Guest Blog Post - Bethan Thomas, Founder of HotTea Mama
/Tea and Cake
In these strange times, there’s one thing that can be guaranteed to life your mood. Tea and cake. And technically, if you have older kids with you – cooking is an educational activity they are unlikely to moan about if they can lick the bowl.
But to start with tea – there are a few top tips to coping with social distancing and isolation related to the humble cuppa.
Firstly, try not to drink too much caffeine. Whilst it’s a useful tool, your body will build up a tolerance to it, and it will become less and less effective, the more of it that you drink. So I’d definitely advise keeping a coffee or builders tea for the morning. As you get into the afternoon, you could try a white tea for a slow release caffeine hit – this tea is high in a chemical component called theanine which is a relaxant alongside the caffeine in the leaf. So you get a more sustained lift, and less of a caffeine crash afterwards.
Herbal and fruit teas can definitely fill the need for a hot cuppa, without caffeine in it. And whilst I’m biased, our Get Up & Glow is a brilliant way to get a lift without any caffeine. As it has grapes as it’s main ingredient, it give you a natural sugar lift, and kids your brain on that you’ve had some caffeine!
If you’re feeling anxious, look to chamomile based teas. Chamomile is a natural relaxant, and can lesson feelings of stress. Our Night Owl tea backs it up with lavender, valerian root and lime flowers, which are all muscle relaxants. In combination they aid sleep and can calm your mood.
To accompany your cuppa, and to fill in some educational time with your loved one – get baking. Try these oat cookies as they’re super easy and tasty:
INGREDIENTS
120g butter
2 tablespoons honey
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
120g plain flour
120g brown sugar
180g porridge oats
1. Melt butter with honey in a saucepan gently
2. Take off the heat and mix in 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar and oats
4. Add the honey mix to this
5. Stir and leave to cool for 5 minutes once it is all well combined
6. Place 12 piles of the mix on a buttered baking tray and cook for 10-15 min
7. Let them cool, and they turn into slightly hard, chewy biscuits
You can add chocolate chips, raisins, or anything else you fancy. But they’re a crowd pleaser, and a wee treat goes a long way in times of stress and uncertainty.
I'm Bethan, a tea taster and buyer, who set up HotTea Mama after having kids and realising a lot of the teas I was blending weren't suitable for pregnancy or breastfeeding. I have 2 kids and live in Oxford with them and my wonderful partner.
See more of Bethan over at:
