Four Herbal Teas, Two Herbs

 

Trying to come up with more herbal tea ideas? Here are a few more ways I use lemon balm and lavender in my beverages. Both herbs produce a relaxing effect that helps me sleep at night and also helps me keep an edge off my stress levels after a crazy work day... 

1) Lemon Balm Tea with Milk

*steep lemon balm leaves in hot milk for five minutes, strain out leaves, and add 1 tsp maple syrup. This makes a delicious, relaxing bedtime drink

*1-3 tsp. dried leaves or 1-3 tbsp. fresh leaves per cup of milk. 

2) Lemon Balm with your favorite loose leaf tea

*Lemon balm leaves can be combined with Earl Grey, green or black tea. Fresh leaves are best for tea.

  

3) Lavender with your favorite loose leaf tea
*1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers (English lavender)
*1 tablespoon English Breakfast tea
*a dash of fresh lemon
*sugar or honey to taste

*To prepare, pour two cups of boiling water over the tea leaves and lavender and allow to steep for five to ten minutes. Add lemon, strain, add sugar or honey to taste.

4) Lavender & Black Tea Infused Milk
*1 tsp. dried lavender blossoms
*1 Tbsp. black tea (darjeeling, english breakfast, earl grey)
*1.5 cups whole milk

*Put all of the above in a small saucepan and starting at medium heat, bring slowly to warmth, removing from heat before boiling/simmering. You will see a softening, frothiness around the edge of the milk, and a gentle steam will be rising from the milk. Add honey if desired!

Depression

Depression is a serious problem for many people today. There are some herbal teas that should help bring cheer to the depressed. However, please note that depression is best cured in combination with doctors, exercise, etc.

Here are some combinations of herbs to make the best herbal teas for depression:

*lavender flower infusion, taken 3 times a day
*lavender and rosemary infusion, taken 3 times a day
*any combination of lavender, rosemary, and skullcap, 3 times a day
*vervain, taken 3 times a day
*vervain and skullcap, taken 3 times a day

Herbal tea infusion:
*Use 1-3 tsp. of dired herb or 1-3 tbsp. fresh herb per 1 cup boiling water. Let it steep for 20-30 minutes, strain and sip slowly.

For additional information, see: references and warnings

Medicinal Uses of Lavender

The scent of lavender has long been known to promote relaxation. Inhaling lavender's essential oils helps ease anxiety and improves feelings of calmness and well-being in stressful situations. Research also proves that lavender reduces the body's production of the stress hormone called cortisol. Lavender can also be taken to get rid of stress-related headaches.

To relieve anxiety and stress-related headaches:
Buy a good quality Lavender essential oil (which is not for drinking but is for the outside of your body). Massage this essential oil into the shoulders and temples. Or, you can inhale the steam by putting 4 drops of the essential oil into 4 teaspoons of hot water. You can also put some drops of lavender essential oil into a hot bath and soak away the stress.

You can also make a herbal tea infusion with the actual lavender plant. Pour 1 cup boiling water over each 1-3 tsp. dried lavender flowers OR 1-3 tbsp. fresh lavender flowers. Let it steep for 15-20 minutes. Strain and drink 1 cup of the infusion 1-3 times per day.



Another magical usage for lavender essential oil is as a first aid item. Essential oil is expensive. One tiny bottle can cost around 20 dollars. However, if you can only afford ONE essential oil, I recommend the lavender essential oil. It can be useful for not only stress and headaches, but also to take the sting out of insect bites.  Lavender essential oil quickly relieves inflammation and swelling when applied topically to insect bites and stings. It also has antimicrobial properties to help prevent wounds from becoming infected. Simply dab undiluted lavender essential oil onto insect bites and stings as soon as possible. Watch in wonder as the sting of that bee no longer hurts so badly...

For additional information, see: references and warnings

Lavender Cookies

Lavender isn't used much in cooking by anyone besides dedicated herbalists. But there are so many delicious sounding recipes! I can't wait to have enough lavender growing in my yard so that I can try making these interesting cookies...

