Everywhere I turn, I am being told to drink more water. But no one talks about how boring water tastes! I have tried so many “tricks” to get myself to drink more water but nothing works.
I have tried water enhancers (some are good but some are way too sweet for me) and keeping slices of lemon in the fridge (great until they start getting moldy after a few days), but the only “trick” that gets me to drink more is to make tea.
So this means that in the winter, I drink hot tea all day and in the summer, I am a big unsweetened iced tea sipper. You can add anything to your tea; in the past I have done a variety of fruit/flavor combos, but this one in particular is great for perking you up without caffeine—that zing of spicy ginger can really wake you up. What I love about this tea recipe is that it isn’t your run-of-the-mill tea. It is tangy, fruity, and refreshing—great to drink all day or to serve at a BBQ or picnic.
Ingredients
- Water
- 1-3 ginger tea bags (depending on the amount you make)
- 1 orange, sliced
- A few sprigs of mint (cleaned)
- Dash of lemon juice, to taste
Directions
- In a small to medium saucepan, boil some water. If you are only making a cup for yourself, you can use a teapot or the microwave but if you want to make a big pitcher, I would suggest heating the water in a medium sized saucepan.
- Once your water is boiling, remove it from heat and add about 2-3 tea bags depending on how gingery you like it (add more if you are using a large saucepan, add less if you are making less; if just making 1-2 servings only 1 tea bag is needed).
- Let the tea steep for the amount of time indicated on the tea bag; I usually let it steep for about 5 minutes.
- Remove the tea bags and let the tea come to room temp. You can either let it sit out on the counter for a bit or place it in the fridge if you have space.
- While the tea is cooling off, begin cutting up your oranges. You can cut them into wedges or slices, whatever your preference. A wedge will give you more juice but a slice looks prettier, so I will sometimes squeeze some orange wedges into the tea, discard them, and then also cut a few slices to place in the tea. Leaving the rind on can add a bit of bitterness, so keep that in mind.
- Once tea is cooled, add your orange, one squeeze of lemon, and the mint. And that is it! Your tea is ready to sip.
This tea is best if you drink it within 24hrs of making it. The fruit usually doesn’t hold up great after that. If you leave the oranges in too long (especially if the rind is on) it can become a bit bitter.
See more of my fun food creations on Instagram @katesrulesoforder and make sure to share your treats by using the hashtags #beamliving #stuytown and #katesrulesoforder.
Written by Kate Roth