Drinks/ Featured/ Healthy Eating/ RECIPES

Honey Ginger Lemon Tea – A Cold Reliever

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:

1. Ginger improves the absorption and assimilation of essential nutrients in the body.

2. Ginger clears the “microcirculatory channels’ of the body, including the pesky sinuses that tend to flare up from time to time.

3. If you chew on ginger, it will help with nausea and airsickness.

4. Got a tummy ache? Eat some ginger.

5. Joints giving you trouble? Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that can bring relief.

6. If it is cold outside, ginger tea has warming benefits.

7. Rid throat and nose congestion by drinking ginger tea!

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!

Meals/ RECIPES/ Sides

Peanut Butter Banana Honey Fold-Overs

These Peanut Butter Banana Honey Fold-Overs are a new favorite at the Bowman household. My 3 girls have simply HAD IT with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and were delighted to find something different in their lunch box. I love that I found something just as easy to make as a sandwich, tastes amazing & is healthy to boot!

I’ve made peanut butter honey chia rollups before, but these fold-overs have gone over much better with my kids. They are easier to make, too. Instead of chia being sprinkled inside, these tortillas have chia AND flax in them — thank you Trader Joes! It is so hard to find a store – bought tortilla that does not have hydrogenated oils or tons of preservatives in them. I have searched high and low with little luck, until shopping at Trader Joes. These stay quite soft and chewy which my girls love.

I just recently started homeschooling my middle girl, 13-year-old Colsie, so now I am down to making just 2 lunches a day. To make 2 of these Peanut Butter Banana Fold-Overs, I use one banana, sliced.

I simply spread a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter in the middle, then use raw honey on the sides which serves perfectly as the ‘glue’ to hold these fold-overs together. I slice 1/2 a banana, arrange the slices in the middle to fit on top of the peanut butter, the fold the two honeyed sides into the middle. The banana stays nice and secure in the middle, and does not turn all icky and brown.

If sliced in half, they fit perfectly in our favorite Sistema lunch cube. If you have never seen these cubes you are missing out. They have made packing lunches almost fun…almost…packing lunches is never my favorite chore. Read more about the lunch cubes in my Best Way To Pack A Lunch Post.

Don’t limit these to just lunches! They make a great breakfast or after-school snack.

{A Photo To Pin If So Desired}

Peanut Butter Banana Honey Fold-Overs

2 Tortillas of your choice

4 Tbsp Peanut Butter, divided

4 Tbsp Honey, divided

1 Banana, sliced & divided

Spread both tortillas with 2 Tbsp of honey and peanut butter, with the peanut butter in the middle and the honey on the outer two sides, as shown in the above pictures. Divide the banana slices between the two tortillas and arrange in a single layer. Fold over, using the honey as a ‘glue’.

HEALTH/ How-Tos/ RECIPES

Fighting Colds With Homemade Honey Lemon Ginger Tea

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Fellowes for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’ve just started drinking this amazing tea a couple of months ago, during a cleanse/detox week. It has quickly become one of my favorites.

I recently served it to my daughter who has been fighting a cold. She loved it. It tastes like a special lemonade and was super soothing to her sore throat.

We all know lemon and honey both have health benefits, but did you know ginger is full many many benefits?

Here are 7 of the top benefits of ginger:

1. Ginger improves the absorption and assimilation of essential nutrients in the body.

2. Ginger clears the “microcirculatory channels’ of the body, including the pesky sinuses that tend to flare up from time to time.

3. If you chew on ginger, it will help with nausea and airsickness.

4. Got a tummy ache? Eat some ginger.

5. Joints giving you trouble? Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that can bring relief.

6. If it is cold outside, ginger tea has warming benefits.

7. Rid throat and nose congestion by drinking ginger tea!

My favorite way to make Honey Lemon Ginger Tea:

~Cut some organic ginger root into 1/4′ slices (no need to peel)

~Keep slices in a small mason jar in the freezer

~When you are ready for some tea, squeeze 2 wedges of lemon into the tea cup.

