This delicious orange and mint iced tea is not only pretty, but makes a super refreshing treat for the warm months. It instantly lifts up your mood with its beautiful color and fresh vibes.
The combination of mint and citrus makes me so happy! This 20 minute drink makes the perfect healthy concoction that you would not want to put down without finishing. It is especially handy when you are enjoying a warm day outside. My thoughts instantly go to curling up with a book somewhere tropical, with this refreshing drink for company, Bliss!!
Add in chunks of oranges and tear up some additional mint leaves as garnishes to make it a crowd pleaser! Have a member in the family or friends circle who is a teetotaler, like my hubby? Well, give them a break from plain lemonade and instead hand them this drink. They will be so excited to give this a try!
The mint adds to the freshness of the iced tea which you can make as strong or as light as you like. Adjust the amount of tea leaves that you put in. I personally prefer light tea, with that perfect golden hue and which is not too bitter. Swap out the sugar for honey or monk fruit extract to make it healthier. If you don’t want to waste time refrigerating, just add in a lot of ice cubes. Make a huge batch and serve to family and guests, the perfect party drink! And the best part, it requires just a few simple ingredients. Citrusy members of the orange family like tangerines or clementines would also work. Make sure you have the required amount of juice and it is sweet enough. If not, add in the sweetener as per the sweetness of the fruit.
Soothing to the Mind and the Palate
I cannot stress on how this drink fills you with happy thoughts, with all the colors and freshness. History has it that this refreshing drink became commercialized at the World’s Fair in St. Louis, when Richard Blechynden is said to have realized that an iced version of his free hot tea would be more appealing on a summer day. It did come true, as many fair goers from around the country came looking for cold drinks and the popularity of iced tea skyrocketed, although iced tea has existed a century prior to this event, as per this article.
How to make this refreshing Orange, Mint Iced Tea
The first step is to boil water, sugar (or Lakanto monk fruit extract) and mint leaves in a saucepan.
Once the water comes to a boil, add tea leaves and immediately turn off the heat .
Cover the saucepan and let the tea steep. Strain the brewed tea and let it cool down and add in the orange juice. Refrigerate and serve with ice cubes, cut oranges and mint leaves.
Orange Mint Iced Tea
This refreshing drink recipe uses freshly squeezed orange juice, brewed tea and mint leaves to make the most delicious, easy cooler.
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1 tbsp. loose black tea
- 3 tbsp. sugar (or monk fruit extract)
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 7-8 mint leaves
Instructions
- Boil water, sugar and mint leaves in a saucepan. Once the water comes to a boil, add tea leaves and immediately turn off heat.
- Cover the saucepan and let the tea steep for 4-5 minutes.
- Strain the brewed tea.
- Let the tea cool down and add in the orange juice.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve with ice cubes and cut oranges and mint leaves
Notes
You can substitute Sugar with sweetener of choice. I usually prefer Lakanto Monk Fruit Extract for a healthier alternative.
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