home made tea

I have read that rasberry leaves are good for your digestion.  So, I started to add it to my homemade blend of tea.  Some mint, some rasberry leaves, lemon balm leaves, and Lavendar.  SO REFRESHING!!!!!

I found this on line

"Why Raspberry Leaf?

As its name suggests, Raspberry leaf is the leaf of the raspberry plant. It is somewhat well known for its benefits during pregnancy, but it is beneficial to women at all stages of life.
It is naturally high in magnesium, potassium, iron and b-vitamins which make it helpful for nausea, leg cramps, and improving sleep during pregnancy. The specific combination of nutrients in Raspberry Leaf makes it extremely beneficial for the female reproductive system. It strengthens the uterus and pelvic muscles which some midwives say leads to shorter and easier labors.
The tannins in raspberry leaf give it astringent properties which make it soothing both internally and externally. A strong raspberry leaf tea or tincture will sooth sunburn, eczema, and rashes when used externally. Swishing with a tincture or infusion of Raspberry Leaf is great for the gums and can help alleviate the symptoms of gingivitis or gum disease.
The high concentration of Vitamin C in Raspberry Leaf makes it great during illness and I also use it as a base for homemade energy drinks.
I suggest it to fertility clients and take it myself daily. I’ve seen it ease the symptoms of PMS, endometriosis, and it is helpful for couples who are trying to conceive. I personally also use it throughout pregnancy, even in the first trimester, as I’ve never seen any conclusive reason not to and the health benefits are wonderful during pregnancy, but I’d definitely consult a midwife or doctor before taking any herb while pregnant.
According to Mountain Rose Herbs: “Raspberry leaf tea has been used for centuries as a folk medicine to treat canker sores, cold sores, and gingivitis in persons of all ages and anemia, leg cramps, diarrhea, and morning sickness in pregnant women, and as a uterine relaxant....” "

http://wellnessmama.com/5107/raspberry-leaf-herb-profile/

Red rasberry leaves

Lemon Balm leaves

also some fresh rasberries

Love this tea!  Sometimes I add lavendar, some times I don't.  PLAY WITH YOUR TEA!!!  Some times I will add in a tea bag of mint or another flavor.  I can usally run this through my tea maker at least twice!!!

Heartland chai

My morning treat the other morning- a CHAI LATTE~  I have not had one in months- at least not one from a store.  I usually make them at home.  Well, the other morning I needed a little pick me up jolt, so I stopped at Heartland Point Cafe in Orrville. It is right on 57, across from City Hall.  This chai was great!!!!

https://heartlandorrville.com/heartland-point/cafe

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Thursdays, 6:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.

What a way to start my day!!!!

Home made mint lavendar tea

When amking your own garden tea...BE SURE TO GET ALL THE CRITTERS OUT!!!!!  Thankfully I saw this little guy who was trying to blend in!!

I love this tea!  I go into my garden cut the tea right into the tea maker lid and then add some lavender tea too it. There is no measuring, nothing exact, and it is wonderful!  So fresh and light.  I can easily run more water through and make another batch of tea

Depending on how strong you want the flavor, depends on how much you add to the mint.  You can also use bagged teas.  MIX AND MATCH!!!

  It's light in color, but still so delicious.  Below you can see I am running it through again.  Try mixing all sorts of teas together.  Get creative!!

Tea cupboard

My dad made me this pie safe a few years ago.  I LOVE IT!!!!  I used to have it in the dinning room.  I would store my vintage green handled enamel ware.  Well, I figured I needed the money more than the enamel ware- so I am selling the vintage green handled items.  I figure I would bring the pie safe into the kitchen and make it a tea cupboard

I loved my 31 containers that divided my tea, but they do not fit nicely into the cupboard.  I can not shut the cupboard doors.  I will leave it like this for now, but if it drives me nuts and I want it more organized I will bring the bins back in :)

When people come over I can hide my "stash" of tea.

It's a big cupboard, but I love it!!!!  I still have it somewhat divided by type of tea. 

