Everywhere you look coffee shops, fast food restaurants, and mom-and-pop shops are offering an ever-growing array of coffee and tea based beverages. These are often offered both hot or cold and are designed to appeal to taste buds a plenty. The disadvantage to purchasing from any of these shops is the price, no doubt. After all, these shops are offering what I like to call “over priced coffee beverages”. Though I try to make light of it, I also find that I need to limit the number of purchases I make. So, to make sure I can continue to drink the drinks I enjoy, I have learned to make them at home for next to no cost.

Tea based smoothies are definitely a favorite of mine! Not only does tea have few, if any, calories, I always try to add in fresh fruit to help me reach my nutritional needs. Here are a couple delicious recipes to help you get started…enjoy!

Chai Fruit Smoothie

Serves 2-4

• 1 peach, diced
• 1 apple, diced
• 1 cup frozen, red seedless grapes
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 ½ cup frozen strawberries
• 2 chai green tea bags

Directions:

• Brew Chai Green tea in 1 cup boiling water, steep for 3-5 minutes. Remove tea bags and place all the fruit in the blender and pour in the hot tea. Blend until smooth. The tea gives a great spice  taste to the fruit smoothie.

Licorice Spice Smoothie

For each 16 oz. glass:

• 2 cups vanilla ice cream (frozen yogurt, sherbet, or sorbet may be substituted)
• contents of 2-3 Licorice Spice tea bags
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
• In a blender, mix ingredients until fully blended.
• To Serve: Garnish with whipped cream

Substitutions: You can substitute low fat or fat free yogurt, sherbet or sorbet for the ice cream. Substitute cup per cup.

Wild Raspberry Dreams

For each 16 oz glass:

• 2 cups vanilla ice cream
• contents of 2 Wild Raspberry tea bags
• 1/4 tsp. raspberry syrup (optional)

Directions: In a blender, mix ingredients until fully blended.

Substitutions:

• You can substitute low fat or fat free yogurt for the ice cream. Substitute cup per cup.
• You can add ½ cup frozen or fresh raspberries instead of the raspberry syrup.

[Editor’s note: Our blog is chock full of great articles on this topic. Use our search feature to find them!]

© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.