# Needing ideas....



## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

....for a picker eater, myself.

I am trying to decide on something to keep the winter chill off...something to drink that does not include alcohol of any kind please.

Here's my problem: I don't like coffee, at least not the kinds that have always been in my home. I don't like real sweet drinks; nor do I like sour ones. I don't want anything that would put weight on me, which leaves out the chocolates. Also, I don't like the store-bought teas.

Does that actually leave anything to drink during cold weather?


----------



## Use Less (Nov 8, 2007)

You could try some herbal teas. I like skim milk heated with a dash of cinnamon, mace or nutmeg. A colleague would have a cup of hot water with lunch.


----------



## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

I love herbal teas and there are so many flavor combinations out there. I'm boring and tend to stick with mint, which I love, love, love! I also like warm lemon juice/water with a bit of honey in it. That's generally considered a cough tonic, but I just like to drink it.

If you like them, ginger and cinnamon are considered warming herbs. I'm not that fond of them, but my mom swears by ginger tea for cold and cold extremities.


----------



## TerriLynn (Oct 10, 2009)

I like to warm up a coffee cup of homemade tomato juice to drink when I'm chilly.

Last year I made some homemade tomato juice with some jalapino peppers juiced along with the tomatoes, while it wasn't hot there was just a little heat as an after effect after you took a swallow. I really, really enjoyed that last winter in the afternoon after being outside in cold.


----------



## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

What about the leaves of fruit plants. I have had raspberry and blackberry. Makes a nice tea.


----------



## Skamp (Apr 26, 2014)

From a store shelf;

Half green and half black tea. Honey and Lemon Juice, or Vinegar, to your liking.


From the back forty;

Pine needle tea, I prefer White Pine. Honey and the Vinegar of your choice, Lemon juice being an acidic substitute.

LINKY


----------



## Ceilismom (Jul 16, 2011)

Some of the store-bought teas are just nasty, others are good. White and green teas are much milder in flavor than black tea. If you don't like the tea plant itself, you might find a flavored tea that you like (Stash brand Chai is one of my favorites, and Good Earth Sweet & Spicy is excellent too) or there is rooibos, yerba mate, and lots of herbs and herbal blends.


----------



## BlackFeather (Jun 17, 2014)

You said you don't like real sweet drinks, how about mildly sweet, home made fruit juices can be made with less sugar, (I've been drinking koolaid with only 1/3 cup sugar in it) Many of the fruit juices can be warmed up. A tea made from rose hips, I use the ones on the wild roses, Lots of vitamin C. I think I saw someone who suggested hot lemon water which is tasty. Lime works too.


----------



## unregistered5595 (Mar 3, 2003)

I keep a jar of 1/3 honey, 1/3 molasses, and 1/3 apple cider vinegar mixed up.
I add 1 or 2 Tablespoons of the mixture to a mug of water, microwave it until it's hot. Satisfying and soothing.

1 T of cocoa (not a mix, plain cocoa) to a mug of hot water, stir it up, a nice change. I don't add sugar or honey, or cinnamon, but both are nice additions. I keep a spoon in it, to stir on occasion since the cocoa will settle.

Hot tomato juice. Hot chicken bone broth. Chop up some garlic finely and add it to either of these.

I'm a fan of the hot mug of water with lemon and honey added, as mentioned earlier.


----------



## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

Warm apple cider or, surprisingly enough, warm ginger ale! I learned about warm ginger ale from a Jamaican nurse when I had my third child and man, that stuff is good! Just pour into a mug and heat in a microwave. YUM!


----------



## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

WOW, I had no idea there were so many hot drinks to be made. 

I've actually had some apple cider vinegar with raw honey, though never thought of heating it. (I drank it ice cold and added a touch of salt and some baking soda to it for the summer, which helped a great deal.)

Great idea to use home made chicken broth as a hot drink. This would be healthy too. 

When I go into town this month, I'll pick up some ginger and some ginger ale too and try those out. 

The idea of turning tomato juice into a hot drink sounds great. I've got some V-8 and will try that tonight.  Adding some jalepenos sounds great too!

Thank you all so much!!!


----------



## Skandi (Oct 21, 2014)

Over in the UK we have bovril, which is a beef concentrate, so beef stock really, though for a while it was made with yeast extract (vegemite or marmite disolved in water) Not sure that would be avaliable but could of course be made

Take cider add mulling spices like for wine. if it's non fermented a little lemon juice or vinegar would help

Hot water with slices of fresh ginger.


----------



## used2bcool13 (Sep 24, 2007)

I make "hot lemonade" when the kids or anyone is sick. Hot water, lemon juice and any sweetener if you like. Good boost of vitamin c.


----------



## doingitmyself (Jul 30, 2013)

Every summer i can about 7- 9 gallons of apple juice for my own consumption, If i want it not too sweet i cut it with water at time of pouring, it can be spiced up with so many different things! Also as mentioned bulk fruit based herbal teas with no to little caffeine. 

