-Free)

Allergy Season Tea

Be prepared for spring. If anyone in your family gets hay-fever, this is the herbal tea blend to make for them. It is a very pleasant tasting tea, so enjoy it as you gain it's anti-allergy and anti-hive benefits. If you know you are allergic to any of the ingredients contained in this tea, simply leave them out.

I created this tea for my daughter. When she was a toddler, she broke out in hives all over her body. We could not figure out what the cause was, and the hives did not go away after a few days. As a concerned mother, and experienced in the way of herbs, I did my research. I created this blend of gentle herbs, making it taste good so she would drink it. Drink it she did and her hives then quickly went away, not to return. I was very grateful. Herbs are amazing in how powerful yet gentle they can be. I prefer to do everything I can to help my family heal first, if we do not succeed, then to the Doctors we go. But usually we succeed.


ALLERGY SEASON TEA Formula:

26 grams Brigham Tea
16 grams Feverfew
10 grams Wood Betony
10 grams Lemon Balm
10 grams Spearmint Leaf
8 grams Nettle Leaf
8 grams Billberry Leaves or berries
4 to 5 grams Stevia Leaf, optional for sweetening
2 grams peppermint Leaf

Optional Ingredients:

Lemon Verbena, if you want a stronger lemon taste.

You can add more anti-inflammatory herbs like:
Licorice Root (it also sweetens the tea)
Sweet Clover
Hops (bitter if steeped too long, but calming)
Valerian Root (a bit weird smelling but very effective)


Method:

Place the dried herbs in a glass jar with an air-tight lid.
Shake well to mix.
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!


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!


Notes:

The calming herbs in this blend will counteract the slightly stimulating effect of the Brigham tea.
Brigham Tea is known as the #1 herb for allergies like hay-fever. It is also used as a weight-loss tea.
See: http://ephedrineweb.com/brigham-tea/ for more info.

Brigham Tea

To your health,

Leila

Warm Winter Spice Tea - Herbal tea formula #10 in a series (Caffeine-Free) - Perfect for this time of year

Time for Tea

Warm Winter Spice Tea


This is the tenth in a series of herbal tea recipes I created and have posted on this blog. I hope you enjoy them all.

Warm Winter Spice Tea: This caffeine-free tea has a nice roasted flavor with the perfect touch of spice. It will warm you up and chase away the winter chill beautifully. The dandelion root and spices used are good for the digestion. It is grain-free too and can be used as a healthy coffee substitute.



WARM WINTER SPICE TEA Formula:

2.00 ounces Roasted Dandelion Root
0.50 ounces Cinnamon Bark Chips
0.50 ounces Dried Ginger Root Chips
0.50 ounces Hulled (decorticated) Cardamom Seeds
0.50 ounces Star Anise Pods
2 to 4 drops Cardamom Essential Oil



Method:

Crush the herbs and spices a bit in a mortar & pestle or blend 1 to 2 seconds in a seed mill.
Place the tea blend in a small glass jar with an air-tight lid.
Drop the cardamom essential oil onto the tea blend, seal jar tightly, and shake well.
Let the flavors blend in the tightly sealed jar for a time, before brewing into a tea.

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

Sleep Well Tea - Herbal tea formula #9 in a series - Designed for a deep restful sleep.

Time for Tea

Sleep Well Tea


This is the ninth in a series of herbal tea recipes I created and have posted on this blog. I hope you enjoy them all.

Sleep Well Tea: I designed this soothing and gentle tea to help relax you and ease you into a deep restful sleep. It has a delightful lemon flavor and is mildly cooling on the throat. Enjoy this tea anytime you want some comfort.


SLEEP WELL TEA Formula:

0,60 ounces (1/2 c.) Dried chamomile Flowers
0.40 ounces (6 T.) Dried Passion Flower Leaves
0.25 ounces (1/4 c.) Dried Lemongrass
0.25 ounces (5 T.) Dried Spearmint Leaves
0.20 ounces (2 T.) Dried Skullcap
0.20 ounces (5 ml) Organic Lemon Essential Oil


Method:

Measure all the ingredients by weight, even the lemon essential oil.

Place all the dried herbs in a small glass jar with an air-tight lid.
Drop the lemon essential oil onto the herbs, seal jar tightly, and shake well.
Let the flavors blend in the tightly sealed jar for a time, before brewing into a tea.

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

Exotic Jasmine Spice Tea - Herbal tea formula #8 in a series (Caffeine-Free)

Time for Tea

Jasmine Spice Tea


This is the eighth in a series of herbal tea recipes I created and have posted on this blog. I hope you enjoy them all.

Jasmine Spice Tea: This delicious herbal tea is naturally caffeine-free. The jasmine flowers are delicate and sweet, and enhance the rooibos perfectly. The blend of spices make this tea even more exotic, and also enhance digestion. Drinking this fragrant, high antioxidant tea is a perfect way to end your evening.


JASMINE SPICE TEA Formula:

22 grams Red Rooibos Herbal Tea
11 grams Dried Jasmine flowers
8 grams Dried Orange Peel
8 grams Cinnamon Bark Chips
3 drops Cardamom Essential Oil
2 drops Clove Bud Essential Oil
1 drop Cassia Essential Oil


Method:

Place the dried orange peel and cinnamon bark chips in a small glass jar with an air-tight lid.
Drop the essential oils onto the orange peel and cinnamon, seal jar tightly, and shake well.
Add the rest of the dried herbs and shake to mix.
Let the flavors blend in the tightly sealed jar for a time, before brewing into a tea.

