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Tea Reviews

Review: Bella Luna Blue from Adagio Teas (Beautiful, Blissful, and Blue!)

March 30, 2018 by Joi Leave a Comment

Bella Luna Blue Tea from Adagio Teas

Bella Luna Blue Tea from Adagio Teas

I have a beautiful and fascinating tea from Adagio Teas to review today – Bella Luna Blue Tea – and I’m, admittedly, pretty excited about it. I was sent a bag of the tea to brew and review (understandably my favorite perk of having a tea blog!) a while back and I’ve been waiting for today to do just that.

Why wait?

Bella Luna Blue Tea is extra special and rare – it is actually available only on days of the blue moon, so it will be available in 12 hours from the time I’m posting this – 10:50 CT. Click here to see when it is available in your time zone.

(Review Continued Below….)

Bella Luna Blue Tea from Adagio Teas

Beautiful Bella Luna Blue Tea is Best Iced

This tea is, as you can see, exceptionally beautiful and I’m delighted to say that it tastes EVEN more beautiful than it looks. While it’s wonderful hot, it really, really shines as an iced tea. It is so good that I know you’ll want to stock up for summer. I plan to!

Bella Luna Blue Tea from Adagio Teas

Bella Luna Blue Tea from Adagio Teas

Although I do, personally, prefer it iced, it is delicious hot, too. Since it contains no caffeine, it makes a perfect evening “after dinner” tea.

From Adagio Teas:

Experience the elusive mystery that is the phenomenon known as our Bella Luna Blue. Available only when there is a second full moon in a calendar month, our rare Bella Luna Blue blends the zesty freshness of lemongrass and the flavor of blueberries with the exotic Butterfly Pea Flower, which when brewed, turns this mystifying herbal tea indigo! For an even more exciting treat, add a few drops of lemon juice to the mix and watch as the real magic unfolds right before your eyes! Read More…

I was initially afraid that this tea would simply taste like blueberries (understandably, given the gorgeous color!) but I was very pleasantly surprised to find that it has a deliciousness all its own. The blend of lemongrass, blueberries, and Butterfly Pea Flower create something as magical as a blue moon, itself.

Bella Luna Blue Tea from Adagio Teas

IngenuiTEA from Adagio (How did I live without this?!)

This tea is beyond special and I hope you’ll head over to Adagio Teas right away – this will become one of your favorite teas…. it’ll certainly be one of the most beautiful! Remember, this tea is only available on days of the blue moon.

Special teas deserve special treatment, after all.

Bella Luna Blue Tea from Adagio Teas Iced

Filed Under: Adagio, Tea, Tea Reviews Tagged With: Adagio Tea Review, Adagio Teas, tea review

Review: Kent & Sussex Summer Raspberry Green Tea… Wonderful!

August 28, 2017 by Joi Leave a Comment

Kent & Sussex Summer Raspberry Green Tea Kent & Sussex Summer Raspberry Green Tea

I was recently sent three wonderful loose tea samples to review on the tea blog from Kent & Sussex. They’ve each knocked my socks off and I’m anxious to tell you about each one. However, I want each tea to have its own spotlight, so I’m going to take them one at a time.

First up: Summer Raspberry Green Tea. Don’t let the word “summer” in the title fool you – this beautiful tea would be perfection any month of the year. It’s equally delicious iced as it is hot, meaning it will be one of your favorite teas regardless of the weather outside.

One of my first thoughts after tasting this beauty was actually about Christmas – this would be an extra special tea to serve during the holidays. After all, what better time to be extra special?

Description:

Summer Raspberry Green Tea. A lovely early summer Green Tea blend to welcome warm sunny afternoons. A fine quality Chinese Sencha Green loose leaf tea which is scented with Raspberry and is enlivened with Rosebuds Strawberries and petals. A Green Tea with a great fruity taste explosion! Ingredients: Green Tea, Rose Buds, Strawberry pieces, Mallow Sunflower petals and Natural flavouring.

Brewing instructions: Brew for 2 – 3 minutes for a delicious summer time tea.

Kent & Sussex Summer Raspberry Green Tea

Summer Raspberry Green Tea

If you or anyone you know has been trying to “fall in love” with green tea but can’t quite get out of the friend zone, flavored green tea, such as this one, might be just the thing you need to kick things up a notch. The wonderful raspberry flavor will acclimate your taste buds to green tea – trust me, years ago it was exactly what it took for me to fall in love with green tea.

We’ve been in a committed relationship ever since.

Flavored tea is also the absolute best way to give up sweetened tea. The lovely hint of flavor keeps you from missing the sugar, artificial sweetener, or honey at all.

This is seriously a wonderful tea and you are going to love it as much as I do. This is one you’ll want to have on hand at all times.

