Chai Pumpkin Pie

Spicy Pie.

I'm not much of a pie maker but for Thanksgiving I make an exception! I wanted "spice up" the normal pumpkin pie recipe I use and turned to my good old friend Wight Tea Co for their Chai! You're probably thinking, oh gosh here she goes again about that Chai. Seriously, IT IS THE BEST. My friend Brittany, who is the boss lady behind Wight Tea Co got the blend just right! 

Chai tea milk, yum. 

First thing I did was find out how to use regular milk instead of sweetened condensed or evaporated. Regular milk is key so that you can heat it (not boil) and place the leaves in the milk to brew. 

Ingredients 

• 2 eggs slightly beaten

• 2 cups pumpkin (maybe a bit more) 

• 2 tablespoons Wight Tea Co Chai

• 1/4 cup milk (heat and brew tea then drain) 

• 3/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon flour

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• pinch of salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

I used a Jiffy pie crust mix. It's super simple, just add water and roll out! Next time I think Ill get two boxes so that I can make a pretty dough braid around the edge!

Stir together eggs, pumpkin and milk. Make sure that after you brew the tea in the milk, you let it cool before adding it to the mix. 

Add in flour, salt, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and cloves. Mix. 

Pour batter into the pie shell! If you want the crust to brown better you can cover it in egg wash. 

Bake at 375 for about an hour. depending on your oven it may take less time than this so check often! You can also try baking at 425 for 15 minutes then reducing the oven to 350 and baking for about 30 minutes. 

Yay! 

Do you have a special ingredient you include in your pumpkin pie like this chai? Share with me!

Home Sweet Home Honey Cake

Majestic & Moist.

I opened up this Home Sweet Home blend and had a little freak out. There are candy snowflakes and Christmas trees in it! If you follow me on Instagram you know that I'm a bit Christmas crazy, so this tea only encouraged my Christmas spirit.

This blend is very festive! The other ingredients include black tea, cloves, cinnamon, star anise and jasmine pedals. It smells like what I hope my house smells like throughout the holiday season. The cinnamon scent really pops.

I try to create my own recipes but when I came across this cake recipe, I couldn't resist: Majestic and Moist honey cake. The spices in this cake sealed the deal for me, I knew they would go well with the taste of the tea. 

Here is the recipe to check out and follow: Majestic & Moist Honey Cake Recipe

I made a few changes!

• First, from the choices given I used a bundt pan. Make sure to butter the pan before pouring any batter into it.

• I used all brown sugar instead of some white and some brown

• I used applesauce in place of the vegetable oil

• I used Home Sweet Home tea blend from For Tea's Sake

• I didn't use almonds but only because of the audience I created the cake for, feel free to use them!

This recipe is SUPER dense but delicious. At first glance, I wasn't sure that all the ingredients mixed together would produce a yummy cake but I was wrong! The tea really gives the cake a wonderful aroma. This is the perfect cake for the holidays! 

I've posted a few times about the blends from For Tea's Sake and I thought it would be fun for you to learn a bit more about the company. I had the opportunity to ask Sarah, their social media marketing manager a little more about the company. I love her answers, especially about the versatility of tea <3

1)       How was the name 'For Tea's Sake" chosen for the company? 

A lot of our inspiration and ethos comes down to one simple moment. Enjoying a cup of tea. It’s such a simple concept, and we loved the play on words. (For Tea’s Sake!)

2)       Do you all have a specific process for choosing your blends? 

We do a ton of research on blends, food trends, and what’s emerging in major tea markets. From there we built out our three classifications (CORE, WELLNESS & ARTISAN). Everything we create comes back to these pillars so it’s a real foundation for us. We wanted to appeal to tea consumers at all levels and each of our classes allows us to do that.

CORE – for those know what they like, and expect certain standards for their tea.

WELLNESS – for those looking to focus on the healing and wellness benefits in tea, much more health-centric

ARTISAN – big for gift giving, moments, and occasions  

We also source our tea’s from farms world-wide, ensuring everything we produce is natural (no artificial flavors), authentic, and pure. Quality is a big focus for us!

3)       If you could have tea with anyone past or present who would it be and where?

We’d love to share a cup of tea with Thomas Edition. His passion for innovation and creation is simply unparalleled. His commitment to his craft is all kinds of inspiration.

4)       How would you convince someone to switch from coffee to tea? 

