A Witch’s Brew – Herbal Tea Recipes from my Cauldron

You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.
– C.S. Lewis

I don’t think I could say it better than C. S. Lewis! As much as I love coffee, tea reigns supreme in my house.  Yesterday I blended and batched up a Channelling Tea blend for 30 people (I’m afraid that recipe remains secret for now).  Herbal teas are a wonderful tool – not only are they enjoyable to drink, they also have medicinal or energetic qualities that further enhance your tea drinking experience.

All of the following recipes are steeping teas, which means that you pour boiling water over the herbs and leave them to steep.  Some can be made directly into your cup.  For others, use a teapot with a strainer, or a teacup infuser so that the herbs can be removed when the tea is ready (usually 3 to 5 minutes).  Your tea can be sweetened to taste if desired, but should be perfectly pleasant without any sweetener at all.  Here are some of my favourites:

Meditation Blend #1

Place a few slices of raw ginger root,  some thinly sliced lemon and a 1/2 teaspoon of lavender blossom in a cup, and pour boiling water over. (If you’re using a big mug, you may want to add up to 1 teaspoon of lavender, but it is quite strong, so trial your quantities!) Steep for a few minutes before drinking.  This can also be made in a pot – 1/2 teaspoon of lavender per cup, and your ginger slices.  But leave the lemon in your cup for best flavour and results.  This blend is great for everyday tea – it calms and soothes the nervous system, relaxes you, aids liver health, and improves digestion.

Immune Booster Tea

Measure the dry ingredients into a bowl, mix together well and then store in a jar. I refer the quantities in ‘parts’ which means you may use a teaspoon or a tablespoon as your measurement tool – whatever works for you!) To prepare the tea for drinking use 1 teaspoon per cup, pour boiling water over and steep for 4 minutes.

4 parts peppermint leaves, 4 parts rose hips, 2 parts dried lemongrass, 2 parts nettle leaves, 2 parts red clover.

This is lovely with a little raw sliced ginger in your cup as well.

Infection Fighter Recipe (great for colds and flu, and to reduce congestion)

Mix equal parts of dried Chrysanthemum Flowers, dried Rosebuds, and dried Hawthorn Berries (you can usually buy all of these ingredients in a Chinese grocery store – the Hawthorn berries are often sold as dried flakes of the fruit).

Make this straight into a cup or mug and just sip your way around the flowers, or make into a teapot for a bigger brew.

For best effect steep for 5 minutes before drinking.  This may be sweetened with honey, and once again you can also add lemon and ginger – which tastes absolutely delicious.

Enjoy these simpler recipes, and I’ll come back soon and share some herbal tea decoctions, which take a little extra extra time, but are well worth the effort.

If you really enjoy tea, I also recommend my homemade chai recipe, where you make your tea mixture from scratch.  It’s an all-year favourite in my house.

Nicole’s Chai Tea Recipe

Happy sipping, and I hope this encourages you to drink more tea!

Much love from me and my kitchen cauldron ♥ xx