With Christmas upon us and New Year’s Eve around the corner, most of us are operating at full swing- working, planning, prepping, shopping, wrapping, etc. With all of that running around (likely in the cold!), it’s easy to get run down. While most of us think of taking care of ourselves from January 1^st on, let’s face it- our immune systems could use a little preparatory love. This home-made brew is a potent mix of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal (you get the idea) ingredients that can help you prepare for the revelry ahead.

Serving Size: 1 Pot of Tea (roughly 4 cups)

Ingredients:

• Ginger:

o   If fresh, roughly 2 inches, minced or finely chopped

o   If powdered, 1-2 tsps.

• Turmeric:

o   If fresh, roughly 2-3 inches grated or finely chopped

o   If powdered, 1 ½  tsp.

• Lemon:

o   Squeezed, Juiced, or Sliced, as you like.

• Honey, preferably raw, to taste
• Water (4 cups or to the brim of your teapot)
• A pinch of Cayenne Pepper upon serving (please note: the spice will increase the longer the beverage is left to sit, add less if you like a leisurely cup of tea).

There are many ways to prepare this tea, ranging from the use of a juicer, to boiling the ingredients together, to simply pouring boiling water over the ingredients and leaving to steep. However much time you have, this healthful pot of gold can be yours.

An added bonus? The rich red and gold appearance is seasonally appropriate,  perfect for curling up by the fire on a cold night…or reminiscing about the last time you were fireside. Who doesn’t want to coordinate their beverages to their holiday decorations? Wishing you all a happy and healthy holiday season!