This may be hard to believe, but sometimes I do drink non-alcoholic drinks (ha). In all seriousness I usually reserve my cocktail consumption for the weekends so I like to experiment with alternatives to water to keep hydrated. I usually find that I can replace a flavored drink with fresh ingredients to satisfy snack cravings during the day and after dinner. Below are some of my favorite summer drink recipes and where to find the original postings. Enjoy!
Watermelon IceOne of the easiest way to switch up your usual water is to add frozen fruit. Try freezing cubes of watermelon and adding it to water or seltzer for an easy treat. Original post here. |
Mango LemonadeI loveeee mango in the summer and this twist on a lemonade is super refreshing. Ingredients 1 large mango 1/2 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup sugar 1 1/2 cups water Directions: Make a simple syrup by heating 1/2 cup water and the sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool Peel and puree the mango Add mango puree, lemon juice, syrup and water to pitcher and mix well. Serve over ice Original post here. |
Blueberry LemonadeWant another twist on lemonade? Try adding blueberries. Ingredients: 1/2 Cup Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar 1 cup blueberries 3/4 Cup freshly squeezed lemon juice Directions: To make the blueberry simple syrup, combine sugar and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in blueberries and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until blueberries have broken down, about 3-4 minutes. Strain blueberry mixture through a cheesecloth or fine sieve; let cool. In a large pitcher, whisk together blueberry simple syrup, lemon juice and 5 cups water. Place in the refrigerator until chilled. Serve over ice and blueberries, if desired. Original post here. |
Peach TeaAnother summer classic? Iced Tea! Though I love the original drink it's always nice to add a twist, like peaches. Ingredients Peach Syrup: 1 cup Sugar 1 cup Water 2-3 sliced fresh Peaches Tea: 3 Tea Bags 6 cups Water Directions: Bring syrup ingredients to boil. Then reduce heat to medium. Crush peach slices as you stir to dissolve sugar. Turn off heat cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Boil water and brew tea letting steep 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and refrigerate. Strain syrup through a fine strainer to remove fruit pieces. Add syrup to tea and serve over ice Original post here. |
Passion Tea LemonadeLast but not least is my favorite summer drink to make at home. I'm obsessed with Starbucks Passion Tea so I jumped at the chance to make it at home. Ingredients: 2 Tazo Passion Tea Bags 16 oz Water 4 oz Lemonade 2 tsp sugar 1/8 tsp Vanilla Directions: Boil water. Remove from heat add tea bags, sugar and vanilla. Allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove tea bags and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Add ice to a tall closeable container. Add 8 oz tea and 2 oz of lemonade per serving. Shake well to mix. Original post here. |