~Add the wedge itself into the cup for the added benefits of the oils from the lemon skin.

~Add 2 slices of ginger.

~Heat water in the tea kettle.

~Pour hot water over ginger and lemon.

~Add 1 tsp or more of honey until desired sweetness.

All of this is to taste. Add more or less ginger. Same with lemon. I steep for a good 5 minutes.

It is that easy!

{Electric Tea Kettle}

My favorite teacup and electric tea kettle make this process very easy! The electric tea kettle heats water up in minutes and keeps it hot for hours. The tea cup has its own saucer, strainer, and a lid to keep it hot or to set the strainer in when steeping is done. I LOVE this cup!

The second way we are fighting colds around here is with my favorite new toy. It is the Fellowes AeraMax™ DX-55 and I am so thankful for it! I have set it up in my daughter’s room to keep her room purified as she fights her cold. I have also moved it into the living area at the end of the day to help keep germs at bay so the rest of us don’t get sick.

When her cold is over, I will move it into her sister, Colsie’s room. We had a couple warmer days last week and it was just enough to trigger her allergies. She wakes up pretty congested. I am hopeful that the Fellowes AeraMax™ DX-55 will help keep the allergens out of the air while she sleeps.

A few reasons why I love the Fellowes AeraMax™ DX-55 air purifier:

~it is ultraquiet

~it automatically monitors the indoor quality of air and adjusts the fan accordingly

~no more stuffy noses and sore throats when waking up

~uses a true HEPA filter, which removes 99.9% of airborne particles, including germs, viruses, allergens, dust, mold, pollen, ragweed, pet dander, and cigarette smoke.

~the LED lights on the machine clearly let you know what the machine is up to…when it is purifying and when it is done, or when the filter needs to be changed.

~it is portable. I can move it from on daughter’s room to another.

~it is sleek-looking. I do not find it obtrusive.

~it is easy to find. You can buy the Fellowes AeraMax technology at BestBuy.com. Prices start at $189.99.

~it not only works for cold and flu season but helps my girls allergy and asthma during allergy season.

———–

What are your favorite ways to stay well during cold and flu season?

Have you ever considered an air purifier?

Brunch/ RECIPES/ Sides

Fruit Salad With Honey Lime Glaze

This Honey Lime Glaze is the perfect go-to recipe to make your fruit shine–literally! I love taking a fresh fruit salad to a party, and this glaze keeps it just sweet enough and moistened. It allows the fruit to show off its beautiful texture, color and flavor.

Fruit Salad With Honey & Lime Glaze

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

10 mins

Inspired by Oh! You Cook!

Recipe Type: Brunch

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 pt. container strawberries
1 pt. container blueberries
1 bunch seedless grapes (about 1 1/2 lbs. - green, red or a mixture of both)
3 clementines (or an orange)

Lime Glaze

1/3 cup honey
2 Tbls lime juice (about 2 limes)
zest from 1 lime

Instructions

Rinse strawberries, blueberries and grapes.
Gently pat dry the fruit. Hull strawberries, then cut each in half; if large, cut into quarters.
Remove stems from blueberries, if any.
Remove grapes from stems.
Peel & separate clementines. (or peel and chop orange)Gently combine all three in a large bowl or aluminum tray. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together honey and lime juice. Pour over fruit.

RECIPES/ Sides

Fruit Salad With Honey & Lime Zest Dressing

This recipe for fruit salad is my kind of recipe. Healthy, beautiful, simple & easy!

I invited a group of women over today and this fruit salad was on the menu. These women are friends of mine, and we all had a wonderful experience together at a weekend retreat called Jumping Tandem Retreat.

I’m excited to share with you all what God has been doing in my heart since the retreat, but that is for another post. Let’s just say that the theme for the retreat was “your big, amazing, ridiculous dream” & I have been dreaming ever since I got home!

