Welcome to the final course of our Whole Foods for the Holidays Progressive Dinner! Hopefully you’ve been able to find some delicious new recipes to sample this season. (I know I have!)
This week, we’re linking up our festive beverages! Whether it’s hot & comforting or chilled & sparkling, link up your favorite drink recipes for the holidays.
During this season of parties and drop-in visitors, it’s nice to have a warm beverage to offer your guests. A spiced “Russian Tea” seems to be a popular choice, but the ingredients are less than ideal (typically a combination of powdered drink mixes containing artificial colors/flavors, with an extra scoop of white sugar)!
Pineapple juice is also a common ingredient, but as a non-local grocery item for me, it’s quite expensive compared to seasonal, local fruits. So, that is not included in my version.
In my version, I’ve combined a fragrant loose-leaf tea, along with seasonal juices, and spices. (Other than the juices, there’s no additional sugar!) It’s nice to have a caffeine-free option for guests, but you could substitute a favorite black tea in this recipe instead, such as Orange Pekoe.
Good, strong-flavored spices, along with the flavorful tea, add a “sweet” flavor, without the need for additional sweetening.
I like to get fresh apple cider from local apple farms or our co-op, when it is seasonally available. I’m also able to get organic West Coast (my side of the country!) Valencia Oranges when they are seasonally available from our co-op as well.
It’s simple to make, and have simmering in a slow cooker or on a back burner for guests. (Or, mix up a batch ahead of time, and keep it in the refrigerator until the day of your holiday event.)
“Real Food” Russian Tea
4 Cups Hot Water
6-8 tsp. Fair Trade Loose-Leaf Red Rooibos Tea or 3-4 tea bags (naturally caffeine-free!)- I get mine from Mountain Rose Herbs.
1 Lemon Tea Bag (such as Celestial Seasonings) or a dash of Lemon Juice (up to a couple Tbl), if desired
2 Cups Unfiltered, Organic Apple Cider
1 1/2 Cups Orange Juice (Run a few oranges through a blender, or use prepared juice)
1 tsp. Ground Saigon Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Ground ClovesGarnish with a couple Cinnamon Sticks and fresh Orange Slices, if desired.
Steep teas in the hot water to make a very strong tea (approximately 4-5 minutes); use a mesh tea strainer or bag if using loose leaf tea. Remove tea bags/strainer. Stir in juices and spices. Taste, and adjust flavors as necessary. Heat before serving.
Makes approx. 1/2 Gallon
What are you serving up this winter? Link up your favorite drink recipe!
This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday at Beauty & Bedlam.
Sorry- the linky disappeared for awhile! It’s back! 
Sounds good Michelle! The last time I had Russian Teanit was made with Tang. Eww!
This sounds much better.
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Looks amazing! I loved “russian tea” growing up but have avoided the tea-tang-sugar combo as an adult. I am so excited to have it back. Thanks!
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Thank you for this great recipe, and for hosting! I remember growing up in Alaska and drinking LOTS of this Russian tea in the winter at everyone’s home, and being given it (with the recipe) as gifts. Yep, full of Tang. Everytime. So nice to see it real food-ified!
Brings back memories!
Best,
Sarah
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That sounds delicious!
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[...] I missed desserts! (The really yummy part!) That’s what happens when you’re in the hospital. This is the final week of the Whole Foods for the Holidays real food progressive dinner; today’s course is drinks. [...]
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Russian Tea sounds wonderful! Thanks!
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This is too funny – I did not even know what YOU were posting until I went to link up. I included the mix recipe (which I don’t use but will sometimes give as gifts…) followed by my realfood version.
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Michele Reply:
December 7th, 2010 at 8:20 pm
How funny!
Like I said, it’s a popular drink. 
I love your gift packaging idea for it! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe.
Blessings,
Michele
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Hey, just BTW, it’s totally not as good as this recipe, but I did a post with a recipe for “chai mix” that actually doesn’t have so much in the way of evil ingredients–it does used powdered tea and powdered milk, but each of those are one-ingredient powders! It’s not bad…though the “real” stuff can’t help but be better:-)
Anyway, FWIW–
http://greenmomintheburbs.wordpress.com/2009/11/21/winter-drink-mixes-gift-ideas/
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This sounds awesome! I used to love Celestial Seasonings until I discovered they have SOY lecithin in pretty much every tea they sell.
I don’t buy it any more.
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Michele Reply:
December 7th, 2010 at 8:19 pm
Oh, I know- isn’t the soy lecithin disappointing? I usually keep a box around for guests, since they’re fair trade and have popular flavors. But our family doesn’t usually drink it much anymore.
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Jen Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 7:00 am
@Michele, It totally is! It really angers me that there’s soy and corn in EVERY food basically here in the US. I bought organic eggs the other day and the box said “fed a vegetarian diet containing soybeans”. I was like oh yay.
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Sarah Reply:
December 8th, 2010 at 5:18 pm
@Jen, What?!? This is terrible! Going to check my tea shelf now . . . okay, at least only ONE of my boxes has soy lecithin, but still, I never thought to consider it’d go in herbal tea?!? Ridiculous.
Sigh. One more thing to have to read the ingredient list on from now on . . . glad I came back to read more comments!
Best,
Sarah
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Jen Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 7:01 am
@Sarah, Yeah, it’s pretty crazy. It makes me mad!
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Kelly Reply:
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:03 pm
Sarah, Jen, & Michele-why in the world is there soy lecithin in tea bags?? Maybe I learned it wrong, but was told that’s to emulsify the ingredients (like in chocolate) so what needs to be emulsified in LOOSE tea? Good grief-is it listed on their labels? Just checked most of my boxes and by golly it sure is! Right there with “natural flavors”. Makes me wonder how natural the flavors are. Thanks for putting this in the comments…
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I’m late, but I made it!
I’m sharing our egg nog, chai tea, and a honey-sweetened hot cocoa (which can be dairy-free).
Thanks for hosting, Michele. Have a great day!
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[...] requested. The sweet Organic Honeybush Tea is a great option, and is also a perfect addition to my homemade “real food” Russian Tea, which I’m preparing for a party at church this weekend! I’m looking forward to [...]