Irish Tea Brack

Ever tried brack? Resembling banana bread, brack might be initially written off as a fruit cake, but it is more than that... We promise! If you've never tried brack, this recipe for Irish Tea Brack would be a great introduction to this hearty, sweet, and fruity bread: 

Ingredients:

• 2 and a third cups mixed dried fruits, such as raisins, golden raisins, cherries, and currants
• 1-cup cold Irish breakfast tea
• Butter, for greasing
• Half a cup plus 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice, cinnamon, or nutmeg

Method:

1. Place the dried fruits in a bowl and cover with the cold tea. Let

Soak for 3 to 4 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 5x9-inch loaf pan with butter.

3. In a mixing bowl, beat the sugar and egg until light and foamy.

Sift in the flour, baking powder, and spices and mix together.

4. Add the soaked fruits and any remaining tea to the bowl and mix

together well.

5. Transfer the batter to the greased loaf pan and bake in the oven for 1 hour.

6. Unmold and cool on a wire rack. This loaf will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container.

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

SRC: Find the original recipe post here: www.irishcentral.com/news/irishvoice/Clodagh-McKennas-Irish-tea-brack-recipe.html

t-sleeve Gives Back

t-sleeve® is a company that gives back. 10% of the net profits from t-sleeve® go towards helping foster children locally and nationally. Buy t-sleeve® to make drinking tea on the go easy and simple for you and to support foster children in your community: 

The vision for t-sleeve® came with the intent to give back to our communities and enrich lives through faith, love, hope and care for humanity.

This first version of t-sleeve® will give 10% of net profits to help Foster Children locally and nationally. Our charitable foundation plans to seek out community resources that assist in helping foster children. This could be foster care and stable home environments, events or activities for foster children or other options outside of local, state or federal government programs. This commitment will provide faith, love, hope and care to foster children in ways they may not otherwise experience in their daily lives. 

Please go to our contact us page if you know of an organization in your community that could use assistance to help local foster children lead happier and more enriched lives.

Enjoy the convenience of t-sleeve® and feel good about knowing you are contributing to worthwhile causes. Help us make a difference…share t-sleeve® with a friend and share the vision!

 You can order t-sleeve online here or find our product in Whole Foods Market.  

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

Learn about using t-sleeve!

t-sleeve® is a versatile tea bag pouch and squeezer, for tea drinkers who use tea bags seeking a mess-free, tea drinking experience on the go.

This handy design starts as a carrying pouch for your favorite tea bag and package sweeteners. Take it with you on the go to work, a restaurant or meeting a friend for a cup of tea. T-Sleeve® then becomes a tea bag squeezer when you steep your tea. After you have steeped the tea, simply pull the tea bag up into the t-sleeve®, fold and squeeze the residual liquid out, and then discard. There’s no mess, no wet fingers and no drippy tea bag. T-Sleeve® is made of recyclable and compost-able materials, so simply dispose of the t-sleeve® and tea bag into the garbage or compost container. T-Sleeve® will compost, so you can feel good about making a difference in the environment. 

You can order t-sleeve to have a box shipped to your house, OR you can find us at Whole Foods Markets. Find ordering information here.

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

Chai Creamsicles

A delicious recipe, perfect for all lovers a chai tea, these chai creamsicles are a rich, sweet, and cool frozen treat! Perfect for sunny days ahead, we will be making these soon!

Chai Creamsicles

Makes 10 pops, depending on your molds.

2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
3/4 cup sugar + extra, if required
3 tablespoons strong black loose leaf tea (see recipe notes)
1 inch piece of ginger, sliced

For the chai spice mix:1 teaspoon green cardamom pods
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
3 inch piece of cinnamon or 1 tablespoon cassia bark
1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole black pepper
1 star anise

Place the milk, 1 cup of the cream, and sugar in a pot. Add the black tea and bring to a gentle simmer (don't let it boil). Simmer for a minute, then take off the heat and let the tea steep for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring every so often (depending on how strong you like your chai).

Strain into a clean pot and add the ginger. Place all the chai spices in a large mortar and pestle and crush coarsely. Add the spices to the milk mixture, and bring back to a simmer. Remove from heat and let the spices infuse fully in the chai, about 30 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup cream. Taste and add more sugar if you like your chai sweeter.

Once cold, strain the mixture into a large bowl, and chill in the fridge for about an hour.

Once completely cold, pour the mixture into your popsicle molds, being careful not to overfill, and top with popsicle sticks. Freeze until completely set.

Run water over the molds to unmold and enjoy.

