Sore throats are the absolute WORST. I have one right now, and I feel like my throat is bleeding. Luckily, I had a friend suggest something odd to me... "Maybe have some milk and honey?" Have some what? I never would have considered combining those two things...it got me thinking, though. What else would be good in there to help with a sore throat?? So, I used my super duper research skills and found a recipe for sore throat tea. I made a few tweaks and changes, and this is what I came up with: Sore Throat Tea: Ingredients 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon 2 Tbs. Local Honey 1 Cup Milk or Milk Alternative Add all ingredients to your favorite mug, Microwave for 1 1/2 Minutes, stir, and enjoy! Let me tell you...SO. GOOD. Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments!! Did it work for you? What other sore throat remedies have you tried?
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When I first started learning about tea, I went out and decided to buy what I deemed to be 'the good stuff'. AKA, loose tea leaves. I rushed home, tea tin in hand, and excitedly sat down to enjoy the first steaming, delicious cup of my new tea...only to realize that I had NO idea how to steep it. Oops! Yeah, I overlooked that little detail. Luckily, I learned from my mistake and am prepared to tell you ALL about the different ways to steep your tea. Here are my top three favorites to get you started! Tea BallThis is one of the easiest and most popular ways to steep your tea. It is definitely one of my favorites because it's so easy! Here's the deal, tea balls come in two sizes: single serve and teapot. I happen to own both (Yay!). Single Serve: Add the recommended serving amount for your tea, snap it shut, and steep away! Teapot: For this option, add one teaspoon (or recommended amount) per cup (cups of tea). After you've done that, add one for the pot. Basically, add an extra scoop to make sure that your tea is tasting exactly how it is intended to. Tea FiltersI use these basically every day for tea brewing purposes. They are an easy, disposable way to brew your tea. All you have to do is add in the recommended amount of tea and steep. These can be used for both single serve cups and teapots. Tea StrainerThese are so cool. I don't have one yet, but I see one in my tea cabinet in the very near future! Tea strainers are awesome because they allow you to let the leaves fully bloom to steep. Let me explain. When steeping tea, you want to make sure that the tea has room to spread out. You don't want it to be too compact. With tea strainers, you are able to just scoop and dump the leaves into the pot and steep. As you pour the tea, the strainers (which are placed over cups) catch the leaves (that way you don't drink them!). However, there is also the option to use an in-pot tea strainer. These hook onto the lip around the top opening. You hook those into the pots, scoop your tea into the strainer, and let it steep in the basket. When you're done, you just lift the basket out of the pot and clean it out. Super cool, right? Your ChoicesOkay, so, as depicted above, there are a LOT of different types of tea. I'm not going to go over all of them (that would be a ton of research!) but I will cover a few of the basic types of tea that can be found in any tea shop. When choosing your tea, it's important that you know the background behind your choice. For instance, if you don't like a little bit of spice in your tea, I'd stay away from rooibos tea. If you want a strong, bold flavor, white tea is NOT the one for you. Here are my top 5 choices: 1. Black Tea - Rich, strong, and robust flavor. 2. White Tea - Delicate, mild, and gentle flavor. 3. Green Tea - Flavor ranges from grassy to sweet and floral, nutty and roasted. 4. Rooibos Tea - Sweet, nutty flavor without any bitterness. 5. Oolong Tea - Light floral, roasted or nutty flavor. Black TeaBlack tea can be smooth enough to drink, well, black...OR it can be rich and bitter and need the help of milk and sugar to bring out the amazing flavor it possesses. Either way, it's one of my absolute favorites. Black tea comes from the most oxidized tea leaves, giving them their dark color. For black tea, you take 1 tsp of the leaves and steep them for 3-5 minutes. If you over-steep black tea, it will become too bitter to drink. White TeaWhite tea possesses an incredibly delicate flavor. It is light, sweet, and reminiscent of sunny spring mornings. This tea is, in my opinion, under-appreciated. Most people jump to the bold flavors of other teas and over look the well-balanced, delicate flavor of this upscale tea. Here's the deal: Steep 1.5 tsp of tea for 4-5 minutes. Lightly sweeten or drink plain, milk isn't needed