Light Russian Tea

It is funny how the changing seasons affect what you like to eat and drink. Fall brings a desire for warmth and spice. Which has me wanting a warm cup of Russian Tea; that simple mixture of powdered instant drinks and spices. It has been several years since I made up a batch. But, even though I was craving that spicy orange tea, I really did not want all the calories that are in the classic recipe. So I spent my morning calculating how to tweak the recipe, plus reduce the calories, without using artificial sweeteners. Tang is made with sugar, so the calories would need to be diluted by the rest of the ingredients. A packet of Crystal Light Pure Lemonade, which uses stevia, was in my pantry. It easily substituted for the sugared lemonade mix. I tried my combination without adding any additional sweetening, but the spices didn’t pop without it. I added 2 teaspoons of stevia powder, which was just the amount. My tea was delicious, and only 35 calories per serving.

Russian Tea

1 cup Tang powdered drink mix

1/2 cup Instant Unsweetened Tea

1 packet Crystal Light Pure Lemonade (pitcher pack)

1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Cloves

1/8 teaspoon Ginger

2 teaspoons stevia powder

Shake all the ingredients together in a pint jar until well blended.

Mix one tablespoon in one cup of water, or 1 1/2 cups if you prefer a lighter drink. Enjoy, warm or cold.