Yesterday there was a blizzard here in the Midwest.  It was super fun to be snowed in, even though it was Super Bowl Sunday. We stayed in our jammies all day, I made a big ol’ lasagna, and my Avery made some chocolate chip cookies.  It was a super slow, super chill, super fun Super Bowl Sunday!

Today my 3 girls had a snow day as the roads were still a mess and the windchill was too low to be outside and stay safe.

We decided it is the perfect day for tea, especially when my Avery girl (11 years old) came to me and said “Mom, I think I’m getting a cold.  My nose is stuffy and my throat is a little sore and has ‘stuff’ running down the back of it.”  Oh no. Not cool.  Especially when she has been home bound for 2 days already.  She will be extra bored with a 3rd day at home, especially if she is not feeling well.

Time for a cup of good, healthy tea.

I’ve been drinking this particular tea every morning, shortly after I wake up, and before I have a cup of coffee.  It is a great way to hydrate and get all those amazing good things that lemon- in -water gives you.  The addition of honey and ginger makes the tea even more nutritious. When I drink it in the mornings, I add a pinch of cayenne.  I’ve read that it is a great way to stimulate the liver to do its detoxifying magic first thing in the morning.  Read more about that here. 

I know when I have a cold, sipping on something hot is so very soothing.  I prefer something hot & light…like chamomile tea or this honey ginger lemon tea.  The steam will warm you  right up, and the ginger & lemon will help clear sinuses, and the honey will help soothe a sore throat. My sweet Avery certainly enjoyed it
and was very thankful for her cup of tea.  Later I will make her my Sweet Tart Smoothie for even more nutrition from aronia berries.  I do not want this cold going anywhere but away!

The lemon in the tea gives a nice dose of vitamin C & there is wonderful goodness to the essential oils that diffuse into the tea from the rind of the lemon.  The ginger, honey and lemon all have their own natural medicinal qualities so when you drink them combined, they create a calming and relaxing tea that can ease cold symptoms and boost immunity.

This cleansing tea will become a favorite , whether you have a cold or not.  Make it for your family.  You will love it and so will they.  It tastes like a lightly sweetened hot lemon drink, with just a hint of ginger flavor.  It is so very thirst quenching and soothing.

Before we move on to the recipe, I have a great tip for having ginger on hand and how to store it. It is to keep it in the freezer.  I like to store it in mason jars in the freezer 2 ways.  One–sliced thinly for tea.  Two–in chunks in a jar ready to be grated and used in the next recipe…like Korean Beef over Rice.  Frozen ginger is easy to peel and grate, and it lasts so much longer in the freezer.

Here are 7 of the top benefits of ginger:

Don’t you love that porcelain infuser teacup?  It was a gift and it is my fav.  Buy it here.

On to the recipe.

Honey Ginger Lemon Tea

6 oz hot water

1 teaspoon raw honey

1 teaspoon thinly sliced ginger

1/2 lemon

~Start heating up water.  I LOVE my electric tea kettle and use it everyday.  It does a great job of heating the water quickly and keeping it warm for multiple cups of tea throughout the morning.

~Take a tea cup that has an infuser in it, and using a fork, pierce the half of lemon while holding it over the infuser and twist the fork and lemon to juice it.  Squeeze as much of the juice out of the lemon half as possible.  Cut the lemon half into 2-4 pieces.  Add them to the infuser.

~Meanwhile, take 1 teaspoon of thinly sliced ginger and put into the infuser.  (Slice using a mandolin and store in the freezer in a mason jar.)

~Last, take 1 teaspoon of honey and drizzle it over the lemon and ginger.

~Put the infuser into the cup of tea, then pour hot water over.

~Let steep 3-4 minutes.

~Lift the infuser our of the cup and enjoy your amazingly light, clean, fresh & oh- so- good for you Honey Ginger Lemon Tea!