See Summer Raspberry Green Tea for more information about this extra special and beautifully delicious tea.

Kent & Sussex Summer Raspberry Green Tea

Filed Under: Kent and Sussex, Loose Leaf Tea, Tea Reviews Tagged With: Kent and Sussex Tea Review, loose tea review, tea reviews

Adagio Teas: Fandom Signature Blends

April 30, 2017 by Emily Dill Leave a Comment

Adagio has done it again, people. They’ve kind of broken the mold here, because their new fandom collection of teas is unlike anything else I’ve seen in the tea world before.

The Adagio Teas: Fandom Signature Blends is incredibly cool and creative. It features unique tea blends created by superfans based on different themes from TV, movies, anime, video games, etc. You’re sure to find one of your favorite nerdy topics here – Star Wars, Star Trek, Suicide Squad, Sherlock, and lots more. I tried four different samples, and not a single one disappointed me.

This Harry Potter fanatic just HAD to try a HP-themed tea, and it was every bit as delicious as I had hoped. The BeerButter Tea blend from Robert Pirlot was fantastic and probably had the best aroma of the four teas I tried. It’s a black tea with natural caramel flavor, natural creme flavor, and natural vanilla flavor. The caramel and vanilla flavors were very strong and it came together for one of the best black loose leaf teas I’ve ever had. A percentage of purchases of this tea also goes to charity, so it’s a win for everyone.

Due to my husband’s Delorean obsession, I had to get this one to try with him. This Delorean Tea blend from Mike Violette is highly flavorful; check out all of the delicious ingredients: black tea, green tea, cocoa nibs, natural chocolate mint flavor, natural creme flavor, orange peels, blue cornflowers, peppermint leaves, natural vanilla flavor, natural bergamot flavor. It blended to form a delicious tea that was accented with candy canes (yum?).

The Marty Tea was the other tea I tried from a Back to the Future collection (also from Mike Violette). (I couldn’t resist that adorable packaging.) This is a high-caffeine black tea with orange, vanilla, and creme flavors. It’s almost like a hot caffeinated cremesicle in tea-form, and I wasn’t complaining. The tea is accented with sprinkles, which was downright adorable.

I ordered this tea because my husband is a huge fan of the video game Bioshock, plus I’m a big fan of creepy things, and nothing is much spookier than a Little Sister (just look at her!). The Little Sister Tea from Tara K is a decaf Earl Grey, but it also has strawberry, orange, raspberry, and vanilla flavors. The loose leaf tea is accented with sprinkles and rose petals, and it all comes together to make a fantastic-smelling strong tea. I loved it.

I have nothing but wonderful things to say about each of the Fandom Teas I tried or about the collection as a whole. I can’t wait to try another round of fan teas from Adagio!


Filed Under: Adagio, Loose Leaf Tea, Tea Reviews Tagged With: Adagio, Adagio Tea Review, loose leaf tea review, tea review

Zodiac Teas from Adagio… Crazy Cool and Equally Delicious

April 18, 2017 by Joi Leave a Comment

Adagio Leo Tea and ingenuiTEA Brewer
Leo Tea
Before I get to the review of Adagio Tea’s Loose Leaf Leo Tea (say that three times fast), I want to just say, again, that Adagio is first-class. All the way. Everything they do is above and beyond what the average company does. They’re simply flawless and it’s always an honor to review anything they offer because I can rest 100 percent assured that they’ll do right by you.

Pictured here is a new obsession of mine… well, actually TWO new obsessions because the wonderful ingenuiTEA brewer is in the pictures (click the link to read my review of this little beauty). Adagio now has a line of Zodiac Teas and my own personal zodiac sign (Leo) is naturally the first one I tried.

The Leo Tea is almost impossible to describe. It is absolutely Heavenly, let’s go ahead and get that out there. The flavor is phenomenal and, like me, you’ll be at a loss for words.

Adagio Leo Tea
Leo Tea
 

About Leo Tea: Oolong tea mixed with rooibos and orange peels boosts Leo’s self-confidence and sunny disposition. Leos are at the center of every tea party, entertaining the crowd with their creative charms. Chamomile and vanilla smooth this zesty blend, while the red safflower is an eye-popping touch of color that Leos can show off to their friends.

Steep at 212° for 3-5 minutes. Read More…

Adagio Leo Tea and ingenuiTEA Brewer
Leo Tea
The first flavors you taste are the orange and vanilla and they make beautiful music together. There’s a flavor in the background that, while insanely delicious, you can’t quite “pin down.” I think it must be the roobios combined with red safflower, which is a new flavor to me.

Let’s just say I fell more in love with Leo tea with each sip. It’s OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD.

Whether you, like me, are a Leo or not, you have to try this amazing tea!

