If you’re anything like my little family, this late fall-early winter season has been cruel health wise. No sooner than we get over one illness, another strikes and is consequently passed on to each of us. Life’s cycles, seasons, rhythms change over time, and the past year had many different courses and paces. In trying to adjust to new rhythms, my every-day routine was chaotic at best. I forgot multitudes of things that needed remembered.

I neglected replying to emails, responding to texts, and returning calls. I missed appointments. Music lessons weren’t prepared for, schedules were adjusted and readjusted. Laundry mountained high. And I forgot to fight for my family’s health. Fast food seemed the easiest option many evenings. Tiny doses of multivitamins and cod liver oil weren’t given–for days. Forget giving teaspoons of elderberry tea syrup because I never remembered to make it!

Sometime after the festivities ended and peace returned to days, and my little family was on the fourth or fifth round of colds, I remembered to fight. Counters, light switches, and door knobs were disinfected on my warpath to health, an abrupt halt to fast food was made, and there have been many, many hours spent in the kitchen battling for health and immunity.

I believe fiercely that food can be medicine. Wasn’t it Hippocrates that first discovered that? And tea? Tea is medicinal and healing in so many ways. Different teas, tisanes, and various ingredients may be steeped for all sorts of issues: ginger for nausea, digestion, and immunity; raspberry leaves for women’s cycles; cinnamon for warmth; black tea for energy; matcha for detoxification; lavender for stress relief. These are just a few simple healing benefits of teas and herbs.

During my wake-up call to healing and illness prevention, I remembered to make another batch of elderberry tea syrup. It’s incredibly simple to make, and each ingredient has immune-boosting qualities! If you’ve had a long season of illness as we have, try making this.

Gather a heaping 1 1/2 cups of dried elderberries. Place in a medium saucepan. Chop a knob of fresh ginger. I used a piece about the length of my index finger. No need to peel because you’ll strain the entire tea. Add the chopped ginger to the saucepan of elderberries. Add 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of ground cloves, and 4 1/2 cups of filtered water to the saucepan.

Bring mixture to a boil. The berries and ginger pieces will look as if they’re dancing. Then, cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 1 hour.

When your elderberry tea has simmered, uncover, stir, and let cool. The liquid will be slightly reduced and thickened.

Once tea has cooled, strain. I use an antique colander for this, but a modern colander and spoon back would work fine. Squeeze all the liquid from the berries.

Pour the strained tea into a glass container. I used a 1/2 gallon Mason jar. Discard or compost the berries and ginger. Stir 1 1/2 cup of raw honey and 2 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice into the strained tea. This is what forms the syrup consistency, and honey is known for its antimicrobial properties.

Tada! All done! The elderberry tea syrup will keep in the refrigerator in a glass jar for 3-4 months.

Dosing:

For adults– Take 1 Tablespoon per day for prevention. When sick, take 3 Tablespoons per day.

For children–Take 1 teaspoon per day for prevention. When sick, take 3 teaspoons per day.

I wish you a happy, HEALTHY, magical New Year!