On this very warm 4th of July, I’ve enjoyed a stay at home day. I can hear fireworks exploding in the neighborhood, with greater frequency as the sun sets. The City of Joplin is hosting a large display at Missouri Southern State University. I’m content to sit this one out.
In keeping with a very relaxed day, free from work of any kind, I’m sharing an easy blog post. This one falls under the creativity category.
I am loving the simple pleasure of gathering herbs from my garden, for cooking and for teas. I can choose from the aromatic herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage, marjoram, basil and oregano. Or there are the fun herbs such as bee balm, mint, lemon balm, lemon grass, lavender and chamomile, which is new to my garden this year. It feels so earthy, so grounding, to snip a few herbs to steep for tea, and the health benefits are phenomenal.
This easy iced tea recipe was inspired by a similar one that Anthony William shared on social media.
Lemon Balm & Strawberry Iced Tea
3 sprigs of fresh lemon balm or 3 teaspoons of dried
Juice of half a lemon
1 cup strawberries, quartered
1 cup ice
1 teaspoon honey, if desired
Steep lemon balm in 4 cups of very hot water, for at least 30 minutes. Remove leaves and let tea chill in refrigerator for half an hour or longer. In a large glass, combine lemon juice, strawberries, ice, lemon balm tea and honey, if desired. Makes two servings.
Lemon balm is a remarkable herb that eases all types of digestive disorders, calms stress and reduces inflammation. It is antibacterial, antiviral and anti-parasitic, cleanses and detoxes the liver, spleen and kidneys, and fights against the Epstein Barr, shingles and herpetic viruses.
Strawberries are powerful antioxidants that fight free radicals in the body. They protect against brain disorders and diseases of all kinds and ease neurological symptoms.
And lemons contain highly absorbable vitamin C. They create alkalinity in the body and ease the symptoms of colds, flu and bronchitis, while also cleansing the liver, spleen, kidneys, gallbladder and thyroid.
This tea is a powerful tonic that boosts my health and it tastes so good.
Dried lemon balm can be found in health food stores and health conscious grocery stores such as Natural Grocers. It’s a very easy perennial herb to grow, and does well in containers. It can be invasive in the garden, so pull up any stray plants that appear where they shouldn’t. It has a delightful lemon scent and flavor.
I chose not to add honey to my tea, as I don’t like sweet teas. The lemon juice gives a nice bit of tartness and the strawberries add subtle flavor and they are fun to eat after the tea is gone.
On this muggy evening, filled with booms and whistles and pop-pop-pops, I savored my big 32 ounce glass of lemon balm and strawberry iced tea. I drank the whole thing!
You can order dried lemon balm by clicking the link below.
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