Quarantine Tea Time with the Best Tea Recipes

As countries all over the world reduce the risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission through community quarantine, we all adjust to life being confined to the four corners of our home. While the majority of the commercial establishments are temporarily closed, you’re left daydreaming about the sweet boba milk tea you regularly order or the smell of your favorite cafe, shake off the cravings and create your favorite tea drinks at home during this quarantine period.

Matcha Green Tea Latte

With most of us being quarantined at home with less physical activities, our body tends to pay the price. Weight gain has been proven to increase levels of stress and anxiety, especially among women. Green tea (or Matcha the powdered form of green tea) has been known to be an effective fat burner and it improves skin and lowers cholesterol. 

Thinking about the iced Matcha latte from Starbucks and wished you upsized your last drink to Venti? This sweet and creamy drink is very easy to recreate while you’re quarantined at home, plus, you will have the option to have it cold or hot.

Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte – Starbucks Recipe

Ingredients

1.5 cups of milk, 1 teaspoon of Matcha powder, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 tablespoons of hot water, whipped cream (optional), and espresso (optional)

Materials

Cup, regular whisk or a bamboo Matcha whisk, handful of ice cubes

Steps

1. Step 1: Add the Matcha powder in a tall glass then add some hot water. Whisk the Matcha powder until fully dissolved.
2. Step 2: Add the ice cubes then pour the milk, followed by the vanilla extract
3. Optional: Add a shot of espresso for a caffeinated Matcha latte drink or top your drink with some whipped cream.
4. Step 3: Add a straw, stir, and enjoy!

Ginseng Peppermint Tea

Peppermint tea is a go-to drink especially after a hearty meal, the menthol helps relieve gas, boosts digestion, and reduces bloating. It has also been known that peppermint has potent muscle relaxing properties. So while you are missing out on your regular spa appointments while on quarantine, maybe a cup of peppermint tea is all you need. 

Recreate the ginseng peppermint tea from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Ginseng is a powerful antioxidant, immune system booster, and energy enhancer. This blend will reduce stress while keeping you productive as you work-from-home.

Ginseng Peppermint Tea – Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Inspired Recipe

Ingredients

Peppermint tea (1 teaspoon loose leaves or 1 tea bag), 1 teaspoon of ginseng concentrate powder, 1 cup of hot water, and honey (optional)

Materials

mug, teapot, and stirrer

Steps

1. Step 1: Steep the peppermint tea in hot water for 10-15 minutes
2. Step 2: Add the teaspoon of ginseng concentrate powder. Enjoy!
3. Optional: Add honey for additional sweetness

Chamomile Tea Latte

Chamomile flowers are abundant in Apigenin, a certain antioxidant that has powerful calming effects on the brain, thus, it helps induce sleep. Aside from the sudden halt of our daily routine, the constant worrying for an intangible and unknown enemy will make it difficult for anyone to fall asleep at night during this quarantine period. Spice things up with your regular chamomile tea latte, and you’ll find yourself drowsing off in minutes, sleeping more soundly through these tumultuous times. 

Recipe for Spiced Chamomile Tea Latte

Ingredients

Chamomile tea (1 teaspoon loose leaves or 1 tea bag), cinnamon stick, 1 cup of hot milk, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Materials

Mug, saucepan, and strainer

Steps

1. Step 1: Pour the milk, vanilla extract, and the cinnamon stick in a saucepan and warm over low heat.
2. Step 2: Steep the chamomile tea for 5-10 minutes.
3. Step 3: Strain the mixture onto a mug. Serve and enjoy!

Iced Passion Flower Juice

The COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease) outbreak and the community lockdown can trigger or develop anxiety and paranoia, however, the best way to cope up with the quarantine period is to fight off the feeling of helplessness and isolation. Passion flower tea for example, has anxiolytic, this helps relieve the symptoms of anxiety. Studies have also proven that passion flowers increase the levels of Gamma Aminobutyric Acid, which are signals in the brain that trigger mood elevation, this results in a holistic feeling of euphoria and positivity which we all need especially now. 

Reminisce on the last time you visited the beach, remember listening to the waves while watching the sunset, drinking your passion flower cocktail during happy hour. Plan a trip you will take after the quarantine period while you recreate that drink (with or) without the alcohol.

Iced Tropical Passion Flower Juice Recipe

Ingredients

Passion flower tea (1 teaspoon loose leaves or 1 tea bag), ice cubes, 1/2 cup of water, 1 cup of mango juice, 1 tablespoon of honey, mint leaves (optional)

Materials

Saucepan, tall glass, and strainer

Steps

1. Step 1:Brew the passion flower tea with water over medium flame for 10 minutes then let it cool down.
2. Step 2: Prepare the tall glass by adding ice
3. Step 3: Strain half of the passion flower tea onto the glass then fill it up with mango juice. Add honey until desired sweetness is achieved.
4. Optional: Top off with mint leaves

Boba Milk Tea with Black Tea

Black tea contains caffeine and an amino acid called L-theanine, this duo promotes alertness, improves one’s focus, and relaxes the body without getting drowsy. While on quarantine, many would be highly adjusting from working or taking their academic classes at home, what used to be a place for resting and relaxing may be consumed with the stress of our daily responsibilities. However, one way to prevent anxiety is to continue your routine, replace your cup of coffee with black tea and stay productive during the quarantine period.