We’re a big believer in education, so for us a priority is always helping our customers understand what they are putting into their bodies. The most compelling part of tea drinking for us is the range of purposes it can have in your life, it’s so versatile. It can be consumed to give you a jump start to the day or it can help you unwind and relax for a cozy night in. Not to mention it’s the second most consumed beverage in the world! We’d definitely use our knowledge to educate coffee drinkers on why they might want to consider making tea a stronger part of their routine because of the different purposes it fulfills.  That said, coffee drinkers are certainly stead-fast in their commitment, so a convert would be a big accomplishment!

5)       What is your current favorite tea blend? 

This is a tough one! One of our original blends that still delights us is SLEEP WELL. Some of us over here have becomes addicted to it nightly!!!

6)       What is your favorite part about drinking tea?

As we mentioned, definitely a fan of the versatility but we’d also call out the health & wellness benefits as being a huge plus. Every blend serves a unique and important purpose and we love being able to constantly evolve with new blend trends.  

7)What is your favorite tea pun?

How can we choose! Let’s just say it’s always a par-tea when we’re involved ;)

If you want to try this recipe using the same tea blend I did, you can use Naza15 for 15% off your first order from For Tea's Sake.

Have you tried a honey cake recipe that you loved? Share with me!

Tea Gift Idea: Roobois and lavender tea soak

Tub Tea.

Tea in the tub? You might be thinking I've gone crazy but I haven't! I was working with the Sereni-Tea Now blend from For Tea's Sake.

I noticed that several ingredients have some amazing health benefits! 

• Rooibos: The anti inflammatory properties have been thought to help with allergies and eczema as well as acne!

• Lavender: Detoxifying skin

• Nettle: This leaf also has excellent anti inflammatory properties.

**I'm not a skin expert, just an expert at googling** 

It's a gorgeous blend!

I had the idea to make a mixture with this tea to help you relax in the tub and maybe help your skin at the same time! 

What you'll need: 

• Epsom Salt

• Sereni-Tea Now tea blend

• Tea Bags (it's better if you can seal them)

I mixed the tea with a very common bath ingredient, Epsom salt! Epsom salt is known for many health benefits but probably my favorite is stress reduction :) I think the two like to be blended together, it turned out beautifully! 

I would advise to mix the same amount of the blend and the Epsom salt which is what I did. Once mixed, it looks like a good balance. If you prefer one over the other feel free to change it up. I like having an even mix because this tea blend is super packed with goodies. 

Next, you need to put this wonderful mixture in something that will allow the tea to "brew" but not make a mess in the tub. It's really easy to find tea sachets but I especially love these ones I got from For Tea's Sake because of the convenient draw string at the top of the bag! 

I put two tablespoons into each tea bag. Make sure to tighten the top of the bag and tie it up. I dropped a couple of these bags in my bath and it was wonderful. Don't expect your bath to brew to the color like your tea does but you can expect super soft skin when you're done! Just like when i drink tea I felt very calm during this bath. 

Here's why I love this idea. Now I can relax with tea by sipping on it and bathing in it ! These are super easy to make and only require 3 items. This can be a great gift for the person in your life who loves to take baths! The holidays are coming up and this is an easy DIY gift. 

Tea in cosmetics is becoming more popular and I decided to jump on the bandwagon :) Stay tuned for more beauTEA recipes !

Use code Naza15 to get 15% off your first order at For Tea's Sake!

**NOTE: Everyone reacts to substances differently so really consider how your skin fairs when exposed to different ingredients before giving this a try** 

Mile High Chai Muffins

You have to Chai these!

Are you in the mood for muffins? Who am I kidding? Muffin mood is 24/7! When I received this Mile High Chai from The Tea Spot., I couldn't help but smell the spicy goodness and decide to make muffins with it!

Let's take a second to admire this gorgeous tea. This blend includes black tea, ginger root, cinnamon, allspice, peppercorn, cloves and natural chai flavoring. 

This is a very basic muffin recipe that I adapted to include tea! There were a few things that didn't go as planned and I have included them at the end of the recipe for your consideration, make sure to read the whole recipe before starting to bake! 

Ingredient list:

• 2 cups of flour
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar **
• 2 tablespoons of Mile High Chai
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1 egg**
• Extra raw brown sugar for sprinkling
• Paper liners **

** See notes at end of recipe 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Heat milk, add in 2 tablespoons of Mile High Chai. Let steep then drain milk. I used the insert of the brewing mug from The Tea Spot
3. Mix together all the dry ingredients
4. Lightly beat all the wet ingredients together (make sure the milk has cooled) 
5. Add wet mixture to dry mixture 
6. Mix until combined, do not over mix
7. Fill liners 3/4 full and sprinkle sugar on top
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick or fork comes out dry when muffin is poked 

Lessons: 

1. Increase 2 tablespoons of sugar to 1/2 cup sugar
2. Either grease paper liners or use silicone baking cups 
3. Next time I might consider adding one additional egg to the recipe to make the outcome a bit more moist

I liked the idea of low sugar recipe but definitely could stand for them to be a bit sweeter, especially because these don't have frosting! 

