herbal tea, from the garden

 

 

as fall arrives, and the cold air makes its way into our bones, i find myself turning to a pot of tea in the evenings to warm myself up.  here is one of my favorite herbal tea recipes, that can be made almost entirely from things you might grow in your garden or find around your neighborhood:

1 part peppermint
2 parts lemon balm
2 parts red clover
2 parts nettle

not only is this a deliciously tasty combination, but has many medicinal properties to keep you healthy through this transition of seasons.  Peppermint helps with digestion and eases nausea and stomach cramps.  Lemon Balm also helps soothe the stomach, as well as helping with insomnia.  Red Clover is really good for respiratory problems, such as colds coughs and bronchitis, it is also high in calcium and iron.  Nettle is pretty much the super herb; it is high in many vitamin and mineral and helps with a variety of health issues, from the reproductive system, to metabolism, to the liver.

this year i grew lemon balm and peppermint in my garden, and i foraged almost a half a gallon of red clover from around the neighborhood.  i purchase my nettle in bulk at our local food co-op, and I'm pretty sure you could find it (and any of these herbs) at most health food stores, or at Mountain Rose Herbs.

do you have any favorite herbal recipes from your garden?