What i enjoy the most is pouring the drink into my favorite cup, and sitting it on the wood stove until its warm enough to enjoy, its like natures potpourri! I just finished installing my 30 year old favorite wood stove this past weekend! Ciders on!!!:buds:


----------



## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

The store bought teas are gross and have too many tannins in them.
They always made me very queasy.
Then I tried just using dried herbs! Yummy!
I can finally drink hot tea!
I like bee balm and red clover a lot. Together.
Or throw in a bit of dried orange peel or a small piece of dried apple. Mmm.
Or just a bit of hot water, some orange peel, spices and honey and a wee bit of vinegar or lemon is good too. Like a home made version of Constant Comfort.
I love Constant Comfort.. it's orange and spices.

And I also second the sipping of the bone broth!
So incredibly healthy for you.
NOT the canned stuff from the store. No nutrition and a ton of salt.
But a good homemade one made with bits of veggies (carrots onions etc..) is quite good on a cold day. 

And I like the hot cider or hot apple juice too.
But if it is cider, I have to water it down.


----------



## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Chai tea is wonderful in the winter. You can make your own to taste: simmer whole spices like cinnamon, ginger root, cardamom, cloves and peppercorns in water for a while, then use the water to brew tea. Add milk and sugar/honey to taste.

You can leave out the sugar. You can use almond or coconut or other milks instead of dairy milk, too.

You can even leave out both milk and tea, and just have a warming spice drink.


----------



## SeaGoat (Aug 17, 2012)

I have a dislike for store bought Tea


Really I don't like many teas.

I like ginger tea made with ginger root, a slice of lemon, and stevia to sweeten.
Sometimes I'll add cinnamon but I don't like things floating into my mouth so if you go this route get some empty tea bags that you can fill.


----------



## CountryBlues (Apr 28, 2007)

Chocolate mint tea. If you can find a chocolate mint plant, pick a few leaves and make some hot tea. I had some dried leaves but ran out  But I found a great substitute. Black tea with a teaspoon of cocoa powder makes a wonderfule hot chocloate tea. I use stevia and when I feel a bit decadent I use bailey's irish cream creamer from the diary section. Yummy. 

One other that my grandma swore by - hot Tang. She'd make a cup of it up on a winter's morning and it tasted pretty good.


----------



## anahatalotus (Oct 25, 2012)

I like to start my day with coffee with melted butter in it, soo much more delicious than coffe with milk!
I make a mock batch of mulling spices from cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and whatever else I fancy throwing in the loose leaf tea pot. This is an all day drink for the kids and I and is super good with a dash of apple cider vinegar and honey.
I made my own mix of chai tea spices years ago and forgot how much it rocks, thanks for the reminder ajaxlucy!
We also drink a lot of ginger,lemn,honey tea.
Another favorite of mine is homemade egg nog from raw eggs and raw milk heated but not too much to preserve the enzymes, we drank a quart of that one today!
Lastly my absolute to dye for favorite is bone broth with a shot of fire cider in it. It's like s nutritional kick in the face! Fire cider is fermented horseradish, habanaros, onion, garlic and herbs like cinnamon, cloves, lemon balm leaves, rosemary and thyme all fermented in apple cider vinegar.


----------



## Janis R (Jun 27, 2013)

How about sassafras tea?
Hot milk with some maple syrup, hey don't knock it until you try it
I drink Celestial seasons tea without any sweetener, Sleepy-time vanilla, tension tamer are both good.
I like broths such as onion, vegetable and beef.
Hot cocoa
If you are looking for bedtime "teas", try some herbs and make your own brew with things like valerian, chamomile, lavender or other herbs. 

This is a recipe for turmeric milk:

Ayurvedic healers love turmeric for its anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, and anti-oxidant properties. Try this cup of comfort tonight &#8212; the turmeric will settle your stomach, the warm milk will make you sleepy, and the spices provide extra flavor and warmth.

Heat 2 cups organic milk with 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, a pinch each of freshly grated ginger-root and cracked black pepper, and 1 cinnamon stick. Cook until the milk comes to a full boil. Enjoy warm.

Variation: Use 2 crushed cardamom pods instead of a cinnamon stick. Add crushed jaggery, honey, or sugar to taste.

Health Benefits: Scientific studies have shown that turmeric can help prevent and/or ease arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and Alzheimer&#8217;s disease. From an ayurvedic perspective, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and black pepper are warming spices that help keep the sniffles away. The warm milk provides protein and makes tryptophan, a sleep-enhancing amino acid, more readily available to the body


Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/turmeric-milk.html#ixzz3JIMsq8ud


----------



## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Goodness, adding all those suggestions to my "to get" list.

I'm actually growing several different types of mints (chocolate, orange, peppermint and ginger); so am definately using those. Just this past week I purchased a lemon and some ginger; so will be trying that as well...the weather is certainly right for all these warming substances......... 

I remember quite a few years back a friend talking about the "rum" and "brandy" drinks that were great during winter months; just cannot remember which ones and know absolutely nothing about liquor..........


----------



## MCJam (Dec 27, 2012)

Roasted dandeliion root tea is my favorite right now. 
Warm milk and honey.
Warm milk and molasses.
Grandma Wilber loves just plain hot water.
Hot bone broth.


----------



## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Thank you all for such a great list of hot drinks. I've already tried several of these and have enjoyed them all. (I have some ginger root and lemon pulp/juice in frozen ice cubes for use too.) The "passion flower" I used last summer to keep my nerves calm make a great hot tea as well; and had not even considered this until the comments on this thread. 

Am adding that "tumeric" tea to my list in hopes it will help my arthritic pain!


----------

