Winter Immune-Boost Herbal Tea

This drink is a delightful blend of invigorating ginger, making it an excellent ginger wellness tonic, and the nourishing properties of nettle, perfect for a refreshing pick-me-up or an immune-boosting tea. 

Ingredients: 

1 cup fresh nettle leaves (or 2 tablespoons dried nettle leaves) 

1-2 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and sliced 

1 tablespoon honey (optional) 

Juice of 1 lemon 

4 cups water 

Ice cubes 

Fresh mint leaves (optional, for garnish) 

Lemon slices (optional, for garnish) 

Instructions: 

If using fresh nettle leaves, wear gloves to handle them as they can sting. Once steeped, the sting is neutralized. 

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. 

Add the nettle leaves (fresh or dried) and sliced ginger to the boiling water. 

Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. 

After simmering, remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool slightly. 

Strain the mixture to remove the nettle leaves and ginger slices. 

Stir in the honey while the tea is still warm, if desired, for added sweetness. 

Add the lemon juice and mix well. 

Allow the tea to cool to room temperature, then transfer it to the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour. 

Serve over ice cubes in a glass to create a refreshing mint iced tea. 

Garnish with fresh mint leaves and lemon slices for an extra touch of flavor and visual appeal. 

Enjoy!

This wonderfully spicy and warm herbal tea is sure to tempt on cool fall evenings, and it smells as good as it tastes! Perfect for cozying up, this immune-boosting tea can even be enjoyed alongside a fire cider for an extra wellness boost. 

For this recipe, it can be made in large or small quantities, therefore it's listed as "parts." A "part" could be any measure you select - teaspoon, tablespoon, or 1/4 cup, etc. 

Store any extra in an airtight container, like a mason jar. 

Ingredients: 

3 parts cinnamon 

2 parts ginger 

1 part cardamom 

1 part chicory 

1 part cloves 

1 part pink peppercorns 

1 part star anise 

Instructions: 

Combine all spices in a clean glass container or jar. To brew a single cup of this delicious ginger wellness tonic, place 2-3 teaspoons into a tea ball or mesh filter and steep in 212-degree (boiling) water for 5-7 minutes, depending on taste. Enjoy this tea hot or as a refreshing mint iced tea!

For years, fire cider has been recognized as a folk remedy with numerous health benefits, often used to prevent colds, flu, and other illnesses during the winter months. Similarly, herbal teas have been utilized for centuries to support overall wellness. Herbal vinegars have been brewed by indigenous healers for millennia, with humans manufacturing vinegar for at least 10,000 years. This versatile ingredient is used not only in food and drinks but also for food preservation and various medicinal and antibacterial applications.

**Ingredients**

- 4 cups of raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar

- 1/2 cup peeled and diced onion

- 1/2 cup chopped parsley

- 1/3 cup grated horseradish

- 1/3 cup diced ginger root

- 1/4 cup peeled and diced turmeric (or 2 tablespoons dried, powdered turmeric)

- 1/4 cup raw honey, or more to taste

- Half a dozen cloves of minced garlic

- 1 or 2 habanero chiles, split in half (or use cayenne pepper)

- One large lemon, sliced rind and all

- 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)

- 2 tablespoons chopped thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)

- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

- A cinnamon stick

- A few allspice berries

- A few whole cloves

*Note: The degree of “fire” in the blend depends on how many hot peppers you add. As a precaution, I use only organically grown roots, herbs, and fruits to keep chemicals, waxes, or dyes from migrating into the cider.*

**Instructions**

1. Place all of the vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices in a clean one-quart jar. Fill the jar with apple cider vinegar. (Don't add the honey just yet.) The apple cider vinegar should cover the ingredients by at least two inches.

2. Seal your cap tightly. If you're using a traditional canning jar lid containing metal parts, place a piece of natural parchment or wax paper over the jar first to keep the lid from corroding.

3. Shake well.

4. Store in a dark cupboard for about 3 weeks (longer for a stronger fire cider). Shake daily.

5. Strain the plant materials from the vinegar. Sweeten with honey to taste. Refrigerate and use within a year.

*Suggested use: take 1 tablespoon once per day as a tonic or up to 3 tablespoons per day during an active infection. This potent ginger wellness tonic can also be enjoyed as an immune-boosting tea or mixed into a refreshing mint iced tea.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.*