Store air-tight in a cool dark place.

Dried Jasmine Flowers

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

Make a big batch of this hearty buffalo chili

Big Batch Buffalo Chile

I thought it was time that I post something rugged and manly. I would hate to be accused of posting only rabbit food recipes. So here you go. Pick yourself up by your boot straps and go find yourself some local ranch-raised buffalo and lamb, and you are ready to get cookin'.

This is one of those recipes that you plan for in advance. It is nice to make a big batch and then freeze some of it in meal-sized portions for easy lunches and dinners later. Don't let the list of ingredients throw you. It's very easy to make, it just needs simmering time between the steps. A few of the ingredients called for, may not be what you typically have in your pantry. And maybe you don't raise buffalo to eat, like we did. That's O.K., we see buffalo meat for sale at Costco and other places. You may have to use cubed beef and add buffalo hamburger, it just depends on what you can find. No worries, the recipe is flexible.

Why use buffalo meat? Buffalo meat has a terrific flavor! A lot of people like buffalo even better than beef. It is raised in a cleaner, healthier manner that cows typically are. It is leaner than beef too, so it is helpful to add some coconut oil when cooking to help it stay moist.

We also add some lamb for good measure. It helps to create nice depth of flavor. Our family raised some lambs too... Was it bad that we named them 'Lunch' and 'Dinner'?

So, create your shopping list and make sure you have all the ingredients you will need. Set aside time to tend to a simmering pot, and get ready to be showered with praise for serving this man-pleasing meal. Note: Women and children love this too.



BUFFALO CHILE Recipe:

Part A - Meat Mixture:

1 pound ground lamb
4 pounds buffalo meat, grind half of it and dice the rest into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 to 1/2 c. coconut oil (deodorized 76 degree)
Rich buffalo broth (or beef broth)
1/2 c. red wine
1 bay leaf


Directions for Meat Mixture:

In a large stock pot, brown all of the meat in 1/4 c. to 1/2 c. coconut oil until it turns a nice medium-brown color.

Pour into the stock pot enough rich buffalo broth to go 1-inch over the top of the meat in the pan.

Pour in the stock pot 1/2 c. red wine and add 1 bay leaf.

Cook the meat until nearly tender.

Once the meat is nearly tender, follow the directions for part b - the sauce, below.


Part B - Sauce:

8 dried Pasilla chili peppers
8 mild dried red chilies
1 large can peeled, diced tomatoes
4 to 8 cloves garlic, smashed
1 small green bell pepper, minced
1 shredded corn tortilla (or omit for a paleo version)


Directions for Sauce:

Soak 8 dried Pasilla chili peppers and 8 mild dried red chilies in warm water until softened.

Remove stems and seeds and puree until very smooth.

Add to the simmering, nearly tender meat mixture.

Add the canned tomatoes, garlic, green pepper, and shredded corn tortilla.

Simmer together 1 hour.

Now proceed to part C, below.


Part C - Sauce Continued:

1 to 2 cans diced green chilies, to taste
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1 T. ground cumin
1 T. dried oregano
1 T. onion powder
2 to 4 T. sweet paprika
2 T. xylitol
4 cans (1 lb, 1-ounce) un-drained red kidney beans
Tapioca starch, to thicken
Sea salt, or BioSalt, to taste
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
A dash of smoke salt
2 T. green olive oil


Directions to Finish the Chile:

To the Part B sauce that has simmered 1 hour, add  the first 8 ingredients.

Thicken the Chile with a mixture of tapioca starch dissolved in water.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add a dash of smoke salt.

Simmer the Chile gently for 20 minutes more. Check the seasoning.

Take off the heat and add the green olive oil, to taste.

Let the Chile cool then refrigerate or freeze.

To serve: Reheat and garnish as desired.



Note: This chili is even better the next day.

Enjoy!

Leila

Lemon Rose Tea - Herbal tea formula #7 in a series

Time For Tea

Lemon Rose Tea

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

Lemon Rose tea; This is a delightful herbal tea blend for lemon lovers, but without the usual sour taste of lemon. It is cooling, soothing and gentle -  enjoy it often.



LEMON ROSE TEA Formula:

2.00 ounces  Lemon Myrtle Leaves
0.50 ounces  Spearmint Leaves
0.50 ounces  Chamomile Flowers
0.10 ounces  Dried Pink Rose Petals


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

Lemon Honeybush Tea - Herbal tea formula #6 in a series

Time For Tea

Lemon Honeybush Tea

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

Lemon Honeybush Tea: This very tasty and fragrant tea is loaded with antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Lemon Myrtle has antiviral, as well as anti-bacterial properties. Honeybush is rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, and isoflavones.

I LOVE this tea. I know you will enjoy this tea blend too.



LEMON HONEYBUSH TEA Formula:

1.00 ounces  Dried Lemon Myrtle


1.00 ounces  Dried Honeybush



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!

Honeybush

Lemon Myrtle

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