Tea

Instead of tossing all of the ingredients together in this healthy, mayonnaise-free take on potato salad, the potatoes are served on a bed of the creamy avocado-chia dressing. The contrast of the purple potatoes against the green dressing is a real showstopper. If purple potatoes aren't available, this recipe also works well with red-skinned potatoes.

Try this winning Green Banana Shake recipe submitted by a consumer for CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS' "Shake Up Your Morning" recipe contest.

The idea here is to concentrate a few strong complementary flavors to create a cake that is pleasantly bitter and not too sweet. Tartine chiffon cake is made with whole-grain dark buckwheat flour, and then layered with blood orange marmalade and bergamot-infused blackout chocolate ganache. The ganache sets quickly, so cut your cake layers and have your filling and syrup on hand when ready to assemble.

Serving delicious drinks at large parties is a hard task without a full bar of mixologists, right? NO! Let me introduce Mr. Punch. He is a big bowl of cocktail normally containing fruit, alcohol, and a mixer. Of course, I like to use British flavors, but you can tailor this to your taste. My biggest tips: Use lemon to preserve freshness and use homemade mixers, such as iced tea, to keep costs down. All that's left is to hold your teacup up and make a toast to all those present, to your loved ones and, of course, to THE QUEEN!

Ginger and green tea have each been credited with multiple health benefits. Here they come together deliciously in a refreshing summer drink.

Scoring the plums helps the poaching liquid infuse the fruit all the way to the pit.

In North Africa (and Marseille!) mint tea is generally drunk enormously sweet—the kind of sweetness that makes you a bit thirsty—which is exactly how I like it. Start with 1/4 cup of sugar and add more if you want it sweeter. To avoid any bitterness, do not let the tea boil once the mint has been added. For an earthy, Tunisian touch, dry roast a handful of pine nuts and drop them in the glass just before serving.

Spiced tea and sweetened condensed milk are the keys here.

This cocktail is from Ashley Christensen's Fox Liquor Bar in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The Japanese are renowned for their longevity. As of 2011, their average life expectancy was 82.3 years. (The United States came in fiftieth, at 78.4 years.) Researchers often credit their diet, and this soup is my way of cramming as much of their healthy cuisine into a bowl as possible. It's called Bento Box Soup because of the traditional Japanese take-out bento box lunch, which is full of compartments, each containing a tasty treat: fish or meat, rice, pickled or cooked veggies, and other goodies. The base is a miso broth; if you're not in the know about miso, it's a salty fermented soy product that aids digestion and improves immune function. In case white miso isn't available, use any mellow (light) miso. I kicked those healing properties up a notch by infusing green tea into the broth for an extra immune boost, then added shiitakes, spinach, kombu, scallions, and tamari.

This recipe is a peek inside the magic hat of cookbook author and New York City caterer Serena Bass. There’s nary a tea leaf in sight of this spicy and refreshing “tea”—rather, it’s made from a fragrant combination of apples and cardamom spice. Be sure to use high-quality juice, not from concentrate, such as Adam and Eve apple juice or cloudy, fresh-pressed apple juice.

On the streets of Thailand, where the temperature sometimes soars over 100°, there's nothing more refreshing than a plastic bag of Thai tea! Since most of the tea shops don't have seating, the Thai people take their sweetened iced tea "to go" in a plastic bag with a straw sticking out of it. The flavors of these teas were the inspiration for this dessert. The thing that makes this dish so special is the lime in the caramel, which adds an unusual tang to the sweetness. Another bonus is the crunch and spice of the cashews that are sprinkled over the top of the pudding, adding a wonderful surprise.

After three glasses of wine and about six chocolate chip cookies, my friend Andrew had the idea that I should make a dessert that incorporates the flavors of his favorite sweet drink, Thai iced tea. Despite having had a sufficient amount of wine and cookies myself, it was clear to me what a brilliant idea it was, so the following weekend, we baked a cake.
The sweetened condensed milk in the cake creates a lightly caramelized crust and the Thai tea gives it a beautiful bright orange color. This cake stayed on my mind for days to follow.
Note: look for the Thai tea at Asian specialty grocery stores.

Berries get a subtle herbal note from tea-infused whipped cream.

In addition to the beneficial omega-3s provided by halibut, the green tea in this dish contains epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG—a powerful antioxidant shown to help prevent cancer. Quinoa is high in protein and fiber.

Green tea adds a distinct yet mellow flavor to these uncommonly good truffles.

If any drink was made for leisurely back-porch sipping, it’s iced tea. Our version is brewed from zesty hibiscus tea, which is made from copperyred hibiscus leaves and is naturally caffeine free. Ginger syrup and lemon juice add layers of flavor.

Almost any type of fruit nectar can be substituted for peach with equally delectable results. We especially like the exotic flavor of mango.

Because the batter needs to be frozen before baking (and can remain in the freezer, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 1 month), these cakes are perfect for those unexpected moments when you need a quick dessert. Using semisweet chocolate in the truffles is essential; if bittersweet is used, the centers of the cakes will not ooze. Two tablespoons of loose tea leaves may be substituted for the tea bags in this recipe. If you use loose tea, you will need to strain the tea mixture before combining it with the egg yolks.

Two tablespoons of loose tea leaves may be substituted for the tea bags in this recipe. If you use loose tea, you will need to strain the tea mixture before combining it with the egg yolks.