The applesauce makes them dense but I prefer this slightly healthier option by replacing the butter. 

I liked the chai flavoring in the muffins, very subtle but adds to the spiciness. I think these tea muffins would go great with a glass of black tea! Perfect for dunking :) 

As mentioned in my notes, I didn't anticipate the batter sticking to the paper liners so much but this can always be fixed! 

Despite some of the hiccups, these turned out wonderfully. Yet again I'm reminded that tea is not just for drinking. What a wonderful item that can consumed in so many different ways. This mile high chai was especially perfect for muffins because of the ginger and peppercorn flavor in the blend, a fall fav! 

What is your favorite tea recipe?! Ill be sharing more of these types of posts so stay tuned!

Warm up with this Whiskey & Tea drink recipe!

WhiskTEA.

I'm on the east coast so the weather is starting to get a bit chilly. Two of my favorite drinks to warm up are a hot cup of tea and a glass of whiskey neat. I've been thinking recently if there was a way to combine my two loves to get the best of both worlds...

*LIGHTBULB MOMENT* 

I call it The WhiskTEA: Fall in a cup!

Okay, okay it's really just my version of a hot toddy :) I was really excited to make this with tea from a company I just discovered, For Tea's Sake. Of course, a company with a tea pun as the title made got me all giddy! 

You only need a few ingredients for this simple drink.

1. Whiskey of your choice. I used Jameson because that is one of my favorites but I think that a bourbon would be just as delicious. My favorite bourbon is Bulleit.

2. Carnival Ride tea blend (Use code Naza15 for 15% off your first order!)

3. Fresh cinnamon sticks

4. Shot glass

5. Tea infuser or loose leaf sachets.

The instructions are so simple, get ready to make a mug full of happiness! 

• Gather ingredients

• Fill shot glass with your whiskey of choice and pour into a glass or mug. Make sure whatever you pour the drink in can withstand hot temperatures. If you'd like a stronger drink, feel free to use more whiskey ;)

• Boil water. Once boiled, pour water into a cup then place one teaspoon of the carnival ride tea blend into your infuser or sachet and place into the boiled water.

• Let tea brew for 5-6 minutes. This brewing time is specific to this tea blend.

• Once brewed, pour tea into glass/mug with whiskey in it.

• Add honey if you desire a sweeter taste (I sure did!)

• Place one or two cinnamon sticks into drink and let sit for a minute

• Enjoy this "fall in a cup" drink!

Cup of Joy glass mug is available in my shop !

I chose to pair the carnival ride with the whiskey because it embodies the fall season. The blend includes apple pieces, hibiscus petals and rosehip pieces. The tea has a caramel apple taste and which creates a spiked apple cider tasting outcome.

If I were to do this recipe again, I would definitely try using a bourbon. Bourbons, especially Bulleit (mentioned earlier) have a bit of a spicy flavor that would go so perfectly with this drink!

Notes: If you choose to sweeten, don't overdue it! 

Have you tried a spiked tea drink and liked it? Share with me! 

I'm so excited to give you all the coupon code Naza15 which will give you a 15% off discount with your first online purchase from For Tea's Sake! Go out there and grab this tea and have yourself a cup of fall <3

Tea For One: The Brewing Mug

Waste not!

I have a medium sized teapot at home and if I'm having tea with several people or having several glasses myself, it's perfect! Sometimes though, I'll make an entire pot and only have one glass. To me, warmed up tea is never as good so it goes to waste!

I've found a solution to tea waste, this brewing mug from The Tea Spot.

Here's how it works

• Place the strainer into the mug
• Pour a teaspoon of your favorite tea into the strainer
• Pour hot water over the tea
• Cover with lid
• Let steep (check steeping times on tea packaging) 
• Remove lid and strainer
• Add sweeter (if you so fancy) and enjoy!

Later today I'll be posting a video of the process on my instagram!

Here's why I love this mug.

• It's made out of ceramic which holds in the heat of your beverage
• It's a large mug...I like big cups and I cannot lie
• It's the perfect amount of tea
• I thought the strainer might be too hot to touch once steeped but...*drumroll* IT'S NOT! 
• Oh, and you can choose an accent color

Super simple to use and It's lovely. I've abandoned my teapot the past few mornings to use this mug. It's much quicker for getting out the door and off to work and I don't waste my precious tea! 

