Let's drink to that!

We live in Australia, and this summer has been a 'ripper'. Scorching days mean little bodies wither away easily, and sometimes keeping them hydrated can be a challenge. I'm fortunate in that my kids love the good old H2O. I know many children though that don't and it's not always the best to be reaching to the cupboard to make a jug of  number laden sweetness (cordial/koolaid). 

 This summer we have taken to using my Maxwell & Williams Olde English jug (find it here). My mumma got it for Christmas. the recipe i have been using as a cordial substitute has been a hit with the kids, and really you could get very creative and change things up depending on what you like, but here is one of our fav recipes below...

the main thing with the kids is that they love colour! And Most tea's that contain Hibiscus will give you that punchy red they crave. It can be great to include little hands to make it up, as it helps them understand and learn about what they are putting into their body.

Ingredients:

6-8 herbal tea bags (i choose fruity varieties so there is no caffeine, also you may need more depending on the size of your jug)

About 4-6 cups boiling water to steep your teabags in, plus more cold water for after

2 tablespoons raw Apple Cider Vinegar 

Stevia or Honey to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt

 juice of one lemon

Directions:

1. Add tea bags and salt to tempered jar.
2. Pour boiling water over tea bags and let steep 4-6 minutes
3. Fill jar the rest of the way with cold water.
4. Mix in vinegar and stevia or sweetener.
5. add lemon juice
6. Serve chilled over ice.

Notes: and option can be to throw in some mint leaves as well, it all depends on taste preference.

Herbal Tea. Herbal tea has a variety of health benefits, such as providing antioxidants, stress relief, promoting healthy sleep habits, and many other benefits.

Stevia. As ZERO calorie natural sweetener this herbal plant has many benefits such as lowering blood pressure, as well as preventing diabetes... but the list goes on 

Local Honey. Local honey is believed to help with seasonal allergies.

Apple Cider Vinegar. Supposedly, apple cider vinegar is practically magical and helps with energy, weight management, pH balance, cleansing of the lymph nodes, and a ridiculous list of other things.

Lemon and Salt. These items are used purely for electrolyte purposes. During summer, it’s very important to keep your body hydrated.