This article is your friendly reminder to take time to drink something warm and comforting. I don’t pretend to be a barista and am not even interested in learning the finer points of drink-making, but when I need a warm cup of comfort these are the things I turn to. Maybe none of these drinks appeal to you, but they remind you of the drink you love. You might even skip this article and get up and make it. Enjoy!

I keep these recipes in my Christmas/Winter notebook. I sweeten them with stevia, usually, but you can use whatever you like.

A Cup of Tea

Most of my hot drinks couldn’t be simpler. Fill a mug with hot water from the coffee maker tap, add a tea ball filled with something, (or a tea bag of choice) wait a minute and begin to sip.

Some days, I like to add stuff to tea. I’m not sure of the scientific reliability of my choices, but I do believe the process of choosing an herb, waiting for it to steep and sitting down to drink it helps. The placebo effect is real and why shouldn’t we take advantage of it?

Put a teaspoon of rooibus (or any loose leaf, single ingredient, tea) in a tea ball infuser and then ask yourself, What do I need today?

Sore throat? Add a piece of cinnamon stick.
Common cold? Add elderberries and stir in lemon and honey.
Bloated? Add peppermint leaves.
Ate a big meal? Add ginger and/or peppermint.
Fatigued? Add some green tea.
Can't sleep? Add chamomile.
Sinus congestion? Try echinacea.
Feeling chilly? Ginger is warming.
Stressed? Maybe tulsi or lemon balm.
Headache? Add a generous amount of rosemary.
Don't know? This calls for adaptogenic herbs- tulsi, schisandra or ashwagandha- which are said to adapt to whatever you need.
You can also make a tea from the single herb for a bigger dose. 
Sweeten if and how desired. 

Steamer

This is a hot drink for those in the nursery just before heading off to Bedfordshire, or for anyone who is young at heart.

Heat desired amount of milk (any kind)in a pint jar in the microwave. Stir in a little sweetener, add a flavor: vanilla, caramel, maple, etc.  Mix with milk frother and pour into a mug. Makes 1.

The spices in Chai are good for warming you up from the inside out and they also boost the immune system.

Chai Latte

6 cups water
2" knob of ginger, sliced
5 cinnamon sticks
3 star anise pods
15 whole cloves
10 allspice berries
2 tsp. cardomom seeds
8 generous tsp. tea of choice, or tea bags
1/4 cup pyure, honey or sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla
Almond milk or any milk

Gently simmer water and spices 20 minutes in a kettle over low heat. Remove from heat and add tea. Steep for 10 minutes with the lid on. Strain. Add honey and vanilla. Store in a pitcher or mason jar in the fridge up to three weeks. Makes about 9 mugs of chai.

To make a latte: Heat chai concentrate in a mug (about 2/3 full) At the same time heat 1/2 milk, more or less, in another mug or mason jar. Froth milk and pour slowly into hot chai concentrate. Sprinkle cinnamon on top.

Hot chocoale that boosts your protein quotas.

Hot Chocolate

2/3 cup whey protein powder
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 cup sweetener - pyure, truvia, Gentle Sweet
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons sunflower lecithin
Whisk these ingredients together and store in a wide mouth pint jar. For liquid, you can use water (FP) or almond milk and a little 1/2 and 1/2 for richer flavor (S). Use 12 oz. liquid and 2-3 tablespoons mix. Heat the liquid, add the mix and blend with a milk frother. You can add vanilla, orange or peppermint essential oil if you want. I usually make this without lecithin because I don't keep it on hand. It mainly keeps the mix from separating, but you can also have a spoon handy and stir it a time or two. Makes 6-8 mugs.

Cranberries are high in antioxidants which lowers inflammation. Ginger is a super-spice that boosts the immune system.

Sparkling Cran-Ginger

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
2" knob fresh ginger, sliced, or 2 tablespoons powdered ginger
3 cups water
2 tablespoons super sweet
ascorbic acid, vitamin C or baobab powder
24 oz. sparkling water
Place water, cranberries and ginger in a kettle with a lid. Boil until cranberries start to pop. Remove lid and simmer 5 minutes. Cool and pour through a fine strainer. Add sweetener, salt, vitamin c and sparkling water. Serve over ice. The concentrate keeps quite a while in the fridge. Makes about 6-7 drinks, depending on the ratio of cranberry concentrate to sparkling water you use.

This tea is warm and spicy and naturally sweet, with more good spices to promote good health. I used rooibus tea in this version

Christmas Tea

1 tablespoons loose leaf black tea or rooibus for caffeine free (or 3 tea bags)
8 cups water
1 orange
1 apple
8 whole allspice
8 whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
taste before adding sweetener, it's pretty sweet as is

Boil water and remove from heat. Once boiling has completely stopped, add tea. Let steep with the lid on for 3 minutes. Remove tea bags or strain. Combine spices in a diffuser or spice bag or cheesecloth square tied with a string. Bring tea to low simmer (can use a crockpot) and add spices and sliced fruit and sweetener if needed. Simmer 30 minutes minimum. Remove fruit and spices before serving. Will keep on low in the crockpot for about 3 hours. You can refrigerate the mix and reheat it by the mugful, too. Makes four servings.

I haven’t had time yet to make eggnog, so you get a lovely aesthetic stock photo! I don’t remember my mom ever buying eggnog, she always made it. I don’t know if eggnog has any benefits, really, except pleasure in drinking it and a long history to connect you to the past.

Mom’s Eggnog

6 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
Stir together in a kettle and cook until it coats a spoon. Pour into another bowl and cool in the fridge. Mixture should be thick like pudding.
When it's cooled and thickened, add
1 8 oz whipped topping
6 beaten egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
Chill until serving time. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Can add rum flavoring if you like. 

Christmas is coming but there is still time to have a quiet cuppa today.
--Liz