This recipe is really cool – both temperature cool and hipster cool. And just in time for the start of summer which is only a couple days away! It is simply frozen bananas and berries in a blender with a touch of almond milk (or whatever milk you have on hand). Yes, that’s right – bananas, berries, milk, blender. That’s it! It’s smooth and frosty, light and healthy. Not to mention good for all ages and can be served any time – breakfast, lunch, snack, or dessert. What are you waiting for- get that fruit in the freezer asap so you can make this smoothie soon.
And, wait, there is a bonus, you can add in anything like. The frozen bananas are merely a vehicle for anything else that floats your smoothie boat. You can add coconut, chocolate, cherries, strawberries, ginger, nuts, sprinkles, cinnamon, mint, cacao powder, vanilla, almond, Nutella, caramel, sprinkles, whipped cream, blueberries, carob, and oh gosh, I almost forgot – peanut butter (how could I almost forget peanut butter – shame on me!). The list goes on…
And so, here you go, the recipe (although you don’t really need one -just throw the stuff in the blender, it practically makes itself!).
Rah, Rah Summer!
Ingredients
2 ripe bananas, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 cup berries (I used a mixture of raspberries and blueberries)
1/4 cup almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk or any milk of your liking (more as needed)
Method
Place bananas and berries in freezer for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Take bananas and berries out of freezer and let thaw for approximately 45 minutes to an hour (they need to soften a bit before you put them in the food processor but you still want them to be somewhat frozen – you may have to experiment a bit to get the right consistency).
Place bananas, berries and almond milk in food processor and pulse until desired consistency. You will need to stop and scrape down the sides intermittently. Add more milk as needed.
Stir in any add ins such as chocolate chips or nuts, OR blend in any add ins such as peanut butter or vanilla extract.
Tonight may be the night that we have a Triple Crown winner for the first time since 1978. (To put that in context, we took a break from Happy Days, the $6 Million Man and a whole lot of Bee Gees music to watch that particular Derby). We came agonizingly close last year with California Chrome, and got a fine drink out of the deal, but no real satisfaction. This could be it people—don’t be caught without a proper cocktail, mocktail or working television for the occasion.
Shockingly (to some of us) the Belmont does not have an official cocktail. The Kentucky Derby of course has the Mint Julep, the Preakness the Black-eyed Susan, a recipe that has been altered but whose name has remained the same. The current version (now that Finlandia is a sponsor) involves vodka, St. Germain liqueur, pineapple juice, orange juice and a squeeze of fresh lime.
Why no Belmont drink? It’s not for lack of trying. In 1975 race the marketing crew made a run at an official drink with the Big Apple—some combo of fruit juice, an apple liqueur and rum. That was supplanted by the overly fussy White Carnation—a combination of vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, soda water and cream, named after the blanket of carnations in which the winning Belmont Stakes horse is draped.
In 1997 the Belmont Breeze made the scene, but one look at the ingredient list bangs the gong: bourbon or rye whiskey, sherry, lemon juice, orange juice, pimento bitters, fresh mint and orange zest. Really? Pimento bitters? Sherry? Headache anyone?
In 2011 the breeze was replaced with the Belmont Jewel a “more fan friendly ” combination of bourbon, lemonade and pomegranate juice over ice. Sounds easy enough. I’m game for that.
Here’s the recipe for the Jewel. I have to say I appreciate its simplicity:
Belmont Jewel
Ingredients:
1.5 ounces of bourbon (the race track recommends Knob Creek, but use what you like)
2 ounces of lemonade
1 ounce of pomegranate juice
Method:
Combine ingredients and shake that all together with ice. Pour into a rocks glass and garnish with a cherry or lemon.
Pictured above is another fine drink, which is fully appropriate for this occasion. The Whiskey Peach Smash has elements of drinks associated with all three races: Mint in honor of the Derby; yellowness to honor Preakness’s Black-eyed Susan; peach to acknowledge the Belmont’s White Carnation; lemon for a taste of both the Belmont Breeze and the Belmont Jewel; and of course Bourbon to honor the fact that it’s a horse race after all.
Whiskey Peach Smash
Note: a barspoon is an inexact measurement, often equated to a teaspoon.
