Hot and Healthy Winter Teas

Spiced Chai

Serves:  4

Per Serving:  74 calories, <1g fat, 16g carbs, 2g protein, 0g fiber, 27mg sodium

Ingredients:

4 green cardamom pods

4 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

3 thin slices of ginger root

1 cup low-fat milk (for lactose-free diet, choose lactose-free milk)

4-6 whole black pepper-corns

3 cups water

3 Tbsp honey or brown sugar

1-2 bags decaf or regular black tea bags

Cooking Directions:

In large saucepan, place cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, peppercorns and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat.  Cover and steep for 15 minutes.  Add honey or brown sugar and milk.  Bring to simmer.  Turn off heat.  Add tea bags and steep for 2-5 minutes depending on strength of tea desired.  Strain and serve hot.  (If you substitute ground dried spices for the whole forms listed above, make sure to add them at the end and not during cooking.  Otherwise they will spoil the chai's consistency.)

Fruity Green Tea

Serves:  4

Per Serving:  140 calories, 0g fat, 33g carbs, 1g protein, 0g fiber, 35mg sodium

Ingredients:

1 stick cinnamon stick

4 whole cloves

4 cups unsweetened, all natural cherry juice (for LMD choose pasteurized cherry juice)

4 star anise

3-4 green tea bags, use decaf if desired

Cooking Directions:

Bring cherry juice to a simmer over medium heat. Add spices. Reduce heat as needed to continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Cover and allow the spices to steep in the juice for 10 minutes. Add tea bags and steep for 2-5 minutes or until steeped to desired strength. Strain and serve hot.

Chamomile-Mint Soother with Ginger, Lemon and Honey

Serves:  4

Per Serving:  < 1g for all nutrients

Ingredients:

3 cups water

1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger root

Honey and lemon, to taste (for LMD, eliminate honey and choose another sweetener)

3 Tbsp chamomile tea

1 Tbsp dried mint

Cooking Directions:

In large saucepan, bring water and ginger to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.  Add chamomile and mint. Steep covered, for 10 minutes. Strain and add honey and lemon to taste.

Recipes from: www.aicr.org American Institute for Cancer Research Newsletter Winter 2008