Holiday Homemade Tea Blends + GIVEAWAY

-This giveaway is now closed-

December has arrived and with it, all the cozy holiday ‘feels’ associated with this most wonderful time of year. My heart gets especially glow-y when I hear the echo of Nat King Cole or Bing Crosby in the distance as I work away.  I just love the holidays and the extra time at home with friends and loved ones!

Our holidays are kept minimal and simple, but 100%  from the heart. We fill the home with lots of nature and the fruits of the season.  I love to decorate with fresh cedar branches, the warm glow of candles (kept away from little hands, of course), hazelnuts from the local farm, pomegranates and plenty of warm blankets and throws. Under the tree, a gift for everyone on the list, wrapped up in brown paper and twine. When I can’t gift something homemade, I always opt for quality; something that will see many years of good use, rather than end up in a landfill.

And let’s not forget tea…there’s always plenty of hot tea to go around.  The holidays can keep us extra busy, so I make sure to take time to relax with a warm mug of something delicious. My old kettle has been on the fritz lately, so you can imagine my joy when the lovely people at All-Clad Canada got in touch and surprised me the perfect gift – their stainless steel 2 Quart Tea Kettle!

All-Clad is well-known for their superior quality handcrafted kitchenware and accessories; there is a reason they are the top choice of professional culinary leaders and four star kitchens throughout the world. All-Clad products makes gifting quality that much easier in this day and age! I am so happy to be partnering with them this season to bring you a holiday inspired recipe, and a pretty amazing GIVEAWAY…keep reading!

The brilliant polished finish and quality feel of the All-Clad 2qt Tea Kettle  is superior to any tea kettle I’ve used in the past.  It’s crafted solely from stainless steel with an ergonomically designed handle fastened with rivets.  Obviously, I couldn’t wait to brew my first cup of tea; the experience was nothing short of perfect. It boils water quickly and efficiently and lets out a pleasant-to-the-ear whistle. It lifts and pours with ease and the lid securely fits into the opening so there is little worry about steam escaping onto my hand. Plus, it boils plenty of hot water, enough to steep several mugs of tea at once (I had to boil water twice with my last kettle)!  It’s a stunning piece that I look forward to showcasing on my stove top for years to come.

I’ve created three lovely holiday tea blends inspired by the this beautiful kettle: a Winter Spice, Vanilla Rose Rooibos, and Chocolate Peppermint blend which are sure to please any tea lover on your list (or yourself, for that matter). These are loose leaf blends that they make for easy zero-waste gifting; package them in a reusable glass jar with a lid, and tie on a reusable tea strainer (or reusable tea bag) if you like. A little note with brewing instructions add the final touch.  Homemade teas make great stocking-stuffers or a delightful hostess gift. They also make a charming gift for the coworkers or school teachers on your list!

Now, you want to know about the giveaway, don’t you? To help make the holidays that much more special, one person will win an All-Clad Canada 2 Quart Kettle of their very own with the #12DaysofAllClad Giveaway! In order to enter the #AllCladGiveaway, head over to Instagram and follow @allclad_canada and @the.simple.green, then enter to win at www.12daysofallclad.ca.   The giveaway is only open to residents of Canada. Be sure to enter before December 12, 2017 11:59pm for your chance to win!

A big thank you goes out the wonderful people at All-Clad Canada for partnering with me this holiday season!  For more information on their quality handcrafted kitchenware, visit them at www.all-clad.ca, and follow on Facebook or Twitter @AllCladCanada. 

Wishing you a very happy holiday from The Simple Green and All-Clad Canada!

-This giveaway is now closed-

This post and giveaway are sponsored by All-Clad Canada; all thoughts an opinions are my own and I only share quality products that I personally use and love!  Thank you for supporting brands that help make The Simple Green Possible!

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HOMEMADE HOLIDAY TEA BLENDS

Three lovely holiday inspired tea blends are sure to please the tea lover on your list. These make a lovely hostess gift for holiday gatherings, for teachers, coworkers, or stocking stuffers! Whole tea leaves require longer steep times, and with the addition of a handmade gift label, anyone can brew the perfect cup!

Course Drinks

Keyword tea

Prep Time 10 minutes

Servings 8 cups of tea (each)

Ingredients

Winter Spice Holiday Blend

• ½ cup organic black tea leaves such as Earl Grey
• ¼ cup dried currants crushed
• 2 tbsp sliced almonds
• 2 tbsp whole clove buds
• 1 organic orange peel dried and diced
• 1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
• 8 small cinnamon sticks

Chocolate Peppermint Blend

• ½ cup peppermint tea leaves
• ¼ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp finely chopped cacao nibs

Vanilla Rose Rooibos Blend

• ½ cup rooibos tea leaves
• ¼ cup dried rose petals
• 1 vanilla bean finely diced (or 1/2 tsp dried vanilla bean seeds)

Instructions

For the Winter Spice Blend:

1. Prepare the dried orange peel: using a vegetable peeler, remove a thin layer of peel from the orange and place on a cooling rack. Leave to dry a room temperature for 12 hours.Cut the dried peel into small pieces.
2. Mix the orange peel and remaining ingredients together (except the cinnamon sticks). Store in an airtight container until ready to brew.

For the Chocolate Peppermint Blend:

1. Sift the cocoa powder into a small bowl. Stir in the peppermint leaves and cocoa nibs.Store in an airtight container until ready brew.

For the Vanilla Rose Rooibos blend

1. Stir all ingredients together in a small bowl.Store in an airtight container until ready to brew.

To Brew: Use 1 rounded tsp of tea blend per 250ml of kettle boiled water. Place tea blend in a reusable tea bag or tea strainer and place in your favourite mug with hot water. Let steep for 5-10 min. Sweeten to taste. For the winter spice blend, steep with 1 cinnamon stick tossed into your mug.