Recipe Notes

• You can replace the heavy cream with half and half (10%) or coffee cream (18%). The creamsicles won't be as creamy and might tend to get a little icier, but will still taste gorgeous.
• You can also use 3 teabags of black tea, but they will take longer to steep in the milk.
• I prefer using strong black Assam, Ceylon or Nilgiri loose leaf tea.
• If you want a more authentic masala chai taste and color, replace the loose leaf tea with 2 to 3 tablespoons of granulated CTC tea, available at Asian groceries and some large supermarkets. Add the tea granules, bring to the boil, turn off the heat and stir until the chai turns golden. Strain immediately. Follow the remaining steps, as instructed.

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

SRC: Find the complete recipe post here: www.thekitchn.com/recipe-chai-creamsicles-recipes-from-the-kitchn-204532

Raspberry Green Tea Popsicle's

Get in the mood for spring with a fresh, frozen treat! These raspberry green tea popsicle's are easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. 

Raspberry Green Tea Popsicles – Makes 4 – 6 popsicles (This will depend on your popsicle molds.)

• 1 1/2 cups fresh brewed green tea (cooled)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries (fresh is fine)
• 1/3 cup of honey

Step One: Pour cooled green tea in the blender. Along with the raspberries and honey. Blend until all the ingredients become a liquid. (*Optional – You can stain the liquid to remove seeds. Use a fine mesh strainer, over a large bowl. Pour liquid into strainer, and allow the liquid to strain out.) Pour into popsicle molds. Place the tops on molds and freeze. Freeze over-night, or until completely frozen. Enjoy!

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

SRC: See the complete recipe here: vanessabaked.com/raspberry-green-tea-popsicles/ 

Making Bubble Tea at Home is Easier than you Think!

Love bubble tea but hate spending the money on buying from cafes or restaurants? Good news! Believe it or not, bubble is tea is way easier to make at home than you might have expected!! Read here about recipe to make traditional black bubble tea here: 

Ingredients 

• For the Boba:
• 1/2 cup black tapioca pearls  
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• For the Tea:
• 4 1/2 cups of water 
• 4 bags of black tea
• 1/3 cup white granulated sugar 
• 1 cup almond milk or whole milk

Directions

1. To make the boba: follow the directions on the back of the bag of boba. Mine were quick-cook boba and the directions were spot on. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and heat until the sugar dissolves. Drain the tapioca pearls and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking and then transfer to (my favorite) the brown sugar syrup. I find that boba tastes the best just after it’s made so please use your own discretion as to when you should start the process. 
2. Bring the water to a light boil. Turn the heat off and add the black tea bags. Stir in the sugar. Allow to steep for 5 to 7 minutes. Allow to cool completely. 
3. To assemble the milk tea: add a few spoonfuls of boba to the bottom of each glass. Top with ice cubes, about 1 cup of tea and about 1/4 cup of almond milk or whole milk (you can eyeball these measurements). Stir and serve.

Yield: 4 servings

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

SRC: Read the full article about this recipe here: www.pbs.org/food/fresh-tastes/bubble-tea/

Top 10 Ways Tea Can Help your Health

It seems like every day we read more and more about the health benefits that drinking tea can offer! We love to enjoy a hot cup of tea using a t-sleeve every day, and we are excited to read about the "health powers" of tea! Read the 10 potential health benefits of tea here: 

1. Tea contains antioxidants

Antioxidants work to prevent the body's version of rust and thus help to keep us young and protect us from damage from pollution.

2. Tea has less caffeine than coffee

Herbal blends have no caffeine, while traditional teas have less than 50 percent of what typically is found in coffee. That means you can consume it without those pesky effects on your nervous system, says Leslie Bonci, nutritionist and owner of Active Eating Advice.

3. Tea may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke

"There's a lot of literature out there on tea and heart health," says Anna Ardine, clinical nutrition manager at Magee-Womens Hospital of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. "This is a health effect for which there is the strongest evidence."

In fact, a study published earlier this year that combined data from a host of earlier reports found a nearly 20 percent reduction in the risk of heart attack and a 35 percent reduced risk of stroke among those who drank one to three cups of green tea a day. Those who drank four or more cups of green tea daily had a 32 percent reduction in the risk of having a heart attack and lower levels of LDL cholesterol.

4. Tea may help with weight loss

Research on this isn't as strong, Ardine says, adding that studies that have shown an effect have depended on consumption of large amounts of tea, often in pill form.

5. Tea may help protect your bones 

Data from recent animal studies has shown that green tea may prevent bone loss.

