Homemade Dried Fruit and Herb Tea

Submitted by Sharon123

"Ginger and mint make this comforting mix especially good for settling stomachs after the indulgence of holiday meals. Makes a great gift given in small cloth bags. Steep 2 tablespoons with 1 cup hot water for 3 to 5 minutes, then strain. Sweeten with honey or agave nectar, if you like, and enjoy! I have a hard time finding fennel so have given a substute. Enjoy! Adapted from Whole Foods."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 6
• Yields: 2 1/2 cups mix

ingredients

• 2 lemons, zest removed with a vegetable peeler, finely chopped
• 2 oranges, zest removed with a vegetable peeler, finely chopped
• 1 piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped (3-inch)
• 1⁄2 small fennel bulb, trimmed and finely chopped (may substitue 1 tsp. ground licorice root or 2-4 whole star anise)
• 1 cup packed mint leaf
• 1 cup dried cranberries or 1 cup chopped dried apricot

directions

1. Preheat oven to 250°F
2. Toss lemon zest, orange zest, ginger and fennel(if using licorice or star anise do not use here) together on a large parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Scatter mint on a second large parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake, rotating baking sheets and stirring occasionally, until ginger mixture and mint are both dried out, 10 to 15 minutes for the mint and about 45 minutes for the ginger mixture; set both aside to let cool completely.
3. Crumble mint into a medium bowl then add ginger mixture and cranberries or apricots and toss. For each serving of tea, steep 2 tablespoons of the mixture(if using licorice or star anise, add here) together with 1 cup hot water for 5 minutes. Strain and serve.