Warm Pear-Apple Cider
Carb. per serving 8 g
Servings 4 (10 ounces each)
Prep 20 minutes Cook 20 minutes
- 2 medium ripe pears, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
- 2 medium red-skin cooking apples, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
- 2 3- to 4-inch sticks cinnamon
- 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1. In a pot combine 6 cups water and the fruit. Place cinnamon sticks, ginger slices, and whole cloves on an 8-inch square of double-thickness cheesecloth. Pull up corners; tie with 100 percent cotton kitchen string. Add bag of spices to the pot with sugar and ground cinnamon and ginger. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 20 to 25 minutes or until fruit is tender. Remove spice bag; discard.
2. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan. Press on fruit to remove juice. Heat through. Serve in mugs. If desired, garnish with additional pear slices.
Per serving: 31 cal., 0 g total fat, 0 mg chol., 11 mg sodium, 8 g carb. (0 g fiber, 7 g sugars), 0 g pro. Exchanges: 0.5 fruit.
Orange-Ginger Tea
Carb. per serving 3 g
Servings 4 (8 ounces each)
Prep 10 minutes Stand 4 minutes
- 4 cups water
- 4 green tea bags
- 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup orange juice
1. In a medium saucepan bring water to boiling. Remove from heat. Add tea bags and ginger slices. Cover and steep for 4 minutes. Remove tea bags and discard. Stir in orange juice. If desired, remove ginger slices or leave them in for a more intense flavor. Ladle tea into four cups.
Per serving: 11 cal., 0 g total fat, 0 mg chol., 7 mg sodium, 3 g carb. (0 g fiber, 1 g sugars), 0 g pro. Exchanges: Free
Warm Honey Green Tea
Carb. per serving 5 g
Servings 4 (7 ounces each)
Prep 10 minutes Cook 10 minutes
Stand 1 minute
- 4 lemon peel strips (2½×1 inches each)
- 4 orange peel strips (2½×1 inches each)
- 4 green tea bags
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 4 lemon slices
1. In a medium saucepan stir together the 4 cups water, lemon peel strips, and orange peel strips. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove lemon and orange strips; discard.
2. Place tea bags in a teapot; immediately add simmering water mixture. Cover and steep according to directions (1 to 3 minutes). Remove tea bags, squeezing gently; discard. Stir in honey. Pour tea into four cups; garnish each with a lemon slice.
Per serving: 16 cal., 0 g total fat, 0 mg chol., 8 mg sodium, 5 g carb. (1 g fiber, 3 g sugars), 0 g pro. Exchanges: Free
Chai-Spiced Lattes
Carb. per serving 11 g or 5 g
Servings 4 (6 ounces each)
Start to Finish 10 minutes
- 1½ cups fat-free milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar*
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1½ cups hot brewed espresso or strong coffee
1. In a pan heat and stir milk, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice over medium heat until just simmering. Remove from heat. If desired, froth the milk with a milk frothing wand or immersion blender.
2. Pour espresso into four mugs. Pour in hot milk mixture, spooning frothed milk on top if using. If desired, garnish with additional pumpkin pie spice.
*Sugar Substitutes: Choose Splenda Granular, Equal Spoonful or packets, or Sweet’N Low bulk or packets. Follow package directions to use product amount equivalent to 2 tablespoons sugar. If using Equal, add to milk after removing from the heat.
Per serving: 57 cal., 0 g total fat, 2 mg chol., 40 mg sodium, 11 g carb. (0 g fiber, 11 g sugars), 3 g pro. Exchanges: 0.5 milk, 0.5 starch
per serving with substitute: 35 cal., 5 g carb. (5 g sugars). Exchanges: 0 starch.
Mango Ginger Lassi
Carb. per serving 24 g
Servings 4 (6 ounces each)
Start to Finish 10 minutes
- 1 medium mango, halved, seeded, peeled, and cut up
- ¾ cup cold water
- 1½ cups plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon grated, peeled fresh ginger
1. In a blender combine mango and the water. Cover and blend until smooth. Add yogurt, honey, and ginger. Cover and blend until well combined. Pour into four glasses filled with ice cubes.
Per serving: 115 cal., 0 g total fat, 2 mg chol., 73 mg sodium, 24 g carb. (1 g fiber, 23 g sugars), 6 g pro. Exchanges: 1.5 starch.
Watermelon-Hibiscus Iced Tea
Carb. per serving 6 g
Servings 4 (8 ounces each)
Prep 10 minutes Chill 2 hours
- 3 cups water
- 4 hibiscus herbal tea bags (such as Red Zinger brand)
- 2 cups chopped, seeded watermelon
1. In a small saucepan bring the water just to boiling. Remove from heat; add tea bags. Cover; steep for 4 minutes. Remove tea bags, squeezing gently. Transfer tea to a 4-cup glass measure. Cover and chill for 2 hours to 3 days.
2. When ready to serve, place watermelon in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth. Stir watermelon into chilled tea. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids. Pour into four glasses filled with ice cubes.
Per serving: 25 cal., 0 g total fat, 0 mg chol., 3 mg sodium, 6 g carb. (0 g fiber, 5 g sugars), 0 g pro. Exchanges: 0.5 fruit.
