from Nutritional Healing with Chinese Medicine
As temperatures dip, our body craves warmth. Combine the healing properties of Chinese tea with autumn flavours to warm body and spirit.
Fall Herbs and Cinnamon Tea
The combination of fragrant thyme and rosemary along with spicy cinnamon is surprisingly delicious. This warming, aromatic tea is a perfect digestive for cooler autumn days and nights.
Ingredients
4 cups (1 L) water
3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 2 tsp/10 mL dried thyme)
2 pieces (2 inches/5 cm long each) cinnamon sticks
1 sprig rosemary (or 2 tsp/10 mL dried rosemary leaves)
Liquid honey (optional)
Directions
In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in thyme, cinnamon sticks and rosemary. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain into teacups. Stir in honey (if using) to taste.
Health Tip: Digestive teas are common in most cultures. The harmonious combination of warming cinnamon bark, rosemary and thyme is delightful. Thyme relieves indigestion and benefits the lungs and mind. Rosemary is a sweet and warming pungent herb that nourishes the heart.
Cranberry-Apple Rooibos Tea
This is quite different from the usual spiced teas, but is absolutely lovely. The rooibos adds a toasty note, and the star anise a licorice flavour. The sweet-and-sour apple and cranberry juices make it a great thirst-quenching drink. You can enjoy this tea warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
1 cup (250 mL) unsweetened cranberry juice
3 cups (750 mL) unsweetened apple juice
4 rooibos tea bags (or 4 tsp/20 mL loose tea)
1 or 2 whole star anise
Directions
In a large saucepan, combine cranberry juice and apple juice. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and stir in rooibos tea and star anise. Cover and let stand on burner for 10 minutes. Strain into teacups.
Health Tip: Rooibos also known as red bush tea is made from the leaves of the Aspalathus linearis tree, which grows in South Africa. The tree’s leaves are fermented to make the tea. This national drink of South Africa is caffeine-free, sweet and fragrant, and is high in antioxidants and Vitamin C.
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: Both recipes provide 4 servings. Try to use whole spices although dried spices will work in a pinch. Star anise is the only exception…anise seed doesn’t work well in the rooibos tea recipe.
Courtesy of Nutritional Healing with Chinese Medicine by Ellen Goldsmith © 2017 https://robertrosebooks.com/can/ Reprinted with permission. Available where books are sold. Text copyright © 2017 Ellen Goldsmith. Recipes copyright © 2017 Maya Klein and Ellen Goldsmith. Cover and text design copyright © 2017 Robert Rose Inc.