Refreshing Hibiscus Iced Tea Recipe - With Lemon Balm, Mint and Lemon

I know some people are ready for Fall, but I’m still in Summer mode! I love making a big pitcher of this hibiscus iced tea and keeping it in the fridge. I add lemon balm for its natural sweetness and calming properties and mint for cooling and aiding in digestion. I drink it nearly every day in the summer. Its also great to turn into a quick hot pink cocktail (or mocktail!) by adding tonic water, bitters and some vodka, and a lemon wedge or sprig of mint as a garnish. Just exclude the vodka if you want a mocktail :)

Scroll down to the end if you just want the recipe!

Herbal benefits:

Hibiscus - Hibiscus sabdariffa - Contains antioxidants. Promotes heart health and lowers cholesterol and blood pressure.

Lemonbalm on the left and peppermint on the right!

Lemon Balm - Melissa officinalis - contains rosmarinic acid. Helps to calm nervous system, improves mood and brain function.

Mint - use any mint you have, I have peppermint or Mentha x piperita - source of vitamin A, supports eye health, contains antioxidants, soothes digestive distress.

Lemon - Citrus limon - source of vitamin C, supports heart health.

Using a french press is my pro tip for iced tea! I make a concentrated version first and then add cold water ;)

Highly recommend this style of citrus press. It gets every last drop.

Can’t get enough of that deep pink color! I also throw the lemon rinds in because, why not!?

What you need:

Tea kettle or pot to boil water

24 oz French press OR glass or metal bowl and strainer

Pitcher (preferably glass)

Citrus press or juicer (optional)

Sharp knife

Ingredients:

Water

1/4 cup of dried hibiscus flowers

1/4 cup fresh mint or 1/8 cup dried

1/4 cup fresh lemon balm or 1/8 cup dried

1 or 2 washed lemons

Honey or Agave to taste (optional)

Note - If you’re having trouble finding dried hibiscus flowers, try looking for it under one of its other names, it goes by Roselia in Australia, flor de Jamaica in parts of Latin America, or sorrel in Jamaica.

Directions:

Bring water to a boil. Rinse your herbs if they are fresh. Place hibiscus, mint and lemon balm in french press. Fill with water. Allow to steep for 20 minutes. Press down the french press. Pour tea into glass pitcher, or into something else temporarily if your pitcher is plastic, we don’t want plastic melting into you tea! Use citrus press to squeeze lemon into tea. I usually drop the rind in, which is why I said you should wash it. Add sweetener to taste and stir. Fill the pitcher the rest of the way with cold water, or stop whenever you want because its your tea and it should be as strong or as weak as you’d like! Put pitcher in fridge and wait until it’s chilled. If you don’t want to wait, fill a glass with ice cubes and pour some of your tea over them.

I hope you enjoy this iced tea! And please let me know if you make it in the comments or tag me on instagram! @miel.reil

Enjoy this pretty photo of a hibiscus dyed lemon that was in my freezer compost bowl <3