Chai weather is definitely here!

Here in the Northwest, though the rain was scarce I would have to say the sun was as well.  The last three weeks or so of summer were just starting to settle in me, and then BAM! The rain and darkness appears to have set in for good.

During this time of year it's fun to just nest at home and make everything as cozy as possible. If you want to fill the house with wonderful, spicy aromas, you could burn a candle...or you could percolate some Chai.  It takes a bit more time than pouring out a cup of chai concentrate.  But it will fill your house with incredible smells, it will cost pennies and you will have a piping hot, spicy pot of Chai to sip from all day long.

We've got a recipe for iced Chai on the Chai page of our website. If you want it hot, don't let the pot cool off. If you can't finish the hot chai, keep it iced in the refrigerator for next time.

Happy Fall!

Matcha Frozen Greek Yogurt Pops

From the blog "All Day I Dream About Food" comes a delicious looking recipe for Matcha Frozen Greek Yogurt Pops.  It looks like she's got other great yogurt recipes on there as well. The recipe is low-carb and gluten free.  I can't wait to try it!

Go to recipe:
http://dreamaboutfood.blogspot.com/2011/07/matcha-frozen-yogurt-pops-low-carb-and.html

From Japan Times: The Nostalgic and Sweet Life of Kyoto

Reading this article on sweets and tea culture in Kyoto really brought me back, and it made me long to go there again. Well, hopefully next year.  I've been a fan of the article's author, Mariko Itoh's Just Bento and Just Hungry food blogs for quite some time; JustHungry.com holds a coveted spot on my menu bar.

Here, Mariko offers an intro to the different varieties of wagashi, or Japanese sweets, intertwined with notes on its cultural and historical significance, as well as its ties with Buddhism. As she mentions in the article, it's nice to see wagashi making a comeback in the areas of Japan outside of Kyoto.  It's one delicious tradition that will hopefully never fall out of fashion.

Read the article:  The Nostalgic and Sweet Life of Kyoto

FitSugar article: Foods That Help Your Skin

Check out today's FitSugar article on foods that are good for your skin.  Tea is included as an excellent beverage choice, not only for hydration but also for its antioxidant properties.

I've been working out lately(any other P90x'ers out there), and need LOTS of water to stay hydrated.  We just recently started offering pure instant powder teas, which we market for cooking and baking.  They are also great for making iced tea.  My husband has been making me the Organic Rooibos iced tea using old apple juice bottles, which are 64 ounces.

With the powdered teas, it's so convenient because it's instant - just add the tea to water and shake the bottle.  Also, drinking the ground leaves just puts more of the antioxidant rich tea into your system, as opposed to drinking steeped tea.  Give it a try sometime!

Read the article: http://www.fitsugar.com/Foods-Help-Your-Skin-18076021#commentform

From Saga.com: How Tea Fights Cancer

According to this article, new research out of Rutgers University suggests that an extract of theaflavin-2 not only shrank cancer cells in as little as 3 hours, but also suppressed inflammation.

It also went on to state that the polyphenols present in tea reduced tumors in mice by 77% for black tea and 92% for green tea respectively.

Now, I am not making any health claims here. I am simply being the messenger...of course more research and more studies are needed, though if it holds true we will certainly be hearing more about it.

Read the article:

http://www.saga.co.uk/health/news/how-tea-fights-cancer.asp

Livestrong article: Black Tea Effect on Weight Loss

 I love all of these articles that support the health benefits of tea.  There aren't many out there that state the opposite, that's for sure.

Here's another Livestrong article about Black tea and weight loss.  Although continued research is needed, the article states that " Drinking black tea without added calories could help you achieve a calorie deficit for weight loss. If you consume alcohol or sweetened beverages regularly, substituting plain black tea could amount to a significant saving in calories to promote healthy weight loss."

That part can't be said enough.  It also goes on to say that fruit flavored teas can help curb cravings for sweets.  Hmm, I'll have to try that...

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/472742-black-tea-effect-on-weight-loss/#ixzz1Q6iqu7La

Breakaway Cook's Matcha article, plus a delish recipe

A new article in the San Francisco Chronicle  by Breakaway Cook's Eric Gower talks all about matcha.  It's an easy read, and those delicious-looking carrot cake & matcha cookies that are pictured? Yes, there is a recipe for those as well.  They look fabulous!

Read the article:

Matcha An Acquired Taste, Works Wonders With Dairy