Still in the Garden

    September days, so mild and  breezy and  bathed in the sweet light of the equinox, call me to stay in the garden. The herbs are still growing, begging to be brought inside and preserved, one way or another.  I am still picking and drying my favorites for cooking and brewing teas during the darker days ahead.

    My favorite tea for winter is named "Cold and Flu Tea," and everyone who tastes it,  loves it. It is my go-to brew at the first sign of a cold.  Truth be told, almost any tea will make you feel better if you are getting a cold!  That said,  herbal teas have a long, revered history of improving health and allaying symptoms.  The herbs work in different ways to make you feel better.  It seems to me that if I drink this tea, I feel better sooner!  And there is evidence that elderberry is an immune-system booster, enabling your body to fight off the nasty little viruses that cause colds.

   I use several herbs that I grow and a few that I am unable to grow but can purchase from an on-line purveyor of organic, fair-trade herbs and spices.

  My recipe is made with 1 part of each herb unless otherwise noted.  I blend together a large quantity of the dried  blended herbs so it is ready when I need to brew a cup of TLC. (the ginger root is not added until I am ready to make the pot of tea)

   Cold and Flu Tea

                      

                                                                                                                                                                                                     

                        Lemongrass                                            Lemon Verbena

                        Lemon Balm                                           Hyssop Leaves

                        Nettles                                                   Red Raspberry leaves

                        Peppermint                                             Hibiscus

                        Nettles                                                   Ginger Root

                         Elderberry flowers                                 Rose Hips

  Here's how I brew it:  Take a one inch piece of ginger and slice it.  In a quart  size pot, bring one quart of water and the ginger to a boil, lower and  simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and add 4 tablespoons of the herb mixture to the water and steep for 10 to 15 minutes.  Add honey or stevia and sip until you feel better.

Herbs DO have medicinal properties  and while all of these herbs are generally considered safe, it is always good to check with your doctor if you are on medications or are pregnant, before ingesting herbs.


  Take away for today:  Tea is good for what ails you!