Roasted Dandelion Root Tea Recipes

I used to hate coffee. It smelled amazing but tasted awful. The bitterness made me grimace and I couldn’t fathom why people actually drank it.

Enter the Caribou Caramel Cooler. My Mom drank them often and despite my aversion to coffee, I fell in love with it. Granted, all of the caramel, whipped cream and sugar probably helped a bit.

Once I developed corn allergies, I was greatly disappointed that I could no longer drink Caribou. Determined to still have a bit of my former life, I made my own at home. Although the ones I made were delicious and also healthier than the ones from caribou, I was still having health problems.

In addition to the homemade coolers, I had also experimented with making lattes for those cold winter days we get up here in Minnesota. If I ever got too busy and my latte cooled, I would add a few ice cubes for an iced coffee.

After reading about the health benefits of dandelions, specifically, dandelion roots, I decided to give roasted dandelion root a try. I had no idea what to expect. I was drinking the roasted root of something I’d been taught my whole life was a weed. With my first sip, I grimaced. Yuck!

It was very bitter! How was I going to finish off this cup? I loaded it with honey, my usual go-to for tea. It made it only slightly more palatable.

I continued to drink coffee every day. I decided to try the organic coffee and I noticed immediately the increase of my health problems I determined that coffee was the culprit behind my eczema flare-ups on my hand, the panic attacks and a general feeling of malaise. I decided to kick the habit. I quit cold turkey.

I’m not going to lie, the first day was brutal. I was desperate. I wanted coffee and I wanted it now! Who cares about eczema when coffee was so delicious! Realizing I sounded like an addict, I was even more determined to give it up. Standing at the cupboard, staring longingly at my coffee, I bypassed it for my basket of tea. That’s when I spotted the roasted dandelion root. A lightbulb went off over my head!

Dandelion root tea was bitter, just like coffee! Surely I could treat my tea like coffee and make a latte! I did just that. It wasn’t quite as strong as regular coffee but it was a great substitute!

I began drinking it every day and I no longer felt desperate for coffee. The eczema on my hand went away. My panic attacks became less frequent. I didn’t feel as tired. I felt better!

I experimented with different ways to make dandelion root into different versions of fun coffee-like beverages. My favorite is the mock Caribou Cooler.

Are you trying to kick the coffee habit? Have you tried using Roasted Dandelion Root as an alternative?

Dandelion Latte

1 tea bag (this is what I use!)
mug
boiling water
1 TBSP organic heavy whipping cream
1 TBSP pure maple syrup

Loop tea bag around mug handle. Fill cup 3/4 full with boiling water. Let steep for 10-15 minutes. Remove tea bag and squeeze out remaining liquid. Stir in cream and maple syrup. Enjoy!

Iced Dandelion Latte

1 tea bag
mug
boiling water
1 TBSP organic heavy whipping cream
1 TBSP pure maple syrup
3-4 ice cubes

Iced Cubed Dandelion Latte

1 tea bag
mug
boiling water
1 TBSP organic heavy whipping cream
2 TBSP pure maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut milk

Loop tea bag around mug handle. Fill cup 3/4 full with boiling water. Let steep for 10-15 minutes. Allow tea to cool. Remove tea bag and squeeze out the remaining liquid. Stir in cream and maple syrup. Pour into ice cube tray and allow to freeze completely. Add ice cubes to the brim of a glass. Pour coconut milk over the ice cubes. Enjoy!

Blended Dandelion Latte/Mock Caribou Cooler

Blended Tea

1 tea bag
extra large mug
boiling water
1 TBSP organic heavy whipping cream
2 TBSP pure maple syrup
4-6 ice cubes

Whipped Cream

1/3 cup organic heavy whipping cream
1/2 tbsp maple syrup

Loop tea bag around mug handle. Fill cup 1/2 full with boiling water. Let steep for 10-15 minutes. Allow tea to cool. Remove tea bag and squeeze out the remaining liquid. Pour in blender or ninja single serve cup. Add in cream, maple syrup, and ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into mug.

Put whipped cream ingredients in the blender. Blend until just whipped. Do not over whip or you’ll have butter. Spoon whipping cream onto the tea. Enjoy!

I hope you love these recipes as much as I do! You’ll have to let me know if you give them a try!

[enjoyinstagram_mb]

June 12, 2018December 11, 2018

20 Fun FREE Date Ideas

Sometimes, life gets busy and money gets tight. Having a list of 20 fun free date ideas can help keep the romance alive. From going to the library to having a backyard bonfire, there are so many fun ways to spend time together that don’t break the bank.

1.Go to the Park

This idea is kind of a three in one idea. You could have a simple picnic if you’d like a more intimate and relaxing date. If you’re feeling more adventurous, you could go hiking or biking. We love hiking at our favorite local parks and exploring new ones in nearby cities. Fresh air, exercise, beautiful scenery, what’s not to love?! Well, maybe bugs. Don’t forget to wear bug spray!

