A Spiritual Steward

Christ is Risen!

I have recently decided to give coffee a break, yet again. It tastes so good and nice to have as part of my morning routine but I have noticed my anxiety levels going up more than usual so coffee has got to go! Yerba mate, along with matcha, is an alternative caffeine go-to when I am ditching coffee. Both matcha and Yerba mate, you could say, is a gentler caffeine that doesn’t give me the jitters and unnecessary anxiety. This recipe from Brendan Brazier’s cookbook “Thrive Energy Cookbook” has become a recent summer favorite of mine. It tastes refreshing and if you like, you could even ice it if preferred. Not only great for the morning, but this is also great for an afternoon caffeine kick, especially in the summer when raspberries are abundant. Feel free to try with other berries, preferably small in size.

Author’s note: An invigorating antioxidant-rich kick in the morning, this is an ideal coffee substitute, containing natural caffeine from the phytonutrient-rich Yerba mate.

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Serves 1 / Makes 1 3/4 cup (425 mL)

Ingredients

1 yerba mate tea bag (or 1 tsp/5 mL loose tea)

1 2/3 cups (400 mL) hot water

1 tsp (5 mL (or stevia if you prefer low carb), or to taste

2 slices lemon

1 handful of frozen or fresh raspberries

2 fresh mint leaves or small sprig, for garnish

Directions

Steep the tea in hot water for 3-4 minutes. Remove the tea bag or strain the loose leaves. Stir in the maple syrup. Add the lemon slices and raspberries. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

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Sources

“Thrive Energy Cookbook” Brendan Brazier