25+ Easy Drink Recipes (Cocktails & Non-Alcoholic) - Foolproof Living

Virgin Pina Colada

Aysegul Sanford — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 00:57:04 +0000

If you have ever wondered how to make a virgin pina colada or just need a non-alcoholic drink to sip on to feel like you are on a tropical island, you have come to the right place. This alcohol-free pina colada recipe has the same creamy, beachy vibes as this Pina Colada Smoothie but with a mocktail twist.

And if you are looking for more refreshing non-alcoholic drinks, make sure to check out our Strawberry Basil Limeade, Rosemary Mint Lemonade, Kale Pineapple Smoothie, and Ginger Iced Tea.

Virgin Pina Colada Ingredients

A frozen virgin pina colada recipe only requires a handful of key ingredients. It’s a short list of tropical flavors, including the following ingredients:

Frozen Pineapple: Look for frozen pineapple chunks in the frozen fruit section of your local grocery store. If you cannot find frozen pineapple, flash freeze fresh pineapple. To do so, simply remove the outer skin and core, then cut the pineapple into bite-size pieces. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes – 1 hour. You can also add more ice if frozen pineapple is unavailable.
Coconut Milk: We used full-fat coconut milk to create a healthier (and mildly sweet) version. For a sweeter take, make a virgin pina colada with 3-ingredients by using 1 cup sweetened Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut (affiliate link) and omitting the coconut sugar – add more pineapple juice (or try coconut water) if you find the mixture to be a little too thick.
Pineapple Juice: We think that unsweetened pineapple juice, usually found in a can, gives this Piña Colada mocktail an even more tropical flavor. Add more juice after blending based on your desired consistency. Swap it out for mango juice or orange juice for a different flavor.
Ice Cubes: Ice adds a creamy, slushy, icy texture. You can also use about ½ cup crushed ice, which will blend more evenly.
Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar keeps it naturally sweetened with no refined sugar. Add more after blending if you would like it on the sweeter side.
Garnish: Stick to the classic fresh pineapple wedge or pineapple slices and maraschino cherry. Or, give it a real warm beach vibe with fresh mint and a mini cocktail umbrella. Maple Whipped Cream or a dollop of Honey Ice Cream takes it that much more over the top.

Optional Add Ins / Variations

Rum: Make a pina colada cocktail by adding a shot of rum per drink (about 4-6 ounces total for this recipe). This could be white rum, coconut, or dark rum.
Extracts: If you would still like to enjoy a pina colada mocktail, but with rum flavor, add 1 – 2 tsp rum extract for extra flavor. A dash of vanilla extract never hurts, either.
Lime Juice: Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to balance the sweetness of the pineapple and coconut flavor.

How to Make Pina Colada without Alcohol?

Non-alcoholic pina coladas are ready in less than 5 minutes after a quick whiz in the blender. It is so refreshing and creamy, you will never miss the alcohol. Here’s how I like to do it:

Add ingredients to blender: In this order, place the frozen pineapple chunks, unsweetened coconut milk, pineapple juice, coconut sugar, and ice into a blender.
Blend: Start off on low power, then increase to high power and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Taste for sweetness and add more if desired.
Serve: Pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with pineapple wedges and maraschino cherries.

How to Make Ahead and Store Leftovers

While this homemade non-alcoholic pina colada is best served the moment it is made, there are a few steps you can take to get ahead. You can:

Make Ahead: Prep and measure out all the ingredients in advance. Keep stored in the freezer and fridge, respectively.
Storage: Leftover virgin pina colada mix can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. The mixture will melt and split, so reblend with some ice before enjoying.
Popsicles: Give it a creative spin and pour any leftovers into popsicle molds. Freeze until set, and enjoy!

Expert Tips

Coconut milk vs coconut cream: This recipe is best made with canned coconut milk rather than coconut cream (which has a higher fat content). To make sure the can of coconut milk is well blended, vigorously shake before opening or blend in a high-speed blender.
Use a hurricane glass: Stick to the curved hurricane glasses for classic pina coladas right at home.
Chill cocktail glasses: Chilled cocktail glasses keep the drink super cold without diluting it with extra ice. Place the glasses in the fridge or freezer for at least 1 hour, or until ready to serve.
Prep the garnishes: Make sure to have pineapple wedges and maraschino cherries at the ready so that your virgin colada cocktail doesn’t have time to melt. And don’t forget the paper umbrella for authentic Caribbean vibes.

FAQs

What’s in a virgin pina colada?

This healthy and mildly sweet pina colada without alcohol is made with frozen pineapple, coconut milk, pineapple juice, ice, and coconut sugar.

Who invented the pina colada?

Deemed the official drink of Puerto Rico, the first accounts of a pina colada came from bartender Ramon “Monchito” Marrero at the Caribe Hilton in 1954 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Why is it called virgin pina colada?

Pina Colada is Spanish for ‘strained pineapple’. Virgin pina colada denotes an alcohol-free version, which means the whole family can enjoy this fun drink on a hot summer’s day.

Are virgin pina coladas healthy?

This virgin colada is quite healthy as it contains no refined sugar, no alcohol, and clean, fresh ingredients you can feel good about. As a bonus, it is also vegan and dairy-free.

Other Non-Alcoholic Recipes You Might Also Like:

If you enjoyed this non-alcoholic pina colada recipe, I am pretty sure you will also like a few of our other mocktails. Below are our favorite summer sips that are worth checking out:

If you try this Pina Colada recipe without alcohol, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.

Virgin Pina Colada Recipe

Here’s a simple Virgin Pina Colada recipe that’s made with healthier ingredients without any refined sugars. With only four simple ingredients, you can make this non- alcoholic and refreshing drink in minutes. It is surely the best mocktail to enjoy on a hot summer day.

Course Non Alcoholic Drink

Cuisine Caribbean

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings serving

Calories 144kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

2 cups frozen pineapple chunks (8 ounces)
1 can unsweetened coconut milk (13.5 ounces) – Shake well
½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1 cup ice
2 tablespoons coconut sugar more if necessary

Garnishes

4 wedges pineapple
4 Maraschino cherries Optional

Instructions

Place the frozen pineapple chunks, unsweetened coconut milk, pineapple juice, coconut sugar, and ice into a blender.
Blend until smooth. Taste for sweetness and add more if necessary.
If preferred, pour into a glass and garnish with pineapple wedges and Maraschino cherries (if preferred.)

Notes

Yields: This recipe yields ~ 32 ounces of virgin colada. Each serving is about 8 ounces.
Chill your glasses: Place your glasses in the freezer at least 30 minutes before making this drink to ensure that they are super cold.
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. The mixture will melt and split, so reblend with some ice before enjoying.
Popsicles: Give it a creative spin and pour any leftovers into popsicle molds. Freeze until set, and enjoy!
Rum: Turn this into a pina colada cocktail by adding a shot of rum per drink (about 4-6 ounces total for this recipe). This could be white rum, coconut, or dark rum.

Nutrition

The post Virgin Pina Colada appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Spinach Peanut Butter Smoothie

Aysegul Sanford — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 19:16:08 +0000

The combination of spinach and peanut butter may sound unusual, but the creamy nuttiness of the peanut butter perfectly complements the earthy flavor of the fresh spinach. Plus, adding a frozen banana and almond milk makes this spinach banana smoothie a naturally sweet and healthy drink that is worthy of your weekly smoothie rotation.

If you enjoy smoothies like this Peanut Butter Spinach Smoothie, you might also like our Turmeric Green Smoothie and Vegan Banana Smoothie, which are both packed with a variety of nutrients for a satisfying breakfast. And if you need more smoothie recipe inspiration, be sure to browse our collection of superfood smoothies.

Ingredients

The ingredient list of this peanut butter banana spinach smoothie is short and sweet, with plenty of substitutions and optional add-ins to make it even more nutritious. Below is everything you need to know to make this healthy green smoothie your own:

Frozen banana: I usually freeze ripe bananas when they start changing their colors. If all you have is a fresh banana (and want your smoothie to be super cold), then just add in a cup of ice cubes.
Natural Peanut Butter: I prefer unsalted and unsweetened creamy peanut butter to avoid added sugars and excessive sodium. However, you can also use other nut butter options like almond butter or cashew butter. And if you have nut allergies, you can substitute peanut butter with a seed butter of your choice.
Non-Dairy Milk: I prefer dairy free unsweetened almond milk (or vanilla almond milk), but any kind of milk would work here. Soy milk, oat milk, and coconut milk would all work.
Fresh Spinach Leaves: I recommend using prewashed and rinsed baby spinach for ease of use. While I prefer fresh spinach for its milder flavor, you can make it with frozen spinach as well.

Substitutions and Optional Add-Ins:

Yogurt: I sometimes add in a few tablespoons of whole milk yogurt for probiotics. Both plain Greek yogurt and vanilla yogurt would work here.
Superfoods: If you stock your pantry with superfoods such as chia seeds, ground flax seeds (aka flaxseed meal), and hemp seeds, you can add them in. Additionally, you can add in a few tablespoons of your favorite protein powder and powdered collagen for an extra boost.
Other leafy greens: Use other leafy greens like kale (or blanched kale) and spring mix instead of raw spinach. Kale peanut butter smoothie is just as delicious but tastes rather earthy. You can also use swiss chard and collard greens, but I would recommend blanching them first to get rid of some of their bitterness.
Sweeteners: If you like your smoothie more on the sweeter side, adding a few tablespoons of maple syrup, a few pitted dates or some honey (non-vegan option) gives is a nice sweetness.
Spices: A pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg is an easy way to give in a nice kick of flavor.

How To Make Peanut Butter Banana Spinach Smoothie?

The best part of this spinach breakfast smoothie recipe is that it takes just a few minutes to make. Simply:

Blend: Put spinach leaves, peanut butter, milk of your choice, and frozen banana (and all the optional add-ins) into a blender and blend until creamy and smooth.
Serve: Pour into a few glasses (or mason jars) and serve right away.

How To Make Ahead and Store Spinach Banana Smoothie?

Whether you make green smoothies like this for breakfast or enjoy them as a post-workout snack, with just a few minutes of advance prep, you can have them in minutes. Here is how I do it:

Make Ahead: Portion out all the ingredients (except peanut butter) and place them into a Ziplock bag. Store in the fridge (or freezer). When ready to serve, dump everything in your blender along with peanut butter and blend until smooth.
Storing leftovers: I think this peanut butter spinach banana smoothie recipe is best on the day that it is made. However, you can place the leftovers into a mason jar, put the lid on and store it in the fridge for up to 1 day. Just be sure to give it a good shake before serving.

Expert Tips:

Adjust the consistency: If you prefer your spinach banana peanut butter smoothie to have a thicker consistency add more frozen bananas along with a handful of ice cubes. And if you want it to have a thinner consistency, simply add more milk to the blender.
Use a high powered blender: If you make green monster smoothies like this one on the regular, I highly recommend investing in a high-speed blender. While you can make a good smoothie in any blender, a high-powered one makes it so much easier, especially when blending frozen fruit and leafy greens.
Chill your glass: I love serving this in the warmer summer months by the pool as an afternoon snack in a cold glass as an alternative to ice cream. I pour it into chilled glasses and serve it with a few slices of bananas and then let everyone know that I have a delicious green spinach milkshake! It disappears in minutes!

FAQs:

Why is spinach good in smoothies?

Adding a handful of spinach into your smoothie is a great idea because spinach is a low calorie, nutrient dense food that is packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It also has a mild taste that does not take over the whole smoothie and blends well with the rest of the ingredients.

Are smoothies good for losing weight?

They can be as long as they are consumed in smaller portions and without extra added sugars.

Is peanut butter good for protein smoothies?

Yes, because peanut butter is a great source of plant-based protein, with 8 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons (source.) Adding a few tablespoons of peanut butter is an easy way to get a portion of your daily protein in.

Other Smoothie Recipes You Might Like:

It is no secret that green smoothies like this Spinach Banana Smoothie have a long list of benefits and incorporating them in your daily diet (especially as a substitute for your sweet cravings), will help you feel energized and full. If you agree, here are a few other smoothie recipes you might like:

Turmeric Mango Smoothie
Mango Peach Smoothie
Kale and Pineapple Smoothie
And if you have some leftover peanut butter, be sure to try this Keto Peanut Butter Mousse recipe to treat yourself.

If you try this healthy peanut butter green smoothie recipe, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It is a great help to others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.

Spinach Peanut Butter Smoothie Recipe

Treat yourself to a refreshing Spinach Peanut Butter Smoothie, crafted with creamy peanut butter, vibrant fresh spinach and a frozen ripe banana. This naturally sweetened green smoothie is ready in 5 minutes and great as a healthy breakfast or post work-out fuel.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings servings

Calories 257kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

2 cups baby spinach leaves
2 cups unsweetened almond milk or any other regular or plant based milk
1 large banana frozen*
3 tablespoons peanut butter creamy and unsalted natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds optional – plus more as garnish

Instructions

Place all the ingredients into a blender. Blend in high speed until smooth.
Pour into glasses and sprinkle with ground flaxseeds (and/or chia seeds.) Serve right away.

Notes

Banana: If you do not have a frozen banana, you can use a ripe one and add 1 cup of ice cubes into the blender.
Optional sweeteners: If you want your peanut butter smoothie to be sweeter, you can add in a few tablespoons of maple syrup, honey or a few pitted dates and blend until smooth.
Consistency: For a thicker smoothie, use an additional half a banana and for a thinner one, use more almond milk.
To Make Ahead: Portion all the ingredients (except peanut butter) and place them into a plastic bag. Store in the fridge (or freezer). When ready to serve, dump everything in your blender along with peanut butter and blend until smooth.
Storing leftovers: I think this peanut butter spinach banana smoothie recipe is best on the day that it is made. However, you can place the leftovers into a mason jar, put the lid on and store it in the fridge for up to 1 day. Just be sure to give it a good shake before serving.

Nutrition

The post Spinach Peanut Butter Smoothie appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Peach Mango Smoothie

Aysegul Sanford — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 17:58:22 +0000

It is no secret that smoothies are the ideal summer breakfast/snack with a long list of benefits, especially if they are made without any additional sugars, just like this peach mango smoothie recipe.

Over the years, I have shared so many Superfood Smoothie Recipes and have no plans of slowing down. If you are a fan as well, be sure to check out Cantaloupe Smoothie and Mango Turmeric Smoothie, both of which are perfect for warmer months.

Ingredients

To make this peach mango drink, you will need fresh mango, peach slices, fresh orange juice, ice cubes, and your favorite yogurt.

Substitutions & Possible Add-Ins

Frozen Fruit: If fresh peaches and mangos are not in season, you can always make this mango and peach smoothie with frozen peaches and mangos. If you’re going to use frozen fruit, make sure you use less ice. Using ice and frozen fruit results in a really thick smoothie, almost like a peach mango puree. Of course, if you’d rather have a smoothie with a thicker consistency, you can always make a smoothie bowl.
Yogurt: Greek yogurt is a key ingredient to give this smoothie the creamy texture and tangy taste that pairs so well with sweet tropical fruits. The good thing is that you can use any type of yogurt. I have also made this smoothie using my vanilla yogurt many times and it turned out great. For a low-fat option, use skim milk yogurt; for a vegan smoothie, use vanilla almond milk yogurt or soy milk yogurt. If you want to enhance the peach flavors, you can even add in a coconut milk-based peach yogurt. And if peach and mango smoothie with yogurt is not your thing, add a handful of unsalted cashews to achieve a similar consistency.
Add a banana instead of sugar: While I think that ripe peaches and mangos make this smoothie sweet enough, if you want to add a bit more sweetness, I recommend adding a ripe banana. A refreshing peach mango banana smoothie is ideal, especially if you are serving it to kids as a poolside snack.
Add in some protein and more superfoods: As it is with any smoothie recipe, you can add in a tablespoon of hemp seeds, chia seeds, ground flaxseed, or even your favorite protein powder for an added nutritional boost.
Play around with adding other fruit: Add a touch of tropical flavor to your summer fruit smoothies by adding pineapple, strawberries or any of your other favorite fruits in season.
Make it a juice instead: Want to make it a peach mango juice recipe? While it is healthier to eat fruit as a whole (or in pureed form like it is in this recipe), you can strain it through a colander to turn it into a juice instead.
Add greens: If you’re a fan of green smoothies, add a handful of spinach or kale to make sure you’re getting your daily vegetable intake.
More flavor: Adding a dash of vanilla extract or maple syrup to your mango peach yogurt smoothie is a quick and easy way to elevate the overall flavor of the drink.

How to Make This Recipe

Making this tropical mango peach smoothie cannot be easier. Here are the steps:

Blend ingredients: Combine mango chunks, peaches, orange juice, yogurt, and ice cubes into a blender. Pulse your ingredients a few times before blending them at high speed until it has a smooth consistency.
Serve: Pour your smoothie into your favorite glass. I like to garnish it with hemp seeds on top before serving, but it’s optional.

How to Store

Store your drink in a cup with a lid (like a mason jar) for easy storage. It should be good for up to two days. Note that the longer it stays in the fridge, the more liquid it will become. Make sure you shake it up before serving it.

FAQs

What fruits blend well with peaches?

Peaches blend well with oranges, strawberries, apricots, and pineapples.

How many calories are in a peach mango smoothie?

This smoothie recipe has 278 calories per serving. Please review the recipe card below for more nutritional information.

What is a good fruit combination with mango?

You can add various kinds of fresh fruit to your mango puree smoothie recipe to make it even more flavorful. Different fruits such as strawberries and raspberries are great for summer months, whereas a ripe banana is a great option for all-year-round.

Other Smoothie Recipes You Might Also Like:

If you liked this mango peach smoothie recipe, here are a few other delicious reader-favorite smoothie recipes you might enjoy:

If you try this Peach-Mango Smoothie recipe or any of our other smoothie recipes on Foolproof Living, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.

Peach Mango Smoothie Recipe

This 5-ingredient Peach Mango Smoothie is the perfect easy breakfast or afternoon snack for a refreshing boost of nutrients! Make this tropical smoothie in only 5 minutes with fresh or frozen fruit.

Course Smoothie

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings serving

Calories 278kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

1 cup mango cut into large chunks from 1 large ripe mango
1 cup peach cut into large chunks for 2 small or 1 large ripe peach
¾ cup orange juice or pineapple juice
¼ cup Greek yogurt or any other one of your favorite yogurt
1 cup ice

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve right away.

Notes

Fruit: If fresh fruit is not available, you can use frozen mango and frozen peach instead. If you use frozen fruit, I recommend adding half the amount of ice.
Yogurt: You can use any type of yogurt you like here, homemade vanilla yogurt or even your favorite brand of vegan yogurt would also work.

Nutrition

The post Peach Mango Smoothie appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Cantaloupe Smoothie

Aysegul Sanford — Tue, 31 May 2022 15:38:44 +0000

Why Should You Try This Smoothie Recipe?

This simple melon shake is as nutritious as it is refreshing, and you won’t believe how easy it is to make. With so much to love, this cantaloupe smoothie recipe will be your new go-to treat perfect for a hot summer day.

No sugar is added to this naturally sweet cantaloupe yogurt smoothie, making it a refreshing (and healthy!) treat to have first thing in the morning or even for dessert.
You can make this cantaloupe shake recipe for nearly any special diet. Anyone who follows a vegan, gluten-free, or even dairy-free diet can enjoy this tasty drink—alongside my Mango Tumeric Smoothie or any one of my other Turmeric Smoothies, of course.
Needing only 5 ingredients and less than 10 minutes, this beginner-friendly drink is one of the most effortless cantaloupe smoothie ideas out there.

Ingredients

To make this cantaloupe shake, gather cubed cantaloupe, unsweetened plain yogurt, orange juice, and ice. Because the high water content of melon can lead to a watery texture, you’ll also need a half-cup of another fruit, such as mango.

Substitutions & Additions

Putting cantaloupe in a smoothie is the best way to make a healthy drink without a lengthy shopping list. Make your frozen melon smoothie countless ways with these simple substitutions.

Freeze cantaloupe: To make a frozen cantaloupe smoothie, freeze your fresh cantaloupe pieces before blending. Note, however, that you may have to pulse your smoothie for extra time to break up the frozen bits.
Second fruit: Almost any sweet fruit will work alongside your cantaloupe, including strawberry, pineapple, banana, and mango. You can also freeze this second fruit if you have time or add extra ice cubes for a refreshing chill.
Juice: Adding juice is one of my favorite ways to add sweetness to my summer smoothie. However, though I use orange juice (I squeeze it myself instead of using orange juice from concentrate) in my smoothie routine, pineapple juice would also work.
Milk instead of juice: If you prefer to make your cantaloupe smoothie with milk, any kind will do. For instance, you can make cantaloupe smoothie recipes with almond milk, cashew milk, or even coconut milk. Just note that you may have to add a little honey, honey syrup, or simple syrup to make your smoothie a bit sweeter if you prefer.
Yogurt: I use plain Greek yogurt in my smoothie recipe, but you could also use a dairy-free alternative instead. Like the almond milk yogurt I use in my Vegan Banana Smoothie, vegan yogurt makes a great, diet-friendly substitution.
Additional Sweetener: I think this orange cantaloupe smoothie recipe is adequately sweet as written, but if you want it sweeter you can add in a few tablespoons of honey syrup or as it blends.
Add protein (optional): To make this healthy smoothie recipe even more nutritious, try adding extra proteins. Simply add a teaspoon of ground flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, collagen peptides, nut butter, or your favorite protein powder.

How to Make a Cantaloupe Smoothie

Smoothie recipes with melon are a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth without breaking a sweat. This cool, fruity treat will be the easiest drink you make all summer.

