In lew of the launch of some big summer workshops that I helped to create over at the Herbal Academy and the fact that it’s been so hot here in East Tennessee lately, today I thought it would be a good idea to share one of my favorite summer mocktail drinks with you.
I call this recipe “Summer Shine” because it’s cooling and uplifting – perfect for a hot summer day or anytime you’re feeling like a mocktail!
Not only will this summer mocktail help to keep you hydrated, but it tastes really good as well. I like to make this in the evening before going to bed so it’s ready for me to sip mid-morning after my first cup of coffee.
“Summer Shine” Summer Mocktail
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons dried spearmint (Mentha x spicata) leaves
- 1 tablespoon dried marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) root
- 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger root
- Small pinch of electrolyte salts
- 1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon of ginger syrup (optional)
- 1 quart of boiled water
Directions:
- Place all ingredients in a quart-sized glass canning jar. Carefully fill the jar with boiled water leaving 1-2 inches of air space at the top. Cap and let sit until morning.
- In the morning, strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, composting the herbs (or making a second, less potent batch) and reserving the liquid in a clean glass jar.
- Pour your Summer Shine into a clean Collins glass filled with ice and add a stainless straw. Store extras in the refrigerator, and use it within 24 hours.
- Enjoy this summer mocktail all throughout the day!
Introducing 3 New Summer Herbal Workshops
Summer is just around the corner, and hopefully, that means you will have more time for creative, hands-on projects that nurture your passions!
To help you do just that, I’m excited to announce that registration is now open for not one, not two, but THREE new summer workshops that will inspire you to keep your plant studies going strong all summer long — two of which I had the privilege of creating for the Herbal Academy.
If you’re ready to dive into some hands-on, topic-specific plant studies filled with endless creativity and summer delight, here’s your chance. Enroll in all three summer workshops now to save $20 on registration or pick and choose your favorite workshops below. Each workshop also comes with an optional companion product to enhance your herbal exploration.
Tea Blending 101 Workshop
Get ready to dive headfirst into the world of herbal tea blending! In this highly requested 3-part workshop taught by yours truly, you will learn how to make loose-leaf herbal tea blends for wellness and pleasure purposes.
Starting June 7th, you’ll have access to the information you need to get started making your own tea blends at home! We’ll walk you through an easy-to-follow process of choosing herbs to formulate safe blends that are pleasing to the senses and have a positive impact on the whole person. In fact, this entire workshop is built around 12 tea-friendly common herbs (with suggestions for substitutes) to help you hone in on your tea-blending skills before you begin considering all the herbs available to you. You’ll even learn how to incorporate certain essential oils into some of your tea blends in this exciting workshop!
Upgrade this workshop with our beautifully designed Tea Blending Booklet, complete with helpful informational charts and blank worksheets and recipe cards that you can keep in the booklet or tear out to add to your recipe box. With this booklet, you will have a compact guide right at your fingertips as you blend, mix, and taste your way to formulating your own herbal teas.
Imagine yourself sipping on a refreshing herbal iced tea this summer that you formulated yourself — tailored specifically to your tastes and featuring herbs that support your physical, emotional, or spiritual wellbeing. Put the kettle on!
Flower Pressing for Herbalists Workshop
Explore a time-tested herbal craft for all ages by learning how to expertly press and beautifully preserve the plants growing outside your door.
In this creative online workshop that begins on June 21st, you will learn how to press flowers, leaves, and other plant parts to preserve their color for years to come. We will discuss the materials you’ll need to get started, types of plant presses, how to build your own press, and how to use your beautifully preserved botanicals to further your herbal studies and decorate your home with seasonal beauty.
This workshop also comes with a must-have upgrade option to get your very own Field Flower Press! Handmade in Massachusetts, this beautifully engraved 6-x-8-inch field press is the perfect compact size to bring with you into the great outdoors as you collect various botanicals to preserve for your herbal studies and creative pursuits.
Imagine yourself pressing herbs and flowers from a nature walk into your beautiful plant press — and then using the delicate pressed plants in your materia medica and summer craft projects. Oh my!
Botanical Mixed Drinks Workshop
Are you ready to delve into the world of botanical mixology? This 3-part workshop is taught by yours truly and is for anyone who wants to incorporate botanicals into delicious, seasonal drink recipes to sip and savor!
Starting July 5th, you’ll explore the components of a well-made mixed drink, the botanical preparations you can include to elevate your drinks to new herbal heights, discover easy ways to transform a cocktail into a mocktail for those times when you want to skip the alcohol, and learn how to create a well-stocked bar with basic supplies and ingredients so you can create concoctions at the ready.
Upgrade your enrollment with our Botanical Mixed Drinks Recipe Booklet featuring hand-drawn illustrations pretty enough to display at the forefront of your bar! Inside you will find helpful information and charts from the workshop along with 13 taste-tested recipes to help get you started mixing, shaking, and stirring your way to becoming a botanical mixologist from the comfort of home.
Imagine serving botanical mixed drinks at a summer cookout and soaking up the compliments while your friends and family marvel at the way your herbal creations double as the star ingredients in your cocktail (or mocktail!) cabinet. Pull up your barstool…
Hope to “see” you in class this summer!
Love and light,
Meagan