pineapple mango iced green tea
Pineapple iced tea is sounding mighty fine-apple today.
Hahahahaha oooohkay.
Happy Friday, folks! We made it, woo! This week felt much more normal and relaxed, and I had a bit more time on my hands so I was FINALLY able to wash my car. Halleloo. When I tell you the amount of dirt and pollen that slid off her slick silver exterior was embarrassing, I’m not exaggerating. I can’t believe I let Roly Poly get so gross over the past four months.
It always feels good to get around to a task I’ve hardcore procrastinated on. I actually quite enjoy giving Roly Poly her bath, but it never feels like *the right time*. The idea of having to dry her off is usually the most daunting part, and the one that provides the most mental hiccups.
With the car scrubbing out of the way, I’m a little more free to enjoy the weekend sans big tasks hanging over my head. So, how about a glass of cold, refreshing Pineapple Mango Iced Green Tea? After last week’s julep I found myself with an abundance of green tea bags and the craving for something non-alcoholic to share, and this time of year I love making lemonades and teas to keep in my fridge.
Fresh fruit, a pop of sweetness, and brewed tea are all you need for this drink. Very quick and seamless, and fantastic for the outdoor parties you may be planning this spring and summer. A nice pitcher to put out for those seeking to stay sober during Derby Day, too!
Mango Unchained
I feel like I slighted the mango in the photos of this tea, but honestly, it’s hard to incorporate mangos aesthetically into a beverage. Chunks don’t look great and big wedges aren’t practical. I assure you, though, our pretty tropical pal plays an important role in today’s recipe.
You will need two mangos for this recipe, along with a medium sized ripe pineapple. Cube everything up (obviously without the skins) and chunk into a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. At this stage, you can choose to try and strain the fiber from the fruit puree through a sieve, but I find it easier to perform this step later once you’ve mixed the tea up completely.
Speaking off…boil 4 cups of hot water and drop in 6 tea bags. We’re making this extra concentrated, no watery tea here. Steep 8 minutes, then toss the tea bags and stir in sugar. I use 1/2 cup since I like semi-sweet tea, but you can add up to 3/4 or even 1 cup if you like it on the more potent side.
Pour the tea, 4 cups of cold water, and the fruit puree into a pitcher. This is where I will usually strain the liquid in batches to remove the fruit fiber, because there will be some floating around in there. I dump the tea through a sieve into my measuring bowl, which has a pouring spot, then add the liquid back into the pitcher. If you only have a small measuring cup with a pour spot, use that, and strain in batches. Takes a few extra minutes but makes for a smoother tea.
Chill the tea at least 1 hour. Or, raw dog it and serve the tea over lots of ice with no pre-chill. This is acceptable too, I’ve found, but I like chilling so the flavors can mingle together for a bit.
Garnish your glass with a pineapple wedge and a basil or mint leaf. I also like some lemon slices in the pitcher and in my individual serving. Do this is you’re a fan of citrus in your teas!
Prep ahead? You can make this tea up to 5 days in advance. Leave out the lemon slices if you plan to make it before your parties, else your tea might become bitter from the rind.
Leftovers? Tea can be stored up to a week in the fridge. Freezing it might be weird so I don’t recommend that.
Have a happy, healthy weekend, pals!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Snitchers get pitchers?
Fresh Strawberry Mango Lemonade
Fresh Strawberry Green Tea Lemonade
pineapple mango iced green tea
Ingredients
- 1 medium pineapple, cubed (about 3 cups)
- 2 medium mangoes, sliced (about 2 cups)
- 6 green tea bags
- 1/2-3/4 cup sugar (use to taste)
- 8 cups water
- 1 lemon, sliced, for garnish
- pineapple wedges and fresh basil or mint, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Drop in the tea bags and steep for 8 minutes. Discard the bags, then stir in 1/2 cup of sugar. You may add more if the tea doesn't seem sweet enough for you.
- Add the pineapple and mango chunks to a food processor or high speed blender. Puree until smooth.
- Pour the puree into a large pitcher along with the tea, lemon slices, and 4 cups of cold water. If desired, strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve (before adding the lemon) to remove the fruit refuse. I find it easiest to strain in small batches into a measuring cup or another vessel with a pouring spout. You can also strain the fruit puree straight from the blender or food processor, but I find this takes more time.
- Chill the tea pitcher for at least an hour. Or, skip the pre-chill and serve over lots of ice with mint, basil, and pineapple wedges, as desired.
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