Blend ingredients: Place the ingredients into a blender, preferably with fruit on the bottom and ice at the top. Pulse the ingredients a few times, then blend on high until smooth. If you do not own a blender, you can use a food processor for blending as well.
Serve: Pour the mixture into a glass and, if desired, garnish with cantaloupe. Drink immediately.

Variations

Make dozens of smoothie recipes with cantaloupe with these yummy variations. Whether you’re craving a sweet cantaloupe berry smoothie or a creamy banana variation, we’ve got you covered!

Frozen cantaloupe smoothie: Want to give your melon smoothie extra chill? Freeze your cantaloupe cubes for 4-8 hours before blending.
Cantaloupe banana smoothie: If you’re looking for a healthy breakfast that’s equal parts sweet and creamy, a banana smoothie is just what you need. Simply swap out your mango for a half-cup of sliced banana.
Strawberry cantaloupe smoothie: Give your recipe a tart, summer-fresh flavor with a match made in heaven: cantaloupe and strawberries! No one can resist the fresh fruit of this easy recipe.
Watermelon cantaloupe smoothie: No one can resist a refreshing smoothie recipe with double the ripe melon. For this delicious recipe, I recommend adding a full cup of cubed watermelon to keep your smoothie from becoming too watery.

How to Store

Smoothie recipes with melon are a godsend when it comes to easy storage. Simply place your smoothie mixture in a bottle with a tight-fitting lid, like a mason jar. Drink within 2 days, being sure to shake the smoothie before pouring.

Please note that your smoothie will likely get watery as it sits in the fridge. To keep your cantaloupe smoothie’s creamy texture, I recommend enjoying your beverage on the day it’s made.

FAQs

No guesswork is necessary when making this recipe for a melon smoothie. Whether you have questions about substitutions or nutrition information, this handy guide is just what you need.

Can you put cantaloupe in a smoothie?

Yes, you can use cantaloupe in a smoothie! Adding melon to smoothies is the perfect way to make a naturally sweet, creamy, and healthy treat.

How to make a cantaloupe smoothie with milk?

If you don’t want to add juice to your smoothie, you can use milk instead. Any milk will work, but you may have to add extra sweetness with ingredients like honey or Honey Simple Syrup if you like your smoothies on the sweeter side.

Can cantaloupe be frozen for smoothies?

Absolutely! Simply cut your cantaloupe into 1-inch cubes, arrange them on a sheet pan, and put them in the freezer for 4-8 hours. Then, blend your ingredients.

Is cantaloupe smoothie good for you?

Using natural, nutrient-packed ingredients, this cantaloupe smoothie with yogurt is a tasty and healthy way to get extra vitamins. Just one serving of cantaloupe fills your daily need for vitamin c and vitamin A.

Similar Smoothie Recipes You Might Like:

It is no secret that drinking a smoothie a day has its benefits. If you are new to making your own smoothies you are in for a treat because I have so many recipes for you. Below are a few recipes to get you started.

Turmeric Ginger Smoothie
Healthy Chocolate Smoothie
Watermelon Cucumber Smoothie
Dragon Fruit Smoothie
Can’t get enough? Check out all our Superfood Smoothies

If you try this Cantaloupe Smoothie recipe or any other smoothie recipes on Foolproof Living, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It is a great help to others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.

Cantaloupe Smoothie Recipe

This Cantaloupe Smoothie recipe is an easy, quick and healthy breakfast or snack you can make in minutes. Made without any sugar, this melon smoothie is incredibly refreshing perfect for a hot summer day.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings serving

Calories 197kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

1 cup cantaloupe cut into 1 to 2-inch cubes
½ cup mango strawberry, or banana, cut into small pieces*
¼ cup unsweetened plain yogurt or vanilla yogurt or vegan yogurt
½ cup orange juice or pineapple juice
1 cup ice

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend on high until smooth.
Pour into a glass and garnish with cantaloupe if desired. Enjoy immediately.

Notes

This recipe can easily be multiplied.
I think it goes without saying that the riper the fruit the sweeter your smoothie will be. So, if you prefer it on the sweeter side be sure to pick a ripe cantaloupe white you are at the grocery store.
You can use frozen cantaloupe if you want. However, if you do so, I would recommend using 1/2 cup of ice.
Storage: Simply place your smoothie mixture in a bottle with a tight-fitting lid, like a mason jar. Drink within 2 days, being sure to shake the smoothie before pouring. Please note that your smoothie will likely get watery as it sits in the fridge. To keep your cantaloupe smoothie’s creamy texture, I recommend enjoying your beverage on the day it’s made.

Nutrition

The post Cantaloupe Smoothie appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Strawberry Basil Margarita

Aysegul Sanford — Sun, 01 May 2022 06:23:00 +0000

Love a good strawberry margarita? Also, try my Strawberry Champagne Margarita or Strawberry Basil Mocktail (if you are serving kiddos.) And whatever you do, be sure to serve it along with my 4-Ingredient Guacamole and/or Easy Mexican Corn with chips on the side.

Why Should You Make This Recipe

With simple ingredients, minimal preparation, and amazing flavor, this strawberry basil margarita recipe is guaranteed to be a lot of fun. Mixology has never been so easy!

The combination of strawberry and basil makes the ultimate spring and summer cocktail for party time! Serve it as a festive summer drink on the Fourth of July, Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, and/or any hot day.
If you have 5 minutes you can make this strawberry basil tequila cocktail— just like my Pineapple Margarita and Blueberry Margarita.
Easily multiply the recipe to make a strawberry basil margarita pitcher for a crowd or follow it written for a happy hour drink for two.

Ingredients

To make strawberry basil margaritas, gather strawberries, fresh basil leaves, freshly squeezed lime juice, Honey Syrup, silver tequila, orange liqueur, and ice cubes.

For the lime salt, you’ll need kosher salt, lime zest, and a wedge of lime.

Helpful Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Zesty, tangy, and bright, this basil strawberry cocktail recipe will tickle your tastebuds with every sip. You can even give your drink a fun twist with these mixologist-approved tips.

Fresh is best: Whenever possible, use fresh ingredients. Fresh strawberries, fresh basil, and fresh lime juice will make your margarita’s flavors pop.
Simple syrup: I prefer to use homemade Honey Simple Syrup in this recipe, but store-bought simple syrup can be a simple substitute.
Tequila Blanco: Though I use 1800 Silver Tequila in my margarita, any silver tequila or even gold tequila would work in this recipe.
Triple Sec: If you have it use Cointreau or Grand Marnier. If not, any triple sec would work in this basil strawberry margarita recipe.
Virgin Margarita: Simply omit triple sec and tequila to make this a mocktail. And while you are at it, whip up one of these Strawberry Limeade Popsicles too!
Other fresh herbs: Not a fan of basil flavor? You can use other fresh herbs like fresh mint and fresh rosemary in this homemade margarita recipe.

How to Make This Recipe

Even beginner bartenders can make this delicious strawberry basil cocktail with ease. Two simple preparation methods make this margarita recipe twice as easy to make.

On the Rocks

Making strawberry margaritas on the rocks is as easy as it can be. Simply follow the below steps to have the most refreshing drink in no time:

Prepare the salt: Combine the kosher salt and lime zest on a small plate.
Salt the rim: Run a lime wedge around the rim of a margarita glass. Then, press the rim of the glass into the salt mixture so that it adheres to the glass.
Muddle the ingredients: Muddle the strawberries, basil, lime juice, and honey simple syrup in a cocktail shaker.
Shake the cocktail: Add the tequila and orange liqueur to the shaker and shake to combine. Then add ice to the mixture and shake for another 30 seconds.
Serve: Strain the liquid into the prepared margarita glasses. If desired, garnish the drink with strawberries, extra basil, and a slice of lime.

Frozen

For a frozen strawberry margarita with basil, place strawberries, basil leaves, lime juice, simple syrup, silver tequila, orange liqueur, and one cup of ice cubes into a blender. Then, blend the ingredients at high speed until they reach your preferred consistency.

Taste for sweetness and add in if necessary. If you do, give it one more whiz and pour the frozen strawberry basil margaritas into prepared glasses, and garnish them with a couple of strawberries and a sprig of basil.

How to Make a Pitcher of Strawberry Margaritas

One sign of a good margarita is that it’s easy to make for a crowd. If you’re looking to make a strawberry margarita on the rocks in a pitcher, you have two easy options:

Make a bigger batch: This recipe can be multiplied as many times as necessary to serve your guests. Simply follow the instructions as listed using the required amount of ingredients.
Limeade strawberry margarita (The Quick Method!): If you are in need of a super quick way of making a larger batch of strawberry margaritas, you can use storebought frozen limeade concentrate instead of fresh lime juice. For 1 can (12 oz.) of limeade concentrate, I use 2 cups of strawberries, a cup of basil, 2 ¼ cups of tequila, ⅓ cup triple sec, and 2 ½ cups of water.
Muddle the fruit, mix the rest of the ingredients, and let the mixture sit in the fridge for 4 hours. Then, garnish and serve.

Make-Ahead & Storage Instructions

One good thing about this recipe is that you can make it in advance. Whether you’re making a strawberry margarita pitcher recipe or a boozy treat for two, you can save time with a little bit of advance prep.

You can prepare a portion of this recipe up to one day ahead of time. Simply muddle together all your ingredients except the alcohol and ice. Then, store the mixture in an airtight container in the fridge.

When ready to drink, put the refrigerated mixture, tequila, triple sec, and ice into a cocktail shaker. Shake the mixture for 30 seconds, strain it into a prepared margarita glass, and serve.

Alternatively, you can mix everything in a pitcher.

FAQs

How to make Strawberry Basil Mocktail?

To make a strawberry mocktail recipe, simply omit the tequila and triple sec from this recipe. All you’ll need to do is muddle together the strawberries, basil, lime juice, and simple syrup. Then, shake the mixture with ice for 30 seconds, and strain into a prepared margarita glass.

What is a strawberry margarita made of?

Strawberry margaritas are made out of strawberries, lime juice, simple syrup, silver tequila, orange liqueur, and ice.

Other Tequila Cocktail Recipes You Might Like

One of the best ways to cool down a hot summer day is with fruity margarita recipes. If you want a great homemade margarita with a delicious twist, look no further than these tasty tequila cocktails.

If you try this Strawberry Basil Margarita recipe or any other one of our cocktail recipes on Foolproof Living, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.

Strawberry Basil Margarita Recipe

This Strawberry Basil Margarita recipe is made with an herbal twist using the classic margarita flavors. Fresh basil is first muddled with strawberries and then blended with tequila, honey simple syrup, lime juice, and triple sec. It comes together in about 5 minutes, this is the must-try summer tequila cocktail recipe!

Course Cocktails

Cuisine American

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 282kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For the lime salt:

4 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons lime zest plus one lime wedge

For The Margarita:

12 fresh strawberries hulled and sliced, plus more for garnish
10-12 fresh basil leaves plus more for garnish
2 ounces lime juice freshly squeezed
2 ounces honey simple syrup or simple syrup
4 ounces of silver tequila or your favorite tequila blanco
1 ounce of orange liqueur
Ice cubes

Instructions

On The Rocks:

Place kosher salt and lime zest on a shallow plate. Mix to combine.
Run the lime wedge around the rim of a margarita or rock glass and press the rim into the salt-lime mixture to adhere.
In a cocktail shaker, muddle together strawberries, basil, lime juice, and honey simple syrup.
Add tequila and orange liquor and shake until combined. Add ice and shake for another 30 seconds. Give it a taste and if preferred, add in more simple syrup and shake one last time.
Strain margarita into the prepared glass. Garnish with fresh strawberries, basil leaves, and a slice of lime.

Frozen:

Place kosher salt and lime zest on a shallow plate. Mix to combine.
Run the lime wedge around the rim of a margarita or rock glass and press the rim into the salt-lime mixture to adhere.
Place strawberries, basil leaves, lime juice, simple syrup, tequila, orange liquor, and a cup of ice cubes into a blender. Blend on high speed until all the ingredients are pulverized.
Pour into margarita glasses and garnish with fresh strawberries and basil leaves.

Notes

Adjust sweetness: Be sure to give it a taste before pouring into margarita glasses and add more if necessary.
Make it a day ahead: You can prepare a portion of this recipe up to one day ahead of time. If you decide to do so, simply muddle together all your ingredients except the alcohol and ice. Then, store the mixture in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to drink, put the refrigerated mixture, tequila, triple sec, and ice into a cocktail shaker. Shake the mixture for 30 seconds, strain it into a prepared margarita glass, and serve.
Make it for a large crowd in a pitcher: This recipe can be multiplied easily, especially if you are serving a crowd. Simply follow the instructions as listed using the required amount of ingredients and serve with lots of ice.
Limeade strawberry margarita served in a pithcher(The Quick Method!): If you are in need of a super quick way of making a larger batch of strawberry margaritas, you can use storebought frozen limeade concentrate instead of fresh lime juice. For 1 can (12 oz.) of limeade concentrate, I use 2 cups of strawberries, a cup of basil, 2 ¼ cups of tequila, ⅓ cup triple sec, and 2 ½ cups of water. Muddle the fruit, mix the rest of the ingredients, and let the mixture sit in the fridge for 4 hours. Then, garnish and serve.

Nutrition

The post Strawberry Basil Margarita appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Turmeric Smoothie Recipes (Vegan and No Sugar Added)

Aysegul Sanford — Sun, 11 Jul 2021 15:26:00 +0000

If you are fan of consuming warm drink recipes like golden milk or turmeric tea on the regular, then today you are in for a treat. Because today, we are making turmeric smoothies. Known with its anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric is a superfood that has been around for a very long time.

In this post, I will answer some of the most popular questions about using fresh or ground turmeric in smoothies along with my favorite turmeric smoothie recipes that I make on the regular. Similar to all of my other healthy smoothie recipes, the ones I am sharing here are vegan (no dairy), no added sugar and made with simple every day ingredients that you can easily find in your local grocery store.

Though before I continue I want to mention one thing. Please consult your doctor for personalized medical advice and eat based on his/her recommendations. The long list of health benefits of turmeric is quite well known and accepted but you and your doctor know your needs better than anyone.

Why Should You Try My Turmeric Smoothies:

Quick & Easy: Making a quick and creamy turmeric smoothie in the morning is an easy way to get your daily dose of superfoods and strengthen your immune system, even when you are on the go.
Good for you: In addition to being a powerful antioxidant, turmeric helps with inflammation issues, especially when mixed with other superfoods like fresh ginger, chia seeds, spinach, flax seeds, tropical fruits, etc.
They taste good: I developed these recipes to make sure that they have the right balance of natural sweetness coming from fruits to mask the spicy flavor of turmeric (especially if you are using ground turmeric) that some people don’t care for.

Below are my answers to some of the FAQs along with a few of my favorite turmeric smoothie recipes.

Why do we use black pepper and oil with turmeric?

Before I share the following recipes, I want to talk about two ingredients that I used in every single smoothie below that come as a surprise to you: Black Pepper and Coconut Oil.

Add a pinch of black pepper

The most well known and researched component in turmeric that is hailed for health is called curcumin. Its usage goes back to the ancient Ayurvedic practice and has been known to promote the holistic health of the body with its powerful anti-inflammatory antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-cariogenic properties.

The sad thing is that our bodies cannot absorb curcumin when we consume it just by itself.

This is where black pepper comes handy. The active ingredient in black pepper, piperine, increases the bioavailability (here is a detailed definition of this technical word) of curcumin by 2000% (source).

The good news is that you do not need to use a lot. All you need is a pinch of black pepper. In the turmeric smoothie recipes below, you don’t even taste it.

A Splash of coconut oil or ghee

If you look back at the ancient Ayurvedic practice you will see that they make their golden milk with a little bit of clarified butter. They do this because curcumin has poor solubility in water. In other words, consuming turmeric with a little bit of fat helps us benefit from curcumin’s full potential.

Therefore, I added a little bit of oil in my smoothies. I opted for ½ teaspoon coconut oil as it is widely available, but if you have access to ghee you can use that as well.

Again, similar to black pepper, you do not taste the coconut oil in the smoothie recipes I shared in this post.

FAQs

How to use turmeric in smoothies?

You can use both ground turmeric spice (also known as turmeric powder) or fresh turmeric root in your smoothie recipes.

How much turmeric to put in a smoothie?

The following ratios might change depending on the recipe, but my general rule of thumb for 2 servings of a turmeric smoothie is to use ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric spice or ¼ teaspoon of grated fresh turmeric root (about 1-inch).
I personally find fresh turmeric root to be more potent compared to its spice version so I use half the amount. However, I recommend starting with these ratios and adjusting it to your liking.

Delicious turmeric smoothie recipes for all year round

Below are my favorite turmeric smoothies that I make throughout the year. All of the recipes below are vegan (dairy-free), gluten-free, and no sugar added.

If I am making these during the winter months I usually do not add ice into the blender. However, during the summer months, I almost always add in a cup of ice cubes to make it even more refreshing.

Mango Turmeric Smoothie

This is the smoothie that I make when I am in need of the tropical flavors. Made with fresh mango and pineapple, it is made even more nutritious with the addition of a tablespoon of chia seeds.

Don’t have access to fresh fruit? You can also use frozen fruit to make this smoothie.

Get the recipe

Turmeric Ginger Smoothie

This is what I call the superfood smoothie of all times. This turmeric smoothie is carrot and orange-based, so you also get your daily dose of Vitamin C right off the bat. Since they are both so sweet and flavorful, when used together they can mask the potent flavors of fresh ginger and turmeric pretty well.

This is the smoothie I make myself when I feel like I need an afternoon pick me up. It opens my eyes and makes me feel good immediately.

Get the recipe

Spinach Turmeric Smoothie

This is my favorite green smoothie recipe. Made with almond milk, spinach, ground flaxseeds, and fresh (or frozen) pineapple, it is packed with all kinds of good-for-you ingredients.

Want to switch it up? Feel free to switch things up by using fresh kale instead of baby spinach or coconut milk instead of almond milk or chia seeds instead of ground flaxseeds. And if you like kale and pineapple combo, be sure to try my Pineapple Kale Smoothie recipe.

Get the recipe

Are you someone who enjoys turmeric drinks on the regular?

If you are someone who enjoys adding turmeric to smoothies, curries, or simply in hot milk before bed, I highly recommend keeping a jar of turmeric paste in your fridge. I usually make it once a month and use a small amount (usually about 1 teaspoon) every day.

And if you want to use this turmeric paste in these smoothie recipes instead of the turmeric spice, black pepper, and coconut oil, you can simply use ½ teaspoon of turmeric paste instead.

Get the recipe

Need more smoothie recipe inspiration?

Here are a few more posts to get you inspired:

Benefits of Smoothies
My favorite Superfood Smoothies – All vegan and no sugar added

Turmeric Smoothie Recipes

Get the recipe for my go-to dairy-free, no sugar added and vegan spinach turmeric smoothie recipe.

Course Smoothies

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings servings

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

Spinach Turmeric Smoothie

2 cups baby spinach or kale rinsed and washed
3 cups of pineapple chunks fresh or frozen
½ teaspoon of ground turmeric spice
1 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
1 cup of water
1 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
Pinch of black pepper
½ teaspoon coconut oil melted and cooled

Mango Turmeric Smoothie

2 cups of chopped mango fresh or frozen
½ cup pineapple chunks fresh or frozen
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut flakes
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1 ½ cups of coconut water
A pinch of black pepper
¼ teaspoon coconut oil

Turmeric Ginger Smoothie

3 stalks of carrot washed peeled and cut into chunks
1 ½ cups of chopped oranges
1 ½ cups of coconut water
1- inch fresh ginger grated (about ½ teaspoon)
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
Pinch of black pepper
½ teaspoon coconut oil

Instructions

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a blender and blend until smooth.
Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Do I add ice to the blender? If I am making these during the winter months I usually do not add ice into the blender. However, during the summer months, I almost always add in a cup of ice to make it even more refreshing.
Can I make these smoothies the night before? Yes, you can. Simply make a batch in the blender, place it in a jar or bottle with a tight fitting lid and store it in the fridge until the morning. Be sure to give it a good shake before drinking. I recommend consuming your turmeric smoothie within the 24 hours.

The post Turmeric Smoothie Recipes (Vegan and No Sugar Added) appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Blueberry Margaritas

Aysegul Sanford — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 15:52:00 +0000

This post has been sponsored by Powell & Mahoney. All opinions are my own.

I think we can all agree that there is nothing more refreshing than a fruity margarita recipe when it is 90 F. degrees outside. I have always been a big fan of Pineapple Margaritas and Strawberry Basil Margaritas, but having just come back from a blueberry picking session, I have so much of them, so we are making Blueberry Margaritas on the regular.

In this post, I will show you my foolproof method for making this blueberry tequila drink in two different ways: On the rocks and frozen. Plus, below, you will find my tips and tricks to serve it to a crowd, along with a few ways to switch it up and take your margarita game to the next level.

Ingredients:

The ingredient list for a classic blueberry margarita recipe is no different than any other margarita recipe, and it includes (for one serving):

2 parts tequila Blanco
1 part triple sec or orange liquor
1 part honey simple syrup (or regular simple syrup)
½ part fresh lime juice
2 parts blueberry puree (or any other fruit puree of your choice)

If you are making this for a small crowd, say 3-5 people, following this formula will yield great results. But what if you are making it for a crowd, say 30+ people?

That is where my friends at Powell & Mahoney come to our rescue. Their margarita mixes are truly superior to any other margarita mixes in the market. They are made without the use of artificial flavors or preservatives. Instead, they use non-GMO ingredients like lime juice, cane sugar, and organic agave syrup.

Plus, they offer a variety of options. In this blueberry cocktail recipe, I chose to use their Skinny Margarita Mix, but I always keep a few bottles of their Classic Margarita Mix in my bar cart.

