Adulting is HARD: Three TEALICIOUS recipes to make it a bit sweeter

Adulting is hard! The good news is I’m sharing three recipes like; Chocolate Earl Grey Fudgesicles, Berry & Mango Layered Smoothies and Thai Mango Martinis all made with Numi Organic Teas,that make it a heck of a lot easier.

Keep reading for the full wateringly delish recipes to make your summer just a bit sweeter.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups milk

½ cup cream

¾ cup sugar

Pinch of sea salt

5 pink peppercorns

Orange peel

1 vanilla bean

6 ounces 70% bittersweet dark chocolate

½ cup water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

3 bags Numi Organic Chocolate Earl Grey Indulgent TEA

DIRECTIONS:

The first step in reaching deliciousness is creating the fudgsicle base. Combine 2 cups milk, 1/2 cup cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 5 pink peppercorns, a vanilla bean (halved and scraped) with seeds and all, some of the orange peel, pinch of sea salt, and 3 bags of Chocolate Earl Grey by Numi.

FACT: Pink peppercorns are not true peppercorns. They are total posers, unlike green, white, and black peppercorns. They are harvested from the Brazilian pepper tree and marketed as “peppercorns” because of their similarities in shape and size.

Warm the base over a medium heat, just until it begins to steam and bubble around the edges. Don’t bring it to a simmer. When it reaches that point, remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 5 minutes.
While that is happening, we are going to candy some other orange peels. Cut out 10 orange peel slivers. Add them to a small fry pan along with 1/2 cup water and 1/4 cup sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for about 2 minutes, or just until the peels look candied.
Strain the base, removing the chocolate earl grey tea bags, peppercorns, peel, and vanilla pod. Return the milk base back to the stove and warm it again over a medium heat.
Chop up the 6 ounces of chocolate into equal pieces. When it begins to steam, add in the chocolate pieces. Do not let it boil.
As the chocolate begins to melt, whisk the mixture together.
Whisk together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water.
When the chocolate has fully combined with the milk-base, whisk in the cornstarch mixture, turning the heat up to medium-high, and whisking vigorously for about a minute. Remove from heat to cool.
Transfer the mixture to your Popsicle mold. Mine holds ten popsicles.
Add in the sticks, the surprise ingredient, and place in the freezer for about 10 hours to fully form. I let some of the orange peels peek out for display only.

Servings – 10 popsicles

Total Time: 10 hours and 35 minutes

Prep: 10 minutes

Inactive: 10 hours

Cook: 25 minutes

Berry & Mango Layered Smoothie with Turmeric Tea

Ingredients:

10 ounces frozen mango chunks
1 ¼ cups fresh squeezed oj
1 banana
1 bag Golden Tonic Turmeric Tea by Numi
6 ounces frozen blueberries
4 ounces raspberries
¼ cup fresh beet juice
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 bag Three Roots Turmeric Tea by Numi

Directions:

Yes, this recipe has beet juice in it. Pomegranate and berries are my favorite way to sneak in beet juice in for those that don’t like beets. Trust, it is super good! Check out these Beet & Berry Popsicles for further proof.
NOTE: If you buy your beets with the greens on them, don’t toss them! Cook them up as you would spinach or Swiss chard. I saute mine with garlic and olive oil.
If you are going to make this recipe all at once, here is a tip. Make the mango part first or your mango smoothie will be pink, unless you wash out your blender. And honestly, why waste the water. Also, you can just make one or the other. Both the mango and berry smoothies are wonderful on their own.
Okay, for the mango smoothie, combine the following: half of the banana, 10 ounces of frozen mango chunks, 1 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice, and Golden Tonic Turmeric Tea by Numi Organic Teas. Blend until smooth and then set aside.
For the berry smoothie, combine the following: remaining banana, 6 ounces frozen blueberries, 4 ounces raspberries, 1/4 cup fresh beet juice, 1 cup pomegranate juice, and Three Roots Turmeric Tea by Numi Organic Teas. Blend until smooth and then divide between two glasses.
Oh, by the way, you can interchange the Numi turmeric teas, or use just one. Both flavors are great in either smoothie. And BOOM, you are getting all those health benefits and yumminess straight from the bag!
Spoon the mango smoothie on top of the berry smoothie. I would like to add that only when you tear into a tea bag, do you really get to enjoy how beautiful well crafted tea is. This quality is even carried through in the recipe as you can see specks of the tea in the mango smoothie.
FACT: Did you know that beets were considered an aphrodisiac by the ancient Romans? And they were on to something. Because of their nitrates, these tasty little gems increase blood flow. Also, they have high amounts of boron, which is directly related to the human sex hormone production. Maybe this smoothie should carry a warning label?

2 servings

PREP: 5minutes

TOTAL TIME: 5minutes

Thai Mango Martini

Ingredients:

4 pounds mangos, cubed
32 ounces of vodka
3 bags of Numi Organic Ginger Pu-erh Tea
4 ounces cilantro (1/2 bunch)
1 red jalapeno pepper
1 clove garlic
1 ½ cups of water
½ lime

Directions:

This recipe begins with a tea-infused vodka. I’m a huge fan of homemade infusions for many reason. First off, you get to come up with your own flavors. Secondly, they are free of all those “natural” ingredients which are anything but natural. Thirdly, because booze.
For this infusion, we are going to infuse vodka with Numi’s Ginger PU -ERH tea. Using a quart-sized mason jar, fill it up with some vodka. Take a shot, I won’t tell. Add in three bags of the Numi tea. Here’s why tea is great for infusing. First, tea is delicious. Secondly, you don’t have to strain out anything. Simply remove the teabags and you are set!
So, you want place this infusion in a dark cold place for 3 days, shaking it every day. By day three, it will be ready. Then just remove the tea bags and you are golden.
When you are traveling around Thailand, you are exposed to so many unique tropical fruits. But here in the states, nothing says Thai more than the mango.

FACT: Mangos are considered to be the king of fruits, because of their popularity in so many regions of the world. Though here in the U.S. they are still considered exotic.

Now we are going to create our mango puree for the martini. Add the 4 ounces of cilantro, sliced jalapeno pepper, garlic clove, and 1 ½ cups of water to a saucepan. Make sure the cilantro and the other ingredients are submerged. Now add in the 4 lbs of cubed fresh mango.
Place the saucepan on the stove, and bring the water to a simmer over a medium-high heat. When you start to see bubbles form, cover, and remove from heat. Let steep for 5 minutes.
Scoop out the mango chunks and transfer them to a food processor. Also add in about half of the cilantro. Puree until smooth.
This next part comes down to personal preference. Taste the puree, add in more of the cilantro if you like. If you want it spicier, add in one of the jalapeno slices. If you can handle a more savory-sweet martini, add in some of the garlic. Try just a bit at a time. I will tell you what I did. I used about half of the cilantro and half of the garlic. The spice level was fine by me.
Juice half of a lime into the mixture. You may want to add some of the water back in. The puree should have the consistency of melted ice cream, not a smoothie. If it is too thick, it won’t mix well with vodka.
Fill a mixing glass 1/3 full with ice and whatever martini glasses you are using also with ice. Add 3 parts mango puree and 1 part infused vodka to the mixing glass. Cover and shake for 10 seconds. Empty the martini glass, and strain the cocktail into the glass.
Garnish with fresh lime, jalapenos, and cilantro.

PREP: 5 minutes

INACTIVE: 72 hours

COOK: 5 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 72 hours, 10 minutes

** All Recipes and images created by Jerry James Stone**