Thinker's Tea
Sage plots, plus a sweet and bitter brownie recipe.
I started planting sage herbs just over a decade ago. It grew alongside bushes of rosemary and thyme in our small, inner-city backyard near Richmond station.
The tea-drinking started - honestly - because I couldn’t find a proper tea bag one morning, and I was craving a bitter flavour kick.
It worked, and I soon became hooked on Sage Tea, or Thinker’s Tea, as it has come to be known.
My post today covers the medicinal properties of sage, a recipe for Thinker’s Tea and why we developed a sage plot in our garden. If you skip through to the end, there’s also a sweet and bitter brownie recipe, which is perfect for school lunches or breakfast-on-the-go.
Thinker’s Tea
Sage or Salvia officinalis is no ordinary culinary herb. The genus name, Salvia, is from the Latin word, salvare, which means "to be well and to save." It’s known to have considerable antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and can be excellent for digestive health and cognitive function.
There is a reason this herb is known for ‘The Thinker’s Tea’. Studies show that sage can improve mental concentration, alertness and attention span. It can help with chemical imbalances in the brain and can assist in the regulation of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter which plays a role in working memory and thinking.
To make Thinker’s Tea - Simply pour boiling water over fresh sage leaves, and leave to steep for 5-10 minutes. Drink and enjoy immediately. You can also add fresh borage, mint or oregano leaves, or a few sprigs of stinging nettle for an extra kick.
The Sage Plot
We have now built a raised garden bed dedicated entirely to Sage herbs. If you are looking to do this at home, choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil. You can purchase culinary sage at nurseries that specialise in medicinal and heirloom plants. I recommend Diggers Nursery and Mudbrick Cottage which also do home delivery.
The Salvia family has over 900 members (in other words, Culinary Sage is merely the tip of the iceberg).
Below, is an image I took of the extensive sage section at Mudbrick Cottage. Note that not all varieties are edible, but many are great pollinators and can be very ornamental.
Here is a short list of what we are growing at home -
Salvia Celestial Blue
Salvia Meigan’s Magic
Salvia Dolomitica
Salvia Cyclamen
Salvia apiana or ‘White Sage’
Salvia officinalis ‘Culinary Sage’
White Sage in particular is worth seeking out - this is now an endangered species and has become increasingly popular and hard-to-find due to it’s energetic properties and role in space-clearing. When the leaves are dried, you can tie them to make an air-clearing sage smudge stick
A Sweet and Bitter Brownie Recipe.
I love combining the bitter taste of sage with sweet, warming taste of a chocolate brownie. This is a very easy recipe to throw together (hello blender!) and is suitable for gluten-free, or dairy free diets.
You will need -
1 medium sized sweet potato (Roughly 400g)
3 small or 2 large eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil or butter
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3 tbsp coconut flour
2 tbsp cacao powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 generous tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup chocolate chips, plus additional chocolate for garnishing.
Directions -
🍠 Leave the skin on and bake the sweet potato for 30 mins in the oven until soft
🍠 Remove the skin, and place sweet potato flesh in food processor. Add remaining ingredients (excluding the sage and chocolate chips) and mix at high speed for 30 seconds, reduce speed and continue mixing to form a smooth paste.
🍠 Spread mixture onto baking tray and sprinkle on chocolate chips and fresh sage leaves
🍠 Bake at 180 degrees for 30 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.
🍠 Grate any additional chocolate on top as a garnish and serve warm.
THANK YOU!
If you have read this post and shared it with a friend THANK YOU !! You are AWESOME!
If you enjoyed this post and want to read more on edible garden weeds, you might enjoy The Wild Weeds of Spring.
Lastly, Christmas is just around the corner, and we are having a sale! Nutrient-Dense Food on a Shoestring is half-price while stocks last!
Have a herby weekend!
Kindly,
Belle
Love love love this