Whose coming over a tea party?????

Chai milkshake- Eat'n Park

Went to Eat'N Park for the first time with some friends.  I had the Chai milkshake.  SO WONDERFUL!!!!!  This treat has 580 calories and is $3.29, but it was worth it to indulge!  I probably won't have another one this year, but it was so good.

http://www.eatnpark.com/smiley.asp

My first hamburger in almost 3 years.  I had given up red meat for health reasons a few years ago. However, recently I was told I had low iron, so I thought it was time to bring back some red meat.  SO GOOD!!

watch your tea, if anemic!

Have you noticed I have not been posting much lately?  I have not had the energy to do so for a few weeks.  I could not figure out what was wrong with me.  Why I was short of breath- even while working out 3-4 times a week.  Why was I having trouble remembering things?  Why was all sorts of things happening I could not explain.  Well, I found out I was anemic.  Your blood level is to be between a 12-16 and mine was at a 9.  I was told by a nurse friend of mine to avoid tea- she said that the tannins in tea rob you of your iron.  So, I avoided most teas, sticking with just herbal tea.  Just to be sure nothing was wrong I had to do an upper and lower scope.  Praise God all is good.  But, a reminder that even though I think tea is the best thing ever, if you have low iron you should watch your intake.

I found this on line:

Question: Does Herbal Tea Interfere With Iron Absorption?

I've heard that drinking black tea with meals may have an effect on iron absorption. Does drinking herbal tea (chamomile, anise, green mint, etc.) with meals have the same effect?

Answer: Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea naturally contain compounds called tannins. Tannins give tea their color and characteristic astringent taste.
Tannins can also inhibit the absorption of iron, however, especially iron from plant sources, such as peas, beans, nuts, leafy green vegetables, enriched pastas and breads, and fortified cereals. Plant sources of iron are called non-heme iron.
The absorption of iron from animal sources, such as red and dark meat, is generally not affected by tannins.
Herbal teas often contain tannins, which means they could partially reduce the absorption of non-heme iron if it's taken together with a meal. A cup of chamomile tea or peppermint tea contains far fewer tannins, however, than a cup of black tea.
Adding lemon, which is rich in vitamin C, may partially counteract this effect.
You may notice that the longer you leave a teabag in water, whether it's black tea or herbal tea, the more of an astringent, bitter taste it takes on due to the tannins. Being careful not to oversteep tea by immediately removing the tea bag or leaves after steeping can reduce the amount of tannins in tea.
But keep in mind that unless a person has iron-deficiency anemia or does not eat meat, one cup of herbal tea is often acceptable.

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/drcathywongsanswers/f/teairon.htm

Wild Ginger Jasmine Tea

I took my cousin out to celebrate her 15th birthday!!!  She has been coming over and hanging out with me since she was 4!!!  As you can see we enjoyed tea parties back then too.

We went and got her nails done and then went for sushi.  I love sushi. And what is good with sushi?  JASMINE TEA!!!

Wild Ginger in Wooster has half price sushi on Tuesday nights, starting at 5pm.  Their sushi is one of the best around.  I also really enjoyed the jasmine tea.  It was the first time I had used a press with the tea.  I enjoyed playing around with that too.  The cups that you drink from are super small- but it worked out ok.  I also blew out the candle under the tea pot because it was getting way too hot...and you don't want your green tea to get too hot.  It was a very fun evening.  The tea was a little pricey I thought, around $3.00. But, it was a fun experience and the sushi WAS half price so it made up for the pricey tea. 

Wild Ginger China Bistro

3694 Burbank Rd, Wooster OH 44691 Today's hours: 11:00 am-9:00 pm gingercb.com (330) 345-6388

Mint Brook Meadow's Garden Mint

http://www.mintbrookmeadows.com/

Want mint tea, but you don't have spearamint and peppermint growing outside.  Take herb tea bags and make it yourself!!!  When I make herb tea I use 3-4 bags of herb tea and then I leave the bags in the entire time.    I go through at least 2-3 gallons a week. I had no sugar, but you are welcome too. It is a refreshing, caffine free treat!!

