It is definitely getting hotter here in Arizona and I have just the perfect blend of flowers to keep you healthy AND refreshed. I found this recipe in the “Essential Herbals” and after trying it out am convinced that healthy and tasty are not mutually exclusive!

To make this delicious drink you need,

4 tbsp dried hibiscus flowers

4 tbsp dried rose petals

8 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate , ice

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Take water off the heat and add the hibiscus and roses. Steep for 5-10 minutes. Strain out the flowers and pour the tea into a large pitcher. Add about 2/3 of the can (about 8oz) of frozen lemonade concentrate. Stir to dissolve and let cool a bit before refrigerating until completely chilled.

Pour over ice in a glass, add a wedge of fresh lime and serve!

These scones are a nice addition to Souvia’s OP Rose tea  and make a great Mother’s Day breakfast!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups unbleached flour

2 tsp sugar, 1/4tsp salt

2tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda

2-3 pinches cinnamon

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 cup cream

1 tsp. rose water and a good handful of rose petals (dried or fresh)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and blend thoroughly. Cut in butter until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir cream with rose water. Rinse rose petals and pat dry. Cut into a chiffonade of about 2 tbsp. Stir into cream and add liquid to dry ingredients and stir to form a soft dough.

Drop dough by the heaping tablespoonful onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake scones for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Let scones cool slightly and dust with confectioners sugar before serving!

Bon appetit!

Remove

Since Rose is the herb of the year 2012, I want to use my blogs to feature the many ways roses are used in the kitchen, in cosmetics and of  course for health. Follow me this month, when I will share some herbal secrets and great recipes that you  can easily make yourself at home.

The rose has been cultivated for centuries for a myriad of uses. Wild varieties have been enjoyed before man domesticated roses in gardens. Since the beginning, roses have been used in the kitchen, for example in vinegars. Flower vinegars add variety to salads, sauces, mayonnaise, vegetables, even fruit salads. The milder, less harsh vinegars are typically best for this purpose.

Fresh or dried rose petals and vinegar is really all you need to get started. Use clean, canning jars, pint or quart.

Fill the jars about halfway with the roses.

Pour the vinegar into the jar, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, and seal. You may want to use plastic instead of metal lids since a metal lid will corode from the acid. (Cling Wrap will work just fine)

Place the jar out of sunlight for two to four weeks. The vinegar will change color depending on what color roses you use.

After 2-4 weeks, strain the vinegar through a cheesecloth, and pour into clean bottles.

Label them and store away from light.

You can pour the vinegar in decorative bottles, adorn them with handmade label -and voila, you have very special and personal gift!

Have fun!

One way to

Herb Day is a coordinated series of independently produced, public, educational events that celebrate the importance of herbs and herbalism. Herb day was conceived of by the Herb Day Coalition – a group of five nonprofit organizations that have interest in these areas – to raise awareness of the significance of herbs and the many ways they can be used safely and creatively for health, beauty and culinary enjoyment.

The HerbDay coalition is comprised of the American Botanical Council, United Plant Savers, the American Herbal Products Association, the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia and the American Herbalist Guild.

The first HerbDay was held in 2006 and since then the first Saturday in May is designated as HerbDay.

Each year one particular herb gets to be in the spotlight and this year it is the “rose”. Not only a beautiful flower that is revered for its beauty, the rose has been an ingredient in beauty and health products for centuries.  Follow my blog this month, and learn how to use rose in a culinary, cosmetic and medicinal way!

And don’t forget to stop by at Souvia on Saturday, where we celebrate HerbDay with 20% off on all herbals and herbal blends, tea samples and a chance to win a special gift basket!

My last blog was about jasmine teas and as I was sitting there sipping a cup of  jasmine downey perls, I wondered, how else I could make use of this wonderfully fragrant tea.

I found a recipe for breakfast scones that turned out to be easy enough and  incredibly delicious. You will wow your  family and friends with these delicious scones:

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups buttermilk, 1tsp vanilla

1tbsp loose-leaf jasmine tea leaves

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup white  whole wheat flour

3 tbsp packed light brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

5tsp chilled unsalted butter

1 tbsp granulated sugar

Put the tea leaves, vanilla and buttermilk in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until just beginning to boil. Remove from heat and let steep about 5-10 minutes. (do not strain)

Preheat oven to 400F; line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with vegetable cooking oil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine both flours, the brown sugar, baking powder and salt – mix well. Add the butter and mix with an electric mixer on medium-high speed.

