Herbal Iced Tea
2020 has been the year of covid, quarantines and masks and what some are calling the Great Reset. As most of us wrap our minds around the social distancing and isolation, a question has come to life. When the world has found a way to deal with covid and many of us come out of our hibernation, the question is whether we will be ‘chunks, hunks or drunks’. These iced teas are an answer we found to the drinking question.
We’ve never been really big drinkers. Early in our marriage, when we had young children, the thought of drinking and then being fully present for our children the next day simply didn’t seem really doable for us. And besides, we tried to be role models for our kids of having fun lives without the alcohol. However, once our kids left home and we had private time, my husband and I would find ourselves enjoying the odd glass of wine here and there on weekends, which eventually grew into a bottle or two of wine between the two of us most weekends. What could go wrong, right? We’re in the privacy of our own home, we’ve earned the freedom to enjoy our wine and besides, who are we hurting?
Interesting the story we could invent to justify our decision. Of course, the ones we are hurting are ourselves and wow, it was so seamless to go from a glass or two to a bottle or two. Of course, the next step would have been to add a night or two…
Well, we decided to change this pattern and we did it with homemade iced herbal teas. So, while we do lightly sweeten these with homemade simple syrup, they still allow us to enjoy a little special time together in the afternoons. And the additional upside has been the effect on our physical health, sports that we were letting slip because early morning participation was challenging have come back to my husband and I, finding ourselves itching to get out and active by 5am. In other words, as soon as the sun is up, there is nothing holding us back from doing the activities we really love.
So, to answer the question of post-covid ‘chunk, hunk or drunk’, my husband and I both feel we are on a path away from ‘drunk’ and maybe on a closer path to ‘hunk. However, because I still love to cook and we all love to eat, the jury is out on ‘chunk’ ;).
2020 herbal teas include: Raspberry Mojito, Strawberry Moringa, Tropical Tango, Caribbean Crush, Just Peachy, Sunny C, Sweet Tart (a cherry based herbal tea).
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.
