Wild Harvest Adaptogenic Chai

Adaptogens and tonic herbs are essentially a support system and a preventative for your physical, mental, and spiritual health. Adaptogens like Tulsi Basil and Butterfly Pea Flower are simultaneously energizing and stress relieving, without the buzz or intensity of something like coffee. This chai is a nourishing way to take in the plants, particularly in the cooler months.

Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil, is a heart healing and supportive plant that acts on a physical and energetic level. Tulsi is stress relieving, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and so much more. When I travel, I bring along Tulsi as a preventative against flus, colds and "weirdsies" and drink in daily teas or take in an alcohol tincture form.

Nettle seeds have an incredible amount of Vitamins A & C, essential fatty acids and neurotransmitters that act to boost the mood and libido while supporting overall health. Nettles are an incredible source of plant medicine and they are going to seed right now across the Northern Hemisphere; please remember to harvest honorably in the wild and leave plenty so that the plants can propagate themselves for the next year. A little goes a long way, so use only a teaspoon or 2 a day and you may want to refrain from eating them at night, as they can be stimulating.

 

Calendula is a sip of the sun, and seems to convey this in its bright orang rays. It is known medicinally for its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and lymph supportive qualities among many others. Another perfect addition to winter teas and stews. Some people find calendula slightly bitter, but this another sign of the medicinal goodness! Bitter is so good for us, helping to move things along, aid in digestion, and support the liver & gallbladder. 

Butterfly Pea Flower is an adaptogenic flower that has been used for thousands of years Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is a stress reliever and enhances libido, while adding so much Beauty to everything they touch. They carry the Indigo hue that I look for when I am creating, and they contain a plentiful amount of anthocyanin as a result.

 

Wild Roses are forever one of my favorite heart plants, both on the physical and energetic level, so I love to add in wild roses whenever possible. If you do not have wild rose, search for the most fragrant and organic petals you can find or purchase them from a trusted source. It was a very wet spring here, so I was able to collect an abundance of wild roses this season in the mountains.

For this recipe, I recommend using whatever you have available, even if you do not have access to all of these ingredients. Many of them are available online and from organic growers, including butterfly pea flowers. Experiment with the flavors and add more tulsi basil if you don't have any butterfly pea flowers and so on. For this recipe, I used a sprouted oat & hemp milk that I make, but use whatever milk works best for you!

Ingredients:

* 10-12 Ounces of Milk

* 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

* 1-2 Teaspoons Nettle Seeds, crushed lightly

* 1 Tablespoon Dry Butterfly Pea Flowers (or 4 fresh flowers)

* 2 Large Calendula Flowers (green bottom intact) or 3 dried

* 2 Large Teaspoons Fresh Ginger, peeled and chopped

* 1 Teaspoon Rose Petals, a pinch reserved for topping

* 2 Tablespoons Fresh Tulsi Basil (1 dry)

* 1-2 Teaspoons Honey

Directions:

* In a medium saucepan, warm the milk, nettle seeds & fresh ginger, bringing to a simmer and then covering for 5 minutes.

* Uncover and add the rest of the ingredients except for the honey and the rose petals, stirring and continuing to simmer for just a few minutes.

* Stir in the Rose Petals, cover and turn off the heat.

* Infuse for about 20-30 minutes, or make a large batch and infuse overnight in the refrigerator.

* Strain through a mesh sieve and warm the liquid back up, adding honey and topping with rose petals.

 

I know not everyone will have access to nettle seeds, so feel free to leave them out! I recommend looking at the available organic herbs from mountainroseherbs.com-they have edible dry flowers, which work great for this recipe! I like to make a large batch and drink it for a few mornings in a row. 

If you're interested in more ways to bring more herbs, beauty and healing foods into your daily life, join me on Patreon or see the monthly eBooks available here


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