Herbal Iced Tea
Herbal Iced Teas: Our Post-Covid Reset
2020 was a year of Covid, quarantines, masks, and what some have dubbed “The Great Reset.” As we adjusted to social distancing and isolation, an interesting question came to life: When the world reopens, will we emerge as chunks, hunks, or drunks?
For us, the drinking question took center stage.
We’ve never been heavy drinkers, but early in our marriage, with young kids, alcohol just didn’t fit into our lives. The thought of waking up after a few drinks and being fully present for our children the next day? Not doable. Plus, we wanted to show our kids that you could have a fun, fulfilling life without alcohol.
But once the kids left home, things shifted. My husband and I started enjoying a glass of wine here and there on weekends—just a little treat, right? But over time, that grew into a bottle or two of wine between the two of us most weekends. What could go wrong? We’d tell ourselves, We’re in the privacy of our own home. We’ve earned it. Who are we hurting?
It was easy to justify, but deep down, we knew the answer. We were only hurting ourselves. It was shockingly seamless to go from a glass or two to a bottle or two, then add another night or two…
Eventually, we decided to change that pattern, and we did it with homemade iced herbal teas. Lightly sweetened with homemade simple syrup, they became our new way to enjoy special times together in the afternoons.
The benefits? Oh, they’ve been incredible. Our physical health improved, and those early morning activities we’d let slip—like sculling or hiking—came back into our lives. Instead of dragging through the morning, we’re now up by 5am, eager to get outside and active the moment the sun rises.
So, in answer to the chunks, hunks, or drunks question, I’d say my husband and I are firmly on the path to “hunk.” Of course, I still love to cook, and we all love to eat, but at least we’ve moved away from the “drunk” category!
Our 2020 herbal teas have been a delicious part of this journey, with flavors like:
Raspberry Mojito
Strawberry Moringa
Tropical Tango
Caribbean Crush
Just Peachy
Sunny C
Sweet Tart (a cherry-based herbal tea)
These teas aren’t just drinks; they’re a healthier, happier way to enjoy life and savor the little moments. Cheers to that! ❤️🍹✨
Herbal Iced Teas
Special Note: I make these usually at least a day in advance and store in fridge so they are cold and ready to enjoy when the mood strikes.
And a quick note on selecting herbal teas, I select ones that are entirely unsweetened, including avoiding those ‘sweetened’ with stevia.
Ingredients:
1c sugar
1c water
2tbsp herbal tea
2c just boiling water
Instructions:
Simple Syrup: In a medium saucepan combine 1c sugar with 1c water. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool. I keep a bottle of homemade simple syrup stored in my fridge.
Making the herbal tea: Place loose leaf tea in a tea pot.
Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
Pour 2c boiling water over the loose leaf tea and set timer for 5 minutes.
Once time is up, strain tea and add desired amount of simple syrup. (I add about 1tbsp of simple syrup to 2c of herbal tea.
Refrigerate.
Enjoy as is, cooled from the fridge or over ice.
