Herbal Drinks Recipe

Boil water

Bring 4 cups water to a rolling boil in a kettle or saucepan.

Combine herbs

Place the dried chamomile (2 tbs), dried peppermint (1 tbs), and dried lemon balm (1 tbs) into a heatproof teapot or a heatproof bowl. If using a tea infuser or sachet, add the herbs to it instead.

Steep

Pour the boiling water over the herbs. Cover and steep for 7–10 minutes for a full-flavored cup. For a stronger brew, steep up to 12 minutes; for a lighter cup, steep 4–6 minutes.

Strain

Strain the herbs through a fine mesh sieve into a serving pot or individual cups. Press gently on the herbs to extract flavor, then discard solids.

While the tea is still hot, stir in 2 tsp honey or maple syrup and 1 tsp fresh lemon juice until dissolved. Taste and adjust sweetener or lemon to preference.

Pour into cups. Garnish each cup with a thin lemon slice and a fresh mint sprig if desired. Serve immediately.

To make iced herbal tea, allow the brewed tea to cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes), then transfer to the refrigerator until chilled (about 30–45 minutes) or pour over a cup of ice immediately to cool faster.

If using ginger or cinnamon: add 4 slices fresh ginger or 1 cinnamon stick to the herbs before pouring boiling water, then steep together to infuse a warming spice note. Remove ginger/cinnamon when straining.

If serving iced, fill glasses with ice, add chilled tea, garnish with lemon slices and mint sprigs, and serve with a stirring straw.