What's your favorite way to steep? 

Check out The Tea Spot.

Matcha White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Matcha-ddicated.

I'm back at it again feeding your matcha addiction with these matcha white chocolate chip cookies! 

As the weather gets cooler, my urge to bake grows. I love to fill the house with warm and yummy smells. Because of it's powder form, matcha has been the easiest tea to bake with so far. It's extremely versatile and can be worked into almost any recipe! Here is the recipe I found. I've pasted it below as well with my personal modifications. 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon green tea powder from The Tea Spot
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 bag white chocolate chips 

Topper made by PaperlyPress

1. Heat oven to 350 and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl (flour, matcha, baking soda and salt)
3. Cream the butter and sugar, feel free to use a hand mixer
4. Add in egg, egg yolk and vanilla
5. Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet mix
6. Fold in white chocolate chips. NOTE: I used a whole bag which made the cookies very sweet. You may want to use less than a bag. 
7. Make balls with 1 tablespoon of batter and place on baking sheet several inches apart
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes, let cool on sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to wire rack

Toppers made by PaperlyPress

These cookies are so simple and aren't dominated by the matcha taste. They turn out a fun greenish tint and the white chocolate chips pair well with the matcha.

Have you ever made a sweet with matcha? What is your fav?!

Drink Copper Cup!

Turmeric Tea. 

I recently had the pleasure of trying a turmeric tea from Copper Cup. As a huge fan of turmeric, I was extremely excited to try this! 

The tea includes all organic ingredients: coconut milk powder, coconut sugar, turmeric powder, ginger powder, black pepper, vanilla powder, ginseng, salt, cayenne pepper.  

Persian cuisine uses turmeric frequently but I never imagined how it might taste in tea. This mix is a powder that creates a latte so I tried it with two different types of milk; almond and cow's milk. 

Almond Milk- Once mixed the tea had a dominant turmeric smell with a hint of coconut and pepper. So when I sniffed the tea I first got a BAM smell of turmeric then came the coconut and then the pepper. 

As far as flavor goes I could definitely taste the turmeric and it was a bit spicy. Here is the kicker, I'm not a huge fan of almond milk and I felt as though that almond milk taste (that I don't really like) came through the most. I couldn't put my finger on it at first but after several sips there was something off about the flavor to me. 

If you're an almond milk lover though, I encourage you to try it!

Cow's Milk- AWW Yea! This is what I'm talking about!

So, I had a completely different experience when I made the tea with cow's milk. The color was the same rich yellow color but the aroma was definitely different. Instead of the ingredients scent coming through, It had a very milky smell. 

Mixing the powder with cow's milk was SO GOOD. Be weary of what kind of milk you try this with, make sure that you really like the taste of the milk you use because it definitely affects the flavor. The taste had hints of all the different ingredients...coconut...turmeric...pepper etc and it was topped off with a milky goodness. Copper Cup boasts about very little sugar in their mix which is great but the combination of the milk and the mix had the perfect amount of sweetness. 

It's interesting that with the almond milk, the scent was dominated by the ingredients but the flavor was not and it was the exact opposite with the cow's milk. I think you can make this mix work easily for whatever your taste preferences are!

If you like your tea a little sweeter I would suggest trying some regular sugar or rock sugar. 

Not convinced? Turmeric has incredible anti-inflammatory properties and can also increase brain function! The best part? It's caffeine free! Although I love my caffeine, sometimes I want an extra cup, but not the extra caffeine!

You can use COPPERCUP25 to get 25% your order until Friday 10/7! Head over to Copper Cup today and get your turmeric tea on! 

8 Things I like to do when I drink Tea

Hi there! I'm still working on a fun surprise to launch my newsletter so I wanted to make a fun post. I like fun, do you like fun? Here's a fun list with pretty pictures of what I'm usually doing when I drink my tea. 

BTW you can purchase this mug from Chalkfulloflove :)

1. Nature. 

Not much beats tea out on my balcony and enjoying the sights. Green trees, bare trees, snow or rain I love standing out on my balcony. Here I can soak up all the sounds that are usually blocked out by honking horns, blaring music, people yelling and other city sounds. 

