The minute I feel a cold come on or signs of strep throat or the flu (or any kind of virus), this is the first thing I drive to Starbucks for!  But let’s face it….sometimes you don’t even feel well enough to get in the car and drive all the way to pick it up.  So here is everything you need to copycat the Starbucks “Citrus Defender” (a.k.a. “Medicine Ball”) hot tea recipe from home.  Make sure you keep these few items in your pantry and then you’ll always have it when you need it!

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Starbucks has just one recipe but now they have a “variation” for those who don’t like the minty taste (although, I love it so much).  But try the original that has mint before you knock it because the mint serves it purpose and helps with your sinuses.

If you don’t like mint, you would just ask for the “Citrus Defense Tea” packets with water.
But the actual “Citrus Defender” a.k.a. “Medicine Ball” or “Cold Bomb” is just the recipe below.

I should also note that my “research” before writing this post was not only reading through online forums BUT I also called a dozen different Starbucks (yes – I called 12 Starbucks) along the West Coast to confirm this info.  I’ve known it but I wanted to be able to say this is “legit”.

Notice, I took the above pic in December with the Starbucks Holiday cups but just now getting around to posting it and sharing it with you at the end of February, ha!  Better late than never, right?!

Starbucks uses Jade Citrus Mint and Peach Tranquility.  You need one packet of each per person with a Venti-sized double-wall tumbler for hot beverages.

I like this one that I bought at Starbucks BUT you do NOT want to use the plastic straw it comes with. I prefer an aluminum straw because this has citrus in it and I like to use a straw to protect the enamel on my teeth better.  Of course, you can use a traditional insulated beverage container with a sip spout if you prefer.

You want to use raw organic honey.  It not only sweetens but coats your throat.  Please don’t use any of the cheap stuff they call honey unless it’s all you have haha!  Also, I love this Santa Cruz Organic Pure Lemon Juice but that’s because I don’t want to add any additional sugar. Instead, I sweeten it with Monk Fruit, a natural and safe sweetener. (Forgot to show it in the picture but will link it.)  If you don’t mind the sugar content, just use steamed lemonade.  But try to use this brand (because I love it and it’s organic) and it has more lemon juice than most lemonades.  You want the benefits of the “citrus” part of this hot tea.

So here are 3 recipes below of this drink.  First, the original with steamed lemonade. Second, the version with no added sugar and using the lemon juice and monk fruit instead.

 

Copycat Starbucks Original “Citrus Defender” Tea Recipe

Print

Copycat Starbucks "Citrus Defender" Original Tea Recipe

Prep Time 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 8 minutes minutes

Servings 1 person

Author Summer

Ingredients

• 1 Teavana Jade Citrus Tea Bag (or any kind of peppermint tea)
• 1 Teavana Peach Tranquility Tea Bag (or any kind of peach tea)
• Steamed/heated Organic Lemonade (make your own if necessary with lemon juice, water and sugar)
• Raw Organic Honey

Instructions

• Fill large insulated or double-wall beverage container (Venti-size) 1/2 way with boiled water.
• Add both tea bags and let steep for a few minutes.
• Top off with steamed lemonade.
• Add generous amount of honey and stir.
• Cool a bit before sipping but you definitely want it nice and warm or as hot as you can stand it.

Copycat Starbucks “Citrus Defender” Tea Recipe – NO SUGAR ADDED
(Great for those on Keto Diet or Low-carb diets)

Print

Copycat Starbucks "Citrus Defender" Tea Recipe - No Sugar Added

Prep Time 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 8 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Teavana Jade Citrus Tea Bag (or any peppermint tea you have)
• 1 Teavana Peach Tranquility Tea Bag (or any peach tea)
• Pure Organic Lemon Juice (I prefer the Santa Cruz brand)
• Monk Fruit Sweetener (natural safe sweetener with zero calories - perfect for those on Keto or low-carb diets)
• Raw Honey (omit this if you're on Keto or low-carb diets)
• Steamed Water

