I was asked the other day how I normally take my coffee- my answer was well, I normally don't do coffee. For my long time readers you probably know that I am a tea drinker and lover at heart. Hot, cold, fermented, herb, and my favorite daily- black. So I am excited to bring you another guest post today from Latisha from herbmother. She has a wonderful blog on herbal loving and living, not to forget to mention to check out her post of purslane- a weed that I discovered last summer that is so tasty to munch on! Enjoy her guest post on summertime teas.
Latisha, the HerbMama, is a desert dwelling mama of two pixie girls married to the ultimate beer gardener. She is interested in raising a natural family, celebrating the goddess within and being that neighborhood herb lady.
Though I know most of you are still waking up to the fresh bits of spring, summer is officially here in the desert. Our days are already filled with dips in the pool, accidental sunburns, later and later bedtimes, and lots and lots of tea-making. One of the best ways to keep my kiddos hydrated in the hot sun is with herbal tea. During the summer months we go through several gallons a week. My girls are pretty good about drinking water, but still they have a hard time getting enough when they are busy having fun. Making tasty tea and tea popsicles full of bright colors and fun flavors usually keeps em coming back to the kitchen to fill up.
Our summer teas are pretty simple. I like to start with a mineral-rich herb as a base such as, oatstraw, nettle, or alfalfa. These are wonderful herbs full of accessible vitamins and minerals so important for growing strong bones. Then, I like to add a bit of what I call a kid-calmer: catnip, lemon balm, or chamomile. When enjoyed regularly, these herbs are magic for keeping moods even and steady, helping everyone to better handle those unexpected exhausted moments that come with long days spent in the sun. Next, we add some peppermint, as it helps keep the body cool. Finally, we throw in something fruity for color and flavor, like dried blueberries, hibiscus, rosehips, or maybe some orange peel. We brew it in the garden under the sun or in large batches in our big stockpot on the stove. Then it is either refrigerated once it has cooled or frozen into popsicles.
Kids love sweet flavors so I often add some honey, or elderberry syrup to the tea. But it is easy to get that sweet taste without any added sweeteners at all. A pinch of stevia, no more than 1 tsp per quart of tea, will do the trick well. Spearmint, instead of peppermint can also work. Though it is not quite as cooling as peppermint, it has a much milder and sweeter flavor that works well with most herbs that kids love. But licorice root is probably my favorite sweet herb to use. A very little goes a long way. And as an added bonus, it helps to relieve thirst, so it may in fact be the perfect, summer sipper sweetener!
The only somewhat bothersome side effect to drinking tea all day is that it can sometimes be drying. This would, of course, defeat our intended purpose. To help with this you can add a bit of marshmallow root to the cold tea after it is brewed and strained. I sometimes just put a few pieces inside the kids’ cups. This will add a softer slightly thick feeling to the tea and help the mouth and throat from feeling dry. Another great option is to add a teaspoon of chia seed to the already brewed tea. The seeds will absorb some of the tea water and expand, giving it sort of a bubble tea feeling, but the kids think it’s pretty fun to drink this way. Chia is great because it helps keep water from leaving the cells, helping us to stay hydrated even longer.
Making our own summer teas is so fun and easy. We never get bored with the possibilities. Here’s a simple favorite we have been enjoying lately:
The Cat’s Meow
1 part oat straw
1 part catnip
½ part peppermint
1/4 part licorice root
I’d love to know what you do to keep your kids hydrated through the hot summer months. We can never have enough great ideas for beating desert heat.
