Butterfly Pea Flower Kombucha aka “Purple Reign”

Photo from: Wild Hibiscus Flower Company

We're saving one of the best for last! If you haven't heard of or seen butterfly pea powder (it's made the rounds on Instagram, to be sure) it's a chameleon ingredient that can go from blue to pink to purple depending on what you add to it. Native to Southeast Asia and India, Butterfly Pea Flower, like green tea, is full of antioxidants. It also boosts brain function by improving memory, aids in calming depression and anxiety, stimulates hair growth, and strengthens the immune system. It can color ice cubes, rice, be served in hot or cold recipes and much much more.

I thought I was going for a pretty blue final product because when made with water or most other liquids, you do get a vibrant blue hue; and that's what the tea brewed with hot water looked like. Much to my surprise, when mixed with the starter kombucha, it became a beautiful purple! It actually kind of looked like a tequila sunrise when I first strained the (blue) pea tea in to the starter kombucha.

Ingredients

• 1/4 t Butterfly Pea Powder

• 6 cups boiling water

• 1/4 C sugar

• 1/2 C starter kombucha or white vinegar

• 1 SCOBY

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

 Directions

1.  Boil water, stir in sugar until dissolved

2. Add butterfly flower powder and let cool completely

3. Strain with a coffee filter over a fine mesh sieve

4. Add SCOBY+starter kombucha to the butterfly flower mixture

5. Cover jar with a cloth or towel secured with a rubber band (I also use a paper towel or coffee filter secured with a mason jar lid ring)

6. Let ferment 4-30 days (mine was perfect for us at day 4). 

7. Transfer to fridge-that slows the fermentation process down so it won’t keep getting stronger and stronger

©2018 Cazoshay Marie. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cazoshay Marie with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

D.I.D. with Cazoshay and its materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. All material on this blog is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health related program.