Mint Chocolate Shake

 Oh my. This sounds kinda weird, but trust me... it is DELIGHTFUL!

1 bag mint tea
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup ice
1 tsp cocoa
1 tsp sugar or other sweetener
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1-1/2 tsp flaxseed oil (optional, but adds nutritional value and makes it more filling)
1-1/2 tsp chocolate chips (I like dark chocolate, so if I have a bar of dark chocolate, I just put a bit of that in instead.)

Steep mint tea bag in hot water for 5 minutes. (I put it into a teacup and cover it with a saucer.) Squeeze remaining liquid from tea bag and discard. Add ice to the tea. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend on high until mixture is smooth and creamy. Transfer to a tall glass and serve!

Cranberry Tea

1 cup cranberry juice
3 cups prepared iced tea
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and chill.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

This is an occasional indulgence. Nice when autumn weather comes around. Also a good excuse to try out a new bag of Starbucks Decaf!

2 cups milk (I used vanilla soy milk – also an indulgence for me)
2 T. canned pumpkin
2 T. sugar
2 T. vanilla
1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice OR 1/4 t. cinnamon, 1/8 t. cloves, 1/8 t. nutmeg, and a teeny tiny pinch of ground ginger
1/2 c. brewed espresso or 3/4 c. strong brewed coffee

Garnish with Whipped Cream (optional)

This will make enough for 2 people to have a big mug with a bit left over. If you are having friends over, adjust the recipe accordingly. You can make this in a crockpot as small as a 1.5qt. Or, you can just make it in a pot on the stove.

Add the coffee and milk to the pot. Whisk in the pumpkin, spices, sugar, and vanilla.

If using a crockpot, cover and cook on high for 2 hours if everything is cold. If doing it on the stove, just heat it up until it’s the temperature you want. I had mine heating on very low for a good half hour, then let it sit on low for a good long while during the evening. It was still great. Whisk again.

Ladle into mugs, and garnish with whipped cream and additional cinnamon. To fancy it up a bit, add a cinnamon stick when serving.

Rhubarb Punch

Even though I grew up eating rhubarb in various dishes and forms, I had never heard of Rhubarb Punch until my dear friend, Melodie, served some to me during a rare, but treasured lunch together. I knew immediately that I had discovered a new favorite way to use rhubarb! Nothing tastes like summer like this refreshing beverage!

4 cups rhubarb (cut up)
6 cups water

Cook till tender and strain, keeping the juice, throw away pulp.
Add 1 cup sugar to juice.
Let cool and then add 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 1/2c frozen orange juice concentrate.
You can drink it as is, or add a splash of soda to give it some fizz :)

Coffee Pick-Me Up

I don’t tolerate too much caffeine very well – especially coffee. And yet, I love coffee. It is rare that I have it. The odd time, I treat myself to this Coffee Pick-Me-Up in the afternoon if I know I’ll be up late for some reason. It doesn’t affect my stomach as much with the grains in it, and it’s also more filling, so it’s a full-fledged snack. Or, you could have it for breakfast.

approx. 3/4 cup brewed coffee (I like it STRONG)
about 1/4 cup milk
about 1 tsp honey
a little less than 1/4 cup rolled oats
3-4 ice cubes

Place all in a blender in order listed and blend until well mixed and oats are ground. (If you have a regular blender, they will have a tendency to sink to the bottom, which can be disappointing, but what can you do? If you have a Vitamix, on the other hand, it will liquify those oats and you won’t even know they’re there!)