Honey Cocoa Iced Tea

I typically make iced coffee in the summer but I just started making good iced tea. Since I have way too much tea and it's far too hot outside to drink it warm, I needed an alternative.

Here are some simple tips for brewing your own iced tea with loose tea leaves:

1) Use more tea leaves then you would for hot tea (rather than 1 teaspoon use 1 1/2 teaspoons)

2) Let your tea steep for a good chunk of time. Depending on how strong the tea is, I usually let it steep for about 20-30 minutes

3) Sweeten your tea while it's still hot- this way the sweetener fully dissolves. I like to use honey rather than sugar so my drink is sweet, but not entirely bad for me!

4) Make tea ice cubes so the tea does't get watered down. Like watery iced coffee, it just isn't pleasant.

Ok enough tips, here's how I made this delicious Cocoa Iced Tea!

Honey Cocoa Iced Tea

4 cups of hot water
5-6 teaspoons of cocoa tea leaves (I used this tea: http://www.ambrosiaherb.com)
1 Tablespoon organic honey
2-3 teaspoons caramel sauce (Optional- this is for more of a dessert iced tea)
1/4 cup almond milk, milk or half & half (I prefer a mix of milk and almond milk)

1) Add tea leaves to almost boiling water

2) Add honey and caramel sauce

3) Let leaves steep for about 20 minutes

4) Strain tea into container and set in fridge until completely chilled

5) Pour chilled tea into glasses with ice

6) Add a touch of milk/cream

Enjoy!

Iced Strawberry Mocha

After picking some fresh strawberries last week, I have been dying to create some delicious strawberry recipes. This week I experimented with strawberries and coffee. Here's the delicious result!

Iced Strawberry Mocha Recipe

(Serves two)

2 cups cold coffee

1 cup milk

1 1/2 Tablespoon sugar

1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup frozen/fresh strawberries

Ice cubes 

1) Brew 2 cups of coffee and chill in fridge

2) Heat your strawberries on the stove or in the microwave

 3) Strain the strawberry juice into a sauce pan

 4) Add the sugar 

 5) Add the milk

 6) Add the cocoa and vanilla

 7) Heat the mixture in sauce pan until steaming. Transfer to container and chill

 8) Prepare glass with ice 

 9) Fill glass 3/4 full with iced coffee

 10) Fill rest of glass with chilled strawberry/milk mixture 

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chai Tea

Chocolate Chai Tea (for 2)

3 cups of milk (I used almond milk) 

1 1/2 Tablespoons of vanilla 

2 Tablespoons of sugar 

2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder

Pinch of salt 

2 chai tea bags

1) Mix all the ingredients (except tea bags) together in a pot on the stove (medium heat) 

2) Once the mixture is hot, pour into a tea pot and add the chai tea bags 

3) Let the tea bags seep for 5 minutes and then enjoy!