Instructions

• Fill large insulated or double-wall beverage container (Venti-size) about 3/4 way with boiled water.
• Add both tea bags and let steep for a few minutes.
• Add about 1/4 cup steamed pure organic lemon juice (or rest of the 1/4 volume of the beverage size, almost topping it off).
• Add 3 TBSP (or more if desired) of monk fruit sweetener and stir.
• Add generous amount of raw organic honey (if desired OR omit if on Keto) and stir well.
• Let cool a little bit and then sip and enjoy.  You want to drink it as warm as you can stand it but not hot.  Be careful.

*Note – If you have a very sore throat, ease up on the amount of lemonade and maybe be more generous with the honey.  This, of course, is not “medicine” but everyone (including myself) swears by it!  I don’t care if it’s all in my head haha!  It’s so delicious and helps open my sinuses up and loosen mucus and I feel so much better.  

Try it and tell me what you think!  I’ll link below some of the items for you so that you can just order them and have them shipped to your house in a couple days and then you have everything on hand.  I like to bring it to friends also if they’re not feeling good.

(Click on arrows to scroll right and left)

Cheers!  And if you’re here reading this and not feeling well, I sure hope you feel better soon!  Lots of rest and fluids!

Thanks for stopping by!  I would love it if you could subscribe at the top of the page in order to receive my weekly emails of all my latest blog posts and see everything I’m working on!  You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to see what I’m up to in creating a home and lifestyle of inspiration!

xoxo,

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The post Copycat Starbucks “Citrus Defender” Tea Recipe appeared first on Summer Adams.

Welcome, friends!  I’m so thrilled you’re here!  The Seasonal Simplicity Summer series is back today; and this time we’re sharing all kinds of free printables for summer! I hope you enjoy these!  I have a fun printable recipe card for my homemade pink lemonade recipe.  I know you’ll just love it as much as my family and I do.  It’s the perfect summer drink to cool off and quench your thirst on a hot day!

{This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my
full disclosure policy and here for my privacy & cookies policy.  All opinions are my own.}

I love summer recipes!  Popsicles, ice cream, and anything else that cools me off.
I especially love all things lemon in the summer.

I recently made a Pink Lemonade Chiffon Naked Cake that is to die for!

Then my mom came into town and suggested we make these Lemon Curd Parfaits and wow….they were so divine.

  I also set the cutest Pink Lemonade themed outdoor table for dinner with a few girlfriends last week.  Read all about that HERE if you haven’t yet seen how it turned out.  It was pretty fun and so cute to put together.

I served pink lemonade at that dinner but it was bottled pink lemonade.  It was tasty but as I was taking a sip, I was thinking how much I’d rather have been drinking a homemade pink lemonade. It’s the easiest recipe ever so I wanted to share it with you today.

Recipe:
9 cups water
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 cups fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup cranberry juice, chilled

Directions:
In large pitcher, combine all ingredients and stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
Pour over ice and add lemon slice or mint for garnish and serve. Enjoy!

*Variation: To make sparkling lemonade, use club soda instead of water.  Also, you can always make a simple syrup with the sugar and water first on the stove and then mix it in with the other ingredients so that you don’t have to wait for all the sugar to dissolve.

I made a darling printable pink lemonade recipe card for you to give a friend if they want your recipe (because they will…it’s that good).

I also had another idea….

I have a bunch of these cute little milk bottles with lids in one of my cabinets.  I thought it would be fun to fill them with my pink lemonade and run them over to a few neighbors or friends for fun.  It’s something other than cookies and I thought they’d like it.

I also remembered that I had recently bought some yummy lemon saltwater taffy in bulk at our grocery store and thought it would be cute in a small clear bag with the bottle of homemade pink lemonade.  I wish I had taller bags but this is what I had on hand and I have a ton of them. You could buy the taller bags if you wanted to do the same thing.