6. Tea may keep your smile bright

"Japanese researchers have found that tea can decrease tooth loss," Ardine says. "It changes the pH in your mouth when you drink it and that may be what prevents cavities." Beyond that, tea, unlike many other beverages does not appear to erode tooth enamel, Bonci says.

7. Tea may boost the immune system

Studies have shown tea can tune up immune cells so they reach their targets quicker.

8. Tea may help battle cancer

Studies on this are currently mixed, which means more research is needed, Bonci says. But, in the meantime, "if you've got a strong family history of cancer and you want to do anything you can, you might increase your tea consumption," she adds.

9. Herbal tea may soothe the digestive system

"Herbal teas, in particular chamomile, can be good for people with irritable bowel syndrome because it is an antispasmodic," Bonci says. "And ginger teas can calm nausea."

10. Tea — unadulterated, that is — is calorie free 

"It's a great no-calorie alternative to water," Bonci says. "It provides so many options for flavor and versatility. You can have it hot or cold. And you don't have to put anything in it, though you might want to add a cinnamon stick or some ginger. That means you're able to hydrate with something other than water alone."

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

SRC: Find the complete article about tea and health here: www.today.com/health/top-10-health-benefits-drinking-tea-t81111

Buy t-sleeve to Change the Way You Drink Tea

Take the mess out of drinking tea on the go with t-sleeve. t-sleeve removes the step of dealing with a sticky, wet tea bag after you seep your teabag in hot water. Read more about t-sleeve and how to use it here: 

Step by step instructions for t-sleeve®: 

1. Place your favorite tea bag and packaged sweeteners into t-sleeve®. Close pouch and take it on the go.
2. Prior to steeping the tea, remove tea bag from pouch. Feed tea tab through opening at top.
3. Steep the tea, allowing t-sleeve® to rest outside of cup on string and tea tab
4. After steeping, pull tea tab up, drawing tea bag into the t-sleeve®.
5. Once the tea bag is inside, fold and squeeze the residual liquid into cup.
6. Discard the pouch/tea bag into trash receptacle or compost container.
7. Enjoy your cup of tea!

The goal of t-sleeve® is to be not only a convenient way to enjoy tea, but to be as eco-friendly as possible. Both the box packaging and t-sleeve® are recyclable. T-sleeve® itself is coated with a natural, recyclable and compostable film that once it comes in contact with the moist tea bag, it becomes a recyclable and compostable product. The t-sleeve® material has been analyzed to compost. Feel good about doing your part for the environment and reducing your carbon footprint.

Also feel good when you choose t-sleeve® as your “go to” and to go, tea squeezer option, that you are directly contributing to charities that enrich lives. Read more here on our Charities page. 

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

How Fennel Tea Can Help

Brewing up a hot cup of tea can help you relax and unwind after a long, stressful day. But in addition to clearing your mind, brewing a cup of fennel tea has the potential to help with these health problems: 

Fennel Tea for Constipation, Indigestion, IBS & Bloating - The tea is considered very useful to help indigestion, bloating and constipation because of the oils found in these seeds. Fennel seeds contain estragole, fenchone and anethole, which contribute to the plant's antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties. For those with IBS, the volatile oils found in fennel seeds can help kick start digestion by promoting the production of gastric enzymes. For its multitude of gastrointestinal benefits, fennel tea is sure to help the digestive tract be happy and healthy.

Fennel Seeds Reduce Asthma Symptoms - Fennel seeds and their phytonutrients help clear sinuses. They make a great tea to aid with bronchitis, congestion and cough as they have expectorant properties.

 Reduce Water Retention - Drinking fennel tea, regularly helps flush out excess fluids as it works as a diuretic. In addition, fennel seed helps remove toxins and reduces the risk of urinary tract problems. It also has diaphoretic properties that stimulate perspiration.

 Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

SRC: Find out more about how fennel can improve your health: food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/unveiling-the-health-benefits-of-fennel-seeds-1287281

Lavender Tea Bread

Lavender is one of our favorite flavors. While lavender flavoring is found in chocolates and ice creams, this Lavender Tea Bread is the next treat we will be enjoying with a hot cup of tea! 

Lavender Tea Bread

Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp. dried lavender flowers, finely chopped, or 3 Tbsp. fresh chopped flowers
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs

Grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Heat milk with lavender almost to a boil, then steep until cool.
Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in bowl.

In another bowl cream butter and gradually add sugar, then eggs, one at a time, beating until light and fluffy.

Add flour mixture alternately with lavender milk, in three parts. Mix until batter is just blended, do not overbeat.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.

