Nourish your body: Tea Time

Showing posts with label Tea Time. Show all posts

Aug 28, 2013

Scones

2 c. flour (whole grain)
1/4 c. sweetener (if liquid, mix with wet ingredients)
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. sea salt
2 T butter
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/4 c. walnuts, chopped
1 c. buttermilk (or milk with 1t. lemon juice, or yogurt/water)

---

1. Mix dry ingredients together; cut in butter until crumbly.

2. Stir in cranberries and walnuts.

3. Carefully stir in buttermilk to form a ball. Knead lightly a few times until sticky--don't overknead)

4. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, pat or roll each portion into an 8” round, about 1/2” thick. Cut each round into 8 triangles. Place the scones on the baking sheet. Brush the tops with buttermilk. Sprinkle with a pinch of brown sugar, if desired. Bake for 14 – 18 minutes. Serve warm.

**We like to make this when we drink our infusions (herbal tea). It's like a cookie biscuit.

* original recipe: http://wholegrainscouncil.org/recipes/breads/kamut-cranberry-walnut-scones

Jul 8, 2011

Homemade Herbal Infusions

If you have some herbs around the house, why not boil some water with these herbs and create your own infusions (herbal tea). See what you have and what benefits result.

Here is our post about how to make a simple infusion:

Name	Part Used	Health Benefits	Additional Information
Cardamon	Fruit	Relieves flatulence, harmonises digestion and eases nausea. Useful for combating colds & chills.
Celery	Seed	A cleansing herb, offering a good source of minerals. Beneficial for the kidneys and frequently used for joint disorders.	Avoid in pregnancy.
Chamomile	Flowers	The ‘mother of the gut’. Use for digestive weakness. Also very helpful to alleviate tension. A pleasant herb for children, to relive colic and promote rest.	Add an infusion to your bath. Use as a final rinse for your hair.
Cinnamon	Quills	A herb to aid the circulation, promote good digestion and to help combat infection.	Avoid in pregnancy.
Dandelion	Root/Leaf	A herb frequently used to reduce water retention (oedema). High in minerals which are frequently depleted by synthetic diuretics.	Seek help from your herbalist if you suffer from water retention.
Elderflower	Flower	A lovely tasting tea, generally useful to relieve cold symptoms, including catarrh and sinus problems.	Can be used to make a lovely wine and/or cordial.
Fennel	Seed	A digestive agent to help relieve griping and indigestion, to encourage milk supply when breastfeeding.	A useful herb to relieve colic in children.
Lemon Balm	Herb	A refreshing gentle herb to relive anxiety. Promotes digestion and induce rest.	Lemon Balm also has anti-viral activity.
Lemon Verbena	Herb	Similar activities to Lemon Balm, but with a slightly different flavour.
Limeflower	Flower	Another anti-stress herb for soothing the nervous system. Used by herbalists for some individuals with high blood pressure and circulatory disorders.	Consult your herbalist if you suffer from a circulatory disorder.
Marigold	Flower	A cleansing and detoxifying herb with anti-fungal, anti-viral and antibiotic activity. Marigold exhibits these properties internally and externally.	Use as a wash, compress, foot and hip bath.
Nettle	Herb	A detoxifier used as a spring tonic, for allergies and joint disorders.	Use nettle in soups with other vegetables. A good hair tonic, (use in the final rinse).
Peppermint	Herb	A herb for the digestive system. Harmonies well with elderflower for colds and catarrh. Try for headaches.	A max of 4 cups per day is recommended. Do not use for children under 4. Pleasant foot bath.
Rosemary	Herb	A herb to encourage digestive functions. Traditionally used to increase circulation to the head, to relieve pain and improve concentration.	A max of 3 cups per day. Don’t use if you suffer from high blood pressure.
Sage	Herb	Excellent as a gargle to relieve sore throats and enhance immunity. Sage may also reduce milk flow during lactation-so avoid during breastfeeding.	Do not feed if you are breastfeeding or pregnant
Thyme	Herb	A useful herb for ear. Nose, throat and chest infections	Useful to combat coughs and colds in children.

Apr 7, 2011

Herbal Infusions How To -- not the same as Tea

My husband and I love to have "Tea time." We like them with a hard biscuit or cookie--like our scones.
And yes, I was a typical girl who loved "tea time" when I was little too. I have them with my kids now and still have my very own little china tea set (real china), from when I was 8--that I hope to pass down to my daughter. (Of course, I did spend my earliest years in England, so maybe that helped get what Tea time is and is not into me...who knows.)

So yes, I drink some teas, but only herbal teas (infusions). I don't drink typical "tea." And here is the difference....

A herbal tea is a herbal or plant infusion, not from the leaves of the tea bush (Camellia sinensis-- which is what other tea is made from and contains theanine and the stimulant caffeine).

Typically, herbal tea is simply the combination of boiling water and dried fruits, flowers or herbs. Herbal teas are often consumed for their physical or medicinal effects, especially for their stimulant, relaxant or sedative properties.

Here are some common helpful brews:
ginger, honey and lemon - for sore throats
dill, fennel, or peppermint - for digestive/upset stomach issues
echinacea - for cold and flu symptoms

Check out this cool herbal tea reference guide to find out which teas you can use and make for your home health needs.

Standard Infusion:

1. Add 1oz (25g) of dried herbs (2oz if fresh) to 1 pint of (600ml) of boiling water, or 1 teaspoon per cup.

2. Place the herbs in a warm pot and add boiling water. Leave to infuse for 5 to 10 minutes according to taste.

*This will keep fresh for up to two days in the fridge.

Why not buy some herb plants you know you can use? Try your own concoctions (if pregnant, please read about which herbs not to use).

Here is a list of some health problems and typical herbs that can help: