[RECIPE CORNER]

Easy Two-Ingredient

Loose Tea Blends

by Teressa Gray
Drinking tea is a time-honored tradition in many parts of the world and with good reason! Not only is it delicious, but it can provide many health benefits. Served hot, tea can soothe the soul on a cold day. Served iced, it can be quite refreshing! While bagged tea is convenient, loose tea provides flexibility for combining ingredients and controlling serving size. Not only is loose tea more cost effective, it’s also an eco-conscious choice: there’s less packaging required and using a diffuser means no disposable bleached tea bags.
Notes: In case you’re new to loose tea, simply combine the ingredients in a diffuser and use it as you would a tea bag. Always use a heat-safe mug since you’ll be filling it with boiling or near-boiling water. Tea can be wonderfully therapeutic. If you have any health concerns, though, learn the side effects of each ingredient before consuming.
Each recipe makes one serving.
Invigorating
waking up and mental alertness
  • 1 tsp black tea leaves (contains caffeine)
  • 2 cardamom pods
  • 8 oz. water
Bring water to a boil, add ingredients and steep 5-8 minutes over low heat.
Calming
winding down and sleep
  • 3 Tbsp. dried chamomile flowers
  • 1 Tbsp. dried lemon balm (or 2 Tbsp. fresh)
  • 8 oz. water
Bring water to a boil. Then, remove from heat and steep 5-7 minutes.
soothing

anti-oxidants and digestive support 

  • 1 tsp. green tea leaves (contains caffeine)
  • 1/2 tsp. dried peppermint (or leaves from 1 fresh sprig, torn)
  • 8 oz. water
Bring water to a boil, remove from heat and let cool 2 minutes. Then steep 2-4 minutes.
Restoring

immune boosting and detoxifying 

  • 1½ tsp. rooibos leaves
  • 1-inch slice raw ginger (peeled)
  • 8 oz. water
Bring water to a boil. Then, remove from heat and steep 10-15 minutes.
Everyone’s tastes are unique. If you like stronger tea, use the longer steeping time. For milder tea, either steep it for less time or increase the water to tea ratio. After your tea has steeped, you may enjoy adding nut or oat milk, or squeezing in a little lemon juice. If you prefer sweeter beverages, try adding raw honey or stevia to taste. Experiment with adding dried or candied fruit to your tea blend. Once you find a loose tea recipe that suits you, measure it out ahead of time in bigger batches to save on preparation time later.
To maintain freshness, be sure to store the dried ingredients in an air-tight container that’s either opaque or stored away from light. Tea tins and porcelain tea canisters work well for storage and are a nice way to gift your tea, for any occasion. For do-it-yourself festive flair, fill a mason jar with your favorite tea blend, place a rubber ring and lid on top (these may be all one piece), then add a fun fabric square over the top before screwing on the metal band. Tie a ribbon around the metal band and voilà! You will find that tea diffusers come in about as many shapes, sizes, colors and themes as you can imagine. This makes gifting tea and steeping it even more fun!