Using one of these margarita mixes, you can make this blueberry margarita recipe in less than 5 minutes regardless of the number of people you are serving it to.

The following is my recipe for one serving. Feel free to multiply it as you please.

1 part Tequila Blanco
½ part triple sec or orange liquor
1 part of blueberry puree
2 parts of Powell & Mahoney Margarita Mix
A squeeze of Lime Juice

Ways to incorporate blueberry flavor into the recipe:

As promised, I will show you how to make blueberry margaritas in two ways, but before then, I will show you a few ways to incorporate fresh blueberries into your margaritas.

Mashed blueberries: Place a handful of fresh blueberries into a cup and muddle until they are softened. I usually prefer leaving chunks of blueberries and using it as it is, but you can strain it if you want.
Make your own blueberry puree: I prefer this method, especially if I serve blueberry margaritas to a crowd. Simply put two cups of fresh blueberries in a blender with two tablespoons of lime (or lemon juice) and a tablespoon of honey syrup and blend until smooth. If you want to know more about making blueberry puree at home, be sure to check out my blueberry puree recipe.
Blueberry Juice: Using a store-bought blueberry juice is probably the quickest way, but I am not a big fan as most juices are packed with artificial sweeteners. But if you are in a pinch, it would still work.

How to make it?

As it is with any margarita recipe, you can make this blueberry cocktail recipe in two ways.

While it is optional, I love coarse salt on the rim of my glass. In my version here, I added a little bit of lime zest to freshen it up.

If you prefer to follow in my footsteps, mix together salt and lime zest on a small flat plate and wet the sides of a margarita glass with a wedge of lime. Rim the glass in the salt mixture.

To Make Blueberry Margaritas On The Rocks:

Fill a jar (or cocktail shaker) with ice cubes.
Add in blueberry puree, tequila, triple sec, and your choice of Powell & Mahoney margarita mix.
Give it a shake for 15 seconds and pour into a salt-rimmed glass filled with ice. Garnish with a handful of blueberries and a lime wedge. Serve right away.

To Make Frozen Blueberry Margaritas:

Place frozen blueberries, tequila, triple sec, lime juice, Powell & Mahoney Classic or Skinny Margarita Mix, and ice in the bowl of a blender.
Blend on medium speed until smooth, 45-50 seconds.
Pour into the salt-rimmed and garnish with fresh blueberries before serving.

Pro Tip: If you do not have frozen blueberries, you can blend fresh blueberries with ice. You may have to blend them longer, but it would still work.

Variations:

Blueberry Basil Margaritas: Adding a handful of fresh basil leaves can easily brighten this blueberry alcohol drink. Alternatively, you can switch it up and add in fresh mint leaves as well.
Pomegranate Blueberry Margaritas: Instead of using blueberry puree, you can muddle blueberries and add in a splash of pomegranate juice for additional flavor and color.
Blueberry Lemonade Margarita: Use lemon juice instead of lime juice.

Helpful Tips:

Keep your margarita glasses in the freezer until you are ready to serve: I always keep a few beer and margarita glasses in my freezer. I think any (cold) beverage served in a cold glass tastes better.
Want to make this a non-alcoholic beverage? Simply omit tequila and triple sec and add a little bit more blueberry juice or puree.

Other Margarita Recipes You Might Like:

Blueberry Margaritas Recipe

Blueberry Margaritas made two ways: On The Rocks & Frozen. Learn to make the best blueberry margaritas made from homemade blueberry puree for the most fresh blueberry taste.

Course Alcoholic Drink / Cocktail

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings serving

Calories 482kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For The Rim:

2 tablespoons of kosher salt
Zest of a lime
A wedge of lime

Blueberry Puree*:

2 cups fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons lime juice

On The Rocks:

1 cup Ice
2 ounces of blueberry puree recipe follows
2 ounces of tequila blanco
1 oz. triple sec or orange liquor
4 ounces of Powell & Mahoney Classic Margarita Mix
A squeeze of lime juice
A handful of fresh blueberries as garnish

Frozen:

1 cup frozen blueberries no need to thaw
2 ounces of tequila blanco
1 oz. triple sec or orange liquor
4 ounces of Powell & Mahoney Classic Margarita Mix
A squeeze of lime juice
½ cup ice
A squeeze of lime juice
A handful of fresh blueberries as garnish

Instructions

For the rim: Mix together salt and lime zest on a small flat plate. Wet the sides of a margarita glass with a wedge of lime. Rim the glass in the salt mixture. Set it aside.
To make the blueberry puree, place blueberries and lime juice in a blender and blend until smooth. Place it in a jar and set it aside.
To make Blueberry Margarita on The Rocks: Fill a jar (or cocktail shaker) with 4-5 ice cubes. Add in blueberry puree, tequila, triple sec and Powell & Mahoney Classic or Skinny Margarita Mix. Put the lid on and shake for 15 seconds. Fill the reserved margarita glass with ice and pour the mixture over. Squeeze a small wedge of lime, garnish with blueberries and serve.
To make Frozen Blueberry Margaritas: Place frozen blueberries, tequila, triple sec, lime juice, Powell & Mahoney Classic or Skinny Margarita Mix, and ice in the bowl of a blender. Blend on medium speed until smooth, 45-50 seconds. Pour into a salt-rimmed margarita glass and garnish with fresh blueberries before serving.

Video

Notes

Don’t have margarita mix? Follow my formula for one serving below:

2 parts tequila Blanco
1 part triple sec or orange liquor
1 part honey simple syrup (or regular simple syrup)
½ part fresh lime juice
2 parts blueberry puree (or any other fruit puree of your choice)

This recipe makes more blueberry puree than needed to make one serving. You can either use it to make more Blueberry margaritas or use it in other recipes.

If you do not have frozen blueberries, you can blend fresh blueberries with ice. You may have to blend them longer, but it would still work.

Keep your margarita glasses in the freezer until you are ready to serve: I always keep a few beer and margarita glasses in my freezer. I think any (cold) beverage served in a cold glass tastes better.

Want to make this a non-alcoholic beverage? Simply omit tequila and triple sec and add a little bit more blueberry juice or puree.

Nutrition

The post Blueberry Margaritas appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Honey-Sweetened Strawberry Basil Limeade

Aysegul Sanford — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 15:57:00 +0000

Strawberry season is here and I am putting my favorite berry to use and making a refreshing Honey-Sweetened Strawberry Basil Limeade. This is a refined-sugar free, non-alcoholic recipe that you can serve to everyone in your family throughout the summer.

If you have never tried the combination of lime, strawberries, and basil, it is time that you start because it is out-of-this-world delicious. Sweetened with honey syrup, this strawberry basil mocktail recipe takes less than 10 minutes of hands on time to make and can be made ahead of time.

Ingredients:

You will need fresh limes, strawberries, basil leaves, water, and honey simple syrup (honey and water).

While you can use store bought lime juice, I highly recommend taking the time to juice your own because the difference between is taste is worlds apart. Freshly squeezed limes deliver a much more refreshing taste.

You might ask, how many limes will I need for 1 cup of lime juice? The answer is that it depends on the size of your limes, but I usually use 10-12 limes.

How To Make Strawberry Basil Limeade?

The recipe for this refined sugar-free limeade recipe has 5 folds:

Make honey simple syrup: Mix together 1 cup of honey with 1 cup of water in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat until honey fully dissolves. Set it aside to cool.

Related: Having been sharing only naturally sweetened recipes since 2016, I only use honey syrup to sweeten my alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages. If you want to know more about it, be sure to check my detailed post of how to make honey syrup at home.

Zest & Squeeze lime: In order to up the lime flavors in my strawberry basil limeade, I zest the lime and add it into the honey simple syrup. It is an optional step but it is an easy way to make it even more delicious.
Squeeze the limes and place in a large jug.
Prep strawberries and basil: Cut up strawberries in chunks and place it in the jug along with torn fresh basil leaves.
Add in water: Pour in 6 cups of water and now cooled honey syrup. Give it a stir, cover it with a lid (or cover it with stretch film),place it in the fridge, and let it rest for 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Serve: When ready to serve, fill glasses with ice, pour in strawberry limeade, and garnish with sliced lime, fresh basil, and chunks of strawberries.

Make Ahead & Storing Instructions:

Make ahead instructions: You can make this basil limeade a day in advance. As a matter of fact, I recommend doing so. The time spent resting in the fridge brings everything together and makes the most delicious summer drink. Simply follow the recipe as written and give it a good shake before serving.
Storage: If you are planning to serve it on the next day I recommend placing it in a bottle (I like 1 liter Weck bottles (affiliate link)) with a lid so that it will stay fresh. This way, it should stay fresh up to 3 days.

Variations:

With just a few quick swaps or addition, you can change up this easy strawberry and basil drink recipe.

Use fresh mint instead of basil: I have made this strawberry basil drink many times by switching mint with basil. It is an easy 1 to 1 swap and just as refreshing and delicious.
Muddle Strawberries with basil: I like to leave the strawberries in chunks but you can also muddle them with fresh basil leaves before putting them in the liquid mixture.
Strawberry Basil Lemonade: Don’t have limes on hand? Use lemons and turn it into a lemonade.
Honey Basil Simple Syrup: If you want more of a pronounced basil honey flavor, simply place a few fresh basil leaves in the honey syrup and let them steep for 10-15 minutes before adding it into the drink.
Strawberry Basil Cocktail: If you want to turn this strawberry basil drink into a refreshing summer cocktail, you can add in a shot of (2 oz. per serving) tequila, vodka or gin. I honestly cannot imagine a better happy hour cocktail.

Other refreshing sugar-free drinks you might like

Mint and Rosemary Lemonade
Ginger Iced Tea
Lemongrass Ginger Rhubarb Soda – Vanilla and Bean
Strawberry Sweet Iced Tea (honey sweetened) – Perchance to Cook
Need more inspiration? Check out all our easy drink recipes

Other strawberry drinks you might like

Strawberry Basil Limeade Recipe

This Honey-Sweetened Strawberry Basil Limeade is a great drink that you can make during the hot days of summer. It is refreshing and refined sugar-free made with flavoring freshly squeezed limes with chunky strawberries and basil.

Course Non Alcoholic Drink

Cuisine American

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 10

Resting Time 2

Total Time 2 10

Servings servings

Calories 213kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

To Make the Honey-Sweetened Simple Syrup:

1 cup honey
1 cup water

For the Limeade:

10-12 medium size fresh limes plus 1 more as garnish you need 1 cup of lime juice
1 cup strawberries sliced – plus more as garnish
1/4 cup fresh basil chopped – plus more as garnish
ice
6 cups water

Instructions

To make the honey-sweetened simple syrup:

Place honey and water in a small saucepan. Cook until honey is completely dissolved. Set aside and let it cool.
Zest 3 limes and place the zest in the saucepan with the dissolved honey.

To make the limeade:

Squeeze the juices of the limes. You should have at least one cup of lime juice.
Place the honey mixture and lime juice in a pitcher. Add in sliced strawberries and chopped basil.
Add in 6 cups of cold water and give it a good stir. Place it in the fridge to cool for at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, pour limeade into glasses filled with ice and garnish with chunks of strawberries fresh basil leaves, and a slice of a lime.

Notes

Make ahead instructions: You can make this basil limeade a day in advance. As a matter of fact, I recommend doing so. The time spent resting in the fridge brings everything together and makes the most delicious summer drink. Simply follow the recipe as written and give it a good shake before serving.
Storage: If you are planning to serve it on the next day I recommend placing it in a bottle with a lid so that it will stay fresh. This way, it should stay fresh up to 3 days.
Got any questions about the honey syrup? Be sure to check out my Homemade Honey Simple Syrup recipe to get all your questions answered.

Nutrition

This recipe was originally published in May 2016. It has been updated with a few new photos and additional helpful information in April 2021. No changes have been made to the recipe.

The post Honey-Sweetened Strawberry Basil Limeade appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Strawberry Champagne Margaritas

Aysegul Sanford — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 09:25:00 +0000

Are you ready for Cinco de Mayo? I do not know if you celebrate it or not, but when it comes to us, we’ll take any excuse to eat an embarrassing amount of Mexican food and drink margaritas.

And when it comes to margaritas, I usually go for either Blueberry Margaritas or Pineapple Margaritas. However, lately I am all about topping it off with a generous dose of champagne. Just like I did in this Strawberry Champagne Margaritas recipe.

If you have never had a champagne margarita before, I am here to tell you that you are in for a treat. These margaritas have just the right amount of sweet and salty with a strawberry twist, making them perfect for the season. Below is a quick how-to photo essay for one serving.

Ingredients:

The ingredient list for this Sparkling Strawberry Margarita recipe is not much different than your usual margarita recipe. Except that it includes bubbles, which you can use sparkling wine, Champagne or Prosecco.

Other than the bubbles, you will need fresh strawberries, lime juice, tequila, triple sec, and fresh mint.

How to Make Strawberry Champagne Margaritas?

The process of making this Mexican-inspired Champagne cocktail has 6 folds. Simply:

Prep the fruit: Muddle 4 or 5 fresh (hulled) strawberries in a large glass. Add in an ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice.

Pour in tequila & triple sec: Add in an ounce of tequila and an ounce of triple sec. Give it a nice stir.

Rim the edges of the margarita glass: Mix some salt with zest of a lime in a shallow plate. Using a lime wedge wet the edges of your margarita glass. Rim the edges with salt-lime zest mixture.

Alternatively, you can use sugar and lime zest. However, I personally think that with the addition of champagne it is already sweet enough and therefore salt balances it out in a better way. Still, it is up to you.

Add ice: Add in ¾ cup of crushed ice. Strain the strawberry margarita onto the crushed ice.

Pour in Champagne: Top it off with an ounce (or more) of champagne. Garnish with mint and a small strawberry
Serve: And serve this delicious Sparkling Strawberry Margarita recipe and accept all the compliments.

A Few Other Margarita Recipes You Might Also Like :

If you liked this Mexican Champagne Cocktail, here are a few other margarita recipes you might enjoy:

Pineapple Margaritas – Whether you like it on the rocks or frozen, this pineapple margarita recipe is guaranteed to impress.
Spicy Pineapple Mezcalita – Have you ever tried making your margaritas with mezcal instead of tequila? If not, you should. They are SOOO good.
Spicy Jalapeno Margaritas – Jalapeno lovers! This cilantro infused jalapeno margaritas are OUT OF THIS WORLD.
Basil Margarita – Sweet basil mixed with tequila makes the best beach drink. Don’t believe me? Check out my beach photos in this post.
Blueberry Margaritas – Made with homemade blueberry puree, this is the most delicious berry margarita on the internet.

Other Creative Champagne Cocktails You Might Like:

Blood Orange Mimosas – The second best drink (after this one) when you have the gals over for brunch!
Pomegranate Gin Cocktail – Made with a sparkling rose!

Strawberry Champagne Margaritas Recipe

Celebrate Cinco De Mayo with Strawberry Champagne Margaritas! This margarita recipe is not much different than your usual margarita recipe, but it is topped off with a healthy dose of Champagne.

Course Cocktails

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 204kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

8-10 medium sized strawberries hulled and sliced – plus more as garnish
2 ounces of lime juice freshly squeezed –
2 ounces of tequila
2 ounces of triple sec
zest of a lime
2 tablespoons kosher salt
crushed ice
3-4 ounces of Champagne or Prosecco
2 leaves of fresh mint as garnish

Instructions

Muddle strawberries in a large glass. Add in the lime juice.
Stir in tequila and triple sec.
Mix salt with the zest in a shallow plate. Using a lime wedge wet the edges of your margarita glass. Rim the edges with salt-lime zest mixture.
Add in ¾ cup of crushed ice. Strain the strawberry margarita onto the ice.
Top it off with champagne. Garnish with mint and a whole strawberry.
Serve immediately.

Notes

I used Champagne here but you can also use Prosecco or any other sparkling wine you can get your hands on.
Don’t have strawberries, use any other berries you like. Blackberries or raspberries would also work well here.

Nutrition

This Strawberries and Champagne Margarita recipe was published in May of 2017. It has been updated and republished with new helpful text in April 2021.

The post Strawberry Champagne Margaritas appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Kale Pineapple Smoothie

Aysegul Sanford — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 21:53:00 +0000

Last summer I had one goal in mind and that was to share as many healthy smoothie recipes as I can. I even gave it a name, Summer Smoothies. In just a short few months I shared over 10 vegan, sugar-free and healthy smoothie recipes. Going into it, my long term plan was to turn this into a summer tradition and share weekly smoothie recipes during the summer months in the years to come.

Sadly, life happened and I dropped the ball on that plan this summer. However, I am a firm believer that it is better late than never, so even if it means that I am sharing only one smoothie recipe for the whole summer of 2018, this Kale Pineapple Smoothie recipe should be on the blog.

With fresh summer produce (including gorgeous kale) in abundance, this healthy kale smoothie is what we have been drinking for breakfast for the last few weeks. For me, it is one of those tropical smoothie recipes that works as an instant energy boost that gets you going pretty quickly.

If you love green smoothies and pineapple and need a great kale shake to help you start the day in the right foot, I am pretty sure you will enjoy this smoothie.

How To Make Kale Pineapple Smoothie

The recipe calls for only 5 ingredients. As the name suggests, kale and pineapple are in there. Plus, I used chia seeds for additional nutrition, unsweetened homemade almond milk as liquid, and a ripe banana for creaminess.

With that being said, I know some people do not care for bananas in green smoothies. If you are one of those people, you can easily switch banana with an avocado. In my opinion, pineapple is sweet enough that you won’t need any additional sweetener. However, if you feel it needs some additional sweetener you can always add a few tablespoons of maple syrup or honey. Though either way, I recommend giving it a taste first.

How To Make Kale Taste Good in Smoothies

I get asked this question all the time: How do you make kale smoothies taste good? Though I think there is no one way, I found that the best thing to do is to find the best ratio of sweetness and creaminess that will balance the bitter taste of kale.

The ratio that works for me is to use 1 ½ cups of ripened fruit for every 2 cups of kale. While that formula usually works well, fruits like pineapples can be sweeter than other fruits so it is always a good idea to taste the fruit and adjusting the amount you use according to your sweetness preference.

Additionally, adding some fat into the recipe will help mask the bitterness coming from kale. In the recipe below, I used almond milk as the liquid. Since almond milk is high in (healthy) fats, it helped quite a bit. If you try making this pineapple kale smoothie recipe using avocado instead of bananas, you will realize it will be even less bitter.

Alternatively, you can use different plant-based milk options like cashew milk or coconut milk.

How Many Calories Are There In A Kale Smoothie

If you make this as a Kale Pineapple Banana Smoothie (using banana instead of avocado), it will be 84 calories with 2 grams of fat and 8.9 grams of sugar per serving. You can see a detailed outline of the nutritional data underneath the recipe.

If you swap banana with an avocado, the calorie count will jump up to 114 calories with 7.1 grams of fat and 5.4 grams of sugar. The good thing is that if you are someone who consumes avocado in moderation, it a very healthy and nutritious way to add good fats into your diet.

Neither of the recipes mentioned above have any additional sugar added in them. Like I mentioned earlier, I find pineapple to be sweet enough so I don’t see it necessary to add-in. However, if you decide to use maple syrup or honey, the calorie information would change.

With all this being said, the calorie value of a kale smoothie, in general, will depend on the type of fruit used.

Expert Tips

Feel free to switch pineapple with berries or cherries when they are in season.
I also love adding a tablespoon of hemp seeds when I have them at home. They don’t have a very distinctive taste, but they are so nutritious.
If you want to make ahead, you can prep pineapple chunks and kale in advance, place in a resealable bag and freeze until you are ready to use.

If You Liked This Kale Pineapple Smoothie Recipe You Might Also Like

Peanut Butter Spinach Shake – Foolproof Living
Cantaloupe Smoothie
Turmeric Smoothies
Green Zinger Smoothie – Boulder Locavore
Turmeric Green Smoothie – Foolproof Living
Vegan Banana Smoothie Recipe
Immune Boosting Multi-Colored Beet Smoothies – Foolproof Living
Want more smoothie inspiration? Check out all our smoothie recipes

Kale Pineapple Smoothie

Ready to start your day with an energy boosting and healthy smoothie? If so, try this Vegan Kale Pineapple Smoothie. Made with only 5 ingredients, it is ready in than 10 minutes.

Course Smoothie

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 101kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

2 cups kale rinsed, stems removed and coarsely chopped
1 ½ cups fresh pineapple cubed
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 ripe banana peeled and cut into small chunks
1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
Maple syrup - optional
1 ½ cups ice

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until fully mixed and smooth.
Taste for sweetness and add in maple syrup if you think it is necessary.
Serve immediately.

Nutrition

The post Kale Pineapple Smoothie appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Turmeric Ginger Tea

Aysegul Sanford — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 03:48:00 +0000

The first time I had ginger tea was when we went to Dominica back in 2013. Until then, I only used ginger in my cooking, mostly in curry dishes. However, on that small island nation, being one of the most popular plants grown on the island, ginger tea was a way of life. Islanders would start their days with a hot cup of ginger tea and then continue with ginger ice tea or ginger lemonade throughout the day.

Since then, throughout the years, my husband and I enjoyed a cup of ginger tea here and there. However lately, with Vermont winter being a full force, this year we have been making some almost every day.

For the last few months, I have also been adding some turmeric into it as, similar to ginger, turmeric has a ton of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits. They say it helps cleanse the liver, boost immunity, and help with digestion. With almost everyone around us being sick, a cup of this Turmeric Ginger Tea has been our natural medicine.

Ingredients:

The ingredient list for this ginger and turmeric tea is pretty short. All you need is fresh turmeric, fresh ginger, fresh lemon slices, honey (optional), and water.

