Super simple and delicious ways to stay hydrated this summer

photo by mae-mu at unsplash.com

Redwood City is finally heating up with warm, 75 degree days and my garden is growing like crazy. The mint and violets are taking over! This is, of course, fine with me because I love making mint tea. Considering this, I thought I’d share three of my favorite iced tea recipes with you.

They are 100% caffeine free and 100% hydrating. Perfect for a hot summer day.

And the bonus, they’re super easy to make!

Ready?

You can grow your own herbs, order herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs (MRH) or a local herb seller, or buy tea bags. If I don’t grow mine, I buy them from MRH because they’re higher quality herbs than tea bags. But either will work.

Raspberry Hibiscus Lime Iced Tea

4 teaspoons dried Raspberry leaf

2 teaspoons dried Hibiscus

Fresh juice of one lime

1T honey melted in 2 T of hot water (optional because hibiscus is very tart)

Quart jar

Hot water, but not boiled. I heat mine to 160 degrees (my tea kettle has options for heating point).

Put herbs in quart jar and add hot water

Steep for 10-20 minutes

Adjust amount of herbs, honey, and lemon for taste

Cool and strain tea before pouring over ice

You can add water if it’s too strong

Mint Iced Tea

Mint is easy to grow. I bought mine as starter plants about a month ago and they grew very quickly. You can grow mint plants in a container garden easily, as well. I have peppermint, spearmint, chocolate mint, pineapple mint, orange mint, lemon balm, and catnip. All are mint plants. Catnip is delicious (warm or cold) and is a mild sedative, perfect for calming anxiety or just before bed.

Although mint doesn’t have caffeine in it, it is an adaptogen, which means it helps you either energize or relax, depending on what you need. Even though this is true for most people, for me mint acts as a stimulant all the time, so I do not drink it at night. At night I drink Catnip tea for a good nights sleep.