2.Movie Night at Home

There are so many ways to watch movies at home now! Browse through your old DVD collection for an old favorite. Check out Netflix, Amazon or Hulu for something new if you have a subscription. Go to the library to check out their selection. Snuggling up to a good movie is a great way to relax together after a long day.

3.Board Games

We have a lot of games, but we don’t often get to play them. Back when we were first dating, we loved to play different games together, like Scrabble for example. Taking the time to have a game night can give you something fun to do while allowing you to have a playful conversation.

4.Go to the Library

The library is a lot of fun with the kids, but it’s also a lot of fun without them! Browsing the books together, picking out a fun movie, laughing over the music section and reminiscing, browsing through the exercise equipment, even if we don’t pick out anything (how can you not?!) the library is always a blast!

5.Puzzles

I LOVE puzzles! Whenever I get a new one going, the whole family loves to spend time tackling it. Spending time alone on date night working on a puzzle is a fun challenge! I find puzzle nights are great for the times when you don’t want to say much. Puzzles can be a stress reliever. So if you’ve had a rough day/week/month, this might be a great way to tackle some of life’s anxieties by doing something you CAN solve.

6.Video Games

If your spouse loves video games, but you are not a fan, it might put you out of your comfort zone a little at first. Playing together can be a lot of fun though! If you’re not into violent games, like me, there are so many other fun ways to play. Many game systems have physically active games that allow you to get up and move, like Fruit Ninja. If you’d rather sit down, Tetris is always a fun challenge.

7. Take a Walk

Sometimes, a simple walk around the neighborhood can be a lot of fun. It’s just you and your sweetie, walking, talking and getting some fresh air. I find a simple walk can take the pressure off of date planning and allow you to just relax.

8.Cook and Clean up Dinner Together

I’m usually the one who cooks at our house. Sometimes, Nate will take over for a night if I’m not feeling well. Cooking together though, makes the work go faster and is a lot of fun! Cleaning up together means that no one is stuck doing the dishes alone. If cooking dinner is too intimidating, try making a simple dessert or appetizer.

9.Museum

We have a lot of museums in our area. Many of them have free days or free sections. Most history museums have a fee to help pay for upkeep, but sometimes they have a free day. Often, you can get a free pass at the local library. Many art museums are free. A few of the bigger ones do charge a fee, so always check before heading out.

10.Window Shopping Downtown

Our town has a cute little historic downtown strip. It’s full of antique stores, boutique shops, cafes, and restaurants. It’s a lot of fun to check out all of the unique items in the antique stores and window shop some of the newer boutiques.

11.Backyard Bonfire

Summer doesn’t last very long here in Minnesota, so bonfires are only optional a few months a year. We love to take advantage of this time to sit outside and enjoy the warm night air, under the stars, cuddled up next to the fire.

12.Tea/Dessert on the Porch

If you have a porch, like we do, it’s nice to sit out early or late on hot summer days. Taking a little time to enjoy the quiet solitude that comes with dawn and dusk with a nice cup of tea or a shared dessert is a lot of fun!

13.Fishing/Boating

Here in Minnesota, we have over 10,000 lakes. (11,842 lakes of 10 acres or more. 21.871 if you count the lakes under 10 acres!) We also have 69,200 miles of rivers which gives us many opportunities to enjoy some time on the water. We’ve gone fishing as a family, but fishing as a couple can be fun too! If you are vegan or don’t like to fish, sightseeing is also a lot of fun! Don’t forget to take binoculars for a little bird watching!

14.Study the Bible Together

There is nothing else like putting God first in our lives. Spending quality time together, with God, is one of the most important things a couple can do together. God can help draw a couple closer and give peace and contentment.

15. Go Through Family Photo Albums

As the years roll by and memories add up, it can be a lot of fun to look back on some of those favorite experiences together. Sometimes, this can inspire new plans for the future, so keep a notebook and pen handy!

16.Play Cards

Playing cards can be as easy as Go Fish, Speed or even a little more challenging, like enjoying a game of poker. If you don’t know how to play any card games, you can easily google how to play! Even better, there are a lot of videos on Youtube showing you exactly how to play! Cards are simple, cheap and can lead to a lot of laughs.

17.Build/Make Something

Is there something fun that you’ve always wanted to try? Build a birdhouse? Make a garden? Make a Chalkboard? Hang up some framed family pictures? Make a fun date of it! If you don’t know how to do any of these things but want to, check out community education classes, your local library courses, or ask a friend who’s more experienced to help you plan the basics before getting started.

18.Exercise together

I’ve already mentioned hiking, biking and taking walks, but breaking out a workout DVD or pulling up a workout on youtube to try together can be a lot of fun! Just make sure to take it slow if you don’t work out on a regular basis!