Substitutions & Additions:

Black pepper & oil: As I mentioned in my Golden Milk recipe in detail, one of the good-for- you components of turmeric is called curcumin. Sadly for us, our bodies cannot absorb it when we consume it by itself. This is where black pepper comes to our help. One of the active components in black pepper, piperine, is known to help us absorb the curcumin when they interact with each other. Additionally, curcumin is oil soluable meaning that it needs to interact with oil for us to benefit from its full potential.
In short, while they are optional additions, a pinch of black pepper and 1/8 teaspoon of oil (any oil – coconut, avocado, grapeseed, EVOO, etc.) helps you take full advantage of turmeric’s benefits.
Ground Turmeric & Ground Ginger: If you can’t get your hands on fresh turmeric, you can use dried turmeric powder. For 1-inch of turmeric root, I usually use ½ teaspoon of its dried version. The same amount works for ground ginger as well.
However, please be aware that this recipe works best with fresh ginger and fresh turmeric.

About This Turmeric Ginger Tea Recipe:

There is hardly a recipe here. All you have to do is to place the chopped ginger and turmeric into a small saucepan, add in a few slices of lemon, cover it with water and bring it to a boil. Once boiled, strain through a strainer and serve with a slice of lemon.

The amount of ginger and turmeric you use totally depends on your preference. If you like it strong, use more and vice versa. I only used a few slices of lemon, but you can add in more if you prefer.

I like my Turmeric Ginger Tea just by itself, but my husband prefers it with some honey. If we have leftovers, I placed it in a jar, keep it in the fridge to enjoy the next day as a cold beverage.

A Few Notes For The Best Turmeric and Ginger Tea Recipe:

Keep in mind that turmeric root stains pretty badly so while you are prepping your ingredients, be sure to wear an apron to protect your clothes and gloves for your hands.
Even though I peeled my ginger and turmeric (mostly for the photos to look pretty), I rarely peel them. Instead, I wash them well and chop them up to small pieces. If you want you can also grate them, but if you do so, be aware that your tea will be stronger in flavor and darker in color.

If you liked this Ginger Turmeric Tea, you might also like:

Turmeric Ginger Tea Recipe

This Turmeric Ginger Tea has been my go-to drink all throughout the cold winter days that we are still getting used to. Though we have been enjoying this warm along with a little bot of honey, come summer, I plan on serving it cold. Made with only 5 ingredients, this heartwarming natural remedy for cold winter days is ready in less than 15 minutes.

Course Drink

Cuisine American

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 21kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

1 ½ inch turmeric root cut into small pieces
1 ½ inch ginger root cut into small pieces
3-4 slices of lemon plus more for serving
Pinch of black pepper*
Honey optional
1/8 tsp coconut oil* or ghee
4 cups of filtered water

Instructions

Place turmeric, ginger, lemon slices, black pepper, honey, and coconut oil in a small saucepan. Pour in the water.
Bring it to a boil. Strain. Serve immediately with a lemon slice and honey, if desired.

Video

Notes

If you can’t get your hands on fresh turmeric, you can use dried turmeric powder. For 1-inch of turmeric root, I usually use ½ teaspoon of its dried version.
If you have any leftovers, feel free to place into a jar, cover it tightly with a lid, and keep in the fridge up to a week.
You can serve this drink cold, but it is best to add the honey while it is still hot so that it will be easier for it to dissolve.
Black pepper & oil: As I mentioned in my Golden Milk recipe in detail, one of the good-for- you components of turmeric is called curcumin. Sadly for us, our bodies cannot absorb it when we consume it by itself. This is where black pepper comes to our help. One of the active components in black pepper, piperine, is known to help us absorb the curcumin when they interact with each other. Additionally, curcumin is oil soluable meaning that it needs to interact with oil for us to benefit from its full potential.
In short, while they are optional additions, a pinch of black pepper and 1/8 teaspoon of oil (any oil – coconut, avocado, grapeseed, EVOO, etc.) helps you take full advantage of turmeric’s benefits.

Nutrition

The post Turmeric Ginger Tea appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Almond Milk From Almond Butter

Aysegul Sanford — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 16:26:37 +0000

If you have been following for a while you probably realized that I have been on an almond kick for the last few years. It started with making my own almond flour at home back in 2018. Since then I have shared over 20 almond flour recipes.

Recently, I have been into making homemade almond milk, almond milk latte, and almond-milk based smoothies. This is mostly because of the fact that we recently found out that my husband is lactose intolerant and has to follow a dairy-free diet.

While making almond milk at home is fairly a simple process, it requires a little bit of advance planning and a bit of work once almonds are blended. You need to remember to soak the almonds 8 hours in advance and then once you blend them you have to strain them.

What if there was a way of making homemade almond milk without soaking and straining and literally in less than 2 minutes? Well, I am happy to tell you that there is.

Allow me to introduce you to the world of making almond milk from almond butter.

Why Make Almond Milk from Almond Butter

I am glad you asked. Here are a few reasons why almond milk using almond butter is awesome:

It is faster: It literally takes 3 minutes to make.
No need to soak almonds in advance: Since almond butter is super smooth and creamy and made from almonds that are pulverized, there is no need to soak almonds in advance.
Straining of the almond pulp is not necessary: You do not need a nut milk bag or a cheesecloth set in a fine-mesh strainer. No straining is needed.

Ingredients:

To make the basic almond butter milk recipe you will need only 2 ingredients:

Almond Butter: You can make almond butter at using roasted or blanched almonds or buy almond butter from a store. If you are purchasing it, I would recommend getting one that has only one ingredient in it. And that is almonds.
I would stay away from almond butter that has added sugars and/or preservatives to extend its shelf life. My favorite brand is Maranatha’s Raw Creamy Almond Butter (affiliate link) made from raw almonds.
Water: Preferably use filtered water.
Optional flavorings: More on that below.

Almond Butter to Water Ratio

I find that the best ratio of almond butter to water for this fast almond milk recipe is using 2 tablespoons of almond butter for every one and a half cups of water used.

How to Make Almond Butter Milk

The process cannot be easier. Simply:

Place almond butter into a high powered blender (such as a Vitamix – affiliate link) and pour in the water. Add in flavorings if using.
Blend in high power until it is fully mixed, no more than 45 seconds.
Pour into a glass and serve.

How To Flavor:

If you prefer your almond butter water/milk on the sweeter side or want to experiment with different flavorings to make it more delicious, you certainly can add other ingredients into the blender. Below are a few flavorings that I like.

Simply add them at the same time as you are adding the almond butter and water.

Maple syrup: Start with a teaspoon of maple syrup, give it a taste and add more if you want it sweeter.
Pitted fresh dates: Start with one small date, give it a taste and add more if you want it sweeter.
Vanilla extract: Start with ⅛ teaspoon of vanilla per serving and add in if you like it to have more vanilla flavor. Alternatively, you can also use seeds from a small vanilla bean.
Sea Salt: If you are a fan of blending sweeteners into your almond butter milk, adding a pinch of salt will help enhance their sweetness.
Honey: If you are okay with it not being plant-based (vegan) then you can also sweeten it with honey. I would start with a teaspoon of honey per serving and add more if necessary.

A Few FAQs Answered:

Can I make this ahead? Since this no strain nut milk recipe literally takes a few minutes to make I do not recommend making it ahead of time.
Can I double/triple, etc. this recipe? Absolutely. You can multiply this recipe and make as many servings as you want.
Can I freeze it? I do not recommend freezing it.
What if I don’t have a blender? If you don’t have a blender you can also use a food processor to make this recipe. It might be a little messy and take a few more minutes but it is doable. Simply place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth.

Recipe Ideas To Put It To Good Use:

You can pretty much use this almond butter milk recipe anywhere you use almond milk. Below are a few recipes to get you started:

Smoothies
Golden Turmeric Milk
Almond Milk Oatmeal
To serve it with your favorite homemade granola or any of your homemade cookies

Almond Milk From Almond Butter Recipe

Recipe for Almond milk from almond butter - Need almond milk fast? Now you can make homemade almond milk in 2 minutes and flavor it with natural sweeteners like dates, maple syrup and vanilla. No soaking or straining required.

Course Drink

Cuisine American

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 2

Total Time 2

Servings servings

Calories 227kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

3 cups of filtered water
4 tablespoons of almond butter

Optional flavorings:

2 pitted dates
1-2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Instructions

Place water, almond butter, and flavorings (if using) in a high powered blender.
Blend in high power for 30-45 seconds or until thoroughly mixed.
Serve immediately.

Notes

FAQs:

Can I make this ahead? Since this no strain nut milk recipe literally takes a few minutes to make I do not recommend making it ahead of time.
Can I double/triple, etc. this recipe? Absolutely. You can multiply this recipe and make as many servings as you want.
Can I freeze it? I do not recommend freezing this almond milk recipe.
What if I don’t have a blender? If you don’t have a blender you can also use a food processor to make this recipe. It might be a little messy and take a few more minutes but it is doable. Simply place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth.
Storage: While (technically) it will be good for a day or two, we highly recommend making this drink on the day you plan to use it. You can store leftovers in a jar tightly fitted with a lid. Be sure to give it a good shake before serving.

The information in the nutrition card below does not include the calories coming from optional add ins.

Nutrition

The post Almond Milk From Almond Butter appeared first on Foolproof Living.

How To Make Almond Milk (A Comprehensive Guide)

Aysegul Sanford — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 16:23:52 +0000

It is no secret that store-bought almond milk is convenient. However, I think homemade almond milk is way better because you can control what goes in there and customize it to your liking.

I learned how to make almond milk at home after I married my lactose-intolerant husband 8 years ago. Since then I make it on a weekly basis and have learned a thing or two about making it from scratch.

In this post, you will learn everything you need to know about DIY almond milk and how to incorporate it into your daily life.

Almond Milk Ingredients

The plain unsweetened homemade almond milk is made up of:

Raw, unsalted, and unroasted almonds: Almonds come in many shapes, sizes and forms like blanched, unblanched, sliced, slivered, and whole. There is also almond meal, almond flour, and almond butter.
However, as long as they are raw, unsalted and unroasted you can use any of these almond varieties to make almond milk.
Filtered water: You will need filtered water to soak and to make the milk. While you can also use tap water, I found in my recipe testings that almonds soaked in and made with filtered water last longer (which we will cover in more detail below)
Additional Flavorings: If you are not a fan of the plain unsweetened almond milk, you can add in additional flavoring agents such as vanilla extract, maple syrup, dates, and/or a pinch of salt. These are all optional ingredients and the amounts can be adjusted to your liking.

What Kind Of Almonds Should I Use

I think we can all agree that nowadays almonds come in all sizes, shapes, and forms. I thought it would be helpful to cover the types of almonds and almond products (i.e. almond flour/almond meal, almond butter, etc.) you can use to make almond your own milk.

Using Whole Raw or Blanched Almonds:

I almost always make my almond milk using raw almonds. I find that they are the best almonds for almond milk. They also are widely available and come in both unblanched or blanched.

If you are not familiar, blanched almonds are almonds with the skin removed. You can easily blanch almonds at home or buy them from the store.

The taste difference between almond milk made with or without the skin on is very minimal so feel free to use whichever one you have on hand.

Additionally, nowadays you can also find slivered and sliced almonds in the supermarkets. These are usually used as topping in cooking and baking. You can use them to make almond milk as they are just a different cut of raw (blanched or unblanched) almonds.

Just make sure that they are unsalted and unroasted.

Almond Flour & Almond Meal:

With gluten-free and paleo-friendly cooking and baking becoming so popular, nowadays most people stock almond flour and almond meal in their pantries. I personally make my almond flour at home and find that it is a cheaper alternative to store-bought almond flour.

If you are short on time, using almond flour or almond meal is one of the quickest ways to make almond milk at home as it does not require soaking.

Almond Butter:

You can also use almond butter to make almond milk. This is the fastest way to make almond milk as it eliminates the need to soak almonds and doesn’t require any straining of the leftover almonds (aka almond pulp.)

You can make your own almond butter at home by simply processing raw almonds in a food processor. This takes about 15-30 minutes of processing time depending on the type of food processor you own.

If you are short on time, you can also buy almond butter from the store. I personally like almond butter with nothing added to it. Nowadays, most brands sell almond butter made from roasted almonds, which is fine to use in almond milk, but I personally like the variety that is made from unroasted almonds.

Soaking Almonds

If you are using raw almonds to make your almond milk, it is best to soak them for 8-12 hours. Our main goal with soaking almonds is to soften them to extract as much milk out of them as possible.

In addition, according to this article on Healthline, soaking almonds has some benefits such as decreasing the levels of phytic acid levels, improving digestion, which can improve the absorption of nutrients.

To soak almonds to make almond milk:

Measure a cup of almonds, rinse them under cold running water for 30 seconds, and drain.
Place them in a large bowl.
Pour 2 cups of water over it. I personally use filtered water but you can also use cold tap water.
Cover it with a paper towel or plastic wrap.

How Long Do Almonds Need to Soak:

It is best to soak almonds overnight, somewhere between 8 to 12 hours. In the end, it is likely that the water in the bowl will look cloudy with white foam over it. This is normal. Simply, place the soaked almonds in a strainer and rinse under cold water.

They will look a little larger in size and softer in texture. This is also when you can easily peel them if you prefer to make your milk with blanched almonds.

In terms of weight:

1 cup of raw almonds weighs ~ 5.2 ounces.
1 cup of raw almonds weigh ~7.9 ounces after they are soaked in water for 12 hours

As you can see they expand in size as they soak in water. Please note that the weight information I am sharing here is the result of my own testing using my own kitchen scale to provide you with helpful information.

How To Make Almond Milk Using Raw Almonds

The process of making almond milk is rather simple and requires only 5-10 minutes of hands-on time. Additionally, with the availability of different kinds of almonds, you can make almond milk in a few different ways.

Using raw, unsalted, and unroasted whole almonds are the most popular way of making almond milk.

You will need:

Soaked almonds
Filtered water
High powered blender such a Vitamix (affiliate link)
Cheesecloth and a strainer or a nut milk bag (affiliate link)
A bottle with a tight-fitting lid to place the milk.

Almond to Water Ratio:

I use 4 cups of filtered water that is 32 fluid ounces for 1 cup of raw almonds that is approximately 5.2 ounces.
If you are using slivered or sliced almonds, I recommend making sure that they measure 5.2 ounces, which is equivalent to 1 cup of whole almonds.

To make it, simply place almonds in a high powered blender such as Vitamix. Pour the water over it. Start blending it at slow speed and then slowly increase it.

Initially, you will be able to see the almonds, but as it blends it will look like white milk. Depending on your blender, this process takes somewhere between 45 seconds to a minute.

Can I make almond milk using roasted almonds? You can, but the taste and color of your almond milk would be different. It is a personal preference in taste and it is worth experimenting with if you are a fan of roasted nut flavors.

How To Strain:

To extract the almond pulp, you can do two things:

Using cheesecloth and a fine mesh strainer: Place a fine-mesh strainer (affiliate link) in a large bowl. Fold a large cheesecloth (affiliate link) in half and place it in the strainer making sure that it is lining the bottom of the strainer with the edges hanging over the bowl. Pour the milk over the cheesecloth and let it drip until all the liquid is drained. You might have to use a spoon to help fasten the process by gently pressing the almond pulp.
When all of the liquid is drained, remove the cheesecloth and strainer and pour the milk in a bottle with a tight-fitting lid.
Using a nut milk bag: If you are planning to make your own almond milk on a regular basis, buying a nut milk bag is a great idea. This one (affiliate link) is the one I use and recommend.
To strain milk using a nut milk bag, place the bag in a large bowl, pour the milk over it, tightly squeeze all the juices out as much as you can until there is no liquid left. Pour the milk in a bottle with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate.

What Happens To Almonds After Almond Milk:

If you are wondering what to do with almond pulp from making almond milk be sure to check out my guide on how to dry and use almond pulp along with ideas to use in recipes.

How To Make It Using Almond Flour or Almond Meal:

You can make almond milk with almond flour or almond milk. Doing so eliminates the soaking time so you can make almond milk in less than 10 minutes.

My preferred almond flour/meal to water ratio is 1 ¼ cups of flour/meal (~5.2 ounces) to 4 cups of filtered water.

The process is very similar to the one made with whole almonds. Place almond flour in the bowl of your blender, pour water over and blend until smooth.

How To Make – Using Almond Butter:

I find that the fastest way to make almond milk is by using almond butter. I especially love it because:

It takes less than 2 minutes and requires no straining.
It requires no soaking of almonds.
You do not need to strain the almonds after they are blended.

Since this is my second favorite method, I shared a lengthy and detailed article/recipe about how to make almond milk using almond butter in a separate blog post.

How To Flavor:

I personally like almond milk plain and unsweetened. However, if you are in the beginning stages or prefer your milk on the sweeter side you can certainly use natural flavorings to make it taste good.

Here are a few options:

Maple syrup: I recommend starting with 1 or 2 tablespoons and adjusting the amount based on your preference.
Fresh dates: Be sure to add the pitted dates at the beginning of the blending process and blend well. I would start with 2 pitted dates for 1 cup of almonds & 4 cups of water. Adjust the amount according to your preference.
Vanilla Extract: I use ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract just to enhance the flavors, especially if I am using my almond milk for making smoothies. On a personal note, I love vanilla almond milk so much that I can drink every day.
A pinch of salt: As in all sweet recipes a pinch of salt enhances all the sweet flavors. Therefore, I recommend adding a pinch of salt if you are using sweeteners for your milk.
Honey: If you don’t mind it being vegetarian you can also use honey as a sweetener. I would start with blending 1 or 2 tablespoons of honey and then adding more after giving it a taste.

How Long Does It Last:

There are many differences between commercial almond milk and its homemade version but I think the biggest difference is the shelf life.

The homemade version is usually good for 3-4 days whereas, depending on the brand, store-bought milk has a longer shelf life usually up to a month. Once it is opened, it should be consumed within 7-10 days.

Other notable differences between the homemade and store-bought versions:

The number of ingredients: The homemade version includes just two ingredients (and the optional flavorings) whereas the commercial version includes other ingredients such as carrageenan, gellan gum, and tricalcium phosphate. Most of the additional ingredients are used to thicken the consistency and extend its shelf life.
The taste: I think when you taste-test side by side the homemade version tastes more like almonds than the commercial version.
The consistency: The store-bought version has a thicker consistency compared to the homemade version. Also, I found that the homemade version is more prone to separating, which is why I recommend giving it a good shake before using it.

How To Make Homemade Almond Milk Last Longer:

For the longest time, I thought that homemade almond milk lasted no longer than 3-4 days. However, when I read Tina’s post on how to make it last longer, I decided to put her methods to use.

In her post, she says that the answer to making it last longer is sanitation. In other words, you need to work super clean (and sanitized).

In short, you can make it last longer by:

Blanching almonds in boiling water before soaking
Soaking the almonds in the fridge in filtered water
Using filtered water when blending and making sure that your blender is free of any residue (from pesto, soups, smoothies, etc.)
Using the cheesecloth and fine mesh method and extracting the milk with the back of a spoon instead of using hands. You should also make sure everything that the ingredients touch is sanitized as well.
Sterilizing bottles by rinsing them with boiling water before filling them with the milk.
Storing it in the fridge and keeping it in an airtight container.

By following her steps I was able to extend the life of my homemade milk to 7 days.

However, it did take a little bit more prep and work. Still, I think it is worth giving a try, especially if you are unable to consume it right away.

Can I Freeze This Plant-Based Milk

You can freeze raw almond milk. However, there are a few things you need to be aware of:

Place it in an airtight container: If you are planning to freeze it, be sure to place it in an airtight container or glass (these 1-liter Weck juice jars are my favorite – affiliate link) that is freezer friendly. Plus, it is a good idea to sanitize it before placing and freezing the milk.
It changes its color when it is frozen: Be aware that the color of the milk changes to more of a lighter yellow after it is frozen.
Thaw in the fridge: The best way to thaw almond milk is to do it overnight in the fridge. Do not live it outside as it will spoil.
Shake before use: Give it a good shake before drinking as it is likely that the pulp would have settled to the bottom and the part would have risen to the top.
Consume right away: You should consume it right away. Keep in mind that the shelf life of frozen almond milk is only 1-2 days.

How Would I Know If It Has Gone Bad:

A few ways to detect signs of spoilage of homemade almond milk are:

Smell: This is the most obvious one. If it has gone bad then it will smell unpleasantly sour.
Taste: It would have a sour taste instead of a neutral nutty taste
Color: The color would be more of a light cream color than clean white.
Thicker in texture: It would look clumpy with the pulp sunk at the bottom.

What To Do With Almond Milk:

One of the questions I hear often is how to get used to almond milk. I find that one of the easiest ways to enjoy it more is by blending it into your daily meals.

Here are a few things to make with almond milk:

Blend it in smoothies: Use it in smoothie recipes in place of dairy milk like I did it this Turmeric Green Smoothie and Kale Pineapple Smoothie.
Turmeric Golden Milk: Use it to make golden milk using turmeric paste for a quick heartwarming drink.
Almond Milk Oatmeal or Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal: Use it instead of water or dairy milk.
Use it in everyday recipes like Almond Flour Pancakes or add in a splash of it to make your Overnight Steel Cut Oats or Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats even more creamy and delicious.
Serve it with cereals, overnight muesli or homemade chunky granola
Add to your morning coffee for a dairy and lactose-free creamer

Homemade Almond Milk Nutrition and Calories:

According to this article I found on Healthline, a cup of (240 ml.) unsweetened almond milk contains about 30-50 calories, while the same amount of whole dairy milk contains 146 calories.

Additionally, according to the same article, it is low in calories and sugar and high in calcium, vitamin E and vitamin D. It also is vegan, dairy-free, paleo-friendly, and lactose-free.