The other zodiac signs are, of course, also available and, knowing Adagio like I do, I am certain they’re equally amazing.  You can find your own sign and order the corresponding Adagio Zodiac Tea. There are also a few samplers available – which would be an ideal way to try several delicious teas at once.

The little tins are ridiculously adorable and would make darn cute gifts and perfect stocking stuffers (yes, as a matter of fact, I do think about Christmas all year long).

 

Adagio Leo Tea

lll

Filed Under: Adagio, Daily Gift Ideas, Tea News Tagged With: Adagio Tea Review, Adagio zodiac tea review, loose leaf tea review

ingenuiTEA from Adagio Teas: The Easiest and Most Ingenious Way to Brew Loose Leaf Tea (Review)

April 3, 2017 by Joi Leave a Comment

ingenuiTEA by Adagio Teas
As a self-confessed Crazy Tea Chick, I love tea just about any way I can get it. This goes for flavor, temperature, color, loose leaf, pyramid bag, flat bag… if it’s tea, I am more than just a little interested.

While using tea bags is as simple as it gets, there is actually something kind of zen-like and relaxing about making a cup or glass of loose leaf tea. The fragrant tea leaves (especially when fruit is involved) allow you to thoroughly enjoy the tea experience before you even lift the cup to your lips.

Some people complain that fixing loose leaf tea is too timely or complicated. I’ve even heard people complain that it requires too many steps and too many “clicks and whistles.”  That last part always intrigues me because I make loose leaf tea at least 4 times a week and I’ve yet to experience a click or a whistle.

But, in all seriousness, I understand where they’re coming from.  We humans are incredibly busy (often too busy, if we’re being honest) and we want – even NEED – every aspect of our life to be simplified.

Here comes Adagio to the rescue. The ingenuiTEA Teapot (pictured here) is so simple and so blissfully easy that it doesn’t even come with directions. Why? None are needed!

 

ingenuiTEA and Blood Orange Loose Leaf Tea
You can find a VERY short video here that shows how ridiculously simple it is to use the ingenuiTEA teapot to brew loose leaf tea fast, easy, and without a single solitary click or whistle.

  1. You simply place your loose leaf tea into the ingenuiTEA teapot, as it sits on a flat surface.
  2. When tea has brewed, place the teapot right on top of your cup. This will cause a valve at the bottom to release: the beautiful tea flows down into your cup, while the mesh filter retains all the leaves with one of the best infusers on the market.

If you’re looking for a step 3, you can stop looking… that is it.

Not only is the ingenuiTEA Teapot embarrassingly easy to use, it’s just as easy to clean and… get this… it’s dishwasher safe!

I also love that it’s so great looking, as I (as you’d expect) leave my teapot sitting out on the counter at all times – always ready for active duty.

This ingenuiTEA Teapot is the 16 oz size, which makes two cups of wonderful tea.

Adagio Blood Orange Loose Leaf Tea

Sometimes I use mine to make a huge hot mug of tea, but most of the time I prepare my tea for iced tea. If your glass has the right rim size, you can place the ingenuiTEA Teapot right on top. Just be sure there’s enough room in your glass for tea and ice.

I often drain mine into a large mason jar, then pour it over ice in my glass.

ingenuiTEA and Blood Orange Loose Leaf Tea
The ingenuiTEA teapot is, make no mistake about it, something you’ll love to distraction. You’ll fall more and more in love with it each time you use it – it’s just so effortless and simple.

But it gets even better…. keep reading!

Orchard Herbals Adagio Teas

IngenuiTEA Tea Set

While you can, obviously, use any of the links above to purchase the 16 oz. ingenuiTEA Teapot, I totally recommend buying the ingenuiTEA Tea Set.  With the Tea Set, you get the teapot (which I literally wonder how I ever lived without) PLUS four samples of Adagio’s best-selling teas.

You can choose your sample set from the four below:

orchard black
apricot, peach, grapefruit, orange

orchard green
raspberry green, mango green, citron green, apricot green

berries black
blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry

orchard herbal
wild strawberry, berry blast, raspberry patch, blood orange

I chose the “Orchard Herbal” because I am ALL about both raspberry and strawberry tea… ALL about them… and I was beyond intrigued by the “blood orange.”  I frequently buy blood oranges at the store and am infatuated with their flavor. The thought of having that flavor with tea made my knees weak.ingenuiTEA and Blood Orange Loose Leaf Tea
When my ingenuiTEA Tea Set came, I actually brewed the Blood Orange tea first (which is kind of strange for a raspberry/strawberry addict) and it was every bit as amazing as I expected it to be. Honestly, it was just phenomenal.  While it made a beautiful cup of hot tea, I actually liked it over ice even better.