2. Poetry.

If you've read my blog before or follow me on Instagram, you probably know that Rumi is one of my favorite poets. I have several books of his poems but this pocket sized one is my favorite! I feel like when I'm drinking tea and reading inspiring words, I come up with the best ideas :) 

3. PLANNING!

I got this super cool agenda from Ban.do and it's helpful for me to write things down. Although I'm not a movie star, to do lists pile up. I try to pretend I can keep it all straight in my head but I always end up forgetting something. I love to sit down with my tea and write down everything I need and hope to accomplish in the next few days. I may or may not also spend the majority of that time putting stickers on various pages in the planner :)

P.s. I'm really more of a dog person, but I like cats too ;) 

4. Crochet.

I'm no expert but I do know the basics of crochet and it's a great activity to pair with tea. I'm a bit obsessed with making hearts. I learned how to make hearts to use as bookmarks for my journals but now I love doing them for decoration! Three triple crochet, sip, 3 double crochet, sip...you get the picture!

5. Nothing.

Sometimes I like to do nothing but hold that warm cup of goodness in my hands, take in the aroma and sip slowly. Especially when I've had a stressful day, I like to be alone with my thoughts and my tea. 

6. Doodle. 

Tea is a great time for silence and reflection which can bring up great ideas or the desire to doodle! I usually keep a drawing pad close in case I feel inspired to jot things down or actually draw out a design! Pictured is the start of a harry potter themed piece I'm working on!

7. Paint. 

This goes hand in hand with doodling although for mr, there is more intention behind painting. I usually have a project in mind or an order that I'm completing. One minor hiccup with the pairing of these two activities is making sure you can keep your tea and your paint cup separate. I have ruined many teas with a paintbrush and I have tried to drink my paint water too many times. Don't be fooled, two different cups wont help when you're in the zone!

8. Dream about whatever season it's not. 

I think most of you can relate to wanting what we can't have. In the fall, I can't wait for snow and Christmas. In the winter, I can't wait for spring and sun dresses. In spring, I can't wait for hot weather, tans and beaches. In Summer, I can't wait for football and pumpkins! Currently, wishing the 75 degree weather away so I can break out the sweaters :)  

How does this list stack up to yours?! Comment with what you like to do when you enjoy your tea!

3 Ways to Drink Your Tea and Which One I Like Best

Tea Vessel. 

If you've read my blog before, it's no secret that I love to ask people their favorite "vessel" to enjoy tea in. This may seem like a silly question but tea, at least to me, tastes different in different materials. I'm going to talk about 3 different types of tea drinking, how they affect the experience and which is my favorite. 

1. The Mug 

First of all, isn't this mug adorable?! My best friend Bridgett sent it to me in the mail. Mugs like this are awesome for a number of reasons.

With so many independent sellers out there, there are TONS of designs you can choose from. I can probably find or have a mug made with whatever character or words I want. I have many different interests and easily could own a mug representing each one. Mugs, especially this one are big and can hold lots of liquid. This allows me to pour one cup and enjoy it all at the right temperature. 

The issues I have with mugs like these are practicality. Sure, they're pretty but tea wise, they don't serve my purpose. With a thick mug like the one pictured it's a whole different experience when you take a sip. I feel like the thick walls separate the tea from my taste buds more than I like. I also feel as though the ceramic material (even bone china) can change the taste of the tea.  

2. The Tiny Glass

The tiny and more traditional glass is often beautiful. The one in my hand was given to me as a gift and they came all the way from Turkey! It's hard to see in the picture but there is absolutely gorgeous engravings on this glass which I love about them. They are great to bring out for a party. These also remind me of my childhood because Iranians, like many other cultures traditionally drink tea from smaller glasses like these. 

Another benefit of these glasses is that they are great for tea tasting! I love to brew one or several teas and use these glasses in the process. For my personal tea time, I don't use these as much because it all comes down to size. I don't like drinking such a small amount at once and the size of the glass makes it a little more difficult to enjoy honey in my tea. 

3. The Mid Size Glass

Finally, we've made it to my favorite glass! I'll start off by saying that there are some things I don't like about it but they're mostly cosmetic. Part of me wishes that I can combine the fun designs of the other two into this glass. 

The reason I love glass so much is for the taste. The thin rim allows for you to have a deeper connection to the tea while you drink it. The ability to view your tea helps you determine the brew strength and achieve a better pour. Specific to this glass, I love the size. This glass is the perfect size for how much tea I like to drink. I don't have to keep pouring more glasses and one glass is enough meaning I can enjoy my tea at the perfect temperature and brew strength. 

This glass also gives me room to mix a little honey in my tea for my daily dose of sweet. This is by no means a professional opinion, just my feelings. I would love to hear your thoughts! What do you enjoy your tea in best and why? Comment below or send me an email!