Trying to be healthy....what to drink?

Herbal teas

3 blueberry tea bags

2 mint tea bags

Place the tea bags in either pan or I choose to do

it in the microwave glass measuring cup.

Add filtered water...about 4 cups.

Heat in microwave for 5 minutes.  Then I walk away after taking a picture....fold laundry...just kinda forget about it so it can.....STEEP...yep that is the word.

Once it has steeped set the bags aside.

Add 1 tsp of stevia.  It is Stevita brand.  1 tsp is = 1 cup of sugar

I love the stuff....totally natural...

Stir it in...dissolves rather well in warm liquids.  The powdered stevia also works well in baked goods.The Stevita brand of stevia makes it in a liquid form as well.  Some forms of liquid stevia is very bitter....their brand is not.  Theirs is what I recommend adding to cold beverages.

BACK TO TEA.....

Fill a gallon pitcher 3/4 full of ice.
Pour the sweetened tea concentrate over the ice
Add three cups of water.

The guys like it.  It is a refreshing treat!











(I had been cooking all day...messy counters.  A real cooks reality)

Coffee Smoothies

This is certainly a summer time favorite of mine. The children request it all year. As the picture indicates, I sometimes top the drink with a squeeze of whipping cream and a little drizzle more of the hazelnut syrup!

• 8 ounces whole milk
• 1 TBS coffee granules*
• 1 tablespoon your favorite flavored syrup (I love hazelnut!)
• 10-12 large ice cubes
• 1 packet of your sweetener of choice (I use stevia.)
  

Directions

1. Add all ingredients, in order, to blender or smoothie maker.
2. Blend until smooth. This will be pretty thick because of the amount of ice.
3. Enjoy!

*Skip this if you are using frozen coffee 3-4 cubes. Adjust the number of ice cubes according to the number of coffee cubes you are using.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 qt milk (4 cups for those of you that don't have a conversion chart taped to their cabinet door)
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 crushed (1/4 cup) peppermint sticks
pinch of salt

Wisk milk into cocoa powder until dissolved. Add chocolate chips and candy. Simmer over medium heat, stirring intermittently. Simmer until chocolate chips and candy are melted (8-10 min). Add salt. Ladle into mugs. Enjoy the "Ooos and awwws" from your children!

For a variation, I added 1 cup of strong coffee and adjusted nothing else.