When completely cool, drizzle with a simple sugar glaze or sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Garnish with sprigs of fresh lavender.

I like to make a light lemon confectioners sugar glaze for mine
but it is up to your tastes!

1 cup Powdered sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 spoon lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp Soy milk or regular milk

NOTE; you can also use Sage, Rosemary, or Thyme for this bread too !
it makes a great gift as well...for someone else..or yourself lol

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

SRC: Find the original recipe post here: www.facebook.com/Out-of-the-Broom-Closet-501846093295036/?fref=photo

Delicious Iced Teas to Get You Ready for Spring

What better way to get in the mood for sunny weather than refreshing iced tea?! Watch the video above for step-by-step instructions to create these fresh and tasty iced tea drinks. 

Classic Iced Tea

• 6 black tea bags 
• 8 cups hot water
• 1 lemon, zested and sliced
• ¼ honey (optional)
• 1 cup hot water (optional)
• ice

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest of one lemon being careful not to get the white rind which is quite bitter.

Add the lemon zest and tea bags to hot water and stir.

Allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes.

Remove the tea bags and the zest and allow the tea to cool

completely.

For sweetened iced tea, add hot water to honey and stir until the honey is completely dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool completely.

In a pitcher combine ice and lemon slices.

Add tea and honey mixture and stir thoroughly.

Enjoy!

Raspberry Peach Iced Tea 

• 6 tea bags (I used rooibos)
• 8 cups hot water
• ¼ honey (optional)
• 1 cup hot water (optional)
• 4 ripe peaches, sliced
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• ice

Add tea bags to hot water and stir.

Allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes.

Remove the tea bags and allow the tea to cool completely.

For sweetened iced tea, add hot water to honey and stir until the honey is completely dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool completely.

In a pitcher combine ice, peach slices and raspberries.

Add tea and honey mixture and stir thoroughly.

For best results, allow tea to infuse with flavor for 1-2 hours before

serving.

Enjoy!

Mojito-Inspired Iced Tea 

• 6 green tea bags
• 8 cups hot water
• ¼ cup superfine sugar (optional)
• 1 cup hot water (optional)
• 3 limes

10-12 mint leaves

ice

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest of one lime being careful not to get the white rind which is quite bitter.

Add the lime zest and tea bags to hot water and stir.

Allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes.

Remove the tea bags and the zest and allow the tea to cool completely.

For sweetened iced tea, add hot water to sugar and stir until the honey is completely dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool completely.

In a pitcher combine ice and lime slices and mint.

Add tea and sugar mixture and stir thoroughly.

For best results, allow tea to infuse with flavor for 1-2 hours before serving.

Enjoy!

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

SRC: Find more great recipes like this one here: thedomesticgeek.com/

Learn More about t-sleeve

t-sleeve is meant for people who want to enjoy a mess-free cup of tea on the go, at home, or at work. Pack your tea into the sleek pouch and use it as a handy place to keep your favorite tea! Read more about t-sleeve here:

T-sleeve® was created from a vision to enjoy a mess-free, tea drinking experience.
This handy design starts as a carrying pouch for your favorite tea bag and package sweeteners. Take it with you on the go to work, a restaurant or meeting a friend for a cup of tea. T-Sleeve® then becomes a tea bag squeezer when you steep your tea. After you have steeped the tea, simply pull the tea bag up into the t-sleeve®, fold and squeeze the residual liquid out, and then discard. There’s no mess, no wet fingers and no drippy tea bag. T-Sleeve® is made of recyclable and compostable materials, so simply dispose of the t-sleeve® and tea bag into the garbage or compost container. T-Sleeve® will compost, so you can feel good about making a difference in the environment.
One more way to feel good when you use a t-sleeve® is the lives you will touch just by enjoying a mess-free cup of tea. We are dedicated to enriching lives, not just enhancing your tea drinking experience. We will be putting our profit to a good use. Ten percent of all net profits of the original t-sleeve® will go to help Foster Children both locally and nationally. T-Sleeve® was specifically created to help others through charities that enrich lives, sharing love, hope and faith person to person.

Find t-sleeve in your local Whole Foods or order t-sleeve here!

Green Tea Berry Smoothie

Add something new to your day! A Green Tea Berry Smoothie is fresh, fast, and will make you feel great! Find the recipe here:

You’ll need:

·Green tea  

·Some frozen fruits (Choose whatever you want, I had blackberries and blueberries already in my freezer. Get fresh fruits if you want but you need a lot for smoothies, and frozen’s just less expensive. Cheap-o’s unite!)

