Ginger Lemon and Honey Tea

Ginger Tea with a squeeze of lemon juice and a dollop of honey. The cold almost winter weather that is upon many of us is the perfect time to warm up with a big cup of tea. Ginger tea is also a great drink during the flu and cold season because of it's benefits to the immune system. But first let's break down the individual ingredients and the benefits they each bring to this warming and health boosting tea. In Asian cultures ginger has long been used for it's healing benefits and it has caught the attention of many people in regions all over the world. Ginger is believed to help clear up the upper respiratory tract and so many people believe that this helps with the symptom of colds and flu. Ginger has also been used to treat nausea, circulation, inflammation, upset stomach, indigestion, arthritic pains, sore throats, the list of ginger benefits is quite long and I think it probably requires it's on post. The next ingredient is lemon juice, lemons are loaded with Vitamin C which helps your immune system fight off infections. Lemons like ginger are used to treat upset stomachs and nausea. Lemons also have antiseptic properties that are both good for your skin and body. The last ingredient is honey, it doesn't only taste good on it's own or as a cooking ingredient, it's also very good for you. Honey has long been used in homeopathy for the antibacterial and antiseptic properties it has. If you have ever tried honey or honey and a little lemon juice when you have a sore throat you can instantly feel it coating your throat and start to feel better. Honey is also used to help heal wounds, in many skin and cosmetic products. It has also been used in experiments for treating allergies and for it's benefits with Diabetes patients. As you can see each ingredient in this healing tea brings a lot of health benefits making this a delicious and healthy drink to enjoy.




Your ingredients:
Ginger root, 6 slices un-peeled
500 ml or 2 cups of water
Lemon juice
honey

1. Slice the ginger root and don't peel, only cut away any bruised areas. Add the water and the ginger to a pot and over medium heat bring to a boil. Boil until the water has turned a light brown color, this will take about 15-20 minutes. Next squeeze the lemon and add the juice to the tea. (* The amount of juice is up to you, or how lemony you want it to taste. I usually add the juice of 1 medium lemon. )* Mix the juice and tea and let it boil for another 3 minutes.
2. The honey can either be added to the tea in the pot or you can add it to a tea cup and pour in the ginger tea. The amount again is up to you and how sweet you want it. (I usually add a small dollop to my tea cup.) You can also strain the tea before you serve.

An optional small serving suggestion is to add a thinly slice piece of lemon and ginger, or just serve warm and enjoy.

Ginger tea for me is a comfort drink that I enjoy all year round, it makes me feel physically better and it enhances my senses and calms me all at the same time. I hope you try this tea and that you enjoy it as much as I do.

*update* I also forgot to mention that this tea is great for women suffering from menstrual cramps. The tea helps relax the muscles and lessens cramping. But remember consult your Dr. before or make sure that you are not allergic to any of these ingredients.

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Refrigerator Soup a new favorite

Have you heard of Refrigerator Soup yet? In case you haven't I'm going to tell you a little about them. RefrigeratorSoup.com is a new foodie site that features amazing food photography and food bloggers cooking and baking all types of scrumptious foods. The name comes from one of the administrator's Mom making soup out of a refrigerator left overs, adding some spices and simmering until it turns into an amazing soup,( you can read more inside story on their faq). Several weeks ago I was invited to visit this new site and submit some of my photographs, and on my first visit the site quickly grabbed my attention. Why? The site is well designed and very easy to navigate. I also love how the photos are the center piece of the site. Each day 40 new photos from different foodie sites are added. There are some amazing photos that will leave your mouth watering and spending a lot of time clicking through all the ones that happen to catch your eye. Each photo directs you to the recipe and site belonging to that foodie. Another feature that I really like is their 20 questions with our favorite food bloogers ,pretty self explanatory. Being that Refrigerator soup is a fairly new site, there are only a few "interviews" so far, but I'm sure more to come. I think this is a great way to meet and get to know our fellow food blogging peers. I have had the pleasure of being asked to do a 20 questions , and will soon be featured.

I am also introducing you to this wonderful site because of the hard work and passion behind Refrigerator Soup. The staff is very friendly and helpful. You can tell that a lot of time and effort have gone and go into making this site truly unique and wonderful. The site doesn't seem to be run by a big company but instead a small group of food lovers.( Remember the "little guy" or small business is the one that needs our help. ) So help me support this site by paying them a visit. Look around, possibly submit some of your photos, add a link on your site, and visit some of the contributors. I also ask you to help spread the word by inviting your readers, friends and family to visit Refrigerator Soup.

As Refrigerator Soup says, life is short. let's eat!

*( I am in no way affiliated with refrigeratorsoup.com , nor have I been paid to write this. I am just helping spread the word on one of my favorite new sites. ) *

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