I was too nervous to do much dreaming there, as I was one of the workshop leaders and public speaking is something I’m just getting used to doing, so my brain was preoccupied.

But, something I was not too busy to notice was the authenticity of each and every woman there and the beautiful connections being made.

It was a place where we could all just come, be who we are, be encouraged that we can be all that God made us to be, and lay down whatever was weighing on our hearts.

In one of the sessions we were encouraged to anonymously write down our prayer requests, and today this group of women and I ate together, then spent time in prayer over these precious prayer requests.

It was an honor to be in possession of them and to be trusted to lift them up to God. There was much need in some of these stories, some have stayed on my heart all day and I will be taking them before God more than once, that is for sure!

Back to this lovely fruit salad…I wanted to keep things light but also knew our meeting time of 11:00 was a time that stomachs start growling. I kept the food simple, here is the menu:

~Fruit Salad With Honey & Lime Zest Dressing
~Pretzels Chips & Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (Trader Joes)
~Tortilla Chips & Peach Salsa (Trader Joes)
~Wheat Thin Type Crackers & Fiesta Lime Chicken Salad (Trader Joes & Health Food Store Deli)
~Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds With Sea Salt (Trader Joes)
~Hot Coffee
~Hot Tea

I told the ladies they were welcome to bring a snack to share, or just show up…whatever was best for them. I had a friend bring some scones which rounded out our menu quite beautifully!

Notice the only thing I had to make was the fruit salad & coffee, and that was SO easy. The fruit salad was delicious.

The dressing adds a touch of something special, a tangy but sweet citrus flavor. It also gives the fruit a great shine.

Our time of eating and prayer together was beautiful. I’m so very blessed to have such great women in my life!

Fruit Salad With Honey & Lime Zest Dressing
{Inspired by Oh! You Cook!}
1 pt. container strawberries
1 pt. container blueberries
1 bunch (about 1 1/2 lbs.) seedless grapes (green, red or a mixture of both)
3 clementines (could use an orange)1/3 cup honey
juice from 2 limes (about 2-3 tablespoons)

zest from 1 lime

Rinse strawberries, blueberries and grapes.
Gently pat dry the fruit. Hull strawberries, then cut each in half; if large, cut into quarters.
Remove stems from blueberries, if any.
Remove grapes from stems.
Peel & separate clementines. (or peel and chop orange)Gently combine all three in a large bowl or aluminum tray. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together honey and lime juice. Pour over fruit.

________

To meet my wonderful friends who joined me in prayer today, see below:
Michelle DeRusha
Lelia Chealey
Helen Fagan

Brunch/ RECIPES

Whole Wheat Honey Banana Muffins

These muffins are GOOD! They are moist, have great texture and are 100% healthy, with no refined flour or sugars. To make the muffins lower in fat, replace half of the oil with unsweetened applesauce. I used whole wheat pastry flour, which is ground more fine and makes for a lighter, fluffier muffin.
The recipe was originally posted on Recipezaar, and given to me by my friend Joy (who is also responsible for passing on the waffle recipe on my blog–she knows how to find the good ones!)
This recipe makes a lot of muffins, which I love, but can be halved easily. The recipe states that it makes 24 regular sized muffins. I was able to get 4 mini loaves and 120 mini muffins out of one recipe. The muffins freeze well, and are great for breakfast or a quick snack. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Honey Banana Muffins
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp wheat germ (optional)
2/3 cup olive oil (I’d like to try coconut oil)
1 cup honey
4 eggs
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (I used 6)
1/2 cup hot water

1. Stir together dry ingredients
2. Beat oil and honey together; add eggs and beat well.
3. Add bananas and beat to combine.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet, alternating with hot water; mix well after each addition.
5. Spoon batter into 24 greased muffin cups; bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and test done.
6. Remove from oven and cool on rack.

{*thanks, Joy!}