How To Make Fruit Iced Tea
By Divya Shree- Staff Writer
Edited By Stephanie Dawson
Reviewed By Nima Shei MD
Not much is better than a perfect fruit iced tea when you have a cravings for a cool drink. We raise a toast June 10 every year as we celebrate National Iced Tea Day. These drinks are easy to make and are perfect to set a mood. This can help avoid harmful soft drinks and make your own healthy chilling drinks.
Recipe #1: Strawberry and Basil Iced Tea
Strawberry and basil can do wonders for your iced tea. Here is a list of ingredients you will need to prepare this amazing drink:
Ingredients:
1. 8 bags black tea
2. 1 pound (about half kg) hulled and halved strawberries
3. 1 cup water and more water to steep
4. 3/4 sugar
5. 1 cup fresh basil
6. Ice (for serving)
Directions to make
1. Add 4 cups of water to a medium saucepan and heat until boiling and add tea bags and remove from heat, let steep for 5 minutes.
2. Place strawberries in a bowl, take a medium saucepan and add water and sugar. Boil and keep stirring until the sugar is entirely dissolved.
3. Remove from the heat and add basil. Let steep for 10 minutes. Discard basil and strain over strawberries. Toss to coat. Let the solution stand until cool, about 1/2 hour.
4. Mix strawberries with syrup and tea in a pitcher or jar. Keep in refrigerator until chilled. Now your amazing fruit iced tea is ready to serve. Serve over ice, garnish with extra basil if desired.
Recipe #2: Mango Iced Tea
You can use any of your favorite fruit to make a perfect fruit iced tea. Here is a recipe with the king of fruits, mango.
Ingredients
1. 2 Alphonso mangoes to yield 1.5 cups of pulp
2. 3 tea bags or 3 tablespoons black tea leaves
3. 4 cups water
4. ½ tablespoon lemon juice
5. organic sugar (unrefined) to taste
6. mint leaves, orange, mango or pineapple for garnish
Directions
1. Peel and chop mangoes, blend and place in refrigerator. Boil water in a medium saucepan.
2. Add tea bags and stir. Cover and let steep for 5-7 minutes. Strain and refrigerate.
3. When tea is cooled remove from refrigerator and pour in blender.
4. Add mango puree, lemon juice, and sugar, blend until smooth.
5. Your mango iced tea is ready to be served. Serve in tall glasses with ice, garnish with mint leaves or mango or lemon slices if desired.
Making these easy iced teas can add flavor to your life and make your children and loved ones happy. These drinks are not harmful and have no side effects.
Also you can make unsweetened iced tea for all occasions.
Sources:
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Strawberry_Basil-Iced-Tea-Martha-Stewart
http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/mango-iced-tea/
Image Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/313481/strawberry-basil-iced-tea