Pour the buttermilk-tea mixture into a blender and blend into a uniform texture. Strain the buttermilk into a glass measuring cup and add the tea leaves to the butter-flour mix. Measure out 2/3 cup of the remaining buttermilk and add it to the bowl. Mix on low speed.

Divide the dough into 2 disks and place ona lightly floured  surface. Pat each disk into a circle about 6 inches. Cut each  circle into 6 wedges and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, placing them about 1-2 inches apart.

Lightly brush the surface of each scone  with the left over buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 14-16 minutes at 400F.

I love these straight out of the oven, when they are still warm and of course enjoy them with a lovely cup of Jasmine Perls!

The Chinese were the first to add a little more flavor to their teas by scenting them with flowers. Scented teas differ from flavored teas in that nothing other then the scenting agent (flowers, spices) is added and the process is much more cumbersome.

One of the most popular scented teas is Jasmine, a delicate flower that is predominantly combined with green or white teas. Most jasmine-scented teas come from several provinces in southeastern China, although Taiwan also makes excellent jasmine teas.

How does the Scent get into the Tea?

Jasmine teas take a long time to produce since the tea is picked and manufactured in the spring. They are then carefully stored until the jasmine flowers bloom in late summer. For premium jasmine teas the tea and flowers are layered and left overnight so that the tea leaves can absorb the essential oils of the jasmine flower. The next morning the jasmine flowers are removed and the process is repeated as many times as it takes to create a superb quality tea.

The overall quality of the finished tea is determined by the quality of the green tea, the amount of jasmine flowers left in the final blend (the fewer flowers, the more premium the tea) and the scent transfer of the flower s to the tea.

The result of this careful processing is a light, aromatic and sweetly soothing tea with a golden green liquor. It is important to note that aromatic does not mean “perfumy”. (which is often a sign of lower-quality jasmine tea).

Jasmine teas are best taken without milk and are an excellent choice after meals, with desserts or on its own!

Many of our customers have come to appreciate the wonderful fragrance and full flavor of  the “Super Yin Hao Jasmine” and have been patiently waiting for a new batch to come in.  Since the new 2012 tea is just being harvested and the Jasmine flowers won’t be ready for picking until summer, we don’t expect the next shipment of this premium tea to come in until fall of this year.

As they say: “good things take time” – I promise, though,  that it will be worth the wait!

This is prime season for citrus fruit here in Ariona. My grapefruit tea is hanging full of big yellow fruit and aside from simply eating them, I have been thinking about other ways I can use them. As a lover of tea, I was excited when I came accross a recipe that combined one of my favorite teas (Matcha) with Grapefruit……and a little alcohol to kick it up a notch!

This Salty Dog with matcha combines great flavor, presentation and a bit of health-boosting antioxidants and is the perfect drink to ring in the weekend.

Ingredients:

• juice of half a grapefruit
• 2 tbsp vodka (or to taste)
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 3-4 ice cubes
• 1/2 tsp matcha

1. Squeeze the grapefruit to extract the juice. Moisten the rim of a glass with the rind and dip rim in salt. Fill the glass with ice cubes.

2. Place the grapefruit juice, vodka, and matcha in a cocktail shaker and shake until well mixed

3. Pour over the ice cubes and garnish with 1/4 slice of grapefruit – serve immediately!

Cheers to your health!

Latin Name:   Melissa officinalis

Parts used:  fresh or dried leaves

Action: Nervine, Sedative, Mild Antispasmodic, Carmenative, Antiviral, Diaphoretic

“Lemon Balm: To cause the mind & heart to become merry,

to strengthen the weakness of the spirit and heart, and to comfort them”  (Serapion the Younger)

This quote by Serapion perfectly summarizes the qualities of this wonderful and tasty herb. Lemon Balm is a member of the mint family and its Latin name Melissa comes from the Greek word for honeybee,  since bees tend to favor this plant. It is also thought of as  the “elixir of life” ensuring long life and extended youth.

April is “National Stress Awareness Month” – so what better opportunity to feature an herb that will soothe your frayed nerves.

