How about teas for digestion, to aid in absorbing the various foods you eat? An herbal tea or infusion will do a much better job than a coffee.
Place all the herbs in a tea ball or tea bag. (This tea bag can be as simple as a patch of muslin gathered up and tied above the bundle of dried leaves, roots or flowers).
Tea for One;
If you are only making enough for one serving you can place it in your favourite drinking cup or mug. Pour boiling water from
a kettle over the herbs. Steep for 10 minutes, remove the herbs and enjoy.
Tea for Two or Three;
If you want to make enough tea to share with a few others, you can place the tea ball or tea bag in a teapot. Pour the boiling water
over it. (Sometimes I put a teaspoon of honey into the pot at this point). Wait to steep the tea about ten minutes, remove the herbs
and then pour, and enjoy with friends.
Tea for More;
If you will be sharing your tea with a few more people, I suggest you stuff the tea ball with a bit more herbs, or make a larger
tea bag. Place this in a glass or ceramic pitcher, perhaps 1 litre or 1 quart size. Again, pour over the hot, boiling water,
and add the honey if you think people will prefer some sweetner - or, allow them to add it to their individual cups when you
have poured it.
Iced Tea;
The same instructions as above, except that I use a larger pitcher, and once the tea has steeped, I add a tray or two of
ice cubes. If the tea still seems a bit warm, or it will be a while before I serve it, I set it in the fridge to cool still
more. My favourite is to do this with mint from my garden. Guests always say this iced mint tea is very refreshing on a hot day.
Dressings for Tea;
Naturally, individuals have their favourite additions with which they like to dress up their teas. So if they insist, I let them
add sugar, any other artificial sweetner, or milk or cream to their taste. I try not to let my own tastes interfer with theirs.
Want to see the benefits of each herb, or what it is helpful to do for you? Check my list of herbal tea benefits
Now for a number of variations. Try the one with the combination of herbs that you can get.
1 cup water
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
Just boil the fennel seeds in water, cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Enjoy this calming tea. Fennel makes a wonderful herb tea for digestion and can help your body increase its ability to digest a big meal or a meal with lots of fat.
(Carminative means it takes care of bowel gas/flatulence. Fennel is the basis for licorice, if you like that flavour you will love this tea).
Put a smile on your face with this soothing and yummy tea.
1 part catnip
1 part spearmint and lemongrass leaves
1 part calendula flowers
1 part skullcap
1 part rosemary and sage leaves
1 part fennel seeds
½ teaspoon dried Ginger root
½ teaspoon Clove blossoms
1 teaspoon Chamomile flowers
Pour 1 cup boiling water over herbs. Steep 10 minutes, strain and let cool before you drink it.
2 teaspoon Angelica root
2 teaspoon Lemon Balm leaves
½ tsp Fennel seed
Bring Angelica root to a simmer in 4 cups water. Turn off heat, add lemon balm and lemon; steep 10 minutes and strain.
A wonderful tea blend to enjoy after a big meal or hectic day.
1 cup dried peppermint (or other)
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried sage
Crush ingredients and mix well. Store in an airtight container. Steep 1 heaping teaspoon in a cup of boiling water for 1 minute. Sweeten with honey.
8 oz Peppermint leaves
8 oz Lemon Balm leaves
8 oz Fennel seeds
?Use 1 teaspoon of mixture per 1 cup boiling water. Steep 10 minutes; strain.
(nausea)
Must be done in a pot on the stove:
Catnip
White Oak bark
Chamomile
Mix 1 tablespoon of each type of herb. (You can substitute any other fragrant herb for the camomile, it is merely for taste). Add honey to sweeten the tea.
This is to be ingested as hot as the person can take it.
1/2 teaspoon Cascara Sagrada
1 teaspoon Chamomile
Take in one dose before bedtime. One coffee cup full should do it.
1 teaspoon Cramp Bark
1 teaspoon Red Raspeberry Leaves
1 teaspoon Dong Quai
This makes enough for two cups. The tea is only good for six hours.
1 Teaspoon Pau D'Arco (Taheebo)
1 Teaspoon Cascara Sagrada
1 Teaspoon Echinacea
Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Place herbs into the water, cover tightly and let steep for five minutes. I cup two times a day should help. If bowels are loose, dilute combination in 2 to 2 1/2 cups water.
1 oz. chamomile
2/3 oz. peppermint
1 oz. caraway seeds
2/3 oz. angelica
Use 1 teaspoon of the mixture per cup of hot water. Steep the mixture 10 minutes and strain.
This tea soothes the gastrointestinal tract and stimulates digestive activity, making it useful for stomach aches or a too-full feeling.
1 tablespoon Chamomile
1 tablespoon Peppermint
2 pods Star Anise
Boil pods for 5 minutes and steep the chamomile and peppermint in the Anise tea. Drink one cup every hour for two hours before bedtime.