A quick and easy way to enjoy cold or warm tea using whatever herbs you like.
Garden Herbal Tea
Ingredients
1 to 2 Tablespoons dried or 2 to 4 Tablespoons fresh herbs (see Notes)
boiling water
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
-
Rinse fresh herbs under running water before preparing.
- Place herbs at the bottom of a drinking cup or mug (see Notes).
- Fill the cup with water to cover the herbs. Let sit for 10 minutes. This is called "steeping."
- Strain the herbs from the water (see Notes) and enjoy the tea warm or cold.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
Ideas for tea ingredients:
- Leaves: mint (any type), bee balm, catnip, cilantro, lemon balm, lemon verbena, lemongrass, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, sage, stevia, thyme
- Flowers: calendula, chamomile, echinacea, hibiscus, lavender, rose (petals and hips), yarrow
- Seeds: cardamom, coriander, fennel (grind or chop seeds first)
- Roots: chicory, ginger (chop first)
- Fruits: fresh berries (any type), fresh or dried citrus peel (any type)
Try blending ingredients:
- lemon balm and mint or rosemary
- lavender blossoms and mint
- cilantro, mint, orange peel
- mint and fresh raspberry
- lemon balm, mint, lavender leaf, fennel
- coriander, stevia and ginger
Ways to strain tea:
- Put ingredients into a tea strainer or any strainer that fits into your cup, such as a coffee filter, paper towel or empty tea bag, or pour through a strainer into a clean cup.
- For a stronger or lighter flavor: experiment with different amounts of ingredients and steeping time.
- Use only tea ingredients that you know are safe to consume.
- Try growing your own plants for tea, in the ground or in pots. Some can be aggressive spreaders (such as mint and lemon balm), so plant them in pots or places where you don't mind them taking over.
You might also like...
Carrot Ginger Salad
Carrot Ginger Salad
This flavorful, sweet and savory side dish is great for make-ahead meals!
Prepare:
20 minutes
Makes:
2 cups
Turkey Pumpkin Chili
Turkey Pumpkin Chili
A hearty and flavorful chili with lean ground turkey, filling beans and the right amount of spice!
Prepare:
5 minutes
Cook:
90 minutes
Makes:
10 cups
No-Knead Whole-Wheat Bread
No-Knead Whole-Wheat Bread
This recipe uses a long rise time instead of kneading to make a whole-grain bread with nice texture and flavor.
Prepare:
20 minutes + 13 hours rising
Cook:
50 minutes
Makes:
20 pieces
Orange Rice Salad
Orange Rice Salad
This flavorful combination of rice, citrus, nuts and raisins makes a popular side dish. Add a protein for a filling and satisfying lunch.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Makes:
5 cups
Southern Okra Bean Stew
Southern Okra Bean Stew
A combination of hearty whole grains, creamy beans and tasty veggies make a satisfying and delicious stew.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
30 minutes
Makes:
14 cups
Peach Salsa
Peach Salsa
A colorful and refreshingly sweet and savory salsa perfect for chips, tacos, or topping fish.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Makes:
2 cups
Comments
I was making hot tea this past winter with various combinations of mint, lemon balm, lavender and citrus peel that I bought at the store in bulk and loved them all. To keep it going but to reduce the expense, I made an effort to peel the zest from citrus to dry and store. I separated a neglected pot of mint into several pots; it has been growing like crazy so I've been drying its leaves. Lemon balm has invaded part of our yard and rather than trying to dig it out, I decided to let it grow for harvesting and drying. I'll definitely be saving flower parts through the summer and hope to create some tea mixes to give as gifts. Thanks for the inspiration Food Hero!