·Honey, lemon, milk to taste

Directions 

Steep 2 cups of green tea and let it cool all the way to room temp. Blend up all the fruit and once the tea is cooled, blend it on in there with the fruit.

If you’d like, add honey, lemon, milk, or anything else you have lying around to make the smoothie taste the way you’d like!

Enjoy!

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

SRC: See more green tea based recipes here: www.xovain.com/skin/diy-green-tea-beauty-treatments

Green Tea Face Mask

Want to give your face a little freshness but worried that store bought products might irritate your skin? This DIY Green Tea face mask has simple ingredients that will make you glow!

Green Tea Face Mask

For this little ditty, you’ll need:

·2 bags of green tea

·Baking soda

·Honey

Tear open those bags of green tea and mix the leaves with equal parts baking soda in a small bowl.

Take a teaspoon of this mixture and mix it up with some honey. Spread the mixture all over your face. If it needs to be diluted, add any sort of oil or water a little bit at a time and stir it up. Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes.

Green tea will soothe your face, calming any irritation or redness while the honey moisturizes.

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

SRC: Find more DIY green tea beauty products here: www.xovain.com/skin/diy-green-tea-beauty-treatments

Learn More About Using t-sleeve

t-sleeve® is a versatile tea bag pouch and squeezer. t-sleeve is designed for tea drinkers who want a mess-free cup of tea at home or on the go!

The goal of t-sleeve® is to be not only a convenient way to enjoy tea, but to be as eco-friendly as possible. Both the box packaging and t-sleeve® are recyclable. Once t-sleeve®  comes in contact with the moist tea bag, it becomes a compostable product.  Feel good about doing your part for the environment and reducing your carbon footprint.

Product Details

Step by step instructions for t-sleeve®:

1. Place your favorite tea bag and packaged sweeteners into t-sleeve®. Close pouch and take it on the go.
2. Prior to steeping the tea, remove tea bag from pouch. Feed tea tab through opening at top.
3. Steep the tea, allowing t-sleeve® to rest outside of cup on string and tea tab
4. After steeping, pull tea tab up, drawing tea bag into the t-sleeve®.
5. Once the tea bag is inside, fold in half and squeeze the residual liquid into cup.
6. Discard the pouch/tea bag into trash receptacle or compost container.
7. Enjoy your cup of tea!

Find t-sleeve at your local Whole Foods Market or order a box here!

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

Tea for Your Health

Tea is the second most popular beverage in the world. While its popularity is largely due to its presence in human culture for thousands of years, the popularity of tea might also be attributable the health benefits that it holds. Read here about different popular teas and their potential health benefits: 

Ginger Tea

Ginger on its own has long been touted as a natural medicine due to its anti-inflammatory properties, its ability to reduce nausea and relive settle an upset stomach.

Instead of eating ginger, reap the benefits by whipping up a cup or pot of homemade ginger tea.

Peppermint Tea

Just like ginger, peppermint has been known to tame tummy troubles. But the herb does a lot more than that, including easing headaches, curbing cravings and clearing a stuffy nose.

Tap into the power of peppermint by pouring out yourself a cup of peppermint tea the next time you feel bloated or tired.

Green Tea / Matcha

Green tea in general contains powerful antioxidants that can help protect against cellular damage, says nutrition expert Rosanna Lee. This tea has been found to increase alertness and help improve concentration, helping you with mental and physical performance. To get more concentrated antioxidants out of your tea, steep the tea longer and opt for matcha tea instead of a green tea bag. Matcha powder is made from whole tea leaves and it is regularly consumed in its entirety when prepared.

Lemon Tea

You've probably heard about the benefits of drinking lemon water, but you might not realize drinking lemon tea is practically the same thing. Adding real lemon juice to make lemon tea can also provide you with vitamin C, an antioxidant that can help protect your body’s cells from free radical damage. Vitamin C is also essential in helping your body undergo its daily repair and maintenance of skin, blood vessels, cartilage and tendons, says Lee.

Chamomile tea

Chamomile is known to be effective in reducing swelling, while fighting bacteria. Other studies have pointed to its ability to alleviate stomach cramps. If you are allergic to flowers, pollen or ragweed, you should avoid chamomile, as pollen found in some chamomile tea varieties can cause allergic reactions. Chamomile may also interfere with blood thinner (anti-coagulant) medications, says Lee.

