I love having an herb garden right outside my door for several reasons. In addition to brightening up my meals with fresh culinary herbs, I can also make a quick cup of tea. In this post, I am sharing with you 5 herbal teas from my garden.
Making Herbal Tea From Fresh Herbs
Making fresh herbal tea is quick and easy. While you heat water, pick and wash the herbs. Place them in a french press or a pyrex measuring cup. Gently muddle the leaves. Pour almost boiling water over the top. Stir and allow to steep until the desired strength is reached. Strain, pour, and drink.
1 - Spearmint Verbena
The zippy spearmint mixed with the sweetness of lemon verbena is reminiscent of a classic iced tea with mint and lemon, sans the iced tea. It's fresh and vibrant while being completely customizable. I like a little more verbena with just a small amount of spearmint, you might like the exact opposite. Play around to find your perfect ratio. Spearmint stimulates digestion and calms digestive upset, while verbena adds a nice dose of healthy antioxidants.
2 - Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is so tasty, you don't need to add anything else (but if you want, it makes a great addition to Green Tea or Jasmine Tea). Lemon balm gently lifts your mood while also quieting anxiety.
3 - Basil & Parsley
You might think these culinary herbs aren't fit for your teacup, but I'm here to tell you otherwise. When you make tea from basil, the flavor is slightly different than when you eat the leaves. You don't have to worry about your tea tasting like an Italian pasta dish. Basil helps the body detoxify and deal with stress, while parsley is great for urinary health.
4 - Chamomile Lavender
Both chamomile and lavender alleviate stress and calm the body & mind while also helping with sleep issues (but they're not so strong that you pass out after drinking a cup). Chamomile has a sweet apple flavor, while lavender's floral taste and scent are unmistakable. Chamomile is one of those tonic herbs that people should drink every day. It's not just good for you, it's delicious!
5 - Holy Basil
This is a new item in my garden this year, but I have loved Holy Basil tea for years! The flavor is very strongly herbal, but in a good way. I like it plain, but you can combine it with other herbs from peppermint to rosemary. Like most other herbs, Holy Basil is full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, but it is also considered an overall tonic herb as it seems to benefit every system of the body.
Feel free to experiment with other combinations. There are so many possibilities, but here are a few.
Chamomile and Peppermint (note - if you suffer from acid reflux, you should avoid peppermint)
Holy Basil and Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm and Verbena
Basil tea with fresh cucumber (okay, so now I'm venturing into the vegetable garden)
What tea sounds the best to you? Do you have any of these herbs in your garden? Let me know in the comments section!
Enjoy a good cuppa!
Tracy