Healing Garden Herb Teas

September, back to school, back to work, and now everybody needs an immunity boost.

Turn to your herb garden for a wealth of anti-bacterial, vitamin-loaded, delicious remedies. Here are two herb teas, one packed with vitamin C and the other a natural antibiotic.

Healing Tea

This is inspired by a recipe from Viana La Place's "Unplugged Kitchen". Turn to it at the first sign of a cold. Viana also adds a dash of brandy – up to you.

1 sprig each of sage, basil, marjoram, mint (fresh or dried)
1 thin slice lemon
honey

Place the herbs in a saucepan, add a cup of water, simmer for about ten minutes, then strain and serve hot. Sweeten, if you like, with honey.



Vitamin C Boost Tea

The vitamin C content of rosehips is ten times that of oranges.

If you have a dehydrator, dry handfuls of herbs and mix to make your own tea.

bunch of lemon verbena (fresh or dried)
rose hips, sliced down the middle, seeds and tiny hairs removed (fresh or dried)

Place the herbs and hips in a saucepan, add a cup of water, simmer for about ten minutes, strain and serve.