Who says cocktails can’t be healthy?

IT’S definitely time for skinny gorgeous cocktails made with tea – the ultimate no sugar, cholesterol-friendly and good-for-your-heart health mixer.

Start with your favourite tea and add fresh fruit juices rather than mixes.  Choose sliced fresh fruit for eye appeal and flavour – strawberries, watermelon, kiwi fruit and pineapple are good options – and decorate with mint, lavender, rosemary, lemon, orange and cucumber peel.

Add spice and use zero-calorie soda or sparkling water instead of soft drinks to finish off. Alcohol is an optional extra.

These recipes, supplied by Twining’s Tea, make two servings.

Four red fruits tea cocktail with sorbet

Sorbet Ingredients:

150ml cranberry juice

30ml sugar

15ml Four Red Fruits tea, brewed and cooled

Method:

Mix the cranberry juice, tea and sugar. Place in to a container and freeze.

Cocktail Ingredients:

150ml Four Red Fruits tea, brewed and cooled

300ml soda water

150ml cranberry juice

45ml to 90ml berry liqueur (optional) or

45ml to 90ml gin (optional)

Fresh berries to serve

Method

Mix the tea, soda water, cranberry juice and liqueur or gin. Pour into glasses and top with the sorbet. Serve with fresh berries

Rooibos tea cocktail with naartjie and honey

Ingredients

300ml Rooibos tea, brewed and cooled

300ml lemonade

30ml honey

20ml naartjie rind

45ml to 90ml citrus liqueur (optional) or

45ml to 90ml rum (optional)

Ice and thyme to serve.

Method

Fill glasses with ice.Mix the tea, lemonade, honey, rind and liqueur or rum if using. Bruise the thyme and add it to the glass.

Indian chai tea cocktail

Ingredients:

300ml chai tea, brewed and cooled

300ml ginger ale

45ml to 90ml ginger liqueur (optional) or

45ml to 90ml sake (optional)

Fresh lavender, mint, ginger and ice to serve

Method

Fill the glasses with ice. Mix the tea, ginger ale and liqueur or sake if using. Garnish with fresh lavender, mint, and ginger.

For an extra spicy version, add an aniseed liqueur.

Peach and cherry blossom green tea cocktail

Ingredients:

300ml Peach and Cherry Blossom Green tea, brewed and cooled

300ml lemonade

45ml to 90ml peach liqueur (optional) or

45ml to 90ml vodka (optional)

Fresh mint, jasmine or blossoms, peach or nectarine and ice to serve

Method

Fill the glasses with ice. Mix the tea, lemonade, and liqueur or vodka if using. Garnish with the fresh mint, blossoms and peach.

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