No idea how it’s like where you live, but the weather’s been crazy here – up to 40C – I’d call that hot hot hot, almost too hot. Truth is I don’t remember having a heat wave that lasted this long over the last couple of summers. I do love this season, but sometimes it feels a bit too much even for someone hating the cold as much as I am. It hasn’t rained for weeks and we’ve been struggling with this heat, unable to bake or even do some simple things as going to the park. During the day we’re stuck inside, trying to cool ourselves down with cold and warm drinks (yes, warm drinks seem to be doing the best job of all) and plenty of water. But one of our favorite is this iced tea. My son especially loves iced tea so instead of buying it (God knows what they add into it, let’s not go into details on that side of things), I’m making it at home, using healthy, nourishing herbs instead of additives and flavorings. He enjoys a mix of mint, chamomile, pansy, sage, blueberry, ginger and plenty of other herbs we both pick at the store. I enjoy pretty much anything, from black tea to green tea, jasmine or hibiscus.
In the picture above you can see some of our favorites: hibiscus iced tea with red fruits, earl grey with peach and mint, herbal mint with lemon and black tea with lemon, peach and mint. As a sweetener, I used honey, but sugar, agave syrup or maple syrup works just as well. Oh and don’t forget the ice, plenty of it!
- Tea bags of your choice
- Hot water to infuse the tea
- Ice cubes
- Lemon slices, lime slices, mint leaves and your favorite fruits
- Sweetener of your choice: honey, sugar, agave syrup, maple syrup, date syrup
- Infuse the tea in hot water (1 tea bag for each cup of hot water) for 10 minutes.
- Remove the tea bags and allow the tea to cool to room temperature.
- Add the sweetener of your choice then throw in the ice cubes, lemon slices, mint or your favorite fruits.
- Give it a good mix and serve right away!

Reteta de azi abia daca e reteta. E mai degraba un mic truc pentru a face acasa o bautura destul de populara – iced tea sau ceai cu gheata. In loc sa cumparam tot felul de ceaiuri care cine stie ce contin, nu mai bine ne facem noi acasa propriile variante?! Fiul meu adora ceaiul acela cumparat, dar facandu-l acasa ma asigur ca bea ceva nu doar gustos, ci si sanatos. Pentru el pregatesc de obicei o varianta cu ceai din cat mai multe plante, dar puteti folosi orice tip de ceai doriti. In fotografii vedeti: ceai de hibiscus cu fructe rosii si lamaie, earl grey cu piersica si menta, ceai negru cu lamaie, piersica si menta si ceai de menta cu lamaie si frunzulite de menta proaspete. Ca indulcitor eu am optat pentru miere, dar puteti folosi sirop de agave, zahar, sirop de artar sau indulcitor artificial daca sanatatea v-o cere ori chiar sucuri naturale de fructe. Si nu uitati de gheata, cat mai multa gheata!
Ingrediente:
- Plicuri de ceai (sau planta intreaga)
- Apa fierbinte
- Indulcitor: miere, sirop de agave, zahar alb sau brun, sirop de artar, indulcitor artificial
- Felii de lamaie, lime, frunze de menta si alte fructe proaspete
- Cuburi de gheata
Mod de preparare:
- Infuzati ceaiul timp de 10 minute (1 plic de ceai/1lingurita de planta la fiecare cana de apa ar trebui sa fie suficient)
- Indepartati plicul de ceai si lasati ceaiul sa se raceasca complet.
- Adaugati indulcitor dupa gust, apoi felii de lamaie/lime, fructe proaspete, menta si cuburi de gheata.
- Amestecati energic si serviti imediat.
- Sa aveti pofta!
Oh, I want have a glass of this now, Oana! Its almost as hot here in the South of France. I’m not complaining though, it will soon be time to return to rainy England 🙁 Thank you reminding me how easy it is to make this lovely refreshing drink. Louise x
Thank you, Louise. Ah England’s weather is a bit depressing for me. Every time I came to visit I found myself longing for my Romanian sun 😀
NU-mi place ceaiul în pliculețe, rămâne un gust de cârpă fiartă… Plus că niciodată nu știi ce-i acolo: am găsit în pliculeț inclusiv rumeguș cu colorant și arome sintetice!
Poti folosi oricand planta, nu e nevoie de pliculet.