I just punched a hole in the cute printable and tied it with a pink double-sided satin ribbon around the top of the bottle.  Fun right?!  I had all of this at home already so I always get excited when I realize I can actually put to use the things I hoard save for just the right moment…ha!  They were a hit!

This homemade pink lemonade recipe is also the perfect drink to make and serve out by the pool or just outside to kids and friends. This was a hot day and so, while in my swimsuit and coverup, it was the perfect thing to bring out to everyone playing in the water!

 Here is the printable below.  Click on the bold link to print or right-click the image below to save and print at any size by adjusting.
Just remember that it is for personal use only and may NOT be sold or reproduced for commercial use.

Homemade Pink Lemonade Recipe

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Please visit my talented friends below that are joining me today!  They are all so creative!

The Happy Housie // Maison de Pax // Bless’er House // On Sutton Place

Home Made Lovely // Satori Design for Living // Town and Country Living // Southern State of Mind

Just a Girl and Her Blog // Inspiration for Moms // Lemon Thistle // Artsy Chicks Rule

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Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I would love it if you subscribed at the top of the page in order to receive my weekly emails of all my latest blog posts and hear about digital printables & freebies, as well as sales or new items in My Online Shoppe.  You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to see what I’m up to in creating a home and lifestyle of inspiration!

xoxo,

The post Homemade Pink Lemonade Recipe + Printable Recipe Card appeared first on Summer Adams.

“NSA” means “No Sugar Added”.  That’s right.  This lemonade is sugar-free, except for the natural sugar in the lemons, of course.  Trying to drink more water and more lemon juice, as lemons are soooo good for you!  It’s heating up here in Vegas already this spring and so I decided to make some freshly-squeezed lemonade for my guests coming to visit!

The recipe is soooo simple!

I used about 6 lemons and rolled them back and forth on the counter to break up the fibers before cutting them in half.  Squeese down on the juicer and pour all juice, sans pulp and seeds (unless you prefer pulp) in a 2-quart pitcher.
I then filled the pitcher with purified water (you can also use sparkling water to make a sparkling lemonade too and that is a fun variation), lots of ice AND i cup of Splenda!  You can add more if you want, it just seems perfect to me.  Some like it sweeter. Throw in some additional lemon slices (it just looks so pretty).  Mix and enjoy!  It makes about 8 glasses of lemonade.

Now….if you’re like me and like mint, you can always julienne some fresh leaves, about 2 TBSP and then add a few whole leaves for garnish.  I bought some fresh mint on Monday morning at Trader Joe’s but your local grocery store will carry it too.

It just gives it that PERECT refreshing, cool taste!  Who doesn’t love fresh lemonade??

I hope you enjoy some fresh lemonade this weekend!  Invite some new friends over or make it for a neighbor and share the love !

xoxo, Summer

The post Freshly Squeezed Lemonade NSA appeared first on Summer Adams.

And by “dirty”, I mean COCONUT!!!!  My favorite thing ever!  I tried this at the infamous Swig in Utah and had a food-gasm.  It was nothing short of amazing!  I don’t know their exact recipe but here’s what I came up with tonight as I experimented and it was PER-fect!

Dirty Hot Chocolate
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 15-ounce can coconut cream which is super creamy but you can substitute it for coconut milk instead (I get both at Trader Joe’s or Amazon)
¼ cup dark brown sugar
Pinch kosher salt
1 ounce chocolate (I like milk chocolate but you can do bittersweet), chopped about 1/4 cup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup boiling water
pinch of nutmeg

Whisk cocoa into 1/3 cup boiling water.  In a saucepan, combine coconut milk, brown sugar and salt. Simmer, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Whisk in hot cocoa and chocolate until smooth. Stir in vanilla.  Add marshmallows or whipped cream if you desire.

Aaaaaaaaand…….you’re welcome!  Enjoy!

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