These hot drink recipes are a great way to wake up gently in the mornings. Since caffeine takes a toll on my sleep quality and in turn makes me more tired throughout the day, I began to experiment with other hot drinks. These are a few hot drink recipes that I have been drinking for years in place of coffee and tea. Here are some warming recipes that will wake you up gently in the mornings sans ice cubes and leave you sleeping soundly at night:
Cinnamon And Honey Tea
This is one of my go-to hot drink recipes that is sure to give you cheery holiday vibes first thing in the morning, as a midday pick me up, or right before you curl up for some reading at the end of the day.
Start with a spoonful* of honey in the bottom of a mug. Add a spoonful* of cinnamon powder and combine the two well. Then, add hot water and stir it all together. Some of the cinnamon will float to the top but this just makes it more fun to drink! Do watch out for cinnamon moustaches.
If you do not combine the cinnamon powder with honey first, the cinnamon will get lumpy and it will be impossible to mix the ingredients together. You can use this method for making drinks with other powders. If you do not eat honey you can substitute with agave or maple syrup.
* a big teaspoon to a small tablespoon’s worth but adjust according to your taste
Ginger And Honey Tea
Similar to the Cinnamon and Honey Tea, this Ginger version will be sure to warm you up right from the inside out when you wake up early in the morning or whenever you are feeling chilly.
Mix a spoonful of honey with a spoonful of ginger powder and combine the two before adding hot water. Alternatively, if you have some fresh ginger at home, grate or slice the ginger root and put it in a mug to which you can add hot water. With fresh ginger tea, you will not need to add honey if you do not need it because there will be no problems combining the ingredients.
If you want to try something even more different, you can slice up fresh ginger and heat them in the oven until they are browned and dry. This way, if you happen to have too much ginger at home you can keep it for much longer. There is also the added benefit of having ginger ready to go whenever you need.
Goji Berries and Dates Tea
Start with a couple of spoonfuls of goji berries and a pitted dried red date cut into small pieces. Add boiling water to the mug and cover until it is cool enough to drink. Sweeten with honey if you wish and enjoy!
If you want the flavours to be even stronger, do the same in a keep warm mug or bottle. You can leave it overnight and drink it in the morning or take it out with you to sip on throughout the day.
Roasted Rice Tea
This one of those super easy hot drink recipes. In a hot pan without oil, roast some brown rice until they pop and smell good. You can make a big batch and store it in a jar. Steep a spoonful of the rice in hot water like any other tea and sip away! This is like Genmaicha without the caffeine.
As with all hot drinks, I usually only fill the mug 3/4 full with hot water 3/4 and add cold or room temperature water for the remaining 1/4. This makes it the perfect temperature to drink straight away.
Additionally, these recipes are great to keep in an insulated bottle to take with you to drink throughout the day. This beats the temptation to buy overpriced coffees when you are out and about.
