Try This: Lemon Iced Tea Pops

Reader Contribution by Staff
Published on July 30, 2012
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Erin is the Communications Manager at Mountain Rose Herbsand a graduate of the Columbines School of Botanical Studies. She spends her days photographing flowers, creating herbal treats, and wildcrafting medicinal plants in the magnificent Oregon Cascades.

I’m so excited about the fun times this season brings: delicious potlucks, eating wild berries, camping trips, tincturing fresh plants from the forest and the garden, and maybe best of all, swimming in our gorgeous mountain lakes!

As the days grow hotter, who doesn’t love a cold glass of lemonade iced tea? Imagine turning that refreshingly sweet and tart tradition into a frozen tea pop. Oh, yes! Tea pops are fun treats for hot summer days, only much healthier, totally customizable, and packed with herbal goodness you won’t find in store freezers.

You can change up the recipe below to include medicinal formulas, too. In fact, these summertime treats would be a great way to administer medicine to little upset tummies and sore throats. You can also make them using calming herbs as a before-bedtime popsicle treat, gently lulling kids to dreamland. Of course, adults love them too, and the sophisticated flavor combinations are endless! I especially like stacking different flavors and colors by layering teas. It adds a little extra visual whimsy.

The important thing to remember when making your tea base is that a stronger brew will make a more flavorful pop, so use more herb than usual and allow the tea to steep longer than you would for a typical sipping cup. Also, sweetener is key. I like to use a good amount of raw local honey, but you can use organic sugar, maple syrup crystals, stevia, a pinch of licorice powder, fruit juice, or any other sweetener of your choice.

Summertime Treat: Lemon Iced Tea Pops

• 1 pint organic black tea (I like Mango Ceylon), brewed strong and sweetened
• 1 pint organic Lemon Tea, brewed strong and sweetened
• Fresh squeezed juice from 2 organic lemons

1. Brew each tea separately, add sweetener while still hot and stir well.

2. Allow the tea to cool and then mix 1/2 the lemon juice in the black tea and the other 1/2 in the Lemon Tea.

3. Fill 1/3 of your popsicle mold with black tea. Freeze for 30 minutes or until solid. Next, pour a layer of Lemon Tea into the molds and freeze until solid. Top off popsicle molds with one more layer of black tea and allow to freeze completely before enjoying in the sunshine.

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