How To Make Homemade Almond Milk Recipe

Once you learn how to make almond milk at home you will never go back to buying it from the store again. Follow the recipe below for a basic almond milk recipe made with raw almonds or almond flour/meal. Are you in a rush and need almond milk fast? Try making almond milk from almond butter.

Course Dairy Free

Cuisine American

Prep Time 8

Total Time 8

Servings cups

Calories 230kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

1 cup 5.2 oz. raw unsalted almonds
4 cups of filtered water + more for soaking almonds

Optional Flavorings:

2 small pitted dates
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Place almonds in a bowl. Add in 2 cups of filtered water over it. Let it sit on the kitchen counter for 8-12 hours. It is likely that the water in the bowl will look cloudy with white foam over it at the end of soaking. This is normal.
Place soaked almonds in a strainer and rinse under cold water.
Place the rinsed almonds in the bowl of a high-powered blender.
Pour in 4 cups of water.
If using, add in the flavorings.
Start blending it at slow speed and then slowly increase it. Initially, you will be able to see the almonds, but as it blends it will look like white milk. Depending on your blender, this process takes somewhere between 45 seconds to a minute.

Strain the milk in one of two ways:

Using cheesecloth and fine mesh strainer (affiliate link): Place a fine-mesh strainer in a large bowl. Fold a large cheesecloth in half and place it in the strainer making sure that it is lining the bottom of the strainer with the edges hanging over the bowl. Pour the milk over the cheesecloth and let it drip until all the liquid is drained. You might have to use a spoon to help fasten the process by gently pressing the almond pulp.
Using a nut milk bag: If you are planning to make your own almond milk on a regular basis, buying a nut milk bag is a great idea. This one (affiliate link) is the one I use and recommend. To strain milk using a nut milk bag, place the bag in a large bowl, pour the milk over it, tightly squeeze all the juices out as much as you can until there is no liquid left. Pour the milk in a bottle with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate.
When all of the liquid is drained pour the milk in a bottle with a tight-fitting lid and store it in the fridge.

Notes

FAQs answered (You can find longer and more detailed answers to these questions within the blog post above):

Can I use almond flour/meal to make almond milk: Yes, you can. The best ratio for almond flour to water is 1 1/4 cups almond flour (~5.2 oz.) to 4 cups of water.
How long does homemade almond milk last: As long as it is kept in an airtight container in the fridge, your almond milk should be fresh 3-4 days.
How can I make it last longer: I covered this in detail in the blog post above this recipe card. In short, you need to make sure you work as clean and sanitized as possible. Please refer to the blog post for more information on how to make almond milk this way.
Can I freeze almond milk: You can. To do so, place it in a freezer friendly jar/container with a tight-fitting lid. Thaw overnight in the fridge. When fully thawed some of the almond pulp might sink at the bottom. Give it a good shake and consume within a day or two.

Nutrition

The post How To Make Almond Milk (A Comprehensive Guide) appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Mango Turmeric Smoothie Recipe

Aysegul Sanford — Sat, 29 Feb 2020 17:54:33 +0000

I used to think that morning smoothies were more of a summer-time thing than a cold winter morning thing. But then we moved to Vermont, aka the land of long and cold winters.

I do not think so anymore.

Nowadays there is nothing more than I look forward to than a big glass of freshly blended smoothie. Especially if it is packed with turmeric. Whether it is a green turmeric smoothie, ginger turmeric smoothie, or one of my other superfood smoothies, I love whipping up one to start the day on the right foot.

Today’s recipe, Mango Turmeric Smoothie recipe is the newest addition to my collection of turmeric smoothies. It comes together in 5 minutes and it is vegan so you have no excuse to not try it.

If you are like me, in desperate need of sunshine and tropics in your life, join me as I make this turmeric mango tropical smoothie.

Ingredients:

You will need:

Mango: I used 2 fresh mangos, but frozen mango would also work. You’ll need about 2 cups of it.
Pineapple Chunks: I added half a cup of fresh pineapple (to sweeten it a little bit more) but frozen would also work. If you don’t have pineapple, you can also use a fresh or frozen banana.
Unsweetened Coconut Flakes: I added half a cup of unsweetened coconut flakes into the smoothie to enhance the tropical flavors.
Ground Turmeric: I used half a teaspoon ground turmeric powder. If you can get your hands on fresh turmeric root, I would suggest using ¼ teaspoon grated fresh turmeric.
Chia Seeds: I added a tablespoon of chia seeds to increase the nutritional values of the smoothie. If you don’t like/have chia seeds, you can also use a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds or hemp seeds.
Unsweetened Coconut Water: The “liquid” in this turmeric recipe is coconut water. I used one and a half cups of it, but if you can adjust the amount to your preference. If you do not have access to coconut water, you can swap it with an equal amount of unsweetened almond milk.
When it comes to purchasing coconut water I usually buy one that has only one ingredient in it and that is coconut water. I prefer not to buy ones with sugars or preservatives. This brand is my favorite one.
Ground black pepper & Coconut Oil: A pinch of ground black pepper and half a teaspoon of coconut oil are all you need to activate the most important compound in turmeric, curcumin (source.)
If you want to know more about why we use these two ingredients and the health benefits (and anti-inflammatory properties) of curcumin, please read my golden milk post.
Fresh Ginger (optional): When I feel under the weather or need a little bit more of a pick-me-up, I also add in half a teaspoon of grated ginger. The combination of turmeric, ginger, and mango makes the best smoothie.
Don’t have fresh ginger on hand? Use ½ teaspoon of ground ginger.
Natural Sweeteners (optional): I personally think this smoothie is very sweet by itself. However, after giving it a taste, feel free to add in natural sweeteners like dates, maple syrup or coconut sugar.

How to make this mango turmeric tropical smoothie

To make this smoothie, place all the ingredients in a blender and start blending at a slow speed. Then increase the speed to high and blend until fully blended.

Mango turmeric smoothie calories

The recipe below serves two people and it is 189 calories per serving. For more nutrition information for this smoothie recipe please check the recipe card below.

Similar Recipes You Might Also Like

Mango Turmeric Smoothie Recipe

Love smoothie recipes made with turmeric? Then try this vegan and no sugar added mango turmeric smoothie recipe. Made with a blend of mango, pineapple and ground turmeric, it is a great way to start the day on the right foot.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings servings

Calories 189kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

2 cups chopped mango fresh or frozen
½ cup pineapple chunks fresh or frozen
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut flakes
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut water
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil

Instructions

Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend in high power until smooth.
Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Optional: If you are a lover of fresh ginger, you can also add in 1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger into this recipe.

Nutrition

The post Mango Turmeric Smoothie Recipe appeared first on Foolproof Living.

5-Ingredient Turmeric Ginger Smoothie Recipe

Aysegul Sanford — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 19:35:08 +0000

My love for the turmeric and ginger combo started a few years ago right after we moved to Vermont. The sudden temperature change from our life in the Caribbean to our new life in Vermont made my poor body struggle so much that I had to increase my intake of superfoods.

Since then I have taken up the habit of drinking a cup of my ginger turmeric tea during these cold winter months to make myself feel better. Today’s recipe, Ginger Turmeric Smoothie, is inspired by that drink.

It is a dairy-free carrot-based smoothie that is flavored with oranges, fresh ginger, and ground turmeric. It is naturally sweetened with oranges and sweet carrots.

CARROT GINGER TURMERIC SMOOTHIE INGREDIENTS

This turmeric smoothie is made in a high powered blender using only 7 ingredients. They are:

Carrots: I used 3 medium-sized whole carrots and juiced them in my Vitamix (more on that and using other blenders and/or a juicer later)
Whole Oranges: When it comes to smoothies I prefer using whole oranges instead of using orange juice only. In this carrot turmeric smoothie, I use 3 peeled Cara Cara oranges but any type of orange you can get your hands on would work.
Coconut Water: The “liquid” in the recipe is unsweetened coconut water. When it comes to buying coconut water, I highly recommend reading the labels and getting one that has only one ingredient (coconut water) in it. This brand (affiliate link) is my favorite one.
Fresh Ginger: This recipe uses only one inch of fresh ginger.
Ground Turmeric Spice: Since it is widely available I opted for using half a teaspoon of ground turmeric powder. However, if you can get your hands on it, you can use fresh turmeric root as well. If you do so, I recommend using a quarter of a teaspoon of grated fresh turmeric.
Ground Black Pepper: Use a pinch of black pepper to activate the most beneficial compound in turmeric, aka curcumin.
Coconut Oil: Using a half a teaspoon of coconut oil in turmeric smoothies helps our bodies absorb all the benefits of curcumin as it is a fat-soluble compound.

Wondering why we use ground black pepper and coconut oil when we use turmeric smoothies?

The quick answer: One of the most well-researched compound in turmeric is called curcumin. It is known high in antioxidants and known with this antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cariogenic properties. (Source) Unfortunately, our bodies are unable to absorb it by itself so we use a pinch of black pepper and coconut oil to reap all of its benefits.

Longer answer: If you would like to learn more about curcumin and why we use black pepper and coconut oil in more detail, you can find more detailed information in this Golden Milk Recipe post.

HOW TO MAKE GINGER CARROT JUICE SMOOTHIE

If you own a high powered blender like Vitamix (affiliate link), blending carrots in smoothies and making carrot-based smoothies is a breeze.

Place all ingredients in the blender, turn the machine on and slowly increase the speed until it is fully blended.

If you think that it is too thick, add in a splash of coconut water and blend until it is to your liking.

At this point you might ask:

CAN VITAMIX MAKE CARROT JUICE?

As I was testing this recipe I wondered if I could juice a carrot in my Vitamix. Mostly because I wanted to consume the whole vegetable instead of only drinking its juice.

The answer is yes. As a matter of fact, making carrot juice with Vitamix is a breeze. With the help of some liquid (in this case unsweetened coconut water) and whole oranges (that are very juicy), you can easily juice carrots in a high powered blender.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A HIGH POWERED BLENDER?

If you don’t have a juicer or a high powered blender or if you prefer a thinner (more of a juice like) carrot juice then I would recommend blending the carrots with coconut water first and straining it through a medium-mesh strainer that is lined with cheesecloth.

Alternatively, you can also use a good quality nut milk bag (affiliate link) to strain the carrot juice.

VARIATIONS:

If you like to make turmeric smoothies on the regular, I highly suggest making a batch of my golden paste recipe. If you decide to do so simply use a teaspoon of it instead of ground turmeric, black pepper, and coconut oil.
What if I wanted to make a juice instead? Can I use the same ingredients? With a few minor adjustments, you can easily make a Carrot Ginger Turmeric juice in no time. If you want to do so, juice the same amount of carrots, oranges, and fresh ginger root. Then mix in a half a teaspoon of ground turmeric spice and a cup of coconut water.
What if it is not sweet enough? If you want to make it sweeter you can do a few things:
- Use pineapples instead of oranges: I find that pineapples are one of the sweetest fruits out there. If you decide to do so, use a cup of fresh or frozen pineapples in place of oranges.
  PS: Carrot Pineapple Smoothie with turmeric is one of my favorite summer smoothies.
- Add in natural sweeteners: Add in a splash of maple syrup or a few pitted dates and blend until smooth.
If you are a lover of Turmeric Smoothies, be sure to try my Turmeric Green Smoothie Recipe as well.

Turmeric Ginger Smoothie

This carrot-based Orange Turmeric Ginger Smoothie recipe is made with oranges, fresh ginger, and ground turmeric. It is vegan and naturally sweetened with oranges and sweet carrots.

Course Smoothies

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings servings

Calories 148kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

3 medium stalks of carrot washed peeled and cut into chunks
1 ½ cups of chopped oranges
1 ½ cups of coconut water
1- inch fresh ginger grated (about ½ teaspoon)
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
Pinch of black pepper
½ teaspoon coconut oil

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Pour and serve immediately.

Video

Nutrition

The post 5-Ingredient Turmeric Ginger Smoothie Recipe appeared first on Foolproof Living.

5-Minute Turmeric Green Smoothie Recipe

Aysegul Sanford — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 19:20:21 +0000

If you believe that food is medicine, you are in the right place. Today, we are making a delicious green smoothie with turmeric.

Last week I got the flu. The kind that keeps you in bed for days.

After a few days of not feeling better, I went to see my doctor and she said that unless it is treated within 24 hours there is not much she can do and that I have to wait for it to take its course. She also added that I should increase my intake of green leafy vegetables.

That is where the inspiration for this spinach turmeric smoothie came from. I have always loved treating myself with a cup of my golden milk recipe or my ginger turmeric tea at night so I thought why not make a green smoothie for breakfast to make myself feel better.

With the help of my husband, we tested several turmeric smoothies that week and this green turmeric smoothie is one of the three smoothies coming your way.

Ingredients:

Below are the ingredients for this turmeric green smoothie recipe:

Baby Spinach: I opted for 2 cups of baby spinach, but honestly any of your favorite leafy greens would work. Don’t have spinach? Try kale, chard, or even lettuce greens.
Pineapple Chunks: The sweetener of this green smoothie is fresh pineapple chunks, but you can also use frozen pineapple.
Don’t have pineapple on hand? You can use any other fresh or frozen fruit. Try frozen bananas, mango or berries.
Unsweetened Almond Milk & Water: While you can use only almond milk or only water, I personally like the creaminess that comes from almond milk so I used a cup of each. Feel free to adjust it to your liking.
Ground Turmeric Spice (aka Turmeric powder): I used ½ teaspoon ground turmeric for this green smoothie. When it comes to adding turmeric to my smoothies my rule of thumb is using ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric for every 2 servings. If you are doubling the recipe be sure to double the amount of turmeric used.
You might ask, what if I want to use fresh turmeric? If you can get your hands on fresh turmeric, then I recommend grating 1-inch peeled turmeric root, which should give you about ¼ teaspoon fresh turmeric.
Ground Flaxseeds: According to Healthline, “Just one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds provides a good amount of protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids, in addition to being a rich source of some vitamins and minerals.”
To me, adding a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds in my smoothies is such an easy (and cheap) way of upping my intake of superfoods.
A Pinch of Black Pepper: Using black pepper might come off as a surprise to you, but (without going into too much detail) the most well researched and known active ingredient in turmeric is called curcumin.
It has been known to promote the health of the body with its antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, when it is consumed by itself, our bodies are unable to absorb it. This is where black pepper comes to our help. One of the active components in black pepper, piperine, is known to help us absorb the curcumin when it intersects with curcumin.
Coconut Oil: This might also come as yet another surprising ingredient. However, since the magic component of turmeric, curcumin, has poor solubility in water, adding only half a teaspoon of coconut oil helps our bodies absorb all of its goodness. (source)

RELATED: Need a little convincing about drinking more smoothies? Read this “Benefits Of Smoothies” posts and find out why I think smoothies are awesome. And if you want more, check out my favorite Superfood Smoothies.

How to make turmeric green smoothie?

Like it is with any other smoothie recipe, this green smoothie cannot be easier to make. Simply put all the ingredients in the bowl of a blender such as Vitamix (affiliate link) and blend until smooth.

A Few variations:

Want to make it sweeter? I personally think that with 3 cups of pineapple this turmeric shake is quite sweet. However, if you like your smoothies sweeter, try using natural sweeteners like frozen banana, pitted date, maple syrup or coconut sugar and adjust the amount to your liking.
Want to add in more superfoods? If you want to switch things up and add in more of the goodness, grate an inch of fresh ginger into the blender before you mix everything up.
If you decide to do so, try making this recipe using kale (instead of spinach) as kale ginger turmeric smoothie is a powerhouse that not only tastes good but also immediately wakes up all your senses.
Don’t like ginger? Try my kale pineapple smoothie recipe.
Enjoy making turmeric smoothies every day? Make a batch of my turmeric paste and use a teaspoon of that instead of black pepper, turmeric powder, and coconut oil.
If you like turmeric and ginger combo I would also recommend trying my Turmeric Ginger Smoothie recipe.

Turmeric Green Smoothie Recipe

Make this dairy-free and naturally sweetened (no sugar added) Turmeric Green Smoothie recipe to start the day on the right foot. Packed with spinach, pineapples, turmeric & flaxseeds.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings servings

Calories 177kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

2 cups baby spinach rinsed and washed
3 cups of pineapple chunks fresh or frozen
½ teaspoon of ground turmeric spice
1 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
1 cup of water
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
Pinch of black pepper
½ teaspoon coconut oil melted and cooled

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Serve immediately.

Video

Nutrition

The post 5-Minute Turmeric Green Smoothie Recipe appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Blood Orange Mimosa

Aysegul Sanford — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 20:02:37 +0000

This post has been sponsored by Powell & Mahoney. As always all opinions are my own.

I read it on the paper this morning that we are about to get hit with yet another heatwave. I can totally feel it coming. The humidity mixed in with the warm temperatures makes it hard to breathe here in Vermont. If you feel the same way, join me as I make a refreshing blood orange mimosa to cool myself off.

Now, I know this is a food blog and here I am sharing a blood orange juice mimosa recipe, but to be honest it is hard to call this 2-ingredient cocktail a “recipe”. Plus, I am making your life easier, but replacing freshly squeezed orange juice with Powell & Mahoney’s newest cocktail mixer flavor, Blood Orange Mimosa.

If you have been a regular reader, you have probably seen me share several cocktail recipes using Powell & Mahoney mixers before. I have been a long time fan of their non-GMO certified cocktail mixers made without the use of refined sugars.

I know you like them too as Jalapeno Margarita, Frozen Pineapple Margarita, Frozen Blueberry Margaritas and Lime Martini, all recipes that are made with their mixers, have been long-time reader favorites.

Today’s cocktail is a classic brunch drink that is made with champagne and orange juice. While squeezing your orange juice with fresh oranges is always a good idea, I prefer Powell & Mahoney’s Blood Orange Mimosa especially if I am making it in a pitcher to serve a crowd. It is not only delicious but also super convenient.

What is blood orange?

Originally from Italy, blood oranges are a natural mutation of the sweet oranges that we all know. While from the outside they look like regular oranges, when sliced they are red (resembling the color of human blood) on the inside.

They owe their distinct color to the presence of anthocyanin, a pigment that is generally found in red, blue and purple. They mainly grow during the colder months of the year, usually between December and May.

Ratio for Orange Juice to Champagne for Mimosa Recipe

You might ask, how much champagne and orange juice for mimosas?

The best ratio for orange juice to champagne depends on your preference. I like mine with 4-1 ratio, meaning 4 parts of champagne to 1 part of juice.

However, you can adjust the ratio to your preference. Alternatively, you can swap champagne with sparkling wine for an inexpensive alternative.

How to make mimosas in a pitcher

Simply fill a large pitcher with a bottle of champagne (750 ml bottle) (or sparkling wine) and slowly pour 1 ½ cups of blood orange juice over it.

However, like I mentioned before, there are no rules when it comes to mimosas so feel free to adjust the ratios according to your liking.

If you want to make it even more delicious and pleasing to the eye, add in a few slices of oranges and other colorful fruits such as pomegranate seeds and strawberries.

While you can certainly squeeze your blood oranges, I love the ease of using a bottle of Powell & Mahoney Blood Orange Mimosa (affiliate link). It is not only delicious but also convenient. And if you have ever had to squeeze oranges to make mimosas for a crowd, I am pretty sure you will appreciate the ease of it more than anyone else.

Want to get a bottle? Powell & Mahoney’s Blood Orange Mimosa is now available on Amazon. Click here to get it now!

A Few Tips for The Best Blood Orange Mimosa Recipe

If you want to turn the volume up a bit, add in a splash of orange liquor (such as Grand Marnier) into the mixture.
While the classic mimosa recipe is made with orange juice and champagne, there is no rule that you cannot use prosecco or other sparkling wine. Or try your hand in making Non-Alcoholic Mimosa using alcohol-free wine.
While people usually serve mimosas in champagne flutes, I opted for these beautiful glasses (affiliate link.) However, you can serve them in whatever glass you have on hand.
In terms of garnishes, I opted for fresh strawberries, but if you can get your hands on blood oranges feel free to use them instead.
If you are serving mimosas for a crowd and want to set up a mimosa buffet you should check out my two other Powell and Mahoney flavors; Peach Bellini and Mango Margarita.

Other Cocktail Recipes You Might Also Like:

Blood Orange Mimosa Recipe

This Blood Orange Mimosa adds a fun twist to the classic brunch cocktail we all love. Simply pour champagne in a glass and pour in a splash of blood orange juice for a delicious brunch cocktail.

Course Drink

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings serving

Calories 121kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

4 oz. of your favorite Champagne or Sparkling Wine
1 oz. Powell & Mahoney Blood Orange Mimosa

Instructions

Pour champagne in a champagne flute and top it off with blood orange mimosa.

Video

Notes

Feel free to multiply this recipe as you please.

Nutrition

The post Blood Orange Mimosa appeared first on Foolproof Living.

12 Superfood Smoothies To Kickstart Your Day

Aysegul Sanford — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 11:19:44 +0000

A round-up of my favorite superfood smoothies that I make on the regular. Plus, I am sharing my go-to healthy smoothie ingredients to help you create your own smoothies.

I don’t know about you, but the minute 4 o’clock hits I start craving something sweet. I have no idea where it is coming from but after a long day of working, I feel like I am entitled to splurge on a decadent dessert. During the wintertime, I mostly dream about having a big slice of cake or a muffin whereas during the warmer months I find myself wanting a big bowl of ice cream. Sadly, neither one of those are good-for-you-foods that I can splurge every day.

Thankfully, there are healthier ways to help me satiate my cravings when I am in the mood for something sweet. While my wintertime favorite is a big slice of my Almond Flour Chocolate Cake, during the summer months my favorite treat is a healthy homemade smoothie made with superfoods.

