| C | 4 |
| F | 0g |
I LOVE SERVING this cold beverage along with refreshing salads and stir-fry dishes. Its complexity is interesting enough to keep you from missing that glass of white wine when you’re trimming weight.
Yield: Four 16-ounce servings
Prep time: about 1 minute
Cooking time: about 4 minutes
8 cups cold water
6 bags green tea (such as sencha)
1 lemon, zest and juice separate (3 tablespoons juice)
16 packets monk fruit extract (such as Monk Fruit In The Raw)
1 bunch basil, chopped, with 4 sprigs reserved whole
Ice for serving
1. Pour 3 cups of the water into a saucepot with the tea, lemon zest, monk fruit extract, and chopped basil and bring to a simmer over high heat. Pour the remaining cold water into a pitcher, strain the tea into the pitcher, and add the lemon juice.
2. Place 1 basil sprig each in four glasses with ice, pour the tea into each glass, and serve.
• Use any other natural tea in this recipe for some diversity—I love chamomile, hibiscus, and pomegranate.
• If you like your tea thicker (from sugar syrup), try adding ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum (such as Bob’s Red Mill) to the tea and blending on low for 30 seconds. (Xanthan gum’s thickening ability varies from brand to brand; I suggest starting with ⅛ teaspoon to judge the results.)
4 calories, 0g fat (0g sat), 0mg cholesterol, 5.395mg sodium, 5.395g carbohydrate, 0.32g fiber, 0.1975g protein
Calorie free / Fat free / Saturated fat free / Cholesterol free / Low sodium / No added sugar / Gluten free / Trans fat free