 

I really like Mint Brook Meadow tea...and it is in the next town over!  Made in Dalton, Ohio. FROM THEIR WEBSITE,   "Mint Brook Meadow Teas, Ltd was started in 2003 by two farmers dedicated to producing the best air- dried peppermint and spearmint herbal teas.  Today Mint Brook produces a full line of organic and natural teas as well as mint chocolates, granola cereal, and health bars.  We proudly offer our line of food products under our own label or the private labels of high-quality companies in the natural and organic market"

Just add your tea bags to water and in 8 hours you have tea!!!! 
Mint Brook Green Tea & Mint A blend of gunpower (rolled) green tea leaves and our peppermint leaves.  20 tea bags/box. Mint Brook Garden Mint Herbal Tea Our spearmint leaves.  Caffiene Free.  20 tea bags/box. Mint Brook Cozy Goodnight Herbal Tea A blend of chamomile flowers and our spearmint leaves.  Caffiene Free.  20 tea bags/box. Mint Brook Wake Up Herbal Tea A blend of roobios (South Africian red tea), ginger, and our peppermint leaves.  Caffiene Free.  20 tea bags/box. Mint Brook Traditional Tea & Mint A blend of BOP black tea leaves, and our spearmint leaves.  20 tea bags/box. Mint Brook Russian Spice Tea A blend of BOP black tea leaves, orange peel, cinnimon, orange oil extract, and our red clover blossoms.  20 tea bags/box

TURKEY HILL Tea

I was at a local bulk food store and they had these teas, so I tried them.  They were pretty good....a little sweet, but not bad.  They did quench my thirst.

http://www.turkeyhill.com/products/iced-tea.aspx

Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1 cup (240 ml) Servings Per Container 2.5
Amount Per Serving
Calories  100 Calories from Fat
		% Daily Value
Total Fat	0 g	0%
Sodium	10 mg	0%
Total Carbohydrates	23 g	9%
Sugars	21 g
Protein	0 g	0%
Caffeine: 30 mg to 55 mg
Ingredients: WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, TEA, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVORS, POTASSIUM SORBATE & SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVE FRESHNESS).
Additional Info: Gluten-Free, Fat-Free

Shady View Pantry

3556 Zuercher Rd
Dalton, OH 44618-9075

(330) 857-8159

I LOVE SHADY VIEW PANTRY!!!  They have great prices for meat and cheese!!!  They have great prices on lots of things, but you can not beat the prices on meat and cheeses.  You will also find spices, candy, dry mixes, etc.

TEATULIA Lemongrass tea

http://www.teatulia.com/lemongrass/

I ordered this herbal lemongrass tea, because I was craving the lemongrass flavor.  The company was king enough to send me to free samples.. LOVE FREE SAMPLES!!!!

The perfect size for gifts, samples or taking your tea on the go, our adorable mini-canisters feature:

• 6 corn silk pyramid teabags, each filled with 2 grams of whole leaf herbal tea
• Pyramid teabags allow extra space for leaves to infuse, bringing more flavor into each cup
• Each whole leaf pyramid bag can be brewed 2 or 3 times
• 100% organic tea, direct from our single garden in Bangladesh
• Environmentally responsible packaging, made from compostable materials

Alright, I tried this tea and I was not a huge fan.  I did not think that the flavor was very strong at all.  I then brewed it again and let the tea bag steep the ENTIRE time I drank the tea.  And still, there was not a huge flavor in the tea.  I was disappointed.

Only two ingredients...lemongrass and bay leaf.  Thankfully I could not taste the bay leaf.  I am not sure how that would taste.  When I think of bay leave I think of tomato sauce :)

tea truck

 

someone out there with $40,000.00 that they want to invest in a tea truck for me???  Then maybe another $25,000.00 for me to buy supplies...

 

I'd love to turn this into a Bubble Tea and Chai Tea Truck!!!!