As I am sitting here on the front porch, listening to the sounds of summer, I am enjoying a refreshing and relaxing cup of herbal tea. It is not just herbal tea, but homemade herbal tea that I just made from my very own herbs that are growing on this very front porch. I know it sounds dramatic, but what could be better than drinking a healthy cup of homegrown tea?
I have always been so intrigued by herbs. They not only look good, but they smell good and can even be used for their healing properties. I have been trying to add more herbs to my garden every year, but I always end up letting them go to seed and not really taking advantage of their great benefits.
This year, I am making a concerted effort to put my herbs to use. One thing I did differently is I put a few potted herbs on the front porch. Normally, I grow everything in the garden, but having some herbs on the front porch makes it more convenient and leaves me no excuse to forget to use them.
A couple of the potted herbs I have been using regularly are lemon balm and spearmint. I have been making a tea out of these two herbs that is really light and tasty. It’s super easy to make, too! I take about four or five leaves each of lemon balm and spearmint, put them in a cup with about a teaspoon of honey, add about 8 ounces of hot water, and mash them around a little bit. I let it sit a few minutes, and it’s good to go.
Lemon balm is said to have a calming effect and spearmint is good for digestion. I like to leave the herbs in the cup and let the tea become stronger as it sits. It’s also good iced or at room temperature. I even put it in a water bottle and sip on it throughout the day. Enjoy!
