How to Make My Healthy Version of Russian Tea

Have you ever heard of Russian tea? Up until recently, I hadn't--but the idea of it intrigued me. It's a spicy black tea blend with a distinct orange flavor. Most versions, however, contain A LOT of sugar. Since I know sugar is bad for me, I knew I had to do something different. I hunted online to find alternatives and couldn't find anything that managed to capture the citrus flavors--so I knew I had to develop my own. Here is what I came up with.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup dried black tea leaves
• 1/2 cup dried lemon balm leaves
• 2 tbsp. dried orange blossom
• 2 tbsp. dried orange peel
• 2 tbsp. chopped, candied pineapple
• 1 tbsp. dried lemon peel
• Medium mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• 1 tbsp. dried cinnamon chips or 1/2 tsp. dried ground cinnamon
• 3 drops Bergamot essential oil
• Honey, to taste

1. Purchase the oranges and lemons (organic, if possible) and dry them yourself; this way the citrus oils will be at their freshest.

2. Mix all of the ingredients except for the essential oil and honey in the mixing bowl. Stir gently with a wooden spoon. Add the essential oil and stir.

3. Store in an airtight container away from heat and light.

4. When you want a cup of tea, mix 1 tsp. of the dried tea for each cup of hot water. Let it steep for 5 minutes, then remove the tea leaves. Sweeten to taste with honey.

Tips & Warnings

• Search for the highest quality ingredients.

• While most versions contain fruit juices, mine uses the peels, which is a much healthier alternative.

• Drinking a cup of this blend a day can enhance your health.

• It is doubtful that this is actually the traditional way to serve tea in Russia, but the flavors are fun and I love my healthy alternative!