Serves 1 (as if you are alone tonight!)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounces Bourbon
1 heaping barspoon peach jam
1 barspoon honey
1 fat lemon wedge
4 to 6 mint leaves
Method:
Muddle the herbs and lemon wedge, then add the jam, honey, and spirit and stir.
Add ice and shake hard for 5 to 10 seconds, depending on the size of your ice. Strain into a rocks glass over crushed ice. Garnish with more mint.
With booze or without, put on a fancy hat and mix yourself a fun fruity drink to cheer on American Pharoah.
Baby, it’s still cold outside. But there are ways to warm up your insides.
I held this post until after St Patty’s Day out of respect for beer and cabbage, of which I have none to offer. OK. That is a bold face lie. I held it because I am quite far behind on life at the moment. That, for me, is March. And that is why margaritas come in to play right about now. They’re green. They’re full of the promise of spring. I am including three different recipes, from three friends in the ski world who fully appreciate the filthy car, fast food, too-many-hotel-room frenzy that is March.
A brief history on each:
Speedy is the mayor of Mt Hood in the summer, and a Lake Placid transplant in the winter. He is a constant in the ski world, the ultimate connector and a friend to every struggling ski racer who “will work for training space.” His rocks marg is a western classic—tart with a touch of citrus and, of course, Patron.
Tania, my Rocky Mountain correspondent and fellow ski mom, is the master of turning a ski lodge into your favorite diner and saloon. A spicy westerner, she never met a jalapeno she did not like, and for this margarita she thinks ahead and infuses tequila with hot peppers of happiness. It is seriously worth the extra step and time!
PK has the only pool in the neighborhood, so he is always prepared to entertain. Inside fridge, outside fridge, fridge entirely devoted to seltzer, stand alone ice machine…he does not mess around. He always has something on hand to please every age and taste, as well as lots of towels. His frozen margaritas are as easy as it gets, and always perfectly refreshing.
So here you go—trés margaritas to get your spring off to a good start and head scurvy off at the pass. Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa’ dentro!
Speedy’s Organic Margarita Mixer
Ingredients:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup water
1 squirt of agave
1/8 cup organic orange mango juice
1 shot Patron tequila
1 squirt of orange liqueur
Method:
Stir up first 4 ingredients and shake.
Fill short cocktail glass with crushed ice.
Add Patron.
Add orange liqueur.
Stir well.
Toast Speedy and enjoy!
Tania’s Burning Hell Margarita
Takes a week, and worth every moment
Ingredients:
TequilaFill a big jar (like a mason jar) with good quality (but not fancy fancy) silver tequila. Try Camarena Silver.
Add 4 jalapeños, seeded and cut into strips.
Add one Habenero also seeded (wear gloves!)
Add strips of seeded red peppers for color if desired.
Leave jar alone for a week. After a few days (and well after breakfast), sample it to see if you have made it spicy enough. If it’s too spicy, add more tequila. If you’re feeling brave add jalapeños halfway through the hang-out stage. Strain to remove peppers.
Simple syrup:1 cup of sugar
1 cup of water
Boil until sugar dissolves.
Cool
Lemon/Lime JuiceSqueeze all the fresh lemons and limes you have. At least 6 of each (fight scurvy—use the real stuff). Mix the fresh juice with enough simple syrup to balance the sour. Add a little water to be humane.
Triple Sec
Method:
In a big glass filled with ice add two shots of tequila, one shot of triple sec and the juice/sugar mixture to taste. It’s good policy to warn your guests that this has the chance to be very spicy. But it’s also pretty funny not to, especially if you doubled up on the habanero.
PK’s Frozen Margarita
We’re dealing with proportions here, not absolutes. Amounts are based on what size can of limeade you start with.
Ingredients:
1 can limeade
1 can tequila
1 can Bud Light or other light beer
Ice
Method:
Combine first three ingredients in a blender, refilling limeade can with tequila then beer. Fill blender with ice. Process until slurpeelicious. Find a spot by the pool. Sip. Repeat.
If you have kids in a winter sport, this is the time of year when things can start getting a little squirrely. Not totally nutty (that comes in March) but just a little tense. The competition ramps up with qualifiers and championships on the horizon. Ski racers, hockey players, basketball players—you know what I’m talking about.
