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| Rooibos Iced Tea. Photo: The Skinny Chef |
My pick this summer is red bush. If you're craving flavor, it comes in vanilla, orange, peach and even red bush chai. If you can't find your favorite, try adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract, lemon or orange zest or a cinnamon stick while the tea is steeping.
Get Jennifer's Red Bush Iced Tea recipe and learn about its health benefits after the jump.
Red bush -- or Rooibos in Afrikaans -- tea comes from the leaves of a bush that grows in southern Africa and like many teas has valuable antioxidants such as aspalathin and nothofagin. Red bush also contains soothing compounds that work as an antispazmodic; people who have chronic stomach problems and cramps swear by it.
I like it because it's caffeine-free, yet has a rich, well rounded flavor so I can drink it in the evening and throughout the day while I'm working away. It's tasty straight without sweetener but you can choose how much sugar to add.
But if you are craving something gently sweetened, add a tablespoon of maple syrup or raw honey. To make the red bush cooler in the picture above, add 1 cup of basic red bush iced tea to 1 cup of cubed watermelon, 1/4 cup orange juice, and 4 ice cubes and blend until smooth.
Basic Red Bush Iced Tea
2 quarts of boiling hot water
4 tablespoons of red bush tea or 8 small tea bags
Ice for serving
Steep the tea in the boiled water for 3 to 4 minutes. Cool to room temperature before refrigerating in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Learn more about Jennifer at skinnychef.com, and read her exclusive Slashfood blogs every Monday and Friday.
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