I threw a wedge of a blood orange into my iced tea and it was a glass of iced tea I won’t soon forget. In fact, ordering more Blood Orange tea from Adagio is at the top of my Tea Do List.

ingenuiTEA and Blood Orange Loose Leaf Tea
ingenuiTEA Tea Set

The other “orchard herbal” teas in the ingenuiTEA Tea Set  were just as perfect. I am blown away by the ingenuiTEA teapot and I know you will be just as blown away. It’s beautiful, effortless, ingenious, simple as simple gets… and dishwasher safe.

However, I’ll let you in on a weird little secret – I still wash mine by hand. Why? I just love it so very much that I want to make sure it stays looking as gorgeous as it does now.  And after multiple (mul-ti-ple) washings it still looks like it did the day I took it out of the box.

The ingenuiTEA Tea Set  would make a PERFECT gift for any tea lover in your life…

  • College students
  • Mother’s Day
  • Newlyweds
  • Father’s Day
  • Birthdays
  • Christmas
  • Just Because…

I’d just warn you to be sure and order your own while you’re at it.

I have a few other wonderful Adagio products to review tomorrow, but for now, I hope you’ll head over to ingenuiTEA Tea Set and check out this ingenious and beautiful little teapot. It’s unbelievably affordable – and comes with great tea when you order the set!

Raspberry Tea with a Frozen Peach Slice

Pictured above is one of my favorite ways to enjoy Adagio’s Raspberry tea – on ice with a frozen peach slice. Impossibly delicious… you have to try it. If anyone has trouble drinking tea unsweetened (something I, too, have battled in my life as a Crazy Tea Chick), you’ll find that fruit-infused tea is the way to go. The natural sweetness of the fruit keeps you from missing the sugar…. like, at all. Tossing frozen or fresh fruit into the tea just adds another dimension of fun and flavor.

Sugar? Who needs sugar?!

I can’t say enough great things about Adagio – they do absolutely everything as well as it can be done.  I do a lot of shopping online, so I order from a lot of tea companies, coffee companies, food companies, etc. Adagio stands out and, in my book, that counts for something.

See: ingenuiTEA Tea Set

ingenuiTEA and Loose Leaf Tea

ingenuiTEA Tea Set

Filed Under: Adagio, Daily Gift Ideas, Gifts for Tea Lovers, Infusers, Tea Product reviews Tagged With: Adagio Tea Review, gift ideas for tea lovers, ingenuiTEA review

The Republic of Tea: Organic SuperHerb Teas For Women

March 23, 2017 by Joi Leave a Comment

The Republic of Tea Organic Raspberry Leaf SuperHerb Tea For Women's Health

Organic Raspberry Leaf SuperHerb Tea for Women

The Republic of Tea  is one of the most trusted names in the world of tea and has been on my radar for many years. I remember the first one of their teas I tried – a green tea that caught my eye in a Joe Mugg’s shop. I initially fell in love with their beautiful canisters (I am ALL about packaging, if you haven’t noticed by now), then when I began buying their teas, I fell even further in love because they’re extraordinary.

The Republic of Tea has just released a new line of organic SuperHerb Teas for women this month.  THese organic teas are unique blends of powerful herbs with complementing fruits and spices that have a wide range of health benefits for women through all phases of life.

I spend a great deal (make that GREAT DEAL) of time reading about healing foods, drinks, and herbs for two of my other blogs, Self Help Daily and Out of Bounds. If we’re being honest, however, most of the reading and research I do is out of love for my family (husband, three daughters, and three sons-I-never had). I want them to all be as healthy as possible. So I know all too well that we have more control of our health and physical well-being than most people realize.

Every single time we decide what we’re going to put into our bodies, we are exercising this control!

The Republic of Tea Organic Raspberry Leaf SuperHerb Tea For Women's Health

Not only does each bite and each sip carry us either closer to or further away from optimum health, but what we put into our bodies can actually help with common ailments and/or health concerns such as…

  • anxiety
  • weight
  • bloating
  • joint pain
  • hot flashes
  • inflammation
  • etc..

The Republic of Tea has 4 exciting new tea blends that can help us women in various stages of life. Keep reading to see which one (or 2, 3, or 4!) sound the most intriguing to you.

The 4 new organic tea blends just released from The Republic of Tea:

1. Fenugreek for Nursing Moms

Fenugreek is nature’s most popular herb for supporting healthy breast milk production. A smooth blend with a hint of organic cinnamon, this caffeine-free tea offers a soothing and delicious moment of relaxation.

2. Sage for Calm & Hot Flashes

Sage is an ancient herb known to help keep the body cool and calm, even in the midst of menopausal hormone surges. A refreshing blend with tropical pineapple notes, this caffeine-free tea is especially revitalizing cooled and served over ice.

