The Paleo Review Lime Green Tea Spritzer

My air conditioning stopped working this past week.  Oh, the joys of home ownership.  I'm thankful that it happened now rather than in August, but it was still pretty darn hot in the house and I wanted something refreshing to drink, but not plain water.  

I started out making a virgin Norcal Rita, but then decided a cold glass of green tea would be nice - and thus, the Paleo Review Lime Green Tea Spritzer was born.  

To make this drink you will need:

2 bags of green tea
8 ounces water

2 cups Club Soda

1-2 tablespoons of Lime Juice (bottled or fresh squeezed)

1.5-2 cups Ice
1 Quart Mason Jar (or large glass/pitcher)

I use a 1 quart mason jar to mix up this drink.  If you don't have a mason jar, that's fine, use a large cup, glass, or pitcher.  If you don't have a mason jar around, you should consider getting some.  They are great for food storage and for drinking out of instead of plastic bottles.   

Start by brewing the 2 bags of green tea in 8 ounces of water.  I use a pyrex measuring cup for this but you can use a heat safe mug too.  This will make a concentrated tea.  Heat the water however you heat water for tea.  I've done it either by using my Keurig or I've used my microwave for about 2 minutes to heat water from my filtered tap.  

I think this 10 oz of water, but that's fine, just make concentrated tea!

While the tea steeps for 2-3 minutes, add the lime juice to the mason jar.  I used 2 tablespoons and it makes the drink pretty tart.  You can adjust for your preferred level of tartness.  Feel free to use fresh lime juice if you have the limes to squeeze.

Next add 1.5-2 cups ice to the mason jar and pour the steeped tea into the jar.  

Lime juice with ice before adding green tea.

After you've added the green tea to the jar, add enough club soda to fill the jar (about 2 cups).  If your club soda is fresh, be careful as it will fizz up when you add it to the tea.  If your ice melts from the heat of the tea, you may want to add a little more ice before you add the club soda.  

And finally, enjoy!  

Accessibility & Cost of Ingredients:  You can find green tea, limes/lime juice & club soda at your "big box" grocery store.  How much you spend on green tea depends on the brand and quality.  I got this 100 count bag box of organic green tea at the Asian grocery store for $4.99.

  

For convenience, I like using ready squeezed lime juice.  My big box grocery store doesn't have lime juice without additives.  I get organic juice at Sprouts for just under $4 bottle.  If I wasn't so lazy, I could just buy limes, which would be cheaper.  I make my own club soda with a SodaStream.  I like not having to drag bottles of club soda home anymore.  

Preparation Time:  It takes less than 5 minutes to mix up this refreshing thirst quenching beverage. 

Clean Up:  If you use bottled lime juice, the only clean up you will have will be your mason jar/glass and measuring cup that you made your tea in. 

The Paleo Review:  Thumbs Up!  Of course!  I love that this drink satisfies my desire for a fizzy drink and it helps me get more healthy green tea in my daily diet.  Its super refreshing and easy to make.  Its been a nice "evening cocktail" substitute for me in the evenings.

Grab a mason jar, a lawn chair and enjoy one of these with me.