As parents this is when, against all impulses, it’s time to chill out. If we can’t keep our own blood pressure down how can we expect our kids to keep calm and carry on?
With this goal in mind I present to you, the Parent Whisperer, inspired by my article of the same name. It is an ideal slopeside, rinkside, bone-warming, parent-wrangling concoction. Call it glug or grog or gluhwein or whatever. We’re talking red wine with some hootch and some spices, all brewed together with very few instructions or limitations. This one comes from Julie G (I’m not going to out you, but you know who you are!), whose ample testing has proven that drinking it calms nerves, brightens moods, and elevates humor on cold winter days.
This particular recipe uses apple cider as the only sweetener, so it’s more business-like than dessert-like. If you want something that is more soothing than bracing, add some maple syrup or honey. Sliced oranges wouldn’t be a bad call either. Pomegranate seeds or apples? Ja Wohl! Above all, shhhhhhh and relaaaaax. Enjoy the fresh air, the company of hardy souls and the notion that every day is getting just a little longer.
The Parent Whisperer
Ingredients
1 cup red wine
1 cup apple cider
4 shots bourbon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
cloves, cinnamon, ginger and cardamon to taste (whole or powdered spices are both fine, but whole spices can be easily strained out for a clearer drink, if you care.)
Very Loose Method
Heat wine, cider and spices, letting them simmer and brew until you smell the spices (but fergawdssakes don’t boil away any of that power). Add bourbon and and let it all heat through a few minutes. Strain whole spices if using. Pour the whole shebang into a Thermos and enjoy on the hill before, during and after the race!
Note: There is no mention about how many this serves, which of course is because it depends on the situation. But let’s see…a cup of wine and 4 shots of bourbon…that calculates roughly to serve:
1 parent who needs to be sedated.
2 parents who really need to take it down a notch.
3 parents who are hoping for a peaceful and pleasant ride home.
4 parents who just need a little shot of warmth in their bellies.
“Tis the season to overdo everything. So let’s overdo pomegranates!
It’s almost Christmas, and whether you celebrate it or not, I’ m giving you a gift. Pomegranates. Well, I’m not actually buying them for you, but I am unlocking their potential. For a long time we have heard about the amazing health benefits of pomegranates. They are rich in vitamins and antioxidants, low in calories, high in fiber, high in heart healthy phytochemicals (say that three times quickly then google it). They strengthen the immune system, regulate blood pressure, improve oral hygiene, reduce wrinkles and even give PMS the boot.
All this, and yet I have ignored pomegranates entirely, for the simple reason that they are a pain in the butt. They are messy, labor intensive, not roastable in any way and obscenely expensive in their juiced or seeded form. Until recently nothing moved me to entertain an interest in the pomegranate or its derivatives other than as a splash in a martini.
But then I found myself living with a young friend who has a pomegranate-a-day habit. Fortuitously this coincided with running across a pomegranate hack that made seeding a pomegranate so easy that I had to try it. Bells rang, stars aligned, produce departments rejoiced. Now, my record for getting all the seeds out of a pomegranate is 1 minute 11 seconds, and it is a rare day in my household that does not involve this “super fruit.”
Incidentally, my young friend rejected the hack, even after we staged timed contests to prove hack efficiency. A traditionalist, he adheres to his old ways, enjoying his ritual of settling down on the couch, focusing on his pomegranate, a bowl and the mission. I respect. But I also have yet to find a primary food provider who is in search of labor intensive food prep rituals. So for the rest of you, here is your key to pomegranate freedom.
Though I adore the Russian Food hacker, his version (by his own admission) is a bit too bare bones: “Ve really need a bowl, not zeez cheap plastic plates from single guy apartment.” This guy is a bit dry (and he could crack you in half like a pomegranate), but he is a pro.
And now, what to do with the bonanza of pomegranate seeds you have just unlocked? I’ve got you covered, with four festive ideas to let those seed brighten up your holiday.
#1 Pomegranate Bubbly
Pour anything bubbly—Prosecco, champagne, sparkling cider, birch beer, ginger ale etc—over pomegranate seeds and they will float up, be festive and give you something to chew on. Yum!
#2 Pomegranate Cheese Log
Ingredients
8 oz cream cheese (or 4 oz goat cheese and 4 oz cream cheese mixed)
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup chopped chives
2 Tbsp finely minced fresh basil
Crackers, toasts or dipping vehicles of choice.