Over the last few years I shared so many of my favorite healthy superfood shakes that I thought it would be nice to put them all in a post and share with you.

Below are my favorite superfood smoothie recipes that I make over and over again. They are all vegan and naturally sweetened. With the list, I am also sharing my favorite superfoods to use in your smoothies you as you make your own.

Learn about the benefits of smoothies and why they are an awesome way to boost your immune system, satisfy your sweet cravings, increase your fiber intake, and even regulate your bowel movements.

List Of Best Superfoods For Smoothies (Superfoods To Add to Smoothies)

Vegetables

I find that vegetables that are sweet in nature are also great superfoods to use in smoothies. I also think that best vegetables for smoothies are usually what is currently in season.

Some of my favorites are cucumbers, carrots, beets, and pumpkin especially during the end of summer. I usually buy them from the farmer’s market and make it a point to incorporate into our breakfasts to consume more of them outside of salads and dinner dishes.

Below are a few great superfood breakfast smoothies you can try. They are all vegan and naturally sweetened.

Minty Watermelon Cucumber Smoothie

Immune Boosting Multi-Colored Beet Smoothie

Banana-Free Carrot Cake Smoothie

Green Leafy Vegetables

Unless you have been living under a rock, you probably know that one of the best things you can do for yourself is to incorporate green leafy vegetables and like kale and spinach (aka smoothie superfoods) to your diet. While most of the time I serve salads with lunch and dinner, I find that adding a cup of leafy vegetables into a smoothie is such an easy way to increase your intake of daily greens.

Additionally, if you have picky eaters in your family I find that it is easy to disguise the greens, especially when you blend them with other superfoods. Here is one of my favorite superfood green smoothie recipes to incorporate green leafy vegetables into your diet:

Kale Pineapple Smoothie

Cocoa Powder

I will be the first one to admit, I am always game when it comes to chocolate and chocolatey desserts. Thankfully, when you mix cocoa powder with fruits it is sweet enough to make it taste super rich and chocolatey. Additionally, unsweetened cocoa powder is extremely high in antioxidants and is a good source of dietary fiber. You can read more about the benefits of cocoa powder here.

Below is my favorite chocolate superfood smoothie recipe. It is made with blending roasted hazelnuts with cocoa powder, dates, and pear. If you are a lover of Nutella like I am, you owe it to yourself to give this recipe a try. I promise it won’t disappoint.

Healthy Chocolate Smoothie

Fresh and Seasonal Fruits

If you think about it fruits are a given for smoothies. They are the “sweetening agent” when it comes to superfood smoothies. I am a big fan of turning well-known and liked recipes like banana split and pina colada into healthy homemade smoothie recipes.

Below are my go-to dessert-like vegan superfood smoothies that I usually make to treat myself for breakfast:

Vegan Banana Split Smoothie

Pina Colada Smoothie

Vegan Banana Smoothie

Peach Mango Smoothie

Spices

Spices like cinnamon and cardamom are also considered as healthy smoothie additions. Not to mention, in my opinion, they immediately upgrade the smoothie and turn it into a dessert.

If you don’t mind the spiciness, adding a pinch of cayenne pepper is a very good idea as cayenne peppers are known to reduce pain and help boost metabolism. Last but not least, fresh ginger and turmeric are known for their powerful anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.

Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie

Nuts, Nut Butters and Nut Milks

Unsalted and raw nuts like almonds, walnuts, cashews, and brazil nuts are an easy way to add healthy protein and Omega-3 fatty acids in your smoothies. They are also considered as healthy fats (both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats).

I find that using nut milk in smoothies is the easiest way to make them vegan. I usually go for unsweetened almond milk, but any of your favorite plant-based milk is ideal for making delicious healthy smoothies. All of the smoothies you see above are made with plant-based milk.

Peanut Butter Spinach Shake

Other Superfoods

You can’t make a list of healthy things to put in smoothies and not mention chia, hemp, and flax seeds.

Chia seeds are one of the healthiest superfoods that contain Omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and calcium. Similar to chia seeds, hemp seeds are also rich in healthy fats, protein, and soluble fiber.

The best part is that they don’t have much of a taste so by adding just a tablespoon you get all those benefits without even tasting them.

A FEW TIPS FOR THE BEST SUPERFOOD SMOOTHIES

Frozen Fruits To The Rescue: During the summer months when berries are at their peak, I buy a bunch and freeze them in freezer bags to use throughout the year.
Green tea for extra goodness: You can play with the liquid you use and use a strongly brewed green tea as “the liquid” for making Weight Loss Smoothies.
Meal prep-style smoothies made with superfoods: Once a week (mostly on Sundays), I individually prep my superfood smoothie packs by distributing ingredients in reusable storage bags (affiliate link) to save on time during the weekdays.

A Favorite Superfood Smoothie Recipe

Immune Boosting Multi-Colored Beet Smoothies

This beet smoothie is one of my all-time superfood smoothies. Made with coconut milk, it is delicious, healthy and satisfying.

Course Breakfast Smoothie

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings glasses

Calories 587kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

2 small or 1 big beet – red yellow, or both – peeled and cut into cubes
1 (14 oz.) can of whole coconut milk
1 frozen banana in small pieces
12-14 red seedless grapes
1 tablespoon lime juice freshly squeezed
1 cup baby spinach or kale rinsed (optional)
1 cup ice

Instructions

Place beets, coconut milk, banana, grapes, lime juice, spinach (or kale) and ice in a blender. Blend until smooth. Divide it in between 2 glasses and serve immediately.

Nutrition

The post 12 Superfood Smoothies To Kickstart Your Day appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Pineapple Margaritas

Aysegul Sanford — Fri, 26 Apr 2019 19:39:21 +0000

This recipe has been sponsored by Powell & Mahoney, but as always all thoughts and opinions are mine.

Today we are celebrating the beginning of spring with a refreshing Pineapple Margarita recipe. If you are a lover of margaritas like me, you probably find it hard to choose between a frozen margarita or margarita on the rocks. If that is you, no need to worry because I am going to share how to make both versions in your very own kitchen.

Plus, below you will find my tips and tricks to serve it to a crowd along with a few ways to spice up your tequila and pineapple drink game.

Can’t get enough of delicious margarita recipes? Check out my Strawberry Basil Tequila Cocktail and Blueberry Margarita recipe as well.

Ingredients

Before I talk about how to make a margarita, I want to go back to basics and talk about the ingredients to make a delicious margarita.

The basic margarita on the rocks recipe includes:

Tequila
Freshly squeezed lime juice
Orange liquor / Triple Sec (such as Grand Marnier)
Simple syrup (or Honey Simple Syrup for a naturally sweetened margarita)
Ice

To make it, you simply blend everything in a shaker with ice and pour over a margarita glass filled with ice.

As you can see, it is so simple to make margaritas, especially if you are serving just a few people. However, things get a little more complicated when you are serving a crowd. Think about serving 30+ people!

It is a lot of work to put all of that together and make it for a large group. Believe me, I have been there many times.

If you can relate, you will love Powell & Mahoney’s margarita mix. I have been a long time fan and have been using their products for 3 years now.

Carefully crafted using premium ingredients and sweetened with cane sugar and agave, they offer a variety of margarita mixes ranging from skinny margarita to jalapeno margarita (like I used in this Spicy Jalapeno Margarita recipe) to mango passion fruit margarita.

With all the spring and summer parties (i.e. Cinco de Mayo and Memorial Day just around the corner) and picnics coming up, I thought it would be a good idea to make this pineapple margarita recipe using Powell & Mahoney’s margarita mix. This way, you can see how easy it is to make the most delicious sweet margarita recipe in no time, even if you are serving a lot of people.

How to make a it on the rocks?

The first method, making Pineapple Margarita on the Rocks, has 2 folds.

First, you fill a shaker with ice and add in tequila, pineapple juice, triple sec, and Powell and Mahoney’s margarita mix.

Second, you give it a good shake and pour it in a margarita glass full of ice.

If you are serving this pina rita recipe (you see what I did there? ?) to a crowd, you can mix everything in a large pitcher, fill it with ice, and mix everything with a large spoon. I usually place it on a large tray along with empty glasses and a bucket of ice. This way, your guests can easily serve themselves.

How to rim the edges of the glass for margaritas

Most restaurants serve margaritas with coarse salt. I don’t know about you, but I love salt on the edges of my glass.

However, when I am making margaritas at home I take it up a notch and mix salt (kosher salt or coarse sea salt would both work) with a little bit of chili powder and lime zest. It is optional, but most people love it.

Alternatively, you can rim the edges of the glass with a sugar rim. To do so, I usually mix sugar with the zest of fresh lime for some additional color and flavor.

How to garnish pineapple juice margaritas

I think what makes margaritas so much fun is the garnishes. Here are a few ideas to give a little pizzazz to your margaritas:

Garnish it with a slice of fresh lime
Garnish it with a slice of fresh pineapple wedge
Grill a slice of pineapple and serve it on the side or as a garnish on the edge of the glass
Get creative with the rim and instead of using salt and chili powder, use roasted shredded coconut
Garnish with a small jalapeno by placing it on the edge of the glass using a knot bamboo pick or a cocktail pick
Garnish with fresh herbs like mint and cilantro leaves

How to make it frozen?

The second method, making my version of the Frozen Pineapple Margarita recipe has 2 folds. While it is super easy to make, it requires a little bit of advance preparation.

In my opinion, the secret to out-of-this-world delicious frozen pineapple margaritas is using frozen fresh pineapples.

How to freeze pineapples for frozen pineapple drinks recipes?

Now you might ask, can fresh pineapple be frozen?

Absolutely! As a matter of fact, I usually keep some in the freezer not only to make frozen margaritas but also to add in smoothies in the morning.

To freeze pineapple, I cut the pineapple into small cubes, place them on a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or stretch film), and keep in the freezer for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Once they are frozen, I place the now-frozen pineapple chunks in freezer bags to prevent them from freezer burn.

How to blend?

Once you have your frozen pineapple chunks ready, the rest is a piece of cake. All you have to do is to put the rest of the ingredients; margarita mix, triple sec, and tequila in the blender and process until smooth.

I find that using 1 cup of frozen pineapple per person delivers the best fresh pineapple margarita.

Expert Tips:

With a few quick and easy tips you can turn this easy drink to the best pineapple tequila cocktail you have ever had.

Keep your margarita glasses in the freezer until you are ready to serve: I usually keep a few beer and margarita glass in my freezer to be able to serve cold beverages. I think any (cold) beverage served in a cold glass tastes better.
Infuse your tequila with pineapple: I recently had a pineapple-infused tequila at a friend’s house and it was amazing. My friend told me that she puts chunks of fresh pineapple in a jar filled with tequila (let them sit in there up to 2 days) and uses that to make various tequila and pineapple juice drinks.
Use grilled pineapple as a garnish: If you have never grilled pineapples you are missing out of life. When you put them on the grill, the sugars in the fruit get caramelized and in return become SO delicious. I almost always serve pineapple margaritas during our summer grilling parties so that I can serve them with grilled pineapple.
How To Make a Non-Alcoholic Pineapple Margarita: It is so easy. Simply omit tequila and use a little bit more pineapple juice instead.
Need a visual as to how to make pineapple margaritas? Be sure to watch the quick how to video in the recipe card below.

Other pineapple based cocktails you might like:

Pineapple Margaritas Recipe

A crowd pleaser recipe for Pineapple Margaritas made in two ways: Pineapple Margaritas on the Rocks and Frozen Pineapple Margaritas. Made with only 5 ingredients and ready in just a few minutes.

Course Cocktail

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings serving

Calories 366kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For The Rim:

1 tablespoon coarse salt
Zest of a lime

For The Pineapple Margarita on The Rocks

2 oz. tequila
½ oz. triple sec or orange liquor
4 oz. Powell & Mahoney Margarita Mix
4 oz. pineapple juice

For The Frozen Pineapple Margaritas

1 cup frozen cut pineapple
4 oz. Powell & Mahoney Margarita Mix
2 oz. tequila
½ oz. triple sec or orange liquor

As Garnish

Wedges of lime
Wedge of pineapple

Instructions

To Make Pineapple Margaritas on the Rocks: Mix together salt and chili powder on a small flat plate. Wet the sides of a margarita glass with a wedge of lime. Rim the glass in the salt mixture. Place it in the freezer while you are making the cocktail.
Fill a mason jar or shaker with ice. Pour in tequila, orange liquor, and Powell & Mahoney Margarita Mix. Give it a shake.
Pour in the cold glass over ice.
To Make Frozen Pineapple Margaritas: Place all ingredients in a blend. Blend until smooth. Pour into a cold margarita glass. Garnish with lime and pineapple wedges.

Video

Notes

Each of these ingredients are for 1 serving. Feel free to multiply it if you are serving multiple people.

If you do not have triple sec on hand, feel free to use more tequila instead.

Don’t have the margarita mix? Here is the recipe for 1 serving of pineapple margarita recipe (on the rocks) that I would recommend making:

2 ounces of tequila blanco
6 ounces pineapple juice
1 ounces lime juice
1/2 ounces triple sec

Simply mix everything in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until combined. Pour into a margarita glass filled with ice. Garnish and serve.

Nutrition

The post Pineapple Margaritas appeared first on Foolproof Living.

How to Make Turkish Coffee

Aysegul Sanford — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 14:53:00 +0000

My love of coffee comes from my mother.

For her, having Turkish coffee was almost a daily ritual that had to be done with friends and family. More than anything, it was a way to celebrate her friendships and show gratitude to the ones she loved.

Though she worked most of her life, on those rare days when she was home, she would invite her friends over for coffee in the morning. Prior to their arrival, she would make me set up two trays: the first one with Turkish coffee cups and the second one with water glasses. We would always have something sweet to serve the coffee with. Although Turkish delights are more traditional, my mother loved serving hers with chocolate.

When her friends would arrive, it was my job to make and serve the coffee. After welcoming them, I would ask how they take their coffee and then immediately go to the kitchen to make it to their liking. It was such a proud moment for my mother when I would come out of the kitchen with the tray in my hand.

When I look back and think about it today, I realize how important it was for her that I understood the tradition behind it. I was very fortunate that I was allowed to drink coffee at a young age and learn to enjoy it through the family tradition.

In Turkey, when you go to somebody’s house, the first question isn’t if you want to drink Turkish coffee, but rather how you would like to have your coffee prepared. By how, your host is asking about the amount of sugar you would like to have in your coffee. To answer the question, you may say “sade” which means no sugar; “az seker” which means very little sugar; “orta” which means with 1-2 teaspoons of sugar; or “sekerli” which means with 3-4 teaspoon sugar.

Once you place your request, it is the responsibility of the person making the coffee to prepare it according to everyone’s individual sugar preferences. Usually, that person is the youngest girl of the house. As you can imagine, as the only daughter of our household, I’ve made more than my fair share of coffee in my lifetime. Therefore, I feel qualified enough to share my knowledge with you.

Ingredients You Need:

You will need:

Cold filtered water
Turkish coffee: Turkish coffee is much more finely ground than regular coffee. Even though you can grind it yourself, nowadays you can find it in most Middle Eastern or Mediterranean supermarkets. My favorite brand is Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi (affiliate link).
Cezve (a special wide-bottomed pot, usually made of copper) I have one similar to this Copper Turkish Coffee Pot (affiliate link) and have been using it for years.
Turkish coffee cups: Here is a set (affiliate link) you can purchase
Granulated sugar

How to Make Turkish Coffee

Making Turkish coffee is easy and requires no special skills, so long as you know a couple of tricks.

Here is how in a nutshell:

Water: Always use cold, filtered water. To measure the amount of water for each cup, use the coffee cup you are going to use.
When it comes to the water to Turkish coffee proportions my rule of thumb is 1½ “cup” of water per cup. Once again, the “cup” measurement is the coffee cup that you are going to serve the coffee in, rather than a standard measuring cup.

Coffee & Sugar: For each cup of coffee, use a heaping tablespoon of ground coffee. If preparing a cup with sugar, add it in the very beginning, stirring the mixture until combined. However, if one or more of the guests prefer no sugar, prepare and pour that cup first. After returning the coffee pot to the stove, add in more sugar to suit the preferences of the remaining guests.

How To Cook Turkish Coffee

Slowly bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. This will take 3-4 minutes, so keep a close eye on it. As the coffee warms, a dark foam will build.

It is customary and important to serve Turkish coffee with foam on top. When the mixture is close to a boil, use a teaspoon to transfer some of the foam into each coffee cup. Return the coffee pot to the stovetop.

As coffee comes to a boil, pour half of the coffee into the cups, over the foam. Return coffee pot to stovetop and boil the remaining coffee for an additional 10-15 seconds and fill the cups to the rim.

How To Serve:

To serve:

We always serve Turkish coffee with cold (or room temperature) water, because a sip of water will allow the person to clear his/her palate before drinking coffee for the best enjoyment. In addition to water, most people like to serve it with a small sweet treat like Turkish delights, chocolate, candy, etc.
When serving it is important to start with the eldest guest in the room. It is a sign of respect to acknowledge their age and considered disrespectful not to do so.
Since this type of coffee is much denser than filtered coffee, it is not customary to drink more than one cup. I have read on some websites that some people add milk or cream to their coffee, but to be honest, I have never seen anyone in Turkey add milk or cream to their Turkish coffee.

Almost eight years after her passing, when I close my eyes and think about my mother today, I picture her with a Turkish coffee cup in her hand, telling stories of whatever is happening on that particular day. Though I want to continue our family tradition every opportunity I get, I know it will never be the same without her.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What kind of coffee/roast should I buy to make Turkish Coffee?

I have a few readers asked me if Starbucks’ coffees would work if they were to ask the barista to grind it as Turkish coffee. To be quite honest, I have never tried this, but I do not think so. What I know for sure (and the one I recommend) is Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi (affiliate link). This is the coffee that I use (and grew up drinking) when I make my Turkish coffee.

Do I need that special pot (cezve or ibrik) to make Turkish coffee?

The answer is, it depends. I recommend getting it as (1) it is a tradition to cook Turkish coffee in a cezve and (2) cooking it in a cezve will give you the thick foam (more in this below) on top. With that being said, if you are not concerned with those two things, you can make our coffee in a very small saucepan.
I have one similar to this Copper Turkish Coffee Pot (affiliate link) and have been using it for years.

How do you get that thick foam on top?

This is a much-debated subject and you might get different answers if you asked different people. Below steps were what my mother taught me:

Once you mix water, coffee and sugar (if using), give it a quick mix but do not overmix it. Since you are cooking it in a very small pot (cezve), as it boils it will mix itself. I know that it is very tempting to want to mix it but resist the urge.
Once you pour your first pour, then you can give it a mix because the thick foamy part should already be in the cup.
As you pour your second, be sure to pour very slowly to not break the foam.

What if I am making Turkish coffee for multiple people with different sugar preferences?

If this is the case, you can do one of two things. First, you can make them in different pots, but for that, you would have to have more than one cezve.

Second, you can start making it with no sugar, pour the first pour to all the cups and then add in the sugar in the second pour.

For example: Let’s say I making Turkish coffee for 2 of my guests. First, start with the person who wants his sade (with no sugar) and then continue with the second person who wants his orta (1-2 teaspoon sugar). Below are the steps I would follow to make them at the same time in one pot (cezve):

Start by cooking water and coffee for 2 servings with no added sugar
Pour your first pour halfway into two coffee pots.
Boil the second pour and fill up the first serving with no sugar.
Then add in sugar into the pot, mix it, and bring it to a boil before you top off the second serving. Since Turkish coffee is pretty thick and served in such a small cup, it will have enough sweetness.

Where did you get the blue cups in the photos?

I borrowed those cups from a friend of mine. They were a gift to her from her husband. He purchased them from Pasabahce many years ago. I am not sure if they are still selling them, but since this was asked more than once I thought I can answer it here.

Where can I find Turkish Coffee cups?

If you ever visit Turkey and most other nearby countries, you can find a variety of options for Turkish coffee cups. However, if that is not possible you can easily find them online. Additionally, you can use espresso cups. They are a little larger but they would do the job.
Here is a set (affiliate link) you can use to make both types of coffees.

What is Turkish Coffee reading (fortune-telling)? Do you believe it?

It is a tradition that after you finish your coffee, you turn your cup upside down and let it cool down so that someone else can “read your cup”. This is a fun tradition, where someone (who is talented enough to make up stuff) looks into the cup and tries to guess your future based on the shapes of the coffee’s residue that stuck on the walls of your cup. If you are a believer of this kind of stuff, it could be quite entertaining.

My mom was one of those people, who would read people’s cups just for the fun of it. I no longer believe in such readings, but when I was a teenager and was falling in love with a different guy every week, I remember drinking a lot of Turkish coffee and begging her to read my cup to see if “my new found love” is going to ask me out any time soon.

How to Make Turkish Coffee At Home

Learn How To cook, brew and make Turkish Coffee at home from the way I learned from my mother with step-by step how-to photos along with the answers to frequently asked questions.

Course Drink

Cuisine Turkish Cuisine

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

3 Turkish coffee cup-sized cups of cold filtered water 1 1/2 cup per cup
2 heaping tablespoons Turkish Coffee ground
Sugar – as requested

Instructions

Place the sugar (if desired), water, and Turkish coffee in metal Turkish coffee pot (Cezve).
Using a small spoon, stir briefly until just combined and place pot on stovetop.
Slowly bring coffee mixture to a boil over medium heat. This will take 3-4 minutes, so keep a close watch.
As the coffee warms, you will see a dark foam building up. Closer to it coming to a boil, using a teaspoon, transfer some of the foam into each of your two Turkish coffee cups. Return coffee pot to stovetop.
As coffee comes to a boil, pour half of the coffee into the cups, over the foam.
Return coffee pot to stovetop and boil the remaining coffee for an additional 15-20 seconds and pour the rest in to the coffee cups to the rim.
Serve with water and Turkish delight.

