With a mug of the good stuff, you can face whatever winter throws your way.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Whether you’ve just been slammed with the second “storm of the century” in less than a week, as we have been in the mid-Atlantic region, or you’re looking for a creative accompaniment to your Valentine's Day dinner, a nice warm beverage may be just the ticket for warming the cockles of your heart—and your chilly fingers. These delicious hot-drink recipes, made from scratch, will save you money compared to the store-bought versions, and you can tailor the ingredients so you can go easy on the calories. You can buy organic versions of many of the ingredients below and find Fair Trade versions, too, to lighten their environmental load.

Tea

Black, green, and white teas are classic pick-me-ups that may also help boost your immune system, keep your heart healthy, and help prevent cancer. Herbal teas, made from plants other than the tea plant, are also wonderful, and some have their own unique health benefits. Hibiscus can help lower blood pressure, for example. I prefer to sweeten my tea with honey, which adds about 20 calories per teaspoon, or no-calorie stevia, and add a squeeze of fresh lemon or a dash of organic milk (though adding milk may reduce the tea's health benefits).

Different types of tea require different brewing conditions, so check out our tea brewing guide to learn the differences. My favorite sipping teas are peppermint, cardamom, and jasmine (sometime I’ll tell you about the night I drank a whole pot of the most wonderful jasmine tea at an amazing Chinese restaurant in the suburbs of Toronto). Making your own cardamom tea is pretty easy, and much more flavorful than anything sold at the supermarket. Prewarm your pot by filling it with hot water and setting it aside for a few minutes. Empty out the water and then place inside 4 cardamom pods crushed open with the back of a spoon, 4 peppercorns, 4 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 quarter-size slices of fresh ginger root (I store mine whole in the freezer and cut or grate it as I need it), and 3 teaspoons of black tea leaves. Cover with boiling water and steep for 30 minutes (yes, half an hour). Pour it up, and add a little honey or stevia if you want. This one really warms you up!

If you enjoy alcohol, try these classic tea-based drinks. Just remember that alcohol is high in calories, and please imbibe responsibly.

Winter Julep: Fill a mug almost to the top with strong, hot peppermint tea; mix in a shot (1.5 ounces) of bourbon, and add honey or stevia to taste. Garnish with a dried mint leaf or a peppermint stick.

Hot Toddy: Fill a mug almost to the top with your favorite hot tea, add a shot of any “brown” liquor (B&B liqueur, a spicy tipple that's a blend of cognac and Benedictine liqueur, is especially nice), and sweeten to taste.