As part of the 100 mile diet challenge, I have had to look for a beverage substitute. I could just drink tap water (which I do), but what is the fun in that. As I have pledged to give up coffee, it is tea that will be the bevy of choice.
I have had two Chamomile bushes growing in the garden for about 5 months now, and all full of flower heads. So this morning I bit the bullet and made my own Chamomile tea.
Sage can also be used as tea, and I have done so before to ward off a cold and a sore throat, so sage tea is on the cards. Today I bought two pretty ordinary looking Camellia sinensis (normal tea) in my local nursery. I am going to plant one in the perennial garden bed near the side gate and one on the other side near the chook house. Should have green tea in about a month once they settle in.
Wish me luck.
Found your blog under the tag Gardening. Mmm, that looks delicious! I will try it too! Great blog, mate! Keep it up.
Good Luck,
I personally prefer mint most of the time. One of my little pleasures on a hot day is to make up a 2L container of spearmint tea and drink it all day from the fridge.
Kind Regards
Belinda
I really should try making my own tea – I love peppermint tea, I have peppermint going mad in the yard, you’d think I’d put the two together & make a fresh tea :-).
A few others to consider trying – pineapple sage & lemon verbena. Both of them grow like crazy in my yard & both smell wonderful.
I just looked up my herb guide to confirm that those two I mentioned would be okay as teas (they are), & noticed it suggested a blend of chamomile & apple mint.
Oh,
Diggers, st Erth, usually stocks stevia plants in case you are looking for seedlings rather than seed.
Kind Regards
Belinda
I tried some stevia powder and it had too much of an aftertaste for me! Maybe fresh is different? I am buying local honey from a work colleague, so I really should be using it wherever possible instead of sugar…
I found stevia plants in at
either Bunnings or Mitre 10 (can’t
remember which!) here in Adelaide
so you could try either of
those in Melbourne. My plant
was decimated by snails though.
Bunnings in Ballarat had stevia recently. There is a big bunnings in Melton isnt there? Im sure they could order some in for you
Hey Gavin go for it mate. Watching eagerly to see your progress.
Hi Gavin, my favourite teas from the garden are lemon verbena…. which is a hardy,pretty,semi-deciduous bush, and peppermint…. also semi-deciduous. You can grow a tea bush of your own for green tea (Camellia sinensis sinensis).
Personally I think it is fine to drink coffee and buy a few spices and bananas.But good luck and happy new year to you and your family.
Sounds like a great start! I’m dind something similar this year, but not the real “100 mile” diet.
One question I have – what about spices? Vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, etc. Do you allow yourself “cheats”, or do you just not use these?
. That should be “doing”, not “dind”. And this is why I won’t be giving up coffee 😉
I am also a fan of the Honey in place of tea (as I can get Honey Locally), but I was wondering if you looked into Beet Sugar? I saw it recently at my coop and it tasted like regular sugar. I also don’t care for Stevia (to sweet and has an after taste – but as the other comment stated maybe the fresh leaves will be different).
We have lemon myrtle and aniseed myrtle growing – both make great tea. Don’t offer your sage tea to any mothers breastfeeding their children will you – it’s known as a breastmilk suppressant.
Chamomile tea is an antifungal as well, and it’s great for preventing damping off in your seedlings. Just make plain chamomile tea as usual, let it cool to room temperature, and water your seedlings with it.
gavin do you have any dandelions in your garden, dig up the roots and make dandelion tea.
Raspberry leaf tea or strawberry tea is not too bad either.
I too have given up coffee, and tried one cup (have not had any for 10 weeks now) made me nauseous. arrgh.
Ginger beer, maybe? or ginger not grown locally?
Thank good ness I can grow garlic I would miss that little bulb in my life.
I’m a big fan of backyard tea, my favourite is lemon grass and mint. The lemon grass grows nicely in the shade of our passionfruit and is hardy enough to survive numerous visits with the kitchen shears.
A thick slice of lemon squeezed into boiling water and then dropped into the mug is yummy.
I use SweetLeaf Stevia! It has 0 calories, 0 carbs, and a 0 glycemic index. I love using their chocolate flavor lquid stevia in heated milk with a little cinnamon. I think it tastes like hot chocolate! The English toffee flavor is good on ham as well!
Fresh coriander leaves make a nice tea as well.
Fresh, young stevia leaves do not have an after taste but the older leaves do. Stevia can be a little challenging to grow, the snails love it, it dies back each winter but shoots again in spring and the seeds are so small and light they blow away in the slightest breeze. Mine was grown from seed but I would recommend buying a seedling if possible. I haven’t tried drying the leaves, I just eat the very young leaves as I pass the plant in the garden – very sweet.