Method
Place cream cheese (or goat/cream cheese mix) on waxed paper and form into a log. Mix pomegranate seeds, chives and basil on another sheet of waxed paper. Roll cream cheese in seed/herb mixture, pressing lightly to stick. Serve with crackers.
# 3 Pomegranate Guacamole
Oh my! This brings me back to my very first pomegranate cocktail ever, the pomegranate margarita at Rosa Mexicano. This use for pomegranate seeds pretty much assures the pomegranate market in New Hampshire. Lest we forget, guacamole is not an exact science by any means. Shallots or green onion instead of red onion? Awesome. No fresh cilantro? No problemo. Roll with it– its Happy Hour fergawdssakes. If all you can muster is avocado, a shake of Adobo seasoning, a squirt of lemon and pomegranate seeds you are good to go.
Ingredients
2 medium ripe avocados
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
Chips or assorted veggies for serving
Method
Halve and pit the avocados then scoop out the flesh into a large bowl.
Add the red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper to the bowl, mashing the mixture together with two forks until it reaches your desired consistency.
Stir in the pomegranate seeds then serve the guacamole with chips or assorted dippers.
#4 Pomegranate Desserts
Fly, be free. Let’s not overthink this. Sprinkle them on vanilla ice cream or yogurt. Put them in a trifle or slip them in fruit pies. Mix them with ripe sliced pears, a squeeze of lemon and a dash of cinnamon. Or just eat them with a spoon or funnel them from the bowl right into your mouth. Um. Of course, nobody would do something like that.
Bonus points: Just to let you know, in addition to the above we have also sprinkled them on raclette, put them into quesadillas and on salads, tossed them with sliced steak, put them in crepes and on cereal and thrown them in smoothies. And no, I have not yet roasted them, but the holiday season is young.
Are you still with me? Are you intrigued by the above? My sister turned me on to this video and my captive son and I got a little obsessed with yarn/toilet paper roll pom-pom hats. I figure there are worse obsessions, and who doesn’t need another decorative totally useless bottle topper? Right?
Nothing says “I’m ready for the holidays,” like an ice cold drink.
Hope for the holidays. Our local paper just came out with a feature on tequila infused roasted turkey. Now we’re talking. Let’s be honest here. Booze, for better or worse, has a role in every Thanksgiving. When bringing booze we most likely bring a bottle of something red or white or bubbly. Safe. Appreciated. All good.
But how about bringing something a little bolder, and a lot more festive? Something that says straight up, “I love you all…enough. So let the party begin!” With a simplified plan it’s an easy way to win praise and (temporary) approval.
We’re talking about big batch cocktails that can be amped up or down to serve a few or a crowd. Each of these three recipes feature one base liquor, some key fall flavoring and a sassy sparkly topper of ginger beer.
The key to success is not having to do anything besides basic mixing (and low functioning math) at serving time. Make your base, put it in a travel container, grab a four-pack of ginger beers and you’re set to go.
As a bonus, in keeping with my “Always wear the same color you are drinking” party doctrine, you can choose to drink light or dark. Now, get out to the store to get what you need to test out these drinks. While you’re there you might want to pick up some cranberries, a bunch of meyer lemons and some candied ginger. Trust me on this. Ready or not Thanksgiving’s coming atcha, like a tequila infused turkey flying across a country road.
Pear Haymaker
From Saveur Magazine. Makes 2 cocktails
ingredients:
FOR THE GINGER SYRUP:
¼ cup sliced, peeled ginger
1 cup sugar
4 oz. vodka
1 oz. fresh lemon juice (Meyer lemon if possible)
1 pear, chopped, peeled, and cored (Anjou, Moonglow, Bosc, or any finely textured and fragrant pears are best)
Ginger ale, to top
Method:
Make the ginger syrup: Combine sliced ginger, sugar, and 1 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Strain out ginger solids and discard, reserving syrup in an airtight container.
Divide chopped pear between two 12 oz. tall glasses; muddle in each glass with a wooden muddler. Pour 2 oz. vodka over the pears in each glass, and fill with ice. Add ½ oz. ginger syrup and ½ oz. lemon juice to each glass, stir to combine, and finish with ginger ale to top.
