Cinnamon Tea

This has been a challenging winter - the weather is cold and wet, then hot, then wet again. My Canadian body, which is used to 6 months of ice, finds it's stressful to try to keep up.

As preventative medicine, on those damp chilly days when it feels like a virus might be floating around, I brew up a cup of cinnamon tea and snuggle under a blanket with a good book.

Cinnamon has been shown to have antibacterial and antiviral qualities. It's also a restorative, used for centuries in Chinese medicine to get the blood moving and restore strength to a body depleted by illness or stress.

It's also a sedative and mood booster. After a couple of cups of cinnamon tea and a good nap, the whole world looks brighter.

I usually drink it without sweetener, but a little raw honey, added once the tea has cooled a little so as not to destroy the beneficial enzymes, helps soothe the throat. I have teaspoons made from organic bamboo (from bambuhome.com). Unlike metal spoons, they stay cool while stirring the honey into the tea.

Of course, you don't have to be under the weather to drink a cup of this delicious tea.

(Organic cinnamon sticks are becoming more commonly available. If your local health food store doesn't have them, you can order them online at Mountain Rose Herbs. Buy raw honey at your local farmers market.)

Cinnamon Tea
2 2-inch organic cinnamon sticks (4 inches total)
1 tsp honey or to taste

Bring 2 cups cold water to boiling in a small saucepan. Add the cinnamon sticks, cover, and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Your house will smell great.

Strain the tea into 2 mugs (or save half in the saucepan and reheat it when you're ready for a second cup). Sweeten to taste with honey.

Makes 2 cups

(I let the cinnamon sticks dry on a rack in the kitchen and use them for a couple more pots of tea before throwing them in the compost.)

Ginger Green Tea

I've started making ginger green tea my morning drink.

I've heard for years about the health benefits of green tea - it's high in antioxidants that fight cancer, keep your heart and arteries healthy, balance blood sugar, and boost brain power. But I find it hard to enjoy. It's a little bland and tannic for my tastes.

But adding ginger both mellows it and gives it a zing. Ginger also has a lot of health benefits - it's good for the digestion, boosts the immune system, fights certain cancers, and is anti-inflammatory. In fact, green tea and ginger are a very healthy way to start the day.

This recipe is what I've been doing. It's warm, wet and a little tingly. The ginger masks the bitterness of the green tea. I like it mild, but you can add more ginger if you prefer, or simmer the ginger longer.

It's essential not to have the water boiling when you add the green tea or it will taste bitter. Experts say the water for brewing green tea should be at 180-190°F. I figure as long as it's not bubbling, it's close enough.

The timing is approximate too - I brew the tea while puttering around making our breakfast fruit and our lunches.

I get organic green tea leaves at Chado, a few blocks from my office in Old Pasadena. You could substitute a green tea teabag if that's what you have.

I admit to feeling virtuous while sipping this tea. The fact it tastes good is an added bonus.

Ginger Green Tea
3 nickel-sized slices of fresh ginger root
1 tsp green tea (or 1 teabag)

Peel the brown skin off the ginger and put the slices in a small pot with 1 1/4 cups cold water. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat down and let the ginger simmer 3 minutes. Uncover and take off the heat. When it's stopped bubbling, add the green tea. Cover and let steep 3 minutes. Strain into a mug and serve.

Serves 1