Sun teas have a way of evoking summer vibes like no other tea preparation method can. As the days continue to warm up here in the northern hemisphere, preparing your favorite tea as a sun tea is a great way to further connect yourself with the rhythms of the season.
Not only that, but brewing a sun tea is quite hands-off, leaving you with plenty of time to do all the things vying for your attention during the day. We like to prepare our tea in the morning, placing it in a sunny window or outside in the early morning, and leaving it to infuse until lunch for a mid-day pick-me-up.
In addition to the above benefits, sun teas also help to harness the energy and infusion power of the sun.
Green Goddess Tea Blend
Formulated to stimulate and energize the body during the day, while providing general nourishment through nutritive plants and gentle support for the endocrine, digestive, and nervous systems. Packed with antioxidants, flavonoids, vitamins, minerals, and volatile oils, it’s good for you from head to toe!
Ingredients:
1 tsp spearmint (Mentha spicata) leaf ½ tsp green tea (Camellia sinensis) leaf (omit for non-caffeinated option) ½ tsp tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) aerial parts ¼ tsp nettle (Urtica dioica) leaf ⅛ tsp rose (Rosa spp.) petal ⅛ tsp milky oat (Avena sativa) tops
We generally like to use about 1 tablespoon of this tea blend for every 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) of water, so to end up with 2 cups of tea, we’ll double the Green Goddess Tea Blend recipe above (leaving the green tea out until later) and combine with16 fluid ounces of water.
Combine both the tea material and room temperature water in a glass canning jar, cap with a lid, and label the jar. Place this jar in a safe location in a sunny window or outside in a sunny area.
Leave your tea to steep for 2-4 hours. About 20 minutes before drinking, feel free to add the green tea you left out earlier if you’d like to have a bit of caffeine to your tea. Replace the lid, give the mix a good shake, and let it continue steeping for the remaining time.
When time is up, strain the contents of the jar through a fine-mesh sieve lined with layered cheesecloth. Compost the herbs (or make a second, lesser-potent batch with them) and enjoy your Green Goddess Tea in a large glass over some ice. Toss in some smashed fresh mint leaves and some berries if you want to bump the summer vibes up a bit further!
Safety Note: Keep in mind that in any infusion prepared without high heat, there is a higher risk of potential bacterial growth. To minimize this use clean equipment, filtered or pre-boiled water, steep for just a couple to few hours, and store in the refrigerator.