A few notes. Always the notes: The Haymaker calls for a ginger syrup which is very easy to make. Plus, we already made it here last year. After you have used the syrup for the Haymaker, keep it handy in case anyone needs to sweeten up the Cranberry Crush, which is tart as a Pilgrim. To make this one party ready, I diced up three pears into a container, then quadrupled the vodka, lemon juice and syrup and poured it over the pears. At the party I divided the pears into glasses, added ice, then added liquid to about 2/3 full and stirred. Then I topped them off with ginger beer. This also works swimmingly with gin.
Cranberry Crush
From Saveur Magazine. Makes 1 cocktail 🙁
INGREDIENTS:
2 oz. 100% cranberry juice (not cranberry cocktail. Get the ridiculously expensive pure juice)
2 oz. not-too-sweet spiced rum, like Cruzan 9 Spice (?)
3 oz. spicy ginger beer, like Blenheim’s or Reed’s
Method:
In a rocks glass filled with ice, combine cranberry juice and rum. Top with ginger beer.
Notes: This could be called the crazy easy cranberry crush. I am not sure what spiced rums are sweeter than others, so I used Kraken Spiced Rum, mostly because I liked saying the name with a Scottish accent. This makes one cocktail. One. Not to worry. Convert ounces to parts and you’re all set. Mix half cranberry juice and half rum in your travel container. At the party pour that mixture over ice and top with just less than that amount of ginger beer. You’re aiming for 4 parts mix (2 juice + 2 rum) to 3 parts ginger beer. If anyone wants this to be sweeter add a splash of ginger syrup to the glass and give it a stir before topping with the ginger beer.
Jacques the Elder
From Sunset Magazine. Makes 1 cocktail 🙁
Ingredients:
2 ounces bourbon whiskey, such as Gentleman Jack
1 ounce St-Germain elderflower liqueur
1 ounce lemon juice (meyer, meyer, meyer…meyer)
2 ounces chilled ginger beer
Lemon wedge
Piece of candied ginger
Method:
Pour bourbon, St-Germain, and lemon juice into an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake well. Strain into a rocks (lowball) glass, add 1 large ice cube, and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a skewer of lemon and candied ginger.
Notes: Full discosure—I have not tried this drink. BUT it involves ginger beer, lemon juice and yet another form of booze. AND it won Sunset’s reader cocktail contest which is huge. So a big shout out to Deb Kessler of El Granada, CA. She’s good people. Again, this makes one measly cocktail so let’s convert it to parts. Make your base: two parts bourbon, one part lemon juice and one part St-Germain (there’s your 4 parts). At the party, shake up your base and top with half that amount ginger beer (there’s your 2 parts.) I don’t want to insult your math skills, I just want to ease your pain if you’re making this after the first two.
Pick-Your-Own! They practically fall into your bucket.
It’s blueberry season! I would normally say the season is waning by the time we hit August, but not this year due to the extra frigid winter. Hence the reason blueberries are the Ingredient of the Month for August.
I go to Super Acres Blueberry farm, which is just down the road from me. Door-to-door, I can easily pick 3 pounds of blueberries in 30 minutes. I go so often that people think I work there. I’m always giving help to anyone who doesn’t know the ropes. I tell them which rows I like, how to weigh and pay, and provide driving directions to wherever they are going next. I highly recommend Super Acres. The people who own the farm are so nice and the blueberries are plump, sweet, and gorgeous. There are so many blueberries hanging from the blueberry bushes that you can practically walk down the aisle and your bucket fills up on it’s own!
Open Season!
As with other food in my house, the freshly picked blueberries get eaten with at break-neck speed. But hey, what better way to enjoy them and I’d rather have everyone eating blueberries than anything else. When I can do something extra with them, I make jam or smoothies or freeze them for winter months. I will leave the blueberry pie making to others, lest we forget, I can’t make a pie to save myself.
This blueberry smoothie recipe is super simple, just the way I like it. I always see smoothie recipes with long lists of ingredients or a variety of vegetables added such as kale or spinach. I have to say, I love vegetables, but not in my smoothie. Less is more in this instance ! I’m not trying to create a complete meal. I just want a nice, refreshing drink that is healthy and tasty. You will love it and wish you made more. Obviously any berry will work and frozen vs fresh will yield a different consistency. But either way you shake it up, it will be delicious.
