When Dan and I were first married, I would make the sweet tea, and it would be gone in about a day and a half. We decided that we could only make it on special occasions or on the weekend because that stuff was just so darn irresistible! This recipe was born out of a desire for something sugar free, but “different” to drink. Something cold (we love Iced Coffee, but can’t drink too much for the diuretic effect that you certainly don’t want during the summer when you need to hydrate!), and something SUMMERY!! We know how to do summer!

We moved to the Midwest from the panhandle of Florida. From the end of March through the beginning of October it’s hot. There’s no getting around it, it’s 80-99% (not an exaggeration) humidity in the summer there and there is a huge need for cooling off if you want to be outside in the midst of it.

So tea, and Izzes, and Zevias, and Iced Coffees, Lemonade Homemade Popsicles, ice cubes in my kids’ water table and many MANY more ideas start zooming through my brain in the summer.

So this idea is brought to you in the fruit season where we have to be so careful of over-consumption of sugar. Let us not forget that the temptations of the winter holidays are around the corner. They’ll be here before you know it! So, let’s tighten the belt now and give ourselves a treat we don’t have to be sorry we consumed!

The berries used here are frozen to add the ice-cube concept, but also to enhance the berry flavor of the tea. I used a mixture of green and berry teas and some Swerve for sweetener.

Let’s get started!!

Mixed Berry Sweet Green Tea

4 bags green tea (if using family sz, 2)

2 bags mix berry herbal tea (I used Celestial Seasonings)

1/2 cup (or more to taste) Swerve Sweetener, confectioners or regular

2 cups frozen berries, I used blueberries and strawberries

In a pot boil, or in a microwavable glass bowl heat about 6 cups of water and steep the tea for about 2-5 minutes. Once the tea is well colored, transfer to a pitcher and fill the rest of the way with cold water. Add Swerve and frozen berries, then refrigerate until totally cold. Pour over frozen berries or ice and enjoy!

My kids love eating the berries afterward, it doubles as a snack and is the exciting equivalent to placing a cherry atop their  ice cream!