Tea Marinade for Mock Mango Chicken

I was curious about marinating meat in a tea bath. I love marinades and thought I'd put something new together. I was given an assortment of fruit teas a few months ago and have been doing some experimenting. I prepared a marinade for chicken using mango tea, and it was very tasty. Here's it is:

Mock Mango Chicken Ingredients

4 to 6 chicken breasts
3 mango tea bags
8 oz. water
¼ cup white wine
¼ cup soy sauce
Juice of half a lime
3 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cayenne
½ tsp. ginger
½ tsp. cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp. pepper

Mock Mango Chicken Directions

Take three tea bags of a quality mango tea and steep for a couple of hours in 8 oz. of water which you've brought to a rolling boil. Add remaining ingredients and make sure chicken has been covered or turned so that it makes good contact with the marinade. (I like to pierce my chicken several times, but there are differences of opinion about the wisdom of doing that.)

Marinate for eight hours or overnight. Grill, broil, or sauté with sweet onion and bell pepper.

If you like the taste of mango, but can't always find fresh fruit, this is a tasty alternative. You can also use a portion of the marinade as part of the liquid for a flavorful rice dish.

Brew Up Some Relaxation with a Sedative Tea

Lavender tea can be a boon if you lead a hectic life. Because it is a mild sedative and antispasmodic, a little lavender tea break will relax those muscles in your back, neck, and shoulders, and help you start to unwind from a long and difficult day.

I've included my favorite lavender recipe in my lavender blog today; you can visit the link below. I use English Breakfast tea as a key ingredient because I find it makes mild and pleasant base. You can add lavender to your favorite brew to see if it's a good fit.

While we're on the topic of lavender, even if you don't want to include it in your traditional evening cup, it makes a wonderful accompaniment to the bath, or even as a hair rinse. While you're at my lavender blog, take a look around for tips and recipes. Lavender can be a good friend, if you give it a chance: Lavender Tea Recipe

Ginger Tea with Cardamom

For a soothing tea that will help with any digestive problems you might have, try ginger and cardamom. My herb blog ran an article today with a recipe for this super tea. It's one of my favorites, and I make it often through the winter months. Please take a moment to take a look: Ginger Tea With Cardamom

The Health Benefits of White Tea

White tea carries some impressive credentials. Current research is finding that it might be history's own super beverage, and with a 5,000 year old pedegree, that's saying something.

Take a look at my article and learn what white tea is, and what it can do for you. You might just decide give it a try: Health Benefits of White Tea

If the teaser didn't spark your interest, this might:

• It is one of the more expensive teas to make, but undergoes less processing.
• When preparing white tea, don't boil the water. For the best brew, heat to just below boiling.

Lemon Balm Tea

Lemon Balm makes a great tea that can relax you and help settle your stomach. With its naturally light lemon aroma, lemon balm tea is refreshing both hot and iced. You can find dried lemon balm at your local health food outlet, but why not grow your own. Lemon balm is easy to grow both indoors and out, and it can be used in tea either fresh or dried.

Lemon Balm Tea

Steep one teaspoon of dried or one tablespoon of fresh chopped lemon balm in a mug of boiling water for fifteen minutes. For a bit if a spicy bite, add a small slice of fresh ginger. If you like it sweeter, lemon balm tea tastes wonderful with the addition of a teaspoon of lavender honey.

To learn more about growing lemon balm, visit my article: Understanding Lemon Balm