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

SRC:  Read the complete article here: www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/02/18/best-tea-for-health_n_9264668.html

Earl Grey Tea Shortbread Cookies

Earl Grey tea is one of our favorites. When we saw this recipe for Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies, we knew that we had to share! Look through this easy recipe for these absolutely delicious cookies here: 

Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies

Makes: 2 dozen cookies / Preparation time: 15 minutes / Total time: 30 minutes

These crisp and buttery shortbread cookies have just a hint of Earl Grey tea. Feel free to add more if you like.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 bag (remove tea from bag) Earl Grey tea (use 2 bags for a stronger tea flavor)

Preheat oven to 350­ degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl or mixer, cream together the butter and confectioners’ sugar.

Add in flour, salt, and tea leaves. continue to mix until a soft dough forms, mix will be dry and crumbly at first but will come together.

Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface until it’s 1/4-inch thick.

Cut out cookies using a 2-inch round round cookie cutter.

Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 20-22 minutes or until edges are a golden brown. Remove from oven. Cool 1 minute on baking sheet and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

SRC: See the original recipe post here: www.freep.com/story/life/food/recipes/2016/03/02/earl-grey-tea-shortbread-cookies/81222356/

Downton Abbey Fan? Enjoy Afternoon Tea with the series finale

The wildly popular show, Downton Abbey, which airs on PBS, is coming to a close this Sunday. If you are a Downton fan, it might be fun to bid the show farewell with tea and a proper afternoon tea snack. Enjoy your favorite tea and some dainty hors d'oeuvre and transport yourself to the Abbey! Read about how hardcore Abbey fans celebrate and honor the show: 

Although the last show airs in the evening, why not treat “Abbey” fans to an afternoon tea.  And, please, don’t confuse it with high tea. The latter is known as a heavier meal that workers and laborers ate.

“For the teas, an Earl Grey is a little lighter and a nice blend,” [Barb] Gulley says. “But what we serve is the Republic of Tea’s line of “Downton Abbey” teas. They have a Grantham breakfast blend and Mrs. Patmore’s pudding. It’s really cute and kind of fun because it adds to the whole theme.”

For serving, think about a variety of finger sandwiches, scones and small plate appetizers like gougeres — a choux-style pastry made with cheese and sometimes filled.

You want to prepare and eat food that’s manageable and doesn’t take you away from the show.

With finger sandwiches, don’t think of them as any mayonnaise-laden chicken salad sandwiched between two slices of bread. These petite-size, rectangular- or triangular-shaped sandwiches can be protein- or vegetable-based. And it’s the bread, according to Diann Dupuis, who has catered many afternoon teas, that makes them delicious.

“The most important thing to make them fresh and not ahead because they will dry out,” Dupuis said. “Also, buy only a good bakery bread.”

Dupuis says many manufacturers’ bread have a lot of gooeyness and don’t stay firm.

A finger sandwich hit for Dupuis has been the Coronation Chicken Salad. Dupuis got the recipe from Tea Time magazine. While it’s a chicken salad that’s mayonnaise-based, it has hints of Indian flavors from curry and chutney.

When it comes to scones, you can’t go wrong with the recipe for Sweet Scones from the “Unofficial Downtown Abbey Cookbook.” It’s simple and quick to make. The scones have a tangy flavor and are a bit moist thanks to the addition of sour cream. We added some currants, which is purely optional, for a hint of fruit.

Finally, we couldn’t forget something with tea. The Earl Grey Tea Shortbread Cookies are amazingly easy with just five ingredients. The cookies are a perfect ending to serve with, of course, a spot of tea.

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

SRC: See the full post, with more recipes, here: www.freep.com/story/life/food/recipes/2016/03/02/downton-abbey-food-afternoon-tea/81221206/

T-Sleeve is Committed to Giving Back

t-sleeve® is a company that gives back. 10% of the net profits from t-sleeve® go towards helping foster children locally and nationally. Buy t-sleeve® to make drinking tea on the go easy and simple for you and to support foster children in your community: 

The vision for t-sleeve® came with the intent to give back to our communities and enrich lives through faith, love, hope and care for humanity.

This first version of t-sleeve® will give 10% of net profits to help Foster Children locally and nationally. Our charitable foundation plans to seek out community resources that assist in helping foster children. This could be foster care and stable home environments, events or activities for foster children or other options outside of local, state or federal government programs. This commitment will provide faith, love, hope and care to foster children in ways they may not otherwise experience in their daily lives. 

Please go to our contact us page if you know of an organization in your community that could use assistance to help local foster children lead happier and more enriched lives.

Enjoy the convenience of t-sleeve® and feel good about knowing you are contributing to worthwhile causes. Help us make a difference…share t-sleeve® with a friend and share the vision!

