It’s getting chilly here in the desert – low of 29 degrees F tonight, high of 55 F tomorrow. Lots of colds and flu going around, these days. So, an immunity-boosting, warming cup of herb tea is called for.

This one is pretty simple: Obtain some fresh ginger root, preferably organically grown, rinse well to clean it, and cut it into small pieces. Don’t peel it, but do remove any parts that are damaged. Place three tablespoonsful of diced ginger in a stainless steel or ceramic pot, add a quart of pure water, and bring the water to a boil. Then remove the pot from the heat and add a tablespoonful of pau d’arco bark. Let it steep, covered, for 30 minutes, and then strain the tea into a teapot or mugs. Optionally sweeten to taste with stevia extract, honey or your sweetener of choice.