Video

Notes

What if I am making Turkish coffee for multiple people with different sugar preferences?

If this is the case, you can do one of two things.

First, you can make them in different pots, but for that, you would have to have more than one cezve.

Second, you can start making it with no sugar, pour the first pour to all the cups and then add in the sugar in the second pour.

Start by cooking water and coffee for 2 servings with no added sugar
Pour your first pour halfway into two coffee pots.
Boil the second pour and fill up the first serving with no sugar.
Then add in sugar into the pot, mix it, and bring it to a boil before you top off the second serving. Since Turkish coffee is pretty thick and served in such a small cup, it will have enough sweetness.

Nutrition

Sodium: 2mg

The post How to Make Turkish Coffee appeared first on Foolproof Living.

10 Minute Golden Milk Recipe (Turmeric Milk)

Aysegul Sanford — Sat, 23 Feb 2019 23:50:24 +0000

In today’s recipe, we are finding comfort in the magical healing powers of this Turmeric Golden Milk and covering everything you need to know, including what it is, its health benefits, how it tastes, how to make it, when is the best time to drink it, and more.

So, if you are new to using turmeric in your cooking and/or have never tried your hand at making turmeric milk, this post is for you. With its incredible healing and calming properties, this easy and healthy vegan drink, also referred to as Turmeric Milk, is exactly what you need, especially if you are like me, feeling defeated by these cold winter days and are in need of a natural remedy for a night of restful sleep.

More on the health benefits later. First, let’s talk about what is turmeric milk, its benefits, and how it is made.

What Is Golden Milk

Gold milk is a traditional Ayurvedic drink made with turmeric root (or ground turmeric), milk (originally made with cow’s milk, but can also be made with plant-based and dairy-free milk like almond and coconut), black pepper, and oil.

However, in most recipes, it is also mixed in with other good-for-you ingredients like ginger root (or ground ginger). Though it is totally optional, it can be sweetened with unrefined sugars like honey and maple syrup.

If you do a quick research online, you will be presented with various other terms for golden milk. While I am sure there are some exceptions to the rule, they are essentially the same thing.

Below are some of the most common terms used for Golden Turmeric Milk:

Haldi Doodh: Having originated from India, this is the original name for golden milk.
Golden Milk Latte: Since it is made with warm milk mixed in with turmeric, some people also refer to this drink as golden milk latte, golden latte, golden turmeric latte, or turmeric latte.
Turmeric Milk Tea: I have also found some people referring to this drink as “milk tea” or “golden milk tea.” I guess it is a British thing, but again it is essentially the same thing.

Golden Milk Ingredients

The ingredient list for golden milk is a short one, and all of them are basic pantry ingredients. Additionally, you can make this recipe using fresh turmeric or ground turmeric powder.

Unsweetened and full-fat almond, coconut milk, oat milk, or regular milk
A stick of cinnamon or ground cinnamon
Fresh turmeric or ground turmeric powder
Fresh ginger or ground ginger
Coconut oil
A pinch of black pepper
Sweetener of your choice, such as maple syrup or honey.

How To Make Golden Milk – 3 Different Ways

Below, I outline three ways of making turmeric milk. As you read through it, you will see that the methods are pretty much similar but the ingredients used are variations of the same things.

I wanted to share this with you as the availability of these ingredients might be different based on where you live.

Method #1 – Using Fresh Turmeric – Golden Milk with Fresh Turmeric:

The first method is made by using fresh turmeric root. Here in Vermont, I usually find it in health food stores. It is not always available, but when I see it in the store I grab a bunch and store it in the fridge. It usually keeps well for a month in the fridge.

To make golden milk with fresh turmeric root, I mix unsweetened homemade almond milk with fresh turmeric root, fresh ginger root, a stick of cinnamon, a pinch of black pepper and a bit of coconut oil in a saucepan and cook (while I stir constantly) it in medium heat just until it starts simmering.

While there is no set rule as to how much you use for each of the aforementioned golden milk ingredients and it depends on your personal preference, I love the ratios below and think that it is a good place to start:

I use the following ratios for 2 Servings of Fresh Turmeric Golden Milk Recipe:

2 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
2 inches of sliced fresh turmeric root
1 inch sliced fresh ginger root
½ teaspoon of coconut oil (or ghee)
A pinch of black pepper
A tablespoon of maple syrup or honey (optional)

The sweetening agent here is totally optional and can be swapped with other sweeteners like honey or stevia. I personally try to avoid it as much as I can because I usually drink this golden latte before bed and prefer not to consume sugars right before I am getting ready to sleep. Still, it is up to you.

Method #2: Using Ground Turmeric or Turmeric Powder

The second method is to use turmeric powder, which is widely available.

I used the following ratios for 2 Servings of Turmeric Golden Milk Recipe made with Turmeric Powder:

2 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon of coconut oil (or ghee)
A pinch of black pepper
Maple syrup to taste (optional)

Similar to the previous method, you can mix everything in a small saucepan and cook until it starts simmering.

Method # 3 Using Golden Paste (AKA Turmeric Paste):

Another method you can use to make turmeric gold milk is making it with turmeric paste (aka golden paste). If you are interested in making turmeric golden latte a daily habit then this method is for you.

If you are not familiar, the golden paste is made by mixing ground turmeric powder (aka turmeric spice) with oil (i.e. coconut oil), black pepper, water, and other Ayurvedic spices like ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. You simply make a jar of it, keep it in the fridge, and incorporate it into your diet every day in no time.

Nowadays, most health food stores sell turmeric paste. However, it is quite easy to make it at home. You can find the recipe, a quick how-to video, and all the details of making turmeric milk from golden paste at home in this turmeric paste recipe blog post.

To make golden milk using turmeric paste, simply place a teaspoon of turmeric paste into a mug, pour some hot milk over it, and sweeten it with your favorite sweetener. Give it a good whisk and your golden tea is ready to enjoy.

How To Make Haldi Milk Video

A Few FAQs Answered For The Best Golden Milk Recipe

What Are The Benefits Of Golden Milk?

If you are familiar with Indian cooking, it is likely that you already know turmeric spice (also known as a golden yellow spice). Mainly a staple in their curry dishes, turmeric is known for its incredible healing properties.

Research shows that turmeric has many components that are good for our health, but the most well-researched and known active ingredient in turmeric is called curcumin. Its usage goes back to the ancient Ayurvedic practice and has been known to promote the holistic health of the body with its antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-cariogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties. (source)

Consuming food and drinks made with turmeric, such as this Turmeric Golden Milk, is known to:

Help minimize joint pain and reduce inflammation
Fight off various infections and build (and boost) immunity due to its antibacterial properties
Help with a healthy glowing skin
Delay diabetes as curcumin’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties help moderate insulin levels. It has also been a way to help boost the effect of medications that treat diabetes.
Protect the brain and improve memory functions in Alzheimer patients. The following comes from this site: “Studies show that curcumin may increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is a compound that helps your brain form new connections and promotes the growth of brain cells.”
Tame heartburn and indigestion issues
May reduce joint pain from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis thanks to turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties.

Why Do We Use Black Pepper & Oil In Golden Milk Recipe

At this point, you might be wondering why we are using black pepper and coconut oil in this recipe. It will be a little bit technical, but I will do my best to explain:

First, let’s start with why we use black pepper:

As we discussed earlier, the key compound in turmeric is called curcumin. This is what makes turmeric so healthy and good for us. However, sadly for us, our bodies cannot absorb (into our intestines and bloodstream) curcumin when we consume it just by itself.

This is where black pepper comes to our help. One of the active components in black pepper, piperine, is known to help us absorb the curcumin when they interact with each other.

In other words, a pinch of freshly ground black pepper helps our body to take in some of the benefits of this magical golden spice.

Second, let’s talk about why we use coconut oil:

The ancient Ayurveda practice makes golden milk tea with a little bit of ghee. The reason for this is that curcumin has poor solubility in water. In other words, in order for us to benefit from its full potential, turmeric needs to come in contact with oil.

In my version here, I used coconut oil as it is widely available, but if you have access to ghee feel free to use that instead.

Here you might ask, how much coconut oil should I use? I find that most recipes use a tablespoon of oil for 2 servings, which (depending on the milk you use) yields approximately 2 cups of turmeric golden milk.

If you read the recipe below, you will see that I do not recommend boiling it. Rather, I bring it to a gentle simmer and serve. This is intentional because, according to this article, cooking turmeric for long durations may lead to a loss of curcumin compound of turmeric.

What Milk Should I Use?

The original recipe for golden milk is made with cow’s milk. However, I usually use plant-based (dairy-free) milk like oat milk, unsweetened almond milk, cashew, or coconut milk.

Amongst all the different types of milk I tried, I find that turmeric with coconut milk delivers the most creamy and silky drink. My second favorite is unsweetened almond milk, as it is a little lighter, but it is just as good.

You can also blend your favorite milk with some water to make it lighter. So feel free to try the recipe and make adjustments to your liking.

When To Drink Golden Milk? Does it help you sleep?

One of the most asked questions is, “When is the best time to drink turmeric milk?.” The short answer is that you can drink this beverage any time you want. However, most people, myself included, prefer to drink turmeric milk right before bed to get a good night’s sleep. It’s especially good for when you’re feeling under the weather.

This is also why some people call this drink “Golden Night Pill,” as drinking a glass of turmeric golden milk before bed is known for its ability to fight nighttime coughing, which hopefully results in a more restful night’s sleep.

Additionally, studies suggest that a cup of warm turmeric milk before bed promotes relaxation, lowers anxiety levels, fights inflammation, and as a result, helps with a good night of sleep.

With this being said, when I am drinking it at night, I do my best to drink turmeric milk without any sugar. Having been the daughter of a dentist, I learned at a young age that sleeping after consuming sugary foods (i.e., hot milk with honey) before bed will result in cavities. So be sure to brush your teeth well after consuming it.

Golden Milk Side Effects

I think it would be wrong if I didn’t talk about the side effects of consuming too much turmeric. As in most things in life, turmeric milk and turmeric should be consumed in moderation.

But you might ask, how much is too much? According to this article, we should not consume more than a teaspoon of ground turmeric spice a day. And if you are using fresh turmeric, we should limit it to 1.5 to 3 grams a day. Otherwise, excess usage of turmeric may result in an upset stomach, allergic reactions, risk of kidney stones, diarrhea, and nausea.

Do I need to peel it if I am using fresh turmeric root?

It is up to you. I personally like to peel it, but you can use it without peeling it if you give it a good wash.

How to prepare raw turmeric (and ginger)? Do I slice it or use a zester?

Again, it is totally up to you. You can do both ways. I personally use a zester (affiliate link) so that I can get all the goodness out of it, but it is up to you.

Calories in Turmeric Milk:

The amount of calories in golden turmeric milk depends on the ingredients used. However, the recipe below, made with unsweetened almond milk and a teaspoon of maple syrup, is 146 calories. Please refer to the nutritional label underneath the recipe for more information.

What does golden milk taste like?

Golden Turmeric milk has a nice warm, earthy taste with a little bit of citrusy bitterness. It has a very soothing taste when mixed in with other ingredients like ginger, cinnamon, milk, and oil.

Whether you want to reduce inflammation, boost your immune system, get some relief from a never-ending cough, or drink this Indian spice latte for sleep, it is a fantastic natural remedy that you can make in less than 10 minutes. I hope you’ll give it a try, find the relief you need, and enjoy it as much as I do.

Other Turmeric Recipes You Might Like

Turmeric Ginger Tea
Ayurvedic Detox Tea – Feasting At Home
Overnight Turmeric Chia Oats – Vanilla and Bean
Green Turmeric Smoothie

Turmeric Golden Milk Recipe

Learn how to make Turmeric Golden Milk: Made with turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, coconut oil, and almond milk, this is an easy Ayurvedic drink recipe that offers a lieu of healing properties. Whether you are trying to reduce inflammation, get some relief from a terrible cough, or get some glow on your skin, this soothing drink is guaranteed to offer you the comfort you need.

Course Drink

Cuisine Indian

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings cups

Calories 147kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

2 ½ cups unsweetened and full fat almond or coconut milk
1 stick cinnamon or 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon more as garnish at the end
2 inches fresh turmeric sliced or 1 ½ teaspoon ground turmeric spice
1 inch fresh ginger sliced or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
Pinch black pepper
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey or more to taste

Instructions

Place milk, cinnamon stick, turmeric, ginger, coconut oil, and black pepper in a small saucepan.
Cook, stirring frequently, until warm but not boiling.
Give it a taste and add in your sweetener.
If you used fresh turmeric and ginger, strain it to your cups. If not, divide it in two mugs.
If preferred, sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Serve.

Video

Notes

The calorie information listed in the below nutrition label is for Turmeric Golden milk made with unsweetened almond milk. If you decide to use unsweetened full-fat coconut milk, the calorie count goes up to 549 calories.
Storage and reheating: You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready to reheat, simply place it in a saucepan and warm it on the stove until it is warmed through (I do not recommend boiling it for a long time.)
Golden paste: If you are short on time or want to make this Ayurvedic drink a part of your daily routine, alternatively, you can make it in just a few minutes by using my golden paste recipe.

Nutrition

The post 10 Minute Golden Milk Recipe (Turmeric Milk) appeared first on Foolproof Living.

How To Make Turmeric Paste

Aysegul Sanford — Sat, 23 Feb 2019 23:46:06 +0000

It is no secret that my husband and I have been on a turmeric kick lately. Prior to moving to Vermont, my warm beverage of choice was always coffee. However, since last winter, we have been hooked on turmeric-based drinks.

It actually started with this Turmeric Ginger Tea. It was the perfect drink to sip on all day long in front of the fireplace. We still enjoy that quite often, but lately, we are also making Turmeric Golden Milk. It is especially great when you get a cold or have a cough that is hard to get rid of.

I recently wrote a recipe for my favorite Turmeric milk recipe and talked about different ways of making it. One of those ways was with using turmeric paste.

Nowadays, you can find jarred turmeric paste in health food stores, but I make my own so I thought I can share that recipe here with you.

If you are like us, find comfort in a cup of hot turmeric milk latte in these cold winter days and want to be able to make it quickly, this post is for you.

What is Turmeric Paste

Turmeric paste (also known as turmeric powder paste) is a combination of ground turmeric, oil (this could be coconut oil, ghee, or other neutral oils), water, ground black pepper, and other spices (like ground cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger) heated until melted and turned into a paste for the purpose of using it in turmeric milk, smoothies, curries, etc.

Although turmeric can be effective on its own, by mixing it with other good-for-you ingredients like cinnamon and ginger we get to enhance its healing properties. With that being said, you can make this paste just by using turmeric powder, coconut oil, black pepper, and water.

This turmeric paste can be kept in a jar in the fridge to use in various recipes. More on that below.

How To Make Turmeric Paste (aka Golden Paste)

I make my turmeric paste by mixing ground turmeric spice with grated (or zested) fresh ginger, ground cinnamon, coconut oil, black pepper, and water in a small saucepan in medium heat. I whisk it constantly until the oil fully melts.

I use fresh ginger because it is widely available, but you can also use a teaspoon ground ginger instead of its fresh version.

It is important that you do not overheat it as the primary compound in turmeric, curcumin, loses its benefits when it is cooked for longer periods.

Here you might ask, what is the best ratio of turmeric to black pepper and turmeric to coconut oil? Below is the formula that I follow:

½ cup ground turmeric spice
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup coconut oil
1 cup water

Once the oil fully melts and everything is fully mixed, I transfer it to a medium-sized airtight jar and keep in the fridge to use whenever I want.

This turmeric paste recipe makes just a little more than a cup of turmeric paste.

Wondering why we are adding black pepper and oil into the mixture?You can read all about it in this Turmeric Golden Milk post.

How To Make Turmeric Milk Using Golden Paste

The best thing about turmeric golden paste is that you can make turmeric golden milk in just a few minutes without having to get any other ingredients out. All you have to do is to mix a small amount of it with some hot milk.

I think how much of it you use is a personal choice, but I usually like it best when I mix 1 teaspoon of turmeric golden paste with 1 ¼ cups of milk. In terms of milk, I prefer either unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk or a combination of both.

My favorite sweetener is maple syrup, but you can use honey as well.

Here is a quick how-to video showing you how I make this turmeric paste and use it to make a cup of golden milk for myself:

Turmeric Paste Benefits

I don’t know about you, but I do my best to avoid taking pills if I can find a natural way to treat my health issues.

For centuries turmeric has been a staple and a go-to spice in Indian and Chinese cuisines and used for a variety of health problems. Nowadays, it is very popular in Western cultures due to its antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory properties.

And turmeric is one of those great natural remedies. Studies show that the primary compound in turmeric, curcumin, is known to help reduce inflammation, prevent skin-related issues and allergies, reduce joint pain, and help our bodies build stronger immune systems. (SOURCE)

I personally consume turmeric golden milk when I have a terrible cough that I just can’t get rid of. Drinking a cup of turmeric golden milk right before bed magically soothes my chest and gives me a relief from coughing, which later helps me get a good night sleep.

You can read more about the benefits of turmeric in detail in this Turmeric Golden Milk recipe post.

How Long Does Turmeric Paste Last

As long as it is kept in an airtight jar (or container) in the fridge, it will last up to 2 weeks.

What Are Some Other Ways to Use

I usually use golden paste to make golden milk, here are some other ideas to put it to good use:

Mix ½ teaspoon of turmeric paste into yogurt, top it off with your favorite granola for breakfast
Add a teaspoon (or less) in your favorite smoothies for an additional boost of nutrition
Mix it with plain yogurt and drizzle it over roasted vegetables
Blend it in your salad dressings
Mix a small amount of it with your favorite nut butter (i.e. almond or peanut butter) and spread it on toast.

How Much Turmeric Per Day

While its benefits are a mile long, you might want to stay away from consuming excessive amounts of turmeric. Because, overuse of turmeric may result in an allergic reaction on skin, nausea, risk of kidney stones, diarrhea, and upset stomach.

Additionally, you should stay away from turmeric if you have kidney stones, gall bladder diseases, iron deficiencies, and diabetes. (SOURCE)

But how much turmeric should you take in a day? According to this article, you should limit your ground turmeric intake to 1 teaspoon a day and fresh turmeric root intake to 1.5 to 3 grams a day.

Can’t get enough of turmeric recipes? Try my delicious Turmeric Smoothies.

Turmeric Paste Recipe

If you are looking for an anti-inflammatory paleo friendly Turmeric Paste, than look no further! This easy to make turmeric paste is made with ground turmeric, fresh ginger, cinnamon, black pepper and coconut oil. It is ready in 10 minutes and can be stored in the fridge up to 2 weeks.

Course Condiment, Non Alcoholic Drink

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 76kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

½ cup ground turmeric spice
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated or minced
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup coconut oil
1 cup water
optional maple syrup or honey to taste

Instructions

Place ground turmeric, ground cinnamon, fresh ginger, black pepper, coconut oil, and water in a small saucepan and place over medium low heat.
Whisk to combine and cook until it forms a paste and coconut oil is fully melted.
Transfer to a jar with a lid. Let it cool to room temperature and store in the fridge up to 2 weeks.
When ready to make turmeric golden milk, place a teaspoon of turmeric paste in a mug and add in hot milk of your choice. Taste for sweetness and add in maple syrup or honey. Give it a stir and enjoy.

Video

Notes

The calorie information does not include any calories coming from optional sweeteners.

Nutrition

The post How To Make Turmeric Paste appeared first on Foolproof Living.

5-Minute Vegan Banana Smoothie

Aysegul Sanford — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 18:47:31 +0000

This post has been sponsored by Good Plants TM. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Last November my husband and I made an impromptu decision and signed up for an online workout program. We both have gained a few extra pounds since we moved to Vermont and have been feeling the weight of it. Plus, with the holidays ahead of us, we wanted to keep things under control and hopefully not gain any more weight.

Thankfully, we were able to stick to it and have been working out 6-days a week, first thing in the morning ever since. With our new workout routine, I have been thinking a lot about smoothies. They say, what you put in your body in the first 30 minutes after your workout is very important. To me, there is nothing better than a mason jar filled with a delicious smoothie.

When I found Good Plants™ Almondmilk Probiotic Yogurt Alternative, I found myself in the mood for a good old smoothie.

Now, you might say, who wants an icy cold smoothie in the middle of winter?! I would not blame you for that as I probably wouldn’t want to start my day with anything cold. However, ever since I found out about Good Plants™ almond milk probiotic yogurt alternative, I have been making smoothies without any ice or frozen elements (i.e. frozen fruit, ice, or frozen greens, acai, etc.). It has been a nice alternative to our usual oatmeal breakfast.

Today’s recipe, Vegan Banana Smoothie and the variations I will talk about below has been a favorite in our house so I thought I would share it here with you.

As the name suggests, in addition to being vegan, this easy banana smoothie recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free. It comes together in 5 minutes and a great breakfast that you can take with you to work.

How To Make A Vegan Smoothie – Healthy Smoothie Ingredients

I know most of you are used to making your banana smoothie with milk and yogurt. While there is nothing wrong with that I sometimes like to switch things up good-for-you vegan ingredients.