 You can order t-sleeve online here or find our product in Whole Foods Market.  

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

Drink Tea Every Day!

Tea is more than just a beverage for you to enjoy. More and more, research supports that drinking tea every day potentially has some major health benefits. Drink tea every day to relax your mind and rejuvenate your body! Read more about drinking tea and your health here: 

TUESDAY, March 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Drinking as little as a cup of tea daily may be good for your heart health, new research suggests.

The study found that people who drank a cup of tea each day were 35 percent less likely to have a heart attack or other major cardiovascular event, compared to nondrinkers.

The study also found that tea drinkers were less likely to have calcium buildup in the heart’s coronary arteries. Calcium deposits have been linked to serious conditions, such as heart disease and stroke, the researchers said.

“We found that moderate tea drinkers had a decreased progression of coronary artery calcium and a decreased incidence of cardiovascular events,” said Dr. Elliott Miller. He’s an internal medicine physician and instructor of medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

But Miller noted that the researchers couldn’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship between tea drinking and heart disease.

“This is an observational study,” Miller said, “and we can’t say for sure it was the tea or just the healthier lifestyle of the tea drinkers.”

Miller is scheduled to present the study on Tuesday at a meeting of the American Heart Association in Phoenix. Findings presented at medical meetings are considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. The study received no funding from the tea industry, according to Miller.

For the study, Miller and his team looked at data from more than 6,000 men and women enrolled in an ongoing study that began in 2000. At the beginning of the study, all of the volunteers were free of heart disease, Miller said.

The researchers tracked the records of the men and women to see who had a heart attack, stroke, chest pain, or died from other types of heart disease over 11 years. The investigators also measured the calcium deposits in the blood vessels over five years by comparing earlier CT scans to later ones.

The study found that people who drank a cup of tea a day had about one-third less risk of a major heart disease event during the study period than people who didn’t drink tea. Tea drinkers—those who drank from one to three cups daily—also showed a decline in the calcium buildup in their arteries.

The researchers can’t say if drinking more than three cups of tea a day would lead to even better heart health. Miller said there were very few participants who drank more than four cups of tea daily.

The men and women drank either black or green tea. But the findings weren’t separated by tea type, he said.

Miller also can’t say why the tea might help. However, the study echoes some previous work, with some experts saying plant chemicals called flavonoids, found in tea, explain the protective effect on the heart, he said.

He added that it’s premature to give advice about tea and heart health based on the study results.

“It’s too early to say drinking tea will help you have less cardiovascular events, like heart attack and stroke. But it does suggest there could be a protective nature of tea, or that tea drinkers in general are healthier individuals,” he said.

Other research has focused on the antioxidant properties of tea, said Lona Sandon, a dietitian and assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. Sandon wasn’t involved with the new research, but reviewed the study’s findings.

The study holds the potential of more good news for tea drinkers, she said. “I will continue to drink my daily iced tea,” she said. “Tea is a great low-calorie beverage choice as long as you do not load it up with sweeteners. And if it brings health benefits, then all the better.”

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SRC: Find the original article about tea and health benefits here: news.health.com/2016/03/02/a-daily-cup-of-tea-may-soothe-your-heart/

Bring Your Tea With You

t-sleeve was designed with avid tea-drinkers in mind. While coffee shops aren't hard to come by, it is never certain if they will offer the variety or type of tea you prefer. To avoid spending extra money on beverages during the day, pack your favorite tea with you using t-sleeve! Read about how to use t-sleeve here: 

Product Details 

Step by step instructions for t-sleeve®:

1. Place your favorite tea bag and packaged sweeteners into t-sleeve®. Close pouch and take it on the go.
2. Prior to steeping the tea, remove tea bag from pouch. Feed tea tab through opening at top.
3. Steep the tea, allowing t-sleeve® to rest outside of cup on string and tea tab
4. After steeping, pull tea tab up, drawing tea bag into the t-sleeve®.
5. Once the tea bag is inside, fold in half and squeeze the residual liquid into cup.
6. Discard the pouch/tea bag into trash receptacle or compost container.
7. Enjoy your cup of tea!

 You can order t-sleeve online here or find our product in Whole Foods Market.  

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

Green Tea and Rheumatoid Arthritis

While drinking green tea has been associated with relief for a number of ailments, another potential benefit of green tea is being talked about. Rheumatoid arthritis, the most common type of autoimmune arthritis, is a chronic disorder that makes movement of the hands and feet difficult for millions of people. The latest research suggests that green tea might contribute to alleviating rheumatoid arthritis: 

A new study appearing in the medical journal, Arthritis and Rheumatology, shows that a compound found in green tea may hold promise in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease management.

