Here is an easy, warm sweet treat for the very cold week we have ahead of us, thanks to the Polar Vortex. (We are staying in the 20s all week in NYC).

It seems like every culture has a version of a sweet wintery tea flavored with spices and fruit. Kompot is a popular beverage in Russia, which can be served hot, warm or cold. A combination of any kind of dried fruits is used for making kompot, for example: dried rings of apple and pear, raisins, prunes, and apricots. In this version of kompot I used about 3/4 cup of dried pieces of mango, pear, and pine-apple, raisins and prunes.

After rinsing dried fruits, place them in a pot and fill it with water, add 2 sticks of cinnamon; bring to a boil. After it boiled for a couple of minutes, turn off fire, add 1/4 tsp of Stevia and leave it for some time to soak in hot water. After this kompot is ready.

3 cups of available dried fruits

2 cinnamon sticks

¼ tsp of Stevia

Besides being a warming, sweet treat, compot is a great way to get more cinnamon, which can lower blood sugar in people with type 1 and 2 diabetes. Cinnamon also reduces inflammation, relieves indigestion, and boosts the immune system–so drink away!

Related: Different Types of Tea and Their Benefits

5 Warming and Healing Spices

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Photo: Larisa Tazmin