In a busy lifestyle, take time out to have a cup of tea, relax and share the moment with friends or the family. It’s a healthy alternative to constantly rushing to meet appointments, catch the latest movie, or join the traffic. It’s also good for your health, and can de-stress the day.

Need a bit of a pick-me up for the day? Have a look at some of these tasty recipes!

1. Sieve flour and salt into a fine mix in bowl.
2. Melt butter and add to milk and pour onto dry mix.
3. Create a soft dough without over working. Less is better.
4. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured board to a 2cm height, and cookie cut into round scone shapes.
5. Place on greased baking tray, glaze tops with a little milk, and cook in a hot oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and cover until ready to serve with a teatowel to keep fresh.

• 2 cups Self Raising Flour
• 30g butter or margarine
• 1 to 1 ½ cups milk
• Half a teaspoon of salt
• ½ to 1 tablespoon of sugar or icing mixture(lighter)

Scones can be eaten hot or cold, with butter and jam. A traditional Devonshire tea would be tea served with trays of scones and small separate dishes of strawberry jam and whipped cream. Devonshire teas are very much a country treat.

1. Cream butter and sugar together, and add pumpkin, mixing well.
2. Add egg and slowly mix in milk a little at a time, adding flour to create a soft dough.
3. Roll out into a 2cm thick wedge, and cookie-cut into scone shapes.
4. Place on lightly greased baking tray and cook in hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and keep warm by covering with a tea towel before serving. Hot buttered, these are delicious.

• 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine
• 2 smaller tablespoons of castor sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ cup milk
• 2 ½ cups self raising flour
• ½ cup of cooked mashed pumpkin

1. Pour on fruit juice and then tea, mix and leave covered overnight (in fridge if desired) to allow tea and juice to soak into fruit mix.
2. Next day, pre-heat oven to 160ºC (325ºF). Grease a 20cm square cake tin, or bar cake shapes. Take mix and add beaten egg, golden syrup, SR flour and salt (for a moister cake add up to 300mls cream if desired). Stir well. Pour into prepared tin(s) and bake in oven for 1 - 1 ½ hours on medium heat. Check to see if cooked by inserting a skewer into centre of cake. It is cooked if the skewer comes out clean. Cool on a rack, slice thinly and serve buttered when cold.

• 370g (2 cups) mixed dried fruit
• ½ cup orange or apple juice
• 230g (1 ½ cups) brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon mixed spice (or mix of ground nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom)
• 250ml (1 cup) hot, strong Strained Nerada Tea
• 1 to 2 eggs, beaten
• 80ml (4 tablespoons) golden syrup
• 520g (4 cups) SR flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 300ml cream (optional)

1. Gently heat the juices (do not boil). Strain in the hot black tea, stir in the sugar and add the cognac. Pour into tall glasses, and decorate with orange peel.

• 500ml (2 cups) strong, brewed Nerada Tea
• 125ml (½ cup) cognac
• 500ml (2cups) freshly squeezed orange juice
• 50g (2 ½ cups) white sugar
• Juice of 2 lemons

1. Make Nerada Tea using three teabags in a pot. When brewed (4 –5 minutes), strain into large punch bowl.
2. Add sugar, stir until dissolved, and mix in grated lemon and orange rinds. Allow to cool, covered, then add wine, port, brandy, lemon and orange juices.
3. Stir well, and chill in fridge for at least one hour. When cold, add chilled soda water and a few ice cubes, with orange slices.

• 500ml (2 cups) hot black Nerada Tea
• Juice of 3 oranges
• 750ml (1 bottle) red wine
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 375ml (1.5 cups) port
• 1 orange thinly sliced
• 250ml (1 cup) brandy
• 150ml soda water
• 75g (6 tblspn) castor sugar
• Grated rind of 1 orange and 1 lemon
• Ice cubes to serve

1. Mix rolled oats, coconut, plain flour and sugar in a bowl.
2. Separately, melt butter and golden syrup in a saucepan over low heat. Add bi-carb of soda mixed with boiling water.
3. Pour wet mix onto dry ingredients and mix thoroughly to a moist but firm consistency.
4. Spoon biscuit size teaspoons of the mix onto a greased baking tray, flattening as you do.
5. Bake biscuits in oven for 20 minutes on medium heat for 20 minutes or until brown.
6. Remove from oven to cool, ready to eat.

• Butter 60g
• 1 cup Rolled Oats
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 tablespoon golden syrup
• 1 teaspoon bi-carb of soda
• 2 tablespoons boiling water
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC, and grease and/or line a medium loaf tin. Make Nerada tea in a small saucepan or microwave-proof bowl, using 1 tea.
2. Remove teabag, and add pears and butter, bringing to boil. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until peas soften (microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes)). Meanwhile mash banana (1 large or 2 small) with lemon juice and salt.
3. Measure into large bowl, stirring in flour, spices, ground almonds and sultanas, adding in lightly cooled pear mixture, and stir until well combined. Add a little more tea if mixture is too dry (this will depend on ripeness of bananas).
4. Spoon mixture into prepared tin and bake in oven until cooked. Serve buttered or plain.

• 190ml (¾ cup) hot black Nerada Tea
• 90g (¾ cup) dried pears (chopped)
• 160g (1 ½ cups) mashed banana
• 40mls (2 tablespoons) butter or margarine
• 125ml (½ cup) honey
• 240g (1 ½ cups) wholemeal SR flour
• ½ tspn salt
• 1 tspn lemon juice, added to banana
• 1 tspn powdered cinnamon
• 70g (½ cup) ground almonds
• 90g (½ cup) sultanas
• ½ tspn powdered nutmeg (optional)

1. Make tea, strain, and dissolve sugar.
2. Add lemon juice and mint and chill well.
3. When ready to serve, pour into chilled punch bowl, add dry ginger ale and lemon, and serve.

• Pot of strong Nerada tea – for 5 cups (use 6 to 7 teabags)
• Juice of 6 lemons
• 250g (1 cup) sugar
• 1 tablspn crushed mint leaves
• Large bottle (1.25l) dry ginger ale