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Pine needles also make a delicious, warming tea when combined with cinnamon bark and cardamom.
Ingredients
- 1 quart water
- Handful pine needles (5 to 7 pine tops), fresh or dried
- 1-1/2 tablespoons dried peppermint
- 1 tablespoon dried catnip
Directions
- Boil the pine needles in water for 20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, and add the peppermint and catnip. Cover and let steep for an additional 20 minutes.
- Strain and add honey, if desired. Sip the tea while hot, reheating each cup as needed throughout the day.
For more about pine, see:
Juliet Blankespoor is the director and founder of the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, where she offers online courses on foraging, medicine making, and herb cultivation.
This combination of herbs creates a safe cold remedy for the whole family. Adults can drink 3 cups per day. Children’s dosages should be lessened proportionally.