Berry Basil Iced Tea

It’s Secret Recipe Club time again!

This month, I was assigned Angela’s Kitchen.  Angela is an expert in all things gluten and diary-free.  And I love her blog’s tagline: “Because Everyone Deserves a Cookie!”  Love it!

 I have already recommended her blog to several friends who have needed to adopt gluten and dairy-free lifestyles!  So many of her dishes looked fantastic, but since the first day of summer is upon us, I was instantly drawn to her delicious drinks!

This iced tea was absolutely amazing!  I made only half a batch since I was nervous about harvest more basil from my young plants, but will definitely make a full gallon next time.   A big mug of this iced tea is perfect on a hot summer day and so much healthier than commercial green tea beverages.  So pull up a mug and enjoy a cold glass of tea with me!

Recipe Notes:

*I used a mix of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries in this tea.

*If using frozen berries, be sure they aren’t sweetened.  Run them under warm water for a few seconds to lightly thaw before mashing.

*I used decaffeinated green tea so my children could enjoy the tea as well.

*The white grape juice and honey are optional sweeteners, but with the spicy bite of the herbs, I thought the hint of sweetness was perfect.

Berry Basil Iced Tea

Adapted from Angela’s Kitchen

1 quart (4 cups) water, boiling

1 cup berries, lightly mashed

¼ cup basil leaves, loosely packed

1 small sprig rosemary, woody stems removed

6 bags green tea

1 tbsp honey

3 cups ice cubes, plus more for serving

½ cup white grape juice

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a non-reactive pot (non-stick or stainless steel).  Remove from heat and quickly stir in the berries, basil, rosemary, honey, and green tea bags.  Steep for 5 minutes.

Place the ice cubes in a non-reactive (plastic or glass) pitcher.

Strain out the large solids by pouring the tea through a colander into a large bowl.   Then, strain out any remaining pulp by lining the colander with cheesecloth or a doubled paper towel and pouring the tea into the ice filled pitcher.  Stir in the white grape juice.  Serve in mason jars filled with ice on a hot day.

Makes about ½ gallon of tea, or 8 cups

Linked to Made with Love Mondays