In the past years, the boba tea craze has spread all over the world. The sweet and creamy tea with chewy boba pearls that originated from Taiwan got us all hooked, and one of the most common tea bases used for making boba tea is black tea. Beat your longingness for some sweet boba tea despite being on quarantine and instead, make yourself a large glass at home. 

Homemade Boba Milk Tea Recipe 

Ingredients

1 teabag of black tea, tapioca pearls, ice cubes, water, 1 cup of heavy cream milk, ¼ cup of brown sugar

Materials

Tall glass, mug, extra wide straw, pot, and pan

Steps

1. Step 1: Boil at least 5 cups of water in a pot then add tapioca balls, cover with the lid, and cook for 15 minutes in medium heat. Stir once in a while to avoid sticking. Once cooked, drain the water.
2. Step 2: Fill a mug with hot water and steep black tea for 10 minutes.
3. Step 3: With a pan, stir ¼ cup of hot water with ¼ cup of brown sugar, stir until the consistency is thick. Then let the brown sugar syrup cool down.
4. Step 4: Mix brown sugar syrup with tapioca balls.
5. Step 5: Prepare your tall glass. Add 2-3 tablespoon of tapioca balls, then add some ice. Fill ¾ of the glass with black tea. Finally, top off with heavy cream milk.  Put a straw and enjoy!

Lavender Lemonade Iced Tea

Lavender, a scent we are all familiar with, oftentimes an essential oil or a hand cream at L’Occitane or other brands. But another way to patronize lavender is through tea form. The natural soothing qualities of lavender tea makes it a perfect drink to consume before heading to bed at night, studies have shown that it helps overcome insomnia and improves sleep quality. Lavender tea is also perfect for soothing muscles and for alleviating any pain from the body, during this tentative month-long quarantine period, this is exactly what we need to ease all tensions from our body. 

During this quarantine period, remove all your worries away, have a refreshing Lavender Lemonade Iced Tea, you’ll fall in love with this drink even more knowing that it also helps beat premature aging and wrinkles.

Lavender Lemonade Iced Tea Recipe

Ingredients

1 teabag lavender tea, water, 350ml-375ml lemonade juice, ice cubes, honey, lemon slices (optional)

Materials

Pitcher, teapot, tall glass, stirrer

Steps

1. Step 1: Place boiled water in a teapot and steep a tea bag of lavender tea for 10-15 minutes. Then let it cool down.
2. Step 2: Add ice in a pitcher and pour the lemonade in. 
3. Step 3: Fill up the pitcher with lavender tea. Sweeten with honey and stir.
4. Optional: Add lemon slices for garnish

Valerian Tea

In ancient times, people boiled the valerian flowers in water and consumed it as tea, it was found to have rather sedative properties much in the same way that Valium affects our physiology. Putting one in a state of relaxation by blocking receptors in the brain that processes feelings of anxiety and fear. During this quarantine period, at a time of uncertainty, it could be difficult to have a good night’s sleep and to restore a healthy bodyclock. 

Steep a tea bag with hot water in a mug and consume it 1-2 hours before the desired sleeping time. What makes it even better, is the verian tea has an earthy-minty taste that would keep your breath feeling fresh as you doze off. 

Gotu Kola Tea

This exotic-sounding herb has been used for thousands of years in India for its health benefits such as how it directly stimulates the nerves of the brain. This brings about enhanced neurological function and promotes better memory, which in turn can also make for a great supplement in abating the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. A great advice to keep one productive during the quarantine period is to learn new skills by enrolling in various online classes. Whether you would want to learn a new language, satisfy your curiosity for world history, or improve a skill that would help you with your career development. Make it a habit to drink a cup of Gotu Kola Tea to sharpen your memory.

Steep a teabag with hot water in a mug or mix the powdered form with your favorite smoothie recipe, this is best consumed in the morning before you go about your day.

Blueberry Banana Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 piece of fresh or frozen banana, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 2 tablespoons almond or peanut butter, 1 teaspoon of Gotu Kola powder

Materials

Blender, tall glass, straw (optional)

Step

Place all ingredients in the blender, blend until a thick consistency is achieved. Serve in a tall glass with a straw. 

For now, nobody can put a definite figure for how long this quarantine will last, but we all can do our part by staying home in the hopes of ultimately putting an end to this disease. With a little creativity, you could manage and mitigate your anxiety during this time by being productive and channeling your energy on self-improvement.

Whether it is in a physical aspect through waking up early and allocating an hour for exercise, or by improving your mental wellbeing through meditation or learning new skills. Even a simple cup of tea can make all the difference, to remind us of the world, community, and the regular habits that we tend to overlook during our daily routine. When all this is over, wouldn’t it be great to step out into society gaining something beneficial in the quarantine period?

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