Herbal teas have been in use to treat various ailments for literally thousands of years, with estimates of its medicinal use since before the beginning of recorded history

Green tea has been touted by health coaches, nutritionists, doctors, and dietitians for decades. The drink is particularly known for anti-oxidant properties.

Now, green tea is being heralded as way to reduce inflammation in the body as well. In fact, the recent study concludes the drink has potentially as a regularly prescribed treatment for patients with RA, although so far it has only been tested on mice.

Honing in on One Compound

The study, conducted by a team of researchers at Washington State University (WSU), focused on one particular compound found in herbal green tea.

Called epigallocatechin-3-gallate or EGCG, the compound appeared to reduce ankle swelling in a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis.

This finding could be a potential source of hope for the nearly 1.7 million Americans who have RA. They currently are treated by NSAIDs, disease-modifying drugs, immunosuppressants, chemotherapy, biologics, biosimilars, corticosteroids, opioids, and narcotics. These treatments can be beneficial but may also carry certain risks.

While physical therapy and alternative practices such as chiropractic, massage, reiki, and acupuncture are also suggested to patients, rheumatology is just starting to recognize the important role that diet and nutrition play in the management of inflammatory autoimmune and rheumatic diseases.

The Arthritis Foundation stated in an article that a cup of tea can be good for overall health and that polyphenols help tea boost the immune system and fight inflammation.

“Our findings provide a rationale for targeting TAK1 for the treatment of RA with EGCG,” said Salah-uddin Ahmed, Ph.D., of the WSU College of Pharmacy and the study’s lead author.

He noted that other RA treatments may be effective but can also damage the immune system in the long run. Green tea, and in particularly this green tea compound, may be a promising alternative to expensive and potentially harmful RA treatments.

Quick, Effective Relief

Their study showed that, after 10 days of receiving ECGG, the mice with mouse models of RA, had a noticeable and significant reduction in their initial ankle swelling and inflammation.

The team of researchers figured out that EGCG reduced the activity of TAK1, a protein that plays a primary role in the response of cytokines that trigger inflammation and the resulting tissue damage in RA.

Perhaps just as notably, the green tea compound EGCG appeared to reduce inflammation in RA without interfering with other cellular functions in the mice.

Another study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2012, showed other positive results for the consumption of green tea in moderation. This one was in regard to various functional disabilities that come along with aging.

Researchers from Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan found that regular green tea drinkers carried a lower risk of developing functional disability, such as problems with daily tasks, household chores, and regular activities like bathing or dressing oneself.

What Do Experts and Patients Think?

Lindsey Smith of Pennsylvania, an alumna of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition as well as a health coach, author, and speaker says green tea has a variety of health benefits.

“Green tea contains powerful antioxidants, known as polyphenols, which help boost your body’s immune system, and can fight off infection,” she said. “This is good news for people that suffer from RA or other autoimmune diseases because your body will be better equipped to fight off infections and reduce overall inflammation in the body.”

Patients are mostly on board with the notion of trying green tea.

RA patient Debbie McGuire Djukic of the United Kingdom, said, “I think green tea is magical for just the relaxation benefits, if nothing else, and it has turned me onto trying a lot of other tea also. I have also gone gluten free and feel so much better to really cook healthy meals now.”

Hilary Martin of Ohio added that drinking green tea motivates her to eat better.

“When I've drank green tea every day for longer than a few weeks, I've felt better, but usually that's when I'm also eating better too, so it's hard to say,” she said, “but I know that it's definitely made me feel good drinking tea versus soda or juice.”

But Julie Robbins of Illinois is slightly more skeptical.

“I have not had any help with my RA by any dietary changes, including green tea,” she said. “Of course, the best possible thing we can do is be as healthfully as possible. That is especially important since we have our risk factors increased for cardiac issues, simply by even having a RA diagnosis.”

Whether you believe or not that green tea may in any way contribute to the future of rheumatoid arthritis treatment and management, it’s probably safe to say that adding it into your healthy diet certainly couldn’t hurt.

Enjoy Drinking Tea? Try the Best Tea Accessory for enjoying mess-free tea while on the go, with t-sleeve. Order your t-sleeve today at: www.tsleeve.com/purchase-t-sleeve.html

SRC: Find the original article, published on Heathline.com, here: www.healthline.com/health-news/green-tea-ease-rheumatoid-arthritis-symptoms