While I am not sure about the life and youth extending qualities, I do know and value Lemon Balm’s calming and soothing qualities. Herbalist Rosemary Gladstar considers this herb one of nature’s best nervines. Lemon Balm’s leaves and flowers contain volatile oils and tannins that have a relaxing, antispasmodic effect on the stomach and nervous system. This makes it an excellent remedy for a nervous stomach and general exhaustion.  Since lemon balm is also a mild sedative, which means it directly relaxes the nervous system and eases tension, a cup before bedtime can help you fall and stay asleep. Lemon Balm has a high safety rating and is recommended for adults and children alike. While an infusion of this herb can have immediate effects, it is also recommended for long term use to nourish an overtaxed nervous system.

For a delicious nervine tonic, Gladstar recommends blending equal amounts of lemon balm, oats and chamomile. Mix the herbs and infuse with boiling water. Steep for 10 -15 minutes and enjoy!

]]> http://souviatea.com/blog/2012/04/17/herbal-of-the-week-lemon-balm/feed/ 0 http://souviatea.com/blog/2012/04/15/adaptogens-mother-natures-stressbusters/ http://souviatea.com/blog/2012/04/15/adaptogens-mother-natures-stressbusters/#comments Sun, 15 Apr 2012 22:43:28 +0000 wbwingert http://souviatea.com/blog/?p=1379 We all deal with stress every day – hectic schedules, lack of sleep, demands at the work place or in school – our world has become increasingly more complex. We are constantly bombarded with information via TV, cell phones and the internet, and the majority of it is negative, fueling worries and anxiety. Assaults on our senses create a physical and emotional reaction, an overwhelming feeling we call STRESS!

For the 20th consecutive year, April 2012 has been designated StressAwareness Month. Sponsored by the Health Resource Network (HRN),  Health care professionals and health promotion experts across country will join forces to increase public awareness about both the causes and cures for our modern stress epidemic.

While our bodies strive to adapt to the stresses in our live and keep us balanced and healthy, it is the consistent exposure to stressors that eventually leads to physical symptoms such as:

• dizziness
•  frequent bouts of low blood sugar,
• mood and memory problems
• headaches
• salt and sugar cravings
• morning fatigue, low energy

In nature we find a category of herbs called adaptogens which can help the human body adapt to stress, support normal metabolic processes, and restore balance. They increase the body’s resistance to physical, biological, emotional, and environmental stressors and promote normal physiologic function. They can provide a defense response to acute or chronic stress and are unique from other substances in their ability to restore the balance of endocrine hormones and strengthen the immune system.

Adaptogenic herbs have been used for thousands of years in ancient India and China. In the past, they have been called rejuvenating herbs, qi tonics, rasayanas or restoratives. Modern research has substantiated what the ancients knew, that many of these herbs are important medicines that can be used for the prevention and treatment of a variety of common ailments.

Astragalus, Tulsi (Holy Basil) and Eleuthero are some of the herbs that are considered Adaptogens.

ASTRAGALUS is native to China and it s Chinese name means “yellow leader” because the root is yellow and the herb is considered the “leader” among tonic herbs. Astragalus strengthens the lungs and enhances the immune system function. Research has shown that it helps prevent immunosuppressant caused by chemotherapy and has anti-tumor inhibiting activity. More recently, Astragalus has been used to improve cardiac blood flow and to prevent kidney and liver damage.

ELEUTHERO is native to Siberia, Korea and northern Japan. It strengthens the immune system and if used regularly, can reduce incidence of colds. It also increases endurance and stamina and if used regularly, a person will feel better perform better and recover more quickly. It is great for those stressed-out type A people who work long hours and/ or don’t get adequate sleep or nutrition. Eleuthero is also used to treat chronic fatigue syndrome, jet lag and adrenal fatigue.

HOLY BASIL is found throughout the lowlands of India and Sri Lanka. The plant has been extensively studied and shown to have antioxidant, neuro-protective, and stress-reducing properties. It also seems to protect against the damaging effects of ionizing radiation. Research studies demonstrated that the herb may help reduce asthma symptoms, balance blood sugar levels and enhance memory.

Adaptogens are tonic herbs – they don’t have negative physical effects and can be taken safely over long periods of time. A tonic supplement strengthens and invigorates various organs and body systems. They help balance emotions and enhance memory.

If you want to find out more about Adaptogens and learn how to make your own herbal extract, sign up for our seminar: “Adaptogens – Mother Nature’s Stressbuster”, on April 22^nd from 2PM-4PM at Souvia.

Reference: (Winston & Maimes, Adatptogens-Herbs for Strength, Stamina and Stress Relief, 2007)