3. Raspberry Leaf for Women’s Health

Red raspberry leaf has a wide range of health benefits for women, and can help at virtually every stage of life – fertility, pregnancy, nursing and menopause.  This tea is reminiscent of a fruity parfait with a juicy blend of rosehips, vanilla and berry notes.

4. Nettle for Inflammation, Kidney Function & More

Our Nettle tea is for both men and women. Nettle leaves can help reduce inflammation and support kidneys. Organic nettle leaves with a touch of peppermint and vanilla makes this tea a joy to sip.

I was offered a sample of a tea of my choice in exchange for telling my tea blog readers about the wonderful new teas.  Since I am a Raspberry tea fanatic (drinking it all day, everyday qualifies as fanatical, does it not?), I chose the Raspberry Leaf tea.  I also loved that it covered “any stage,” since that’s pretty much where I live.

From The Republic of Tea’s Website: Red Raspberry Leaf is perhaps the most popular herb among midwives and herbalists. From fertility to pregnancy to nursing to even menopause,* this herb can help women at virtually every stage of life.* It has been long revered for its ability to help tone uterine muscles and balance menstrual cycles.* With a hint of vanilla and berry notes, this tea is reminiscent of a fruity parfait.  See more.

Organic Raspberry Leaf SuperHerb Tea Review

When brewing tea for one of my tea reviews, I always try it, first, hot and then iced.  I made a large mug of the Raspberry Leaf to enjoy with my afternoon reading. Tea and an Agatha Christie mystery were made for one another, you know.

The tea was amazing – one of the things I’ve always found lovely about The Republic of Tea is the fact that they are subtle. You never get any overwhelming “in your face” flavors or notes.  The star of each show is the tea, itself, which is exactly as it should be.

After all, if we were after fruit juice, wouldn’t we buy it?!

The perfect cup of tea is one in which you take a sip and know you’re drinking  a great cup of tea. Then, you have the lovely extra flavor or flavors in the background. This is exactly (and consistently) how it is with The Republic of Tea and this tea is no exception.

I finished the cup of tea in the time it took me to read two chapters. There was excellence in each and every sip.

When it came time (at supper) to try it iced, I have to admit, I thought, “It probably won’t be as great as the hot version was…” Not only was I wrong, I was ridiculously wrong… the iced version of this tea is even more delicious and memorable than the hot. You’re able to taste the different (beautiful) flavors in the tea when it’s iced (or even room temp). Unlike traditional tea bags, when making iced tea with The Republic of Tea, you don’t need to use nearly as many bags per pitcher. My favorite way to go about it, however is to simply brew the amount I’ll be using per glass.

I can’t recommend this Raspberry Leaf tea enough – it’s a perfect 10 hot and a perfect 10-1/2 iced!

Find more information (and order your own teas) by visiting The Republic of Tea SuperHerb Teas for Women today.

The Republic of Tea Organic Raspberry Leaf SuperHerb Tea For Women's Health

The Republic of Tea Raspberry Leaf 

Filed Under: Gifts for Tea Lovers, Health Benefits of Tea, Raspberry Tea, Tea, Tea News, The Republic of Tea Tagged With: tea review, the republic of tea, The Republic of Tea Review, The Republic of Tea SuperHerb Tea for Women's Health Review

Tea Review: My Green Teapot’s Beautifully Subtle Whole Leaf Green Oolong Teas

February 16, 2017 by Joi Leave a Comment

My Green Teapot Strawberry Green Oolong Tea

I love many things about working from home as a web publisher and blogger, but none any more than doing tea reviews. Come on, what Crazy Tea Chick wouldn’t love everything about that?!  Today’s tea review is for My Green Teapot: a tea company with a beautiful name, beautiful packaging, and beautiful tea.

How are you going to top that?!

I was sent small samples of two of their teas to review. First up is a beautiful, subtle green tea, Strawberry Green Oolong. After one taste, my first thoughts were, “Lovely, soft, and very enjoyable.”  My Green Teapot’s Strawberry Green Oolong Teas are all natural whole leaf teas from Taiwan infused with strawberry.

My Green Teapot Tea

The fact that this tea has a small amount of caffeine makes it one you can enjoy throughout the day.

As with all of my tea reviews, I tried it both hot and iced and, while it was exceptional both ways, I think I prefer it iced because you get more of the strawberry flavor that way. Since strawberry is one of my absolute favorite flavors in the world, the more the better!

Steeping instructions:  8 oz cup   –   195°F   –   1-3 min

My Green Teapot

Before I get to the second My Green Teapot tea, I just want to say a little something about the packaging – it is adorable. I love when companies (tea, chocolate, coffee, food…) put a little extra thought into their packaging. It just makes the entire experience sweeter. These adorable little “Chinese Takeout boxes” are as unique as they are cute. I was going to save them for Christmas packaging but couldn’t get the green teapot sticker off cleanly.

