Have you ever tried to turn your backyard shed into Snow White’s cottage, dressed yourself in your mother’s billowy graduation gown and gone out to gather “medicine,” not having the slightest clue what you were looking for?
Yeah, me neither. Okay fine, GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY. I was seven, so no laughing mmkay?
Fast forward to today and those once mysterious herbs are like old friends. I know exactly which ones to reach for in any given situation, and it feels every bit as good as I thought it would. Actually, better.
Take, for example, this chai tea latte. Delicious both hot and served over ice, this recipe is infused with warming spices, black tea and adaptogenic herbs which “increase the body’s resistance to physical, biological, emotional, and environmental stressors.” (Adaptogens: Herbs For Strength, Stamina & Stress Relief, p. 1)
In other words, it’s perfect for people who, um, breathe.
This blend can be infused with either eleuthero root (which was once the subject of classified Soviet research) or astragalus root, which has been revered for so long it was mentioned in the oldest known herbal text we have record of.
They both have a mild flavor, which makes them a perfect choice for this tea, and are believed to support stamina, energy levels, immune function, memory and cognitive function.
Begin with this first recipe to create a chai tea mix.
How To Make Adaptogenic Chai Tea Mix
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp plus 1 tsp hulled cardamom seeds (where to buy them)
- 3 tbsp plus 1 tsp dried ginger root (find it here)
- 3 tbsp plus 1 tsp dried cinnamon chips or a cinnamon stick (crushed into smaller pieces)
- 5 tsp whole peppercorns (like these)
- 3 tbsp plus 1 tsp fennel seeds (find them here)
- 6 tbsp plus 2 tsp dried eleuthero root or astragalus root or a mixture of the two (find eleuthero here and astragalus here)
Instructions
- Mix ingredients together and place them in a clean jar with a lid.
Nutrition
Once you have the bulk chai tea mix stored in a sealed container, follow the instructions below for each cup of chai tea you’d like to make.
Adaptogenic Chai Tea Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups water
- ¼ to ½ cup coconut milk (either homemade or store bought – or dairy milk)
- 2 tbsp chai tea mix (recipe above)
- 1 ½ tsp loose black tea leaves (or 1 bag black tea – optional)
- sweetener (to taste)
Instructions
- Add water and 2 tablespoons chai tea mix to a small pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a low simmer and allow to decoct for 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add black tea, then allow to steep for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Stir in hot milk/coconut milk and sweeten to taste.
Nutrition
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Hello Heather! This tea looks very refreshing and yum..So excited to try it…Thanks for sharing this recipe..
You are so welcome!
I just ordered the bundle and am excited to dive in, but I’m not seeing your book anywhere? Am I missing something?
Yay, I hope you love it! When you click on the area that says “Take me to my bundle!” you should see The Beginner’s Guide To Adaptogens under the PDF eBooks and downloads section. 🙂
Thanks! I only downloaded the zip folder, and it seems to be missing from there, but I was able to download the individual file.
Can’t wait! 🙂
It will take forever to hull 3 Tablespoons of cardamom seeds!!! Any hints??
Hi,this might seem silly but are the spices ground up or left whole?
Hi, reading this recipe I would like to think “more is better” – why not add both adaptogens (astragalus and eleuthero) to this tea and benefit twice. Am I wrong with this thinking or are there any risks/reasons why I shouldn’t do this?
Thanks!
Hi, Heather
There seems to be a problem with the recipe for “Masala Chai Adaptogen Tea Recipe”.
The recipe asks for 1 ½ teaspoons loose black tea leaves or 1 bag black tea but how about the tea mix? It is not listed in the ingredients. I think it’s listed in the preparation, though.
Can one use any other tea than black tea?
Thank you,
Rita
Oops! You’re right, I forgot to list the tea mix in the ingredient section. I’ve updated the recipe. The black tea is optional, so you can leave it out if you’d like 🙂
Hi Heather,
love your blog! I would like to cut back on coffee, and this seems like a good replacement. Is there a way to make a larger batch ahead of time so I can quickly make some in the morning? What might the shelf life be? Thanks!
Are these safe for breastfeeding mamas?
Hi, Heather
I was wondering if I can use raspberry leaves instead of black tea? Would that work in combination with the adaptogen tea?
Thank you!
Is the 30-minute decoction vital? I was hoping to be able to add all ingredients in a tea ball and steep for 5-10 minutes. Would I not be extracting all the goodness if I did it this way?
Thankyou for this. Tastes delicious.
Can the adaptogen tea be made as a concentrate ahead of time and refrigerated, or will it lose its benefits? My daughters are at college (in dorms) and could really use the comfort and health boost.
I’m not sure, but I think it would likely lose some potency over time. Could you freeze it as ice cubes so she can thaw as needed?
Hi Heather!
First I wanna say that I love tour blog and have found it incredibly helpful this last year and a half (since I discovered it while doing research on essential oils and homeopathic remedies). I was wondering how much of the adaptogenic herbs do we add to the tea mixture? Thanks in advance!
I would also like to know the amount of herbs plus black tea to add when making a cup of tea. I believe the second recipe box that is supposed to contain that info is missing?
I’m so sorry about that! I recently updated the software that makes the recipes printable and it deleted some of them. Just added the recipe back in.
Heather, it is no problem. Thankyou so much! I should’ve printed it out already. 😉 Thankyou for freely sharing all the wonderful information you’ve learned!
It says 6 Tbsp plus 2Tbsp of eleuthero or astragalus, in the ingredients. Can you clarify if it’s 6 or 2 T?
It’s 6 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons.