Even if you live for long, luxurious summer days, there’s a point at which the heat can become too much. This is especially true when bright sun and high temps combine with the rush of social activity this season often brings. Sometimes the overwhelm sets in without warning: one minute you’re enjoying a stroll through the outdoor market, the next you’re consumed by the urge to push your way through the crowd of strangers in search of shade and hydration. Then, a deep exhale of relief as you remember the bottle of restorative rose and oatstraw tea at your side!

It’s all too easy to feel hot and irritated during the peak of summer, which is why I love whipping up the Oatstraw Breeze recipe from my book, The Herbal Kitchen. Like a breeze, this cooling summertime tea refreshes, allowing us to stay centered and enjoy the bustle of activity on a hot day. In this recipe, lavender and rose invite an instant sense of calm, while oatstraw tea strengthens the nervous system, building your resilience to stress over time.

Lightly sweet, Oatstraw Breeze also makes a great alternative to juice or sodas as kids transition to a new school year. It can refresh and keep the whole family grounded while the days are still hot and kids are adapting to new social situations that might bring excitement, anxiety, or both.

I like to triple the recipe below and pour it into a large tea dispenser so that anyone that walks through the kitchen can fill up their water bottle. This beverage is so much more pleasing than only drinking water as your hydration source.

Each of the herbs in Oatstraw Breeze has cooling, calming properties that make this tea one of my favorite summer season brews:

Oatstraw (Avena sativa)

Soothing oatstraw is one of my go-to herbs for minimizing the effects of a stressful lifestyle. Its effects aren’t felt instantly, but used over time it calms the nervous system, reducing irritability, anxiety, and nervousness. It’s simultaneously gentle and strongly supportive, while its mildly sweet flavor makes it a great base for a tea.

Lavender (Lavandula spp.)

Calming lavender tames stress and tones the nervous system, allowing you to respond with composure in stressful situations. The effects of lavender are quick, cooling irritability and agitation into serenity and repose. In tea, its distinctive aroma and flavor make it a great complement for oatstraw.

Rose (Rosa spp.)

Cooling rose petals are one of my favorite herbs to add to summer drinks for relief from the heat. Rose is a nerve tonic that restores and lifts the nervous system. It calms anxiety and restlessness while improving mental function, moderating reactivity, and improving sleep. Rose water is distilled from rose petals and brings an uplifting fragrance to drinks.

Worth Planning For

You’ll want to make the rose petal honey a couple of weeks ahead to thoroughly infuse. If you haven’t done that, don’t let it stop you from trying this out! Simply mix the ingredients together. Then make a full batch of rose petal honey the next time you have a few minutes in the kitchen.

I highly recommend letting the lavender and oatstraw tea steep in the sun. After all, what invokes summer more than sun tea? But if the day’s gotten away with you, as summer days often do, you can certainly brew them with hot water.

This recipe makes about two servings. To share with a group, you’ll want to double, triple, or even quadruple it.

Print Recipe

Oatstraw Breeze

Author: Kami McBride

Ingredients

1 tbsp dried oatstraw
1 tbsp dried lavender flowers
2 cups water
2 tbsp rose water
1/4 cup rose petal honey
Seasonal fruit for garnish

Instructions

Make Oatstraw-Lavender Sun Tea: Place oatstraw, lavender and water into a clean glass jar, cap, and set in the sun for a few hours.
Coming back to your sun tea, strain the herbs if you wish.
Add rose water.
Garnish with fresh fruit or herbs (optional) and serve.
Lasts two to three days in the refrigerator.

I sincerely hope you’ll try this summery twist on nourishing oatstraw tea. The floral notes of rose and lavender aren’t often found in drinks, and their properties make this one of my tried-and-true favorite recipes for staying cool, calm, and collected all season long.

I would love to hear from you! Have these herbs helped you find relief from summertime irritability? What was your experience? Share in the comments below!