Regardless of the fruit you are using, you can make any vegan fruit smoothie by using the ingredients below:

Fresh fruit: While banana is a favorite fruit for most of us, if it is not your jam you can easily swap it whatever is in season. Berries, apples, or any of your stone fruits would all work.
Liquid – Water or Plant-based milk: In terms of liquid, I usually go for unsweetened almond milk, but water would also work.
Yogurt – Plant-Based Yogurt Alternative: I find that adding yogurt alternatives to smoothies gives it a smooth and creamy texture. Like I mentioned earlier, I am currently loving the Good Plants™ Almondmilk Probiotic Yogurt Alternative. In addition to being an excellent source of fiber, it is dairy-free and vegan certified. I also like that it comes in 4 different flavors: vanilla, chocolate coconut, lemon meringue, and strawberry. While they are all very good, my favorite one is the strawberry flavor. Come summertime, I plan on adding a few fresh strawberries and turn this into a vegan strawberry banana smoothie.
Additional Fiber & Nutrition Sources: I always add in additional fiber sources like rolled oats (I buy gluten-free certified oats), flax seeds, and chia seeds. Adding those is an easy way to give it a nutritional boost.

Optional Plant-based Protein: My husband always asks me to put in a tablespoon of peanut butter to give it a nice protein boost. If you have peanut lovers in your family, peanut butter banana smoothie is a great variation of this vegan banana smoothie recipe.

Optional Green Leafy Vegetables: If I have it on hand, I sometimes add in a cup of green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, or swiss chard. If you are like us, focused on clean eating in the new year and looking for ways to up your consumption of greens, adding some in your banana breakfast smoothie is a great way to sneak them in your diet.

How To Make A Creamy Smoothie

If you are like me, like your vegan breakfast smoothie on the creamy side, you are not alone. When it comes to making your favorite smoothie creamy, you can try a few tricks:

Freeze your bananas: If you are making this smoothie during the warmer months, you can slice your ripe bananas, place them on a sheet pan, cover tightly with stretch film, and freeze until you are ready to use them.
Adding frozen bananas into the smoothie mixture eliminates the need to add in ice and make it watery. Instead, they make it super creamy texture almost like ice cream. Think about it, who would say no to a frozen banana smoothie in the middle of summer when it is a million degrees outside?
Add in Plant-Based Yogurt Alternative: If you are new to using plant-based yogurt alternative, you should definitely give Good Plants™ Almondmilk Probiotic Yogurt a try. Here in our local Shaw’s store, I find them in the yogurt aisle right next to the regular yogurt. Additionally, you can also find Good Plants Almondmilk Probiotic Yogurt Alternative at Hannaford, Shoprite, Giant, Harris Teeter stores.
Add in a ripe avocado into your smoothie: Similar to bananas, avocados are a great way to add some creaminess into your banana smoothie. Plus, they offer healthy fats, potassium, and fiber! And I have to tell you, adding a ripe avocado along with almond milk yogurt alternative makes a really creamy and thick banana smoothie.

How To Make Vegan Banana Smoothie:

The recipe is pretty straight forward. I kept the ingredients in the recipe below pretty simple, but feel free to add in other ingredients to change it up.

Here is a quick video showing how to make healthy banana smoothie:

If You Liked This Healthy Banana Breakfast Smoothie Recipe, You Might Also Like…

Nutella Lovers Healthy Chocolate Smoothie
Pina Colada Smoothie
Kale Pineapple Smoothie
Chocolate Banana Smoothie – A Family Feast

Vegan Banana Smoothie

Banana Split Smoothie recipe is a naturally sweetened vegan smoothie that is packed with healthy ingredients to help you satiate your sweet cravings for a quick breakfast or an afternoon pick me up. If you like banana split as a dessert, this 5-minute recipe is going to be your next favorite smoothie recipe.

Course Smoothie

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings servings

Calories 118kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

1 ripe banana or frozen
¼ cup ground rolled oats
1 teaspoon chia seeds optional
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 Plant based yogurt such as almond or coconut yogurt
½ cup of crushed ice optional

Instructions

Place banana, rolled oats, chia seeds (if using), almondmilk, almond yogurt, and ice into the blender.
Blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy.

Video

Nutrition

The post 5-Minute Vegan Banana Smoothie appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Kentucky Mule Recipe

Aysegul Sanford — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 19:05:31 +0000

This post has been sponsored by Powell & Mahoney, but all opinions are my own.

We spent last weekend in Louisville, Kentucky for one of my best friend’s wedding. Both my husband and I were a part of the wedding party and we had the best time we’ve had for a long time. Needless to say, we have done a lot of (much needed) dancing and drinking.

Speaking of drinking, since this was our first time in Kentucky we decided to stay an extra day to do some touristy things like Bourbon tasting. I don’t know about you, but when I hear the word “Kentucky”, one of the first things that come to my mind is Kentucky bourbon. Having been a lover of whiskey, bourbon, and various cocktails made with them, I was excited to learn more about how it is produced, ways to enjoy bourbon and do some tasting.

In addition to visiting a few distilleries, we made it a point to order bourbon-based drinks in every restaurant we ate. My favorite of them all was Kentucky Mule. Made with mixing bourbon with ginger beer and a squeeze of freshly squeezed lime juice, it was incredibly flavorful and refreshing.

So when my friends at Powell & Mahoney reached out and asked if I could share a recipe for the launch of their ginger beers on Amazon Prime, I knew exactly what recipe I wanted to share.

This is not my first time featuring Powell & Mahoney on Foolproof Living. You might remember them from this Spicy Jalapeno Margaritas and Lime Drop Martini recipes that I shared in the past.

I am a big fan of their ginger beer and cocktail mixers not only because they are a New England-based company, but also because their products (including ginger beer) is made with natural and unrefined sugars.

Onto the recipe..

Kentucky Mule Ingredients

You need 3 ingredients to make Kentucky Mule: Kentucky Bourbon, ginger beer, and freshly squeezed lime juice.

While the ingredients are simple and easy to understand, when you do a little research you see that the terminology (mostly on the naming) differs quite a bit based on the type of whiskey or bourbon used and the region it is produced.

So let’s dig in.

Ingredient 1 – Bourbon or Whiskey

As the name suggests, in order for it to be called Kentucky Mule, it needs to be made with bourbon made in Kentucky. A few well-known bourbon brands based in Kentucky are Jim Bean, Maker’s Mark, and Buillet.

Though I have to say, during our time in Louisville we saw that there were many other alternatives to these big brand names. Even some of the restaurants we went to served cocktails made with their own bourbon. So feel free to play around with various bourbon brands you have on hand when making this drink.

With that being said, you can totally make this drink using whiskey. A popular alternative to this Kentucky Mule recipe is Tennessee Mule. As you can imagine, this version is made with whiskey produced in Tennessee, Jack Daniels being one of the most well known brand.

Kentucky Mule vs Moscow Mule

Here you might ask, how is Moscow Mule different than Kentucky Mule?

The answer is simple, the original Moscow mule recipe is made with vodka while this version is made with bourbon, which is why this drink is also called Bourbon Mule.

Ingredient 2: Ginger Beer For Moscow Mule with Whiskey or Bourbon

The second ingredient is ginger beer.

If you are new to making your own Moscow mules you might confuse it with ginger ale. While they might sound similar in name, they are different in that ginger beer has a more robust flavor and is spicier than ginger ale.

Also, ginger ale is mostly treated as a milder alternative to alcohol or soda whereas ginger beer’s flavor makes it easy to serve it on its own or mixed in a cocktail similar to our Kentucky mule.

When it comes to ginger beer, I am a big fan of Powell & Mahoney’s ginger beer as it is made without using refined sugars. Plus, in addition to regular ginger beer, they offer a blood orange flavored ginger beer that is so SO delicious.

You can make this Kentucky Mule recipe using both flavors. If you are using the blood orange version, you can garnish it with a slice of blood orange instead of lime.

Ingredient 3: Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

The last ingredient is the lime juice. I know most people prefer to buy lime juice from the supermarket and I agree that it is convenient. However, I think the extra few minutes you spend squeezing your own lime juice is worth it for the best Kentucky mule drink.

Optional Garnishes for the Best Moscow Mule with Bourbon

As you can see in the pictures, I used some fresh mint leaves and a thinly sliced lime. However, while it is not traditional, you can jazz it up with lemon and orange slices as well.

How To Make a Kentucky Mule

The process is very simple. To make a Kentucky Mule:

Fill a copper mug or cocktail glass with ice: I prefer cubed ice, but you can serve it with crushed ice as well.
Pour in the bourbon and lime juice
Top it off with ginger beer: Give it a quick stir.
Garnish and serve: Garnish with a lime wedge and a sprig of fresh mint. Serve!

It takes less than 5 minutes to put it all together, which makes it a great drink to serve in parties.

Moscow Mule Variations

I think the best thing about this all American cocktail is that you can easily switch things up and create fun drinks using different brands and types of alcohol, fruits, flavored ginger beers, and garnishes. Below is a quick fun video that I made to celebrate Powell & Mahoney’s ginger beer being available on Amazon Prime.

You can get the written recipe for Blueberry Moscow Mule here.

Here, I am very much aware that I barely scratched the surface with these 3 variations of Moscow Mules. Here are a few more to get you inspired:

Dark & Stormy: Swap rum with vodka
Montana Mule: Use bourbon produced in Montana
American Mule: American and Moscow Mule are the same thing
Mexican Mule: Swap vodka with tequila
Oaxacan Mule: Swap vodka with mezcal

Moscow Mule Ratios

Whether you are using vodka, bourbon, whiskey, or tequila, the ratio of the alcohol to ginger beer and lime juice is similar. Simply use:

1 ½ ounces of Vodka, Bourbon, Whiskey, or Tequila
3 ounces of ginger beer
½ ounces of lime juice

With that being said, you can play around with it based on your preferences and change it up to your liking.

How To Serve Moscow Mule for A Crowd

I find that Moscow Mules and its variations are great to serve when you are entertaining a crowd, especially during the holidays. Since they are made with just a few ingredients, they are so easy to mix and serve.

Plus, you can easily set up a small DIY station for people to make their own Moscow mules.

How To Set Up A DIY Moscow Mule Station for Entertaining

To set up your own Moscow Mule station, place everything below on a table next to each other:

A bucket full of ice: Fill an ice bucket with crushed or cubed ice and place it next to the cocktail glasses or Moscow Mule mugs.
Moscow Mule Mugs or Cocktail glasses: More on this below.
A Bottle of each – Vodka, Bourbon, Whiskey, Rum, and/or Tequila: Place a bottle of your favorite bourbon, whiskey, rum, tequila, and/or vodka (you can also use flavored vodka) along with a cocktail jigger so that your guests can easily measure and mix their own cocktail. You don’t have to have every kind of alcohol. Just pick a few.
Powell & Mahoney Ginger Beer: Fill a large bowl with ice and place bottles (or cans) of ginger beer in it to keep them cold: I like to mix and match with regular and blood orange ginger beer to provide my guests with options.
Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice: Squeeze some lime juice and place it in a glass bottle or a jug.
Sliced Limes: Fill a bowl with fresh lime, oranges and lemon and place it next to a small cutting board with a paring knife so that your guests can slice them up. Alternatively, you can place already sliced citrus and place in a shallow bowl next to the lime juice.
Fill a small vase with water and fresh mint leaves: My garnish of choice for any mule recipe is usually fresh mint leaves so I always include some in a small vase filled with water to keep them fresh.

Do I Have To Serve Kentucky Mule in a Copper Mug?

It is traditional to serve Moscow mule and its variations in a copper mug mostly for taste, temperature, and experience. Plus, copper keeps the drink cold while enhancing the mule’s taste. The copper mugs you see in these photos are my favorite. Unlike most copper mugs, they still look as brand new after several uses (and washes).

However, there is no rule book saying that you can’t serve this bourbon mule drink or any other mule cocktail in a regular cocktail glass, especially if you are serving a crowd. I like to serve mine in rock glasses, but again feel free to use whatever cocktail glass you have on hand.

Other cocktail recipes you might also like for your next party:

Jalapeno Cilantro Margarita – Spicy margarita lovers, this one is for you!
Martini with Lime – Your favorite martini recipe with a twist.
Pineapple Margarita Recipe – Anyway you like – Both frozen and on-the-rocks versions.
Strawberry Champagne Margarita – Made with fresh strawberries!
Blood Orange Mimosa Recipe – 2 ingredients and 2 minutes to make.
Basil Margarita Recipe – Growing lots of basil? Ditch pesto and make this margarita instead.
Mango Vodka Cocktail – Fresh mango and blackberries turned into a delicious vodka cooler.
Raspberry Lemon Drop Martini – The classic lemon drop recipe but flavored with fresh raspberries.
Best Hot Toddy Recipe – Flavored with fresh blueberries.

Kentucky Mule

A twist on a the classic Moscow Mule: This Kentucky Mule recipe is made with bourbon (or whiskey), ginger beer, and freshly squeezed lime juice. It is a great cocktail recipe that you can serve for any of your parties.

Course Drink

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings serving

Calories 159kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces bourbon or whiskey
3 ounces Powell & Mahoney Ginger Beer
2 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
a few leaves of fresh mint optional
Crushed ice

Instructions

Combine the bourbon, ginger beer, and lime juice in a copper mug or rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Stir the mixture, garnish with the lime wedge and mint (if preferred), and serve.

Video

Nutrition

Whether you are treading yourself for a happy hour at home or serving a crowd (for holidays or for a Kentucky Derby party in your home), this all American mule drink and its variations are guaranteed to impress. Cheers!

The post Kentucky Mule Recipe appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Mint and Rosemary Lemonade with Vanilla

Aysegul Sanford — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 14:59:57 +0000

Growing up, our summer vacations always started with a long drive to our destination. My parents loved taking road trips, to them, it was more about the journey than the destination.

Most of the time, our preferred vacation spot would be somewhere along the Mediterranean coast. Since we lived in the northern part of Turkey, this meant driving somewhere between 10-12 hours to the South in the hot summer sun.

Back in those days, we didn’t have an air-conditioned car so operating under the sun for that long required something to keep us refreshed.

My mom’s solution to the problem was this rosemary lemonade. She would start making it a day in advance with a bag full of fresh lemons and herbs and would put it in a large ice-filled beverage with a dispenser. We would sip on it throughout the trip.

To this day, every time I drink this lemonade my mind directly goes to those days of my childhood. I recently made it again and my husband thought that it was the best lemonade he had so I thought I should share it here with you.

How to make mint lemonade with rosemary:

The process of making this Vanilla Lemonade with Mint and Rosemary has 3 parts:

First, place medium mesh strainer in a bowl. Set it aside.

Scrape the seeds of the vanilla pod and place them in a small bowl. Do not discard the vanilla pod.

Second, slice whole lemons and place them in the strainer. Add in fresh mint leaves, fresh rosemary sprigs, Sucanat (natural sugar – this brand is the one I use – affiliate link) and vanilla seeds and pod.

Give it a message using your clean hands. I usually wear disposable gloves to do this. The whole purpose of doing so is to get some of the juices of sliced lemons and their zest out and make sure that both lemons and fresh herbs are coated with sugar and vanilla.

Cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

Finally, take it out of the fridge and message the lemons, pressing through the strainer, until all of their juices are out. Remove the solids and pour the juices in the bowl into a large bottle.

Give your vanilla lemonade a taste. It should super sweet and sour. Add in 8 cups of cold water and pour it into a large jug filled with ice. Give it a stir and serve.

What makes this homemade lemonade better than other recipes

In my opinion, there are 3 things that make this the best rosemary lemonade recipe:

Using fresh mint and fresh rosemary: My mom used to say, herbs are like perfume they finish the dish and make it better. This recipe is an excellent example of that. Letting the fresh herbs sit in the strainer with sugar, lemons, and vanilla pod let them release their flavors and infuse into the lemonade.
Time: Letting everything sit for a few hours let the flavors mingle and give enough time for the juices of the lemon to release into the bowl.
My mom always made it a day before and let it sit in the fridge. If you have time, I highly recommend doing so.
Lemon Skin: Most lemonade recipes discard the lemon skin, but I think lemon zest has a lot of flavors that should not be wasted. Letting the sliced lemons (with the skin on) sit in the strainer with the other ingredients and later messaging it allows the oils in the skin release into the lemonade.

A Few tips for the best homemade lemonade with mint and rosemary

Rosemary Lemonade Cocktail: If you are serving this to adults, you can always add in some vodka or gin to turn it into a cocktail. I would do this before adding the ice. Place the concentrated lemonade into a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add in vodka (or gin), and give it a good shake. Pour it over ice garnished with fresh mint and/or rosemary.
Sparkling Rosemary Lemonade: You can also make a sparkling lemonade using sparkling water instead of water.
Don’t have vanilla pods? While fresh vanilla seeds take this otherwise ordinary mint vanilla lemonade to the next level, if you do not have vanilla pods, you can use two teaspoons of vanilla extract instead.
New to Sucanat? Sucanat is a less processed version of granulated sugar. I have been using it in place of sugar for a few years now and love that it adds a nice molasses-like flavor into my recipes. If you want to learn more about it, you can learn more here.
If you don’t have any, you can use granulated sugar instead.

Other refreshing non-alcoholic drink recipes you might like:

Mint and Rosemary Lemonade with Vanilla

An easy to make vanilla rosemary lemonade infused with fresh mint. With just a little bit of prep work, you can easily make lemonade at home.

Course Drink

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings

Calories 177kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

8 large lemons washed and sliced in 1/2 inch slices
1 cup Sucanat Natural sugar or granulated sugar
10 sprigs of fresh mint
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary more as a garnish
1/2 vanilla bean scraped seeds (or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract)
8 cups of cold water
ice

Instructions

Place medium mesh strainer in a bowl. Set it aside.
Scrape the seeds of the vanilla and place them in a small bowl. Do not discard the vanilla pod.
Place lemon slices, sugar, mint, rosemary, vanilla seeds, and pod in the strainer.
Using your clean hands, gently massage the lemons to (1) get their juices out and (2) mix everything.
Cover it with plastic stretch film and place it in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours or preferably overnight.
In the morning, again using clean hands massage the lemons to get all their juices out. Strain and discard the solids.
Pour the concentrated lemon juice into a large pitcher (or jug) and stir in 8 cups of cold water.
Pour into mason jars filled with ice and garnish with fresh rosemary.

Nutrition

This vanilla lemonade recipe was originally published in 2014, but updated in July of 2018 with some additional helpful information.

The post Mint and Rosemary Lemonade with Vanilla appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Lime Drop Martini

Aysegul Sanford — Sun, 13 May 2018 17:45:11 +0000

This post is sponsored by Powell & Mahoney Cocktail Mixers, but as always all opinions are my own.

Temperatures are rising here in Vermont. It is happening very slowly, but it is getting more noticeable by the day. Our local friends say that summer will come overnight. One day we will wake up and it will be 80 degrees until the end of August. To say “I cannot wait!” would be an understatement. The fact that tomorrow is Mother’s Day and it is still only 50 degrees outside is a new concept that I am getting used to. Still, I am super excited for summer as they say Vermont summers are beautiful.

Speaking of Mother’s Day and summer, today’s recipe, Lime Drop Martini, is perfect for both tomorrows Mother’s Day celebration as well as any party that you are planning to throw this summer.

I know most people are big fans of lemon drop martinis, but I personally love its sister cocktail made with fresh squeezed lime juice just as much. I am also a big fan of espresso martinis but that’s a story for another day.

This Lime Martini recipe is refreshing and just enough sweet to satiate your senses. Plus, it comes together in less than 10 minutes.

About This Lime Drop Martini Recipe:

The recipe has three steps:

First, rim the edges of a martini glass with sugar and lime zest: I know that you might think of this as an additional step, but believe me the freshness and flavors that comes from the oils of the zest combined with cane sugar is totally worth the extra time.

Second, make mint flavored simple syrup: This was my twist on the classic recipe that you can easily find on the internet. By muddling fresh mint leaves, lime juice, and small wedges of lime along with simple syrup, you give a surprisingly refreshing flavor to the overall cocktail.

In terms of the simple syrup, I used Powell & Mahoney’s simple syrup that is made with cane sugar. It is an essential in our home bar as both my husband and I think that it is a huge time saver when we want to make a quick cocktail for ourselves.

Here if you can plan ahead, I recommend mixing together the simple syrup, mint leaves and lime juice in a jar and letting it marinade for a few hours or even overnight. Keep in mind that the more it sits the more mint-y and refreshing it gets.

Final step is making the drink: You make the cocktail by mixing together vodka, mint flavored simple syrup, orange liquor with some ice. From what I understand, most classic recipes for lime (or lemon) drop martinis do not use orange liquor, but I thought it was a nice addition so I included it in the recipe. If you do not like it or don’t have it, feel free to substitute it with more vodka.

Other Drink Recipes You Can Make on Mother’s Day:

Lime Drop Martini

This Lime Drop Martini Recipe is made with mint flavored simple syrup, vodka, and orange liquor. It is a refreshing summer cocktail that you can make in less than 10 minutes.

Course Drink

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings serving

Calories 284kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For the rim of the glass:

1 tablespoon cane sugar
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 wedge of fresh lime to wet the rim of the glass

For the mint flavored simple syrup:

5 leaves of fresh mint
¼ lime cut into small wedges as seen in the video
2 ounces of lime juice preferably freshly squeezed
1 ounce of Powell & Mahoney Simple Syrup

For the drink:

½ cup of crushed ice
2 ounces of vodka
1 ounce of orange liquor such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier
lime twist as garnish optional

Instructions

For the rim of the martini glass: Mix together sugar and lime zest in a small flat plate. Wet the rim of a martini glass using the lime wedge. Dip into the sugar and lime zest mixture. Place the glass into the freezer as you make the drink.
To make the mint flavored simple syrup: Place fresh mint leaves and lime wedges in a large glass. Pour in the lime juice and simple syrup. Muddle until they are all combined*.
To make the drink: Place the ice, vodka, and orange liquor in a shaker. Strain the simple syrup mixture. Put the lid on and shake for 40 seconds. Take out