Oh well, they served their purpose – setting a special mood for a couple of special teas.

My Green Teapot Orange Green Oolong Tea

In addition to the Strawberry, I was sent a little sample of the Orange Green Oolong tea and it, too, was wonderfully subtle and altogether lovely. While I didn’t have any oranges on hand (which is odd – I usually have a whole bowlful!), it occurs to me that a slice of fresh orange floated in a hot mug or tall glass of this tea would be a beautiful thing.  This tea was equally delicious hot and cold – I honestly couldn’t decide which one I preferred.

Like the Strawberry Green Oolong, Orange Green Oolong teas are all natural whole leaf teas from Taiwan infused with orange.

My Green Teapot Orange Green Oolong Tea

Steeping instructions:  8 oz cup   –   195°F   –   1-3 min 

I hope you’ll check out My Green Teapot and all of their wonderful natural whole leaf teas. I highly recommend the two I’ve reviewed here.

My Green Teapot Orange Green Oolong Tea

Filed Under: Green Tea, Green Tea, Loose Leaf Tea, Oolong Tea, Orange Tea, Strawberry Tea, Tea Reviews Tagged With: green tea review, loose leaf tea review, oolong tea review, tea reviews

Bulletproof Earl Grey Tea Makes for a Lovely Afternoon…

January 19, 2017 by Joi Leave a Comment

Bulletproof Earl Grey Tea
 

Are you familiar with the Bulletproof Diet and/or Bulletproof Coffee? For more information, when you’re through here, you might want to read my Bulletproof Diet Book Review on Self Help Daily.

My husband, our oldest daughter, and I are HUGE, HUGE, HUGE fans of Bulletproof Coffee and can’t imagine mornings without it, to be honest. Being a Crazy Tea Chick, I also love to make Bulletproof Tea, like the Bulletproof Earl Grey pictured here.

It’s fun to use different teas for “Bulletproofing,” and (as you’d expect) your favorite teas will become your favorite Bulletproof teas. Earl Grey is a favorite tea of mine, so I completely swoon when he puts on his bulletproof vest.

Bulletproof Earl Grey Tea

Earl Grey Bulletproof Tea

1 Cup of Hot Brewed Earl Grey Tea
1 TBS Ghee or Grass-Fed Butter
1 TBS Coconut Oil

Whirr in the blender for a slow count of 10. Enjoy!

  1. I used TAZO Earl Grey Tea for this delicious cup of Bulletproof Tea.
  2. If you want a little more or a little less butter/ghee or coconut oil, go for it.
  3. No, Whirr isn’t a legit word…. but, you see, one of my hidden talents is to make up words. Drives spellcheck and family members crazy.. which, well, kind of entertains me. I have an evilicious side.

Bulletproof Earl Grey Tea

Filed Under: Energy Tea, Recipes, TAZO Teas Tagged With: Bulletproof Tea, tea recipes

Ideas for Giving Up Sweet Tea for Unsweet Tea Without Losing Your Mind or Your Will to Live

January 9, 2017 by Joi Leave a Comment

Frozen Peaches in Unsweet Tea
I guess that title is melodramatic enough, wouldn’t you say? But here’s the thing – I am a Southern gal who proudly loves her birthrights:

  • accent
  • “y’all“
  • green tomato relish on beans
  • grits
  • love for college football Saturdays
  • cornbread
  • sweet tea

Unfortunately (or fortunately – jury is still out) I’m also health-conscious, and the more I read about the dangers of sugar, the more inclined I am to completely remove it from my tea – iced and hot.

Ouch.

When your favorite thing to drink all of your life WITH EACH MEAL is sweet tea, giving it up doesn’t come easy. Most days it comes without tears, thrown objects, and sour looks at strangers – but it is not easy.

I’m not trying to totally remove sugar from my life. No, thank you. I’m simply looking at all the places I can cut it out so that my overall consumption is much, much less. For me, not adding any sweetener to my coffee or tea (literally) cuts out a couple of cups of sugar daily.  Yes, daily. Try not to judge.

If you, like me, are trying to cut back on sugar, removing it from your drinks is a brilliant first step. Over the years with trial and error and error and error, I’ve found a few tricks.  I hope they can help you – which, if we’re being honest, I believe they will.  Why? Because if they can help ME, they can help ANYONE.

KNOWLEDGE is POWER

Knowing why you are breaking up with sugar isn’t just enough – you have to keep reminding yourself of the reasons when he tries to sweet-talk his way back into your life. (if you need sugar to be a female, simply switch up the pronouns, I don’t mind).

