made at home: ginger blood orange tea

Ginger Blood Orange Tea

• A medium-sized ginger root, cut into 1/2 inch slices and peeled
• juice of two blood oranges
• 3 tablespoons of honey (or to desired amount)
• 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
• 5 cups of water

    Cut and peel the ginger root, and then place into the pot water. Bring the water and ginger root to a boil, let boil for about five minutes, then bring to a shimmer for another 10-20 minutes (the longer the ginger root is shimmering, the stronger the tea will be). After the shimmering time is up, pull the liquid mixture off the hot stove-top into a non-heated surface. Mix in the juice from two blood oranges, honey, and cayenne pepper. Serve warm, with a slice of blood orange. (The tea may also be diluted with water if a weaker ginger taste is desired.)  

     I have had an off-and-on cold for about three weeks now. The winter time always brings this upon me, and it usually goes and comes the same way each year. During these times of the year when I have a cold, I usually stray from any sort of medication... I stick to more natural ways to heal myself. Drinking ginger tea is one of those options I had starting using last year. 

     I used to make my ginger tea with lemons, sometimes with just ginger and honey, but I decided to try something else this year... with my favorite fruit, a blood orange. This tea is bitter, in-your-face-ginger, and so soothing to a shore thoart. The blood orange juice makes the tea more fruity, and produces the prettiest color in the tea. If you are experiencing an ongoing cold this winter, I would highly suggest boiling some ginger yourself. Enjoy. 

made at home: spiced peppermint white hot chocolate

Spiced Peppermint White Hot Chocolate

• 1 cup of white chocolate chips
• 10-12 peppermints 
• 3 cups of coconut milk (or other desired milk)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla abstract
• 3 teaspoons of sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper 

  Bring the milk, peppermints, and spices over medium-high heat on the stove top. Take off the heat right before it is about to boil, then stir in the white chocolate chips until fully melted. Pour into a mug, top with whipped cream and crushed peppermints. 

  I have never really been the biggest fan of hot chocolate. It was always one of those "a couple times in the season" sort of drinks for me, but then I realized all of the spices and flavors I could develop to make a hot chocolate "my own". With Christmas right around the corner, I decided to go for a seasonal flavor, peppermint (and mixed with some sea salt and a bit of spice). Not only is this drink rich and wintery, but it's also the prettiest shade of pink, which won me over for this recipe even more.