Cooking with Tea
We've all enjoyed a hot cup of tea to warm our souls on a winter day or sipped a glass of iced tea to quench our thirst. Therefore, why not create delicious recipes using your favorite teas? I am a huge fan of tea; I drink numerous cups throughout the day and it recently dawned on me that I should carry over the pleasure from my cup of tea to my healthy cookbook and substitute tea for water in recipes. To my surprise, the teas created incredible flavor with a healthy dose of antioxidants.
Tea has been shown to yield incredible health benefits and my favorites: Green, black, white and oolong teas are rich in antioxidants called polyphenols.
The best part about cooking with tea is that unlike many other foods and beverages, you cannot destroy or diminish the health benefits of tea through excessive heat. Tea as an ingredient in infused rice dishes or chicken chili will deliver the same nutritional punch as your sweet cup of tea in your mug.
Herbal teas can enhance any dish from fish to poultry. Instead of using butter, oils, packaged sauces, soy sauce or vegetable stock, opt for using herbal teas, which are infused with incredible flavors from fruity to spicy.
There are endless ways to incorporate teas into your cooking. Simply tweak your favorite recipes with some of these steps and you'll be on your way to a flavor-packed meal.
- Add tea bags to boiling water when cooking grains such as rice, quinoa, barley, buckwheat or amaranth.
- Pasta night? Why not add a tea bag into your bubbling pot to add unique flavor to your noodles.
- Creating your own pizza dough? Why not try steeping a pot of tea and using that in lieu of water in the recipe? Yum.
- Steaming, blanching or simmering vegetables? Add tea bags to the boiling water and in a matter of minutes, your vegetables will be infused with a remarkable taste.
- In the mood for a soup? Add brewed tea to chili, soup and stews for an extra flavor boost without added fat or sodium.
- In the mood for a warm or cold pasta salad dish? Boil tea bags with your cous-cous or orzo for a zing of flavor.
- Whipping up a stir-fry? Toss freshly brewed tea into your stir-fry skillet along with fresh herbs and vegetables; sauté without added oil or butter.
- Green tea cookies? Yum, these are my favorite tea-time treats to make. Simply melt the butter called for in your recipe with tea leaves in it, allow the butter to stand for a few minutes and then dispose of tea leaves. Chill the butter to firm in the refrigerator and use this as your ‘infused butter' for your recipe.
- Sweet potato casseroles taste delicious when the potatoes are first boiled in water with tea bags. When the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the water and discard tea bags. In a large bowl, mash together sweet potatoes, fresh herbs, spices and vegetable broth for a tasty spin on the classic white spud.
- Time for a turkey dinner? Create a tea rub using tea leaves, heart-healthy oil, dried herbs, spices, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Rub mixture over the turkey (cover with foil) and place into the oven for a tender and tasty tea-infused bird.
- Tea rubs also work wonders on meats and wild game; I enjoy using tea rubs when I make baked tofu, grilled bison burgers and baked pork loin. Simply rub-a-dub over your desired protein source and cook until desired doneness. You'll smell the beautiful aromas coming from the oven and the tastes will be incredible.
- Substitute the store-brand cranberry sauce and create your very own cranberry sauce or fruit chutney. Use tea in lieu of water and choose a fruity, herbal flavor for a delicious bite.
Tea-infused recipes such as the examples above can satisfy your taste buds as much as a hot cup of tea can soothe your soul. From soups to salads, tea is incredibly versatile and the best part is that the varieties are endless. Experiment with the vast array of teas such as herbal, morning blends, jasmine, black, oolong, green and white …just to name a few. So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and brew yourself a pot of hot tea and while you're at it, open up your cookbook and unleash your creative side by tweaking a recipe with tea!
For more tasty tea ideas as well as other healthy recipes and tips, visit The Healthy Apple at www.thehealthyapple.com.
