Masala Chai Tea

It’s 6 degrees in Denver, and our heat has been broken since Friday morning. I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say I’ve learned a lot over the past four days. The wood-burning fireplace in our living room has been our heat source, and it’s wonderful. Even though my clothes and hair smell like campfire, and my butt is sore from doing all my homework on the ground next to the fireplace, and my chest hurt on my 3-mile run today (probably from smoke inhalation), there is no one who can dispute that real fireplaces are the best – especially around Christmastime. I'm really going to miss the constant fire once our heat is up and running again tomorrow!

In addition to non-stop fires, Ed and I have been drinking tea to stay warm. We drink mainly herbal teas, but I found a recipe from the chefs at Nutrition Therapy Institute that I want to share. It’s festive enough without being over the top – perfect for this time of year.

Recipe

5 tsp Darjeeling Tea

4 cups water

1 cup milk

5 green cardamon pods

1 cinnamon stick

5 whole cloves

Raw honey

Bring water to a boil, then simmer with spices for 5-10 minutes. Turn off heat and add tea. Let steep for 5-10 minutes. Warm milk in separate pot. Mix tea and milk together. Add honey to taste.

Cardamon pods look like this:

Cardamon is a seedpod that is high in antioxidents. It is a good source of potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese and iron. They were traditionally used for medicinal purposes because they contain so many health-promoting nutrients. You can find them at a local health food store. You can also buy ground cardamon seeds as a spice.

Cardamon is a good flavor to add to other things too, such as brown rice, soups or chicken dishes. In school we talk a lot about the importance of a varied diet. So, now I pick up something new to try every time I am at the grocery store. Cardamon pods are something I will definitely be buying again.

So, you can overpay for a sugary chai latte at the coffee shop, or you can make your own nutritious tea at home... what will it be?