A Cup of Chai
This weekend, Jim and I wanted to make a nice meal for some very special friends. I created a plant-based meal of stuffed mushrooms, vegetable fried rice, a veggie bean salad - and burgers, for the meat eaters - with a nutmeg mango crumble for dessert. But since it's getting colder here in New Jersey, I wanted them to feel warm and cozy as soon as they arrived. I thought that a warm cup of chai might be a great welcome when they came in.
In fact, chai is a great addition to a meal, whether you have it before or after, because the spices in it are all helpful with digestion and inflammation. When I make chai, I always wish that I had all the perfect ingredients on hand. But sometimes I just have to use what I have around. If I don't have cinnamon sticks, then cinnamon powder works just fine. I like to make a batch of boiled chai spices and keep it in a jar in the refrigerator. It'll last several days in the fridge, and up to a week if you add sweetener (honey is my favorite). Then it's easy to add some of this spicy mixture to a cup of black or herbal tea. You can also have it with or without the milk.
All these herbs can be purchased at an international grocery store or herbal store near you.
Ingredients for 6 cups of chai
2-inch piece fresh ginger, cut into thin rounds (** read about the medicinal properties of ginger)
2 cinnamon sticks (or powder)
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
10 whole cloves (or powder)
6 crushed cardamom pods (or powder)
6 cups water
6 bags of tea (preferably Darjeeling for a caffeinated version, or Rooibos for a decaf version)
2 cups whole milk (or milk substitute)
Honey, white sugar, or brown sugar to taste
Step 1: Bring the spices to a boil in 2 cups of water, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. You can save this mixture in the refrigerator, or continue to step two.
Step 2: For 6 servings, add 4 more cups of boiling and water tea bags. Steep for 5 minutes. Discard tea bags. Add milk and sweetener. Strain chai into a teapot and serve hot.
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So here is my suggestion for a healthy happy hour today: Make yourself some chai, curl up on a cushy chair and enjoy some quiet time. Just 10-15 minutes of treating yourself really well can reset your immune system, your nervous system, and your digestive system.
There are so many ways that we can feel a little better. If you need some help figuring out what your next step is contact me. We can talk.