Lavender Cookies
Ingredients:
*1/2 cup butter
*1/4 cup superfine sugar
*3/4 cup self-raising flour
*2 tbsp. fresh chopped lavender leaves
*1 tsp. lavender flowers removed from spike

Directions:
1) Cream the sugar and butter together until light.
2) Add the flour and lavender leaves to the butter mixture. Knead well until it forms a dough.
3) Gently roll out on a lightly floured board. Scatter the flowers over the rolled dough and lightly press in with the rolling pin. Cut into small shapes with cookie cutters of your choice.
4) Place the cookies on a greased baking sheet. Bake in a hot oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes or until golden and firm. Remove and cool. Enjoy!

Recipe located in: Jekka McVicar, The Complete Herb Book, pg. 143.

For additional information, see: references and warnings

Medicinal Recipe: Digestion

If you are having gastrointestinal problems, this is an excellent infused herbal tea to take to strengthen your digestion system:

* Peppermint leaves (2 parts)
* Lavender flowers (4 parts)
* Thyme (5 parts)

Steep 2-3 tsp. dried herb mixture or 2-3 tbsp. fresh herb mixture in 1/2 cup boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes. Strain. Take 1 to 1-1/2 cups a day, in small sips.  You may make a larger batch to last for a few days.

For additional information, see: references and warnings

Medicinal Recipe: Tension Infused Herbal Tea

 If you are having problems with tension or stress, try this herbal tea:

Tension-ease Infusion
1 part skullcap
1 part sage
1 part peppermint
1/4 part lavender

Infuse 1 – 3 tsp of the above blend of dried herbs (or 1-3 tbsp. fresh herbs) per one cup of boiling water for 10-15 minutes minimum. A longer infusion results in a stronger tasting brew with more medicinal effect, but the weaker infusion is perfectly fine & therapeutic. Feel free to add honey, lemon, and/or stevia to taste.

For additional information, see: references and warnings

Headache Herbal Teas

Headaches are a huge problem for me. I have almost daily headaches and they often alter my lifestyle and my daily living in a negative way. I went to a doctor about my constant headaches. Some X-rays, MRI's, blood tests, etc., later, they discovered no serious reasons why I get headaches and simply put me on some pills. These pills had terrible side-effects such as mood swings, irritability, fatigue, etc. I am trying to get myself off of the pills and instead, I am going to try most of these Headache Herbal Teas to find the right recipe to help me have a Life again. These herbal teas don't have side effects and they are way healthier for me than mystery pills filled with who-knows-what.

Ramblings aside, here are a few Headache Herbal Tea recipes:


Headache Tea #1
*3 parts chamomile
*3 parts lemon balm
*1 part passion flower
*1 part skullcap

Slowly boil water, pour over the herbs and let it steep for 20-ish minutes. Strain and drink 1/2 cup every hour until the symptoms subside. 1-3 tbsp. fresh herbs OR 1-3 tsp. dried herbs per cup of water.


Headache Tea #2
*2 parts lemon balm
*2 parts skullcap
*1 part chamomile
*1 part feverfew

Slowly boil water, pour over the herbs and let it steep for 20-ish minutes. Strain and drink 1/4 cup every 30 minutes until the symptoms subside.  1-3 tbsp. fresh herbs OR 1-3 tsp. dried herbs per cup of water.


Headache Tea #3
*2 parts lemon balm
*1 part feverfew
*1 part lavender

Slowly boil water, pour over the herbs and let it steep for 20-ish minutes. Strain and drink 1/4 cup every 30 minutes until the symptoms subside.  1-3 tbsp. fresh herbs OR 1-3 tsp. dried herbs per cup of water. This one is particularly good if you also have a hot bath with a few drops of lavender essential oil added to it.


Migraine/Headache Tea #4
*1 part feverfew
*1 part lavender

This tea is good for those really bad headaches AKA migraines.  Slowly boil water, pour over the herbs and let it steep for 20-ish minutes. Strain and drink 1/4 cup every 30 minutes until the symptoms subside.  1-3 tbsp. fresh herbs OR 1-3 tsp. dried herbs per cup of water.


For additional information, see: references and warnings

Great Summer Drinks...or how to pretend it's still summer :)

Here are a few delicious options for some fun drinks to make with all those herbs you have been dying to use:

*Summer Punch*

(1)1/2 gallon lemonade or limeade 

(2)1 large can pineapple juice 

(3) About 3 large handfuls of pineapple sage, lemon balm, lemon verbena, or mint leaves 

(4) 2 bottles of champagne or ginger ale 

(5) 2 lemons, sliced thin 

(6) 1 lime, sliced thin 

(7) Pineapple chunks, optional 

(8) Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours, use chilled beverages 

(9) When ready to serve, squeeze out the herbs and remove them. Pour in ginger ale or champagne just before serving.

*Iced Lemon Balm Tea*

(1) 8 cups of water 

(2) 15 orange pekoe tea bags 

(3) 3 (5 inch long) sprigs fresh lemon balm 

(4) 1 cup sugar 

(5) Juice of 1 lemon 

(6) Ice 

(7) In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and add tea bags and lemon balm. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and lemon balm and discard. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Add lemon juice. Chill for at least 1 hour. To serve, pour lemon tea over a tall glass of ice.

*Sweet Harvest Tea*

(1) ¼ cup loosely packed fresh lemon balm 

(2) ¼ loosely packed fresh peppermint leaves 

(3) 1 tsp. fresh or dried lavender blossoms 

(4) 3 inch slice of orange peel 

(5) 2 cups water 

(6) Place herbs and orange peel in a large teapot. In a small saucepan, heat water to almost boiling and pour over herbs in teapot. Cover teapot and let mixture steep for 10 minutes. Pour through a strainer to serve.

Herbal Iced Tea: Lavender and Lemon Balm

Lavender and Lemon Balm Iced Tea Quencher 

Fresh and thirst-quenching, this cool summer iced tea is perfect for a garden party or simply to calm nerves and aid digestion. Makes about four 8-ounce servings.

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon balm leaves, chopped OR 1 tablespoon dried leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh lavender buds OR 2 teaspoons dried buds
• 2 cups hot water
• 2 cups cold water and ice
• Fresh lemon for garnish

1. Steep lemon balm and lavender in hot (80- to 90-degree) water about 3 minutes.

2. Add cold water and ice.

3. Serve over additional ice with lemon wedges.

Lavender

Name:
Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia)


Description:
*beautiful, purple perennial with an amazing scent
*best in zones 5-8
*there are many varieties, but English Lavender is the best choice for medicinal purposes

Parts Used:
*mainly flowers, fresh or dried (but all aerial parts can be used)

Position:
*excellent draining soil
*full sun is the best
*they can be grown in large pots

Propagation:
*you can propagate by seed: use cold stratification for 1-2 weeks, then sow indoors and do not transplant outside until it is late spring
*you can propagate by cuttings: use a rooting hormone, and do not keep new plantlings by cuttings outdoors for their first winter and do not overwater

Maintenance:
*prune annually in the spring to get rid of old growth (spring pruning gives you more flowers)
*if the plant becomes straggly, give it a good cut back in the fall followed by a second cut in the spring
*if you have low winter temperatures in your area, lavender cannot be treated as a hardy evergreen. However, if you put it in a container and bring indoors, it should continue to be an evergreen
*feed regularly in the flowering season with liquid fertilizer
*deadhead for more flowers
*lavender plants should be replaced after about 5 years

Harvesting:
*in midsummer, when the flower spikes are half open, is the best time to harvest
*if you are using the aerial parts, cut down the parts to 3 inches above ground
*if you are using only the flowers, cut them as far down as possible and tie them in bunches (see picture at right) and hang them upside down to dry
*when they are dry, strip them of their flowers and store in an airtight container out of direct sunlight

Medicinal:
*an excellent remedy for nerves and anxiety
*also excellent remedy for stress, insomnia, depression, and headaches
*it makes a delicious tea for these purposes
*the lavender essential oil is an amazing and important product for households: a bath with the essential oil will help with headaches, sicknesses, and stress; and a drop of the essential oil on a bee sting will help aid in relieving the pain. You can also rub your forehead with the essential oil and massage temples to relieve headaches and stress.

Cooking:
*the flowers can be used to make sweets such as ice cream and cookies. Stay tuned for recipes.

Misc.:
*infuse distilled white vinegar with the flowers and leaves (fresh or dried) for an inexpensive but very efficient spray for cleaning and disinfecting
*add drops of lavender essential oil to environmentally friendly unscented kitchen and laundry cleaning products for a fresh scent
*dampen a cotton ball and add a few drops of lavender essential oil. Place in the kitchen pantry or vacuum cleaner bag to eliminate stale odors


For more information, see: references and warnings