Dangers of Sugar

  • sugar promotes wrinkling and aging
  • sugar can lead to osteoporosis
  • cavities, rotted teeth..
  • empty calories that give you extra weight without any nutrients
  • it is almost as addictive as drugs
  • can cause cancer
  • contributes to diabetes
  • leads to heart problems
  • can cause gallstones
  • can cause arthritis
  • and many many more…

Diabetes, cancer, heart problems…. Ready to get serious?

{Tips for giving up sweet tea below…}

Berries Teas Sampler from Adagio Teas.

COMMIT

A lot of people say to cut out unsweet tea and only have sweet tea, maybe once a week, as a “treat.”  This did not at all work for me. All it did was remind me of the sweet elixir I was now missing out on. I once actually stopped drinking sweet tea for a good three weeks (a huge landmark for me, as you’d imagine). Then, while dining out, I inadvertently, from YEARS of habit, said “sweet tea.” Sure, I caught it in time to correct myself, but I didn’t go that route.  One sip and I knew I’d just fallen off the wagon and was now firmly underneath it clinging to my sugar laden tea.

The three weeks did not become four weeks.

I’ve learned that if you’re going to give it up… give it up for good.  What you’re actually trying to do is develop a taste for, love for, and appreciation for the taste of unsweet tea. Reminding yourself of it’s overwhelming deliciousness is not going to help you.

IF YOU, TOO, ARE A SUGAR JUNKIE….

Because of the ridiculous amount of sugar I used in my tea, I actually had a preliminary process before I completely gave it up for good. If you fancy that you might just be as bad as I was, this preliminary process may be helpful for you. If you think that you aren’t as bad as me (few are, honestly few are), you can skip to the next step.  Two weeks before I cut sugar out of my tea for good, I began cutting back. Instead of adding a solid cup to each pitcher, I began adding 1/4 cup of sugar. When I got my own tea in restaurants, I gave myself half sweet and half unsweet.

This preliminary process helped prepare my taste buds for what was to come. I had never done this in the past and I honestly think it was the main reason I was able to be successful this time.

Recruit SUPPORT

Tell your family what you’re trying to do. Let them know the dangers that sugar poses to your health and happiness (see list above). Ask for their support and help. They’ll be there for you.  Heckity heck, if you share the list above with them (which you should), they will probably join you in your anti-sugar crusade. For your sake, I hope so, it’s simply easier when you have a mini army around you.

However, if you are going it alone – it simply means you’re going to have to be a super hero and I believe you’d look FAB in a cape.

Get CREATIVE

As we’ve established, I was the Queen of Sweet Tea and I reigned for decades. So, if I found things that worked for me, I’m certain they will work for others.

  • For some reason, making your tea a little stronger than usual helps you step away from the sugar. I’m finding myself falling head over heels in love with unsweetened strong black tea. It has a indescribable flavor that I find myself craving.
  • Fruit. Fruit. Fruit. Fruit has a natural sweetness, along with crazy delicious flavor. Sometimes I make up a pitcher of raspberry tea and add a few frozen peach slices to my glass. The combo is a knock-out and I never even think about sugar. Another combo I’m crazy about is adding orange wedges or slices to raspberry, black, or green tea. It tastes delicious and smells like Christmas, how is that anything but excellent?
  • Adding frozen peaches to black iced tea or green tea is also fantastic.
  • Mixing tea bags together is also something I enjoy doing. A couple of Tazo Zen Green Tea bags and a few of their Wild Sweet Orange bags make great hot or iced tea.
  • Experiment with different flavored teas from online companies such as Adagio. Great tea has so much personality that you won’t miss sugar… trust me. Their “berry” teas are better than any sweetened drink I’ve ever had… and you know that’s saying something.
  • When in restaurants, ask for a lemon with your unsweet tea. It’s better than sneaking in a bag of frozen peaches. My husband frowns upon such things.
  • Honestly, frozen peaches, lemons, and orange wedges are the keys to success.

DO NOT GO BACK

Like all healthy habits, once you’ve created it, you can’t let your guard down.  Could drinking one glass of sweet tea undo weeks of progress sticking with unsweet tea. YES. Actually YES x 7 – the number of times it has happened to me. Write down the list of sugar’s nastiness above and refer to it when necessary. Quite frankly, it’ll take away your craving immediately.

Also, this is a good time to point out that you need to kiss all of those bottled teas good-bye. The amount of sugar in them is pretty nuts.

What About Artificial Sweeteners?

Most experts feel that these artificial sweeteners are EVEN more dangerous than sugar. If that doesn’t alarm you, go back and read the health dangers of sugar again, then say the words, “EVEN more dangerous…” It’s an eye-opener.