Ingredients
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (if you use fresh, add 1/2 cup ice)
1 cup soy unsweetened soy milk (or milk of your choice)
2 Tbsp raw honey
2 Tbsp wheat germ
6 whole unsalted almonds
Method
Put everything in a blender and mix until desired consistency. Pour into your favorite glass. Get a straw and a spoon so you can sip and scoop all at the same time. Enjoy!
Bring It!
Make a batch and throw it in your thermal mug while you gather up your Tupperware to go blueberry picking!
Swimsuit season calls for your inner cool. Hello watermelon gazpacho!
When summer really heats up there comes a day when we ask ourselves, “Can we just eat watermelon all day long?” Well of course we can! Watermelon can feature in everything from smoothies to salsa to salad to soup. Yes, soup. Gazpacho is typically a tomato affair, but it has many delicious riffs.
The official definition of Gazpacho calls it “a liquid salad from the southern Spanish region of Andalusia, made of ripe tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, garlic, and bread moistened with water that is blended with olive oil, vinegar, and ice water and served cold.” Blah, blah, blah. In my mind the main criteria of good gazpacho are that it is cold, fresh and refreshing. And it cannot involve heating you or your kitchen up in any way.
This gazpacho in particular, from a long ago Cooking Light recipe, is a favorite of mine. As far as gazpachos go it is pretty easy prep, with minimal chopping thanks to the food processor involvement. I am not the only one who thinks it might be really good with a shot of vodka swirled in. Sort of a sweet and crunchy Bloody Mary, yes? Alas, I haven’t tried that yet, but let me know if you do. If you’re really taking this watermelon thing seriously though, enjoy this just before dinner alfresco, after a good siesta and some lunchtime Watermelon Sangria.
Watermelon Gazpacho à la Cooking Light
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)
Ingredients
6 cups cubed seeded watermelon
1 cup coarsely chopped peeled English cucumber
1/2 cup coarsely chopped yellow bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped green onions
3 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup cranberry-raspberry juice
Method
Combine first 10 ingredients. Place half of watermelon mixture in a food processor, and pulse 3 or 4 times or until finely chopped. Spoon into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining watermelon mixture. Stir in cranberry-raspberry juice. Chill thoroughly.
Bring It!
Pour this into a Tupperware pitcher, put it in a cooler with some paper cups and you’re picnic ready!
Pucker up! Rhubarb and lemons pack a double tang in this pitcher of pinkness.
I’ve had a nagging guilt pang for weeks, because I found this great recipe for lemonade that I made with rhubarb from my garden but didn’t get to posting it before the end of rhubarb season. Just like I forgot to post (or even enjoy) a Firefly cocktail before the little lightening buggers disappeared.
Anyway, I was in the store yesterday and what did I see? Yep! Big stalks of fresh rhubarb. I don’t know where the rhubarb stands in your part of the country, but somebody somewhere is still harvesting it, so that’s reason enough to run with it.
And while we’re at it, let’s just make this a big lemonadey post. The great thing about lemonade—other than it being delish and refreshing—is that you can flavor it with any summer fruit or even herb to make a familiar drink into something transcendent. My sister makes a mean lavender lemonade that is wayyyy cheaper than a trip to Provence.
A word here on lemons. If there is any way you can get Meyer lemons—the thin-skinned beauties that are sweet enough to eat on their own—get them! They make all the difference.
Rhubarb Lemonade
Note: This is very, very tart. Kids (and many adults) will probably prefer it with lemon-lime soda vs. sparkling water. Pucker up buttercup!
Serves 6
Ingredients
3 ½ cups water
5 cups chopped rhubarb, fresh or frozen (20 ounces)
3/4 cups sugar
2 3-inch strips lemon zest
3 sprigs fresh mint
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups lemon-lime soda or sparkling water
Method
In a saucepan, stir together the water, the rhubarb pieces, the sugar, the lemon zest and the mint. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Let the rhubarb mixture cool, the strain it through a wire-mesh strainer set over a large pitcher. Press on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids
Stir in the lemon juice and soda. Serve over ice, garnished with a sprig of mint
These next two recipes came from Joy the Baker who clearly has a thing about lemonade, which is a good thing now that she’s moved to New Orleans.
