If you know me, you know I LOVE coffee. My family jokes that if mom is doing these things, you don’t mess with her: 1) taking a nap, 2) doing yoga, and 3) drinking coffee! For me, life usually goes something like this: first coffee, then everything else!
A bit of a detour, but it will all make sense. I am an empath. That means that I feel things deeply. I tend to take on or absorb energy that isn’t always mine, and as a result, I tend to tire easily. Cue the coffee. In addition to absolutely loving the taste and smell of coffee, it also helps me not fall asleep on the job. In some ways, it also feels soothing to me. It feels like a way to disconnect a bit, go inward, and sit with my own energy for a while.
Buuuuuuttttt………
Too much coffee tends to dehydrate me and can overload my nervous system. It can make my racing mind race even more. Sometimes, coffee does not make me feel good. (Sad, I know! But true!) And the important piece is knowing when I (we) may need to give coffee a break.
I’ve tried many things to replace coffee. Mushroom coffee, black tea, adaptogen this or that, but it doesn’t satisfy me. And then, like a gift from above, I received a beautiful reminder of something that *almost* gives me the same loving feeling that coffee does: YOGI TEA.
I’m sitting here, right now, sipping this warm, dark, spicy, soothing drink. I prepared it this morning while I got myself and my kids ready for our day. And now I want to share some recipes with you.
The first is from the lovely Kelly Matthews. I used this recipe this morning. Threw all the ingredients into a pot with eight cups of water and let it (boil over, yikes!), and simmer for 30 minutes. (I did not have time today to toast the spices first, but I may try that another day). Boiling over not recommended. :)
I also found this great video with Adrienne (from Yoga with Adrienne) on making Yogi Tea. Note: she includes black tea as an ingredient, so if you don’t want caffeine, omit the black tea. You can access the video here.
Finally, here is a list (with links!) of the ingredients I used. My local grocery store doesn’t always carry everything, so good ol’Amazon works great for me:
Black Peppercorns
Cloves
Cinnamon Sticks
Cardamom pods
Dried Ginger Roots
These ingredients soothe and calm your nervous system. There’s no caffeine, so you won’t feel jitters or that mid-morning/afternoon crash. And the flavor is lovely. You can make it as strong as you like by adding more of your favorite spice.
I don’t think I will ever give up coffee completely, but this homemade Yogi Tea is truly winning over my heart! And, I know my nervous system is thanking me for drinking Yogi Tea today. :)
In awe of you,
Gabriela | The New Firm
www.thenewfirm.co
PS: The Amazon links are affiliate links. It’s free for you and I could earn a small commission if you purchase an item using those links.<3