I love to brew this rosy citrus flavoured tea in a big pitcher in the sun along with cinnamon and star anise. Native to Africa, hibiscus is rich in antioxidants, vitamins A and C, and is loaded with electrolytes which make this tea a great post-workout drink. You can use whatever sweetener that you like, however; I find that powdered stevia works well with the tart flavour of hibiscus with the added bonus of it being calorie free!
Hibiscus flowers can be found at your local tea or health food store in bulk. They are often labelled as “Jamaica” flowers.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of dried hibiscus flowers
- 8 cups of water
- a stick of cinnamon
- two whole star anise
- 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen organic unsweetened raspberries, lightly crushed
- 1/4 tsp. of powdered white stevia or to taste ( I use the Now brand of powdered white stevia)
Combine water, dried hibiscus, cinnamon, and star anise in a large glass pitcher. Set out in the sun for 5 hours. As the hibiscus infuses into the water it will turn a deep, rich, red colour. Strain the tea and place it back into the pitcher.
Add the 1/2 cup of crushed raspberries and stevia to taste. Place in the refrigerator to cool. The longer it sits in the fridge the more pronounced the raspberry flavour will be. Serve over ice.