ENCOURAGEMENT

Here’s a word of encouragement: After giving sweet tea up recently (without any cheating), I accidentally (unmarked tea canister at Wendy’s tripped me up) took a sip of sweet tea. Instead of thinking, “Oh Sweet Heavens, this is where I’m meant to be…” I literally thought, “Ugh – liquid sugar. I can’t even taste the tea!!”

After I picked myself up off the ground, I realized that my taste buds had been kind of retrained. They’d found that tea, in and of itself, is a delicious drink. It has plenty of fresh, pure flavor to stand on its own.

I poured out my “liquid sugar” and ice and started fresh with honest to goodness tea and thought “… this IS where I’m meant to be.”

Filed Under: Health Benefits of Tea, TAZO Teas, Tea, Tea News Tagged With: give up sugar, tips for giving up sweet tea

Review: Adagio Teas’ Masala Chai Tea (Loose Leaf)… WOW!

November 29, 2016 by Joi Leave a Comment

Adagio Tea's Masala Chai Tea (Latte)
Slurp, Indeed.
In a recent Adagio Teas order, I got to choose a free sample and, being the Chai Tea Latte FANATIC that I am, I went with Masala Chai Tea (loose leaf). Knowing Adagio the way I do, I knew it would be extra special (since every tea they make is outstanding) – and the thought of an extra special Masala Chai made into a Chai latte filled me with unspeakable happiness.

Like all fanatics, I can recall the exact day I became obsessed with Chai Tea Lattes. It was over 10 years ago… on a Saturday afternoon. It was the middle of winter and my husband and I had gone to a local coffee house for liquid warmth. As a Crazy Tea Chick, my hot drinks of choice in coffee houses are almost always tea. This time, instead of a hot black or green tea, I decided to try a Chai Tea Latte…. and my life was never quite the same.

To this day, my winter “go to” drink in all coffee houses is a Chai Tea Latte. My summer “go to” alternates between iced black tea, green tea frapps, and a Starbucks fixation, Strawbery Acai Refresher.

My winter drink does not alternate. Ever.  Naturally, I make my own Chai Tea Lattes at home (can you say daily?) as well.  I normally use my Breville Cafe’ Milk Frother (an absolute must if you enjoy lattes, coffee or tea) but a blender will certainly do the trick.

I made up a pot of the Masala Chai as soon as it arrived. As soon as I opened the pouch, I knew it was going to be a great afternoon. The aroma was unspeakably beautiful – I realized right away that most Masala Chai loose leaf tea doesn’t measure up when it comes to this aroma.

{Review Continued Below….}

Adagio Tea's Masala Chai Tea (Loose Leaf)
When making lattes at home, I always brew the tea stronger than normal. This makes the latte a real work of art. I add equal parts brewed tea and milk (any type – coconut milk from a can is AMAZING with Chai tea… AMAZING) to the Breville Cafe’ Milk Frother (or blender) and turn it on.

After you’ve poured the deliciousness in your cup, taste it to see how much (if any) sugar you want to add to sweeten the deal. More times than not, I will add a little whipped topping to the top instead of adding any sugar.

Another decadent treat is to stir the latte with a cinnamon stick. As luck would have it, I was all out of cinnamon sticks… so I just dove in without any frills.

Phenomenal. Seriously. Adagio Tea’s Masala Chai Tea makes one of the best Chai Tea Lattes I have ever had – and, believe me, I have had gazillions.

Confession – I normally use Tazo’s Chai Tea Latte Concentrate when making Chai Tea Lattes at home. It gives me that strong, addictive, utterly beautiful Chai Tea Latte experience I live by and, quite frankly, I’ve found very few Chai Tea loose leaf teas that can hang with Tazo’s concentrate.

Adagio’s Masala Chai (loose leaf) was more than up for the challenge and it blew me straight away. The concentrate has nothing on this beautiful tea.  If you love Chai Tea Lattes, like me, or have never experienced one on your own… this is the Chai Tea for you. Trust me – if there’s one thing this Crazy Tea Chick knows, you’re looking at it below.

Find the Masala Chai and other Chai Teas on Adagio Tea’s website. Trust me, you won’t be sorry – these people know their tea like few people could ever hope to.

Adagio Tea's Masala Chai Tea (Latte)
More Adagio Teas Reviews on Crazy Tea Chick:

  • Adagio Tea’s Christmas Tea
  • Adagio’s Berry Tea Sampler

Filed Under: Adagio, Chai Tea, Tea, Tea Reviews Tagged With: Adagio Teas Review, Chai Tea Review, Loose Leaf Masala Chai Tea Review, loose leaf tea reviews

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Hi! I’m Emily and I’m completely nuts about tea. Crazy Tea Chick is where I let this nuttiness run wild. You’ve been warned. Thanks so much for visiting! Some posts are guest posts from my mom who’s also in love with tea. <3

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