Edie’s note: With the unique undertone of beets, this is decidedly adult tasting. As in, the kids won’t wrestle you for the last drop AND I’m pretty sure a splash of vodka or gin would make it a swanky cocktail. At any rate it is very pretty and refreshing. You might want to put away the white dress or t shirt for this one, just in case of an errant splash. It happens.
Ingredients
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup (about 1 small) finely grated raw beet*
6 cups filtered water, divided
*You can use the fine grating side of a box grater, or a food processor with the shredder attachment. I found the box grater to be much easier.
Method
In a blender or a food processor (fitted with the blade attachment), blend together lemon juice, sugar, shredded beet, and 1 cup of water. Blend for 1 minute until the mixture is bright pink and well combined. The beets will never be fully smooth, that’s ok!
Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer and into a medium bowl. Use the back of a spoon to press any remaining juice out of the beets and into the lemonade. Transfer strained mixture to a pitcher and discard the beets. Add remaining 5 cups of water to the pitcher and stir. Taste and add more lemon or sugar as necessary. Store in the refrigerator and serve chilled.
Fresh Blueberry and Mint Lemonade
makes about 2 quarts; adapted from The Lemonade Cookbook
Ingredients
2 cups fresh blueberries (frozen will also work)
1 cup (or one big handful) mint leaves (a few stems are fine too), coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice
1 cup granulated sugar (you can add more sugar if you have a sweet tooth)
4 to 5 cups filtered water
Method
In a blender add blueberries, mint, lemon juice, and granulated sugar. Blend until smooth and deep purple. The mixture will look a bit like a smoothie.
Pour mixture into a fine mesh strainer placed over a medium bowl. Use a spatula to press the liquid through the strainer leaving the blueberry pulp and fresh mint in the strainer. Discard the pulp. Pour the blueberry, mint, lemon juice into a pitcher and add water. Taste and add more water or sugar according to your taste.
Serve chilled.
Bring It
Bringing a pitcher or pitchers of different lemonades to a summer party or gathering will make you an instant hero. If you want extra credit bring adult (high octane) pour-ins, fruit garnishes or ice cubes made with frozen fruit or juice.
Making your own milk has become all the rage, and I’ve been right there with it, blending soaked nuts with water to make my own tasty milk beverage. While it feels good to be making milk from scratch, nothing about it was ever too exciting or zippy….until I added DATES! The versatile and simple date is making a comeback with me. Add a pitted date to anything and you have this wonderful sweetness that is just right. This milk is so flavorful, almost decadent.
This recipe is from Oh She Glows. It is a mix of hazelnuts and almonds, but feel free to modify the quantities of each or use cashew. It is perfect for pouring on your cereal, adding to your cold brewed iced coffee, using to make a smoothie, or drinking straight up out of a glass.
If you haven’t joined the ranks of homemade milk maker, now is the time to start. It’s easy and fun! Oh, and as an aside, look at me with a second addition to our Sips and Slurps category within a month. I’ve broken the seal!
Ingredients
3/4 cup raw hazelnuts
1/4 cup raw almond
3 1/2 cups water
3 pitted Medjool dates
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Method
Place hazelnuts and almonds in a bowl and cover with water and soak 8-12 hours. Drain and rinse.
Place soaked nuts in a blender with water, dates, vanilla, and cinnamon. Blend 1 minute.
Cover bowl with cheesecloth (I used a large 1 quart measuring cup and secured the cheesecloth with a rubber band). Slowly pour milk mixture through cheesecloth and into bowl. The milk will go through slowly so be patient. Remove the residue from the cheesecloth for the next round of pouring. Continue this process until all milk is through the cheesecloth.
There you have it – delicious, homemade hazelnut almond milk.
This recipe is really cool – both temperature cool and hipster cool. And just in time for the start of summer which is only a couple days away! It is simply frozen bananas and berries in a blender with a touch of almond milk (or whatever milk you have on hand). Yes, that’s right – bananas, berries, milk, blender. That’s it! It’s smooth and frosty, light and healthy. Not to mention good for all ages and can be served any time – breakfast, lunch, snack, or dessert. What are you waiting for- get that fruit in the freezer asap so you can make this smoothie soon.
