With flu season in full swing across the country, I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather lately.
The cold I’ve been fighting off for the past couple of weeks has finally burst towards the side I’ve been trying to avoid.
Lot of fluids have been in order for me, especially herb teas.
I love the deep red color of hibiscus tea. Such vivid color straight from nature.
No red dyes here. I like to stay away from artificially colored jello and gatorade whenever possible. Hibiscus tea is a good option to give that dark red color that so many of us find so attractive in food.
If you can’t find pure hibiscus tea, there are also combination herb teas like Raspberry Zinger, which has hibiscus, rosehips, chicory, orange peel, and natural raspberry flavors.
Tazo Passion Tea is a longtime favorite of mine.
With hibiscus, rosehips, lemongrass, mango and passionfruit flavors, how could I not love it?
Look what I spied out my backyard window. So many of them, with such beautiful color. I only wish they were sweeter.
Perfect though, since I need a good dose of vitamin C.
Think I’ll mix it with my hibiscus tea.
Any kind of orange citrus will do here– oranges, tangelos (my tree), or tangerines.
Great, especially since they are all in season right now.
Tangerines are the best because they seem to be the sweetest right now, but since I have a tangelo tree, that’s what I’m juicing.
Left: Hibiscus tea with tangelo juice; Right: Raspberry Zinger tea with tangelo juice
Steep some strong hibiscus tea.
Sweeten to taste with honey, stevia or sweetener of choice.
Add in an equal amount of freshly squeezed tangerine, tangelo or orange juice.
Taste again, adjust sweetness if needed, then chill it.
As you can see, the pitcher on the left with the pure hibiscus tea yields a much deeper red color.
The pitcher on the right though, with the combination hibiscus rosehips tea, is still a very bright, attractive color.
You can also use these to make your own naturally colored red gelatin by melting in gelatin or agar agar, pouring into a pan, and letting it firm up in the refrigerator.
I really like it this way, extra firm, cut into cubes. These taste better sweetened a little more than you would for just drinking.
A nice cheery drink to brighten up the day.
- 4 hibiscus or hibiscus blend tea bags
- 3 c. boiling water
- 3 c. freshly squeezed tangerine or orange juice
- Honey, stevia or sweetener of choice to taste
- Steep the tea bags in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and add in sweetener. Let cool to room temperature.
- Mix juice into cooled tea. Add more sweetener if needed. Serve chilled.
