Summertime Tea Punch

My mom used to make this tea punch in the summertime that was amazing. It was made from frozen lemonade concentrate, tea, and a lemon-lime soft drink. I crave that every year around June!

So I decided to make a healthier version to have during the Sugar Free Challenge. If you want to make this like they make tea in the South, then you may want to add honey to the liquids when still warm- to your sweet liking. But this refreshing tea is sweet enough for me right now, so I will be sticking to a sweetener-free version.

Summertime Tea Punch

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup tightly packed fresh mint leaves (spearmint or peppermint)
• 2 cups filtered water
• 4 bags of Celestial Seasonings Caffeine Free Herb Tea (or 4 tea bags of your choosing)
• 1 L (about 4 cups) sparkling mineral water
• 1 lemon, sliced thin
  
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• Optional: stevia or honey to taste*

Method

• Chop the mint leaves fine and add them to the 2 cups filitered water in a pot on stove.
• Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally for at least 5 minutes (longer for more minty flavor) until the water begins to turn a tea color.
• Add the tea bags, and remove from heat and cover. Let steep for at least 10 minutes.
• Strain out tea bags and mint and pour into a pitcher.
• Stir in lemon juice, sparkling water, and add lemons and let that sit for at least 30 minutes to have the flavors combine well.
• Add more stevia or honey to taste when serving if needed, or enjoy a refreshing sweetener free version like me!

Tomorrow is the last day of the Sugar Free ChallengeUpdate on how I have done: Well, I did eat several dates this weekend...also accidentally had white flour (which for me, is also like having a ton of sugar). So this weekend was kind of a bust, and I have been experiencing the fall out from that. I don't tolerate sugar (or anything starchy/ refined) well, especially since I don't eat it nearly as much as I used to. Perhaps one day, I will be able to go to a party, have a cupcake and not care or think about how bad I will feel afterwards. But that day does not look like it is in my near future! If you participated, how are you feeling?

I will say I have been faithful (with the exception of the white flour fiasco), mostly eating fruit for dessert: watermelon, young coconuts, berries, etc. I have enjoyed eating more simply over the last 8 or 9 days, that's for sure. I feel like I have taken a good break. Not that I'm planning on going on a binge on Saturday, just might not be so strict after Sat :) I think it's good to go through times of discipline, but not followed by times of indulgence- just a sense of freedom. There is a difference, at least for me, to be able to follow times of fasting or purposefully giving something up with times where I don't go crazy, but just enjoy myself a little bit more.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Be looking forward to posts on grain education and sprouted things :)
Eryn