19. Read Together

Did you find an awesome book at the library or do you have a favorite you’d love to read again? Make it a date night book. Take turns reading chapters out loud (or pages if the chapters are long). No cheating and reading without your partner on non-date nights though!

20.Pamper Each Other

Put on face masks, file each other’s nails, or paint them if you’re feeling adventurous! Take a relaxing bath together, if your bath is big enough! If you don’t have a big enough tub, have a detox foot bath. Give a nice back or shoulder massage. Both men and women love to be pampered!

I hope these 20 fun free date ideas have inspired you for a date night of your own! What is your favorite thing to do on a date night? Have you given any of these a try? Let me know in the comments!

December 22, 2016February 4, 2020

Traditional Medicinal Teas

I love Traditional Medicinal teas for so many reasons. They’re allergy friendly, organic, high quality, formulated by herbalists, they go through 9 levels of quality control testing and they’re delicious! I am not getting paid to say any of this, I simply love them. They contribute to the good health of my family and that is worth sharing.

Almost all of the Traditional Medicinal teas are corn free. This is rare and wonderful. Every other brand I’ve ever tried has been corn-taminated in some way. Having safe, guilt-free, pain-free beverages is such a blessing. Some days, post allergy exposure, I live on nothing but tea. Without them, I would be left with only water, which is good, but it doesn’t fill my appetite. Plus, the tea helps my body heal and recover.

I’ve read some articles about the large amount of teas on the market being heavily sprayed with pesticides. In addition to that, the tea bags themselves are also highly toxic! In response, some companies have gone organic (but not corn free) or have tried using less toxic bags (made from corn). Thankfully, Traditional Medicinals are the best quality I’ve found. They are both corn free and non-toxic.

I’ll run you through a few of my favorites and how I use them. Some teas we drink daily and some are once a week or seasonally. Some we drink for pure enjoyment and others are for specific health reasons. You don’t have to only drink them for their medicinal properties, you can simply have them for the joy of it!

Gypsy Cold Care

This is one of my favorites. I’ve listed it first because this one not only tastes good, but the health benefits are amazing. I started drinking this after my mother gave me the Seasonal Sampler box when I was sick. It really helps kick the cold out. Whenever I’m afraid one of the kids or I’m coming down with something, I brew up a cup to chase away the illness. I like it plain and sometimes with honey. I find it doesn’t need honey and I almost never use it with this tea anymore.

Breathe Easy

I’m listing this one second because I feel it’s incredibly important. With my asthma and my earlier in life penchant for coming down with pneumonia at the drop of a hat, breathing is very important. If I get a cold with a cough or I have allergy exposure that makes it difficult to breathe, this tea is a lifesaver. I’ll make a nice steamy cup, cradle it in my hands, bend over the cup and breathe in the steam. After it cools I’ll sip it slowly to try and prolong my exposure. I do enjoy honey in this one. Honey is great for breathing problems too.

Roasted Dandelion Root

This is my current favorite. I haven’t been able to find corn-free coffee. I love coffee, but if I cheat and drink some, I get incredibly sick. I actually bought this tea because it was on sale and I had been meaning to try it for its health properties. Dandelion root is amazing for detoxifying the liver. Once I tasted it plain, a light bulb went off over my head, it tasted like coffee! Since then, I have not had a single drop of coffee. I drink roasted dandelion root “coffee” every day, it’s so good. I add a little local 100% pure maple syrup and local organic grass fed heavy whipping cream. I have made it for my kids, my family and friends and they all agree with me that it’s amazing.

Throat Coat

This tea is fantastic for sore throats. I think it tastes great, especially with honey. However, my kids are not big fans. They usually complain when I make them a cup. I add extra honey so they’ll drink it. I don’t feel guilty about extra sugar, honey helps to soothe and heal sore throats. Thankfully, this one is part of the seasonal sampler, if you’d like to try a variety of their teas.

Echinacea Plus

If you don’t already know, echinacea is amazing for immune system support.

Lavender Chamomile

When I first saw this tea, I was really excited to try it. I love lavender. I had been looking for a good chamomile to help me relax before bed or when I feel stressed out. This one is soothing and perfect for both of those.

Hibiscus Green Tea

I have read great things about using hibiscus for a healthy heart and also as a vitamin C source. I needed a safe, corn free green tea and went searching for one that was allergy friendly, non-toxic, and affordable. When I stumbled across hibiscus green tea, from traditional medicinals, I was excited to give it a try. It’s a bit more tart than I expected. I use honey and cream to sweeten it. I’m going to make my next batch of Kombucha with it for a little variety.

There are many other great blends made by Traditional Medicinals. I hope that this inspires you to give them a try! Do you drink Traditional Medicinals? What is your favorite? Have you tried any of my favorites for yourself after reading this? Let me know! 🙂