here! Green TeaNo tea is as energizing, light, and beneficial as green tea. This is the go-to tea for weight loss and morning energy. Better yet, there are a ton of different kinds of flavors for green tea. You can buy fruit flavor infused, roasted, floral, the list goes on. Here's how to make it: Take 1-1.5 tsp (sometimes, as in the case of my favorite brown rice green tea, you take 1 TBS of tea) and steep it for 45 secs. - 1 min. For some types of green tea, you need to steep it longer, 1-3 mins. Make sure you ask the steep time when purchasing green tea! Rooibos TeaThis tea is one of my FAVORITES. I love spiced teas, and this one doesn't disappoint. Rooibos tea is spice-rich while being sweet and nutty at the same time. I truly feel like it is a cultural experience to drink this tea. I imagine that I'm somewhere exotic with the scents of the spices all around me. It is a transporting experience. Want to try it for yourself? Do this: Take 1.5 tsp of the leaves and steep them for 5-6 minutes. The aromas will entice a whole new world, and the flavor will take you there. Oolong TeaOolong is another delicate tea. However, it does have a bit of a stronger flavor due to its nutty attributes. This tea is lovely to enjoy early in the day. It isn't too strong to drink later at night, either. Oolongs tend to be on the more expensive side because of their sophisticated nature.
Brewing instructions: Take 1.5 tsp of the leaves and steep them for 3 minutes. Next, sit back and enjoy the uplifting flavor of Oolong tea. Your OptionsI love tea. There may be a chance that I am slightly, very obsessed with it. A couple of years ago, I gave up coffee and made the switch to tea full-time. At that time, I was a rookie. Now, I correct the workers in tea shops when they don't have their facts straight. So, here's the deal. There are two ways that you can enjoy this steaming beverage from heaven: 1. Loose Leaf Tea 2. Bagged Tea There are pros and cons to each method; keep reading to figure out which way is right for you! Loose Leaf TeaThis is my favorite way to enjoy this beverage. Seriously, I'm addicted. There's something so awesome about scooping out my own portion of tea and buying it in bulk. Loose leaf tea is exactly what it sounds like...it is tea that isn't restrained by a bag. Here's an image to help illustrate what I'm trying to say: Loose leaf tea can be bought in two ways. You can buy it in tins (as pictured above), or in bags (like bags of coffee...but tea). There are some awesome benefits to drinking your tea loose. First, when you take the time to get to know your tea (as you undoubtedly will when you take the time to pick out that perfect loose tea), you get to understand the tea and where it originated from. You learn how long it's supposed to steep for and at what temperature. So much more thought goes into brewing loose leaf tea, and that makes for a better tea drinking experience. Second, you will appreciate the full bodied flavor of loose tea. The flavor is more rounded with loose leaf tea because you are giving the tea space to spread out and infuse the water better. I'm serious. I dare you to tell me there isn't a difference. This is the best kind of tea to drink if you plan to drink tea daily. Bagged TeaWe all grew up with tea bags. Feeling sick? Pop a chamomile tea bag into some hot water and sip away. This is an awesome way to drink tea as long as you abide by some rules. First, make sure you research the brand of tea that you want to drink. Make sure that they're all natural or even organic if you so choose. Second, DON'T LEAVE THE TEA BAG IN YOUR CUP! Seriously, this kills me. If you just leave your tea bag in your cup while you're drinking, chances are you're starting off with a watery beverage and ending with the flavor of burned tea. Yeah, tea burns...in hot water...if it's left to steep for too long. Pay attention to recommended steeping times on the box. When steeped at the recommended temperature for the proper amount of time, you will get the best flavor out of your tea. I don't recommend choosing tea bags if you want to drink tea daily. There are chemicals in the paper tea bags and in the sachets which can cause health problems if they are consumed on a regular basis. However, if you're just wanting to enjoy a cup every once in a while, this might be a good choice for you. Here's a great visual that I found online. This demonstrates just a few of the benefits of choosing loose leaf tea over tea bags.
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Kate MurphyI love all things natural. I love finding alternative methods. I love to write. Put it all together and you get this blog. Categories
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