Has the wintertime chill creeped into your hands and feet, rendering them cold and achy? Cinnamon may be just the herb to get your circulation flowing into your outer extremities and help them to warm back up!
Cinnamon is the perfect herb to have on hand for the winter! His taste is delicious and well accepted by children and adults alike, easy to find locally and most likely in your kitchen cabinet right now.
What else is Cinnamon used for? Diabetes, high blood sugar, viruses, nausea, upset stomaches, pain relief, tooth aches, gum disease and much, much more.
And, not only is Cinnamon great tasting which makes him a great additive to many winter time flu formulas for both taste and healing, but he also makes a great cooking additive (cinnamon rolls, coffee cake or apple strudel anyone?) and is a well loved item in many craft projects.
One of our favorite wintertime drinks is chai. This recipe combines the warmth of cinnamon and ginger with the spiciness of the typical chai herbs (peppercorn, clove, cardamom and bay) and the healing power of echinacea and astragalus. Great for starting your day or warming up after a romp in the snow and cold chill of the winter air!
Cinnamon Spice Chai Blend
Traditional chai recipes are full of warming herbs and spices: black pepper, ginger, cayenne and cinnamon name a few. While traditional chai contains black tea, this Chai blend contains only spicy herbs and cacao and is great for warming small bodies and large.
3 – 3” cinnamon sticks
3 T. freshly dried chopped ginger root
2 T. each: dried chicory root, cacao nibs
1 T. each: cardamom pods, astragalus root
1/2 t. each: cloves, black peppercorns, echinacea root
1/4 t. stevia
2 Bay leaves broken up
Use the mortar and pestle to break up the cinnamon sticks.
Mix all ingredients together and store in the jar.
To use: Add 3 T. of mixture per 1 cup of water.
Place in a tea ball and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add honey and milk or cream to taste.
For more great recipes and crafts using cinnamon, check out the Cinnamon ebook!