Pomegranate Iced Tea

When I moved to the South 12 years ago, I was immediately infatuated with sweet tea. Sweet tea is a staple in the south. In fact, when you go out to dinner, you have to request unsweet tea or they will automatically give you the sweet stuff. And, if you do request your tea straight up, they will look at you as if you have two heads. Then they leave to go get the pitcher of the unsweet tea that has been sitting, untouched, in the service area.

As fond as I was of my beloved sweet tea, my body was not happy with my love of sugar so I have all but given up consuming any processed sugar. It’s been over two years since I had my last taste of this wondrous elixir. But to be honest, I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t be as wonderful to me now. Sweet is too sweet for me now that my taste buds have adjusted to life without sugar.

I do, however, still love iced tea. It’s cool and refreshing, especially on a hot, humid summer afternoon on the veranda. OK – I just through that last part in. I don’t really have a veranda. I have an ordinary front porch complete with dead hanging plants. (I had to stop watering them because birds moved in and built nests. Happens every year. Clearly I’m a slow learner.)

This is one of my very favorite iced tea recipes. It is not at all sweet; it’s got great flavor; it’s full of antioxidants; and it’s very refreshing. There is just enough sweetener to counter the tartness of the pomegranate and lime. I think it’s a perfect balance. Enjoy this on your veranda… or on your front porch while you listen to sweet baby birdies chirping away in your dead geraniums.

Pomegranate Iced Tea

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts prepared unsweet tea (prepare as strong as you like it – but don’t make it weak)
• 2 cups pure pomegranate juice
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar (or use 1/4 cup sugar)
• 2-3 limes, thinly sliced

Combine cooled tea, pomegranate juice and agave nectar in a one gallon pitcher. Taste for level of sweetness and add more agave if needed. (You can also use stevia. Just start with a little and add if needed. Stevia is much stronger than agave or sugar.)

Pour tea into a pretty glass pitcher, leaving room for the limes. Add about half of the lime slices. Store remaining tea and limes in the refrigerator until needed to refill the pitcher. Serve over ice.

This makes enough for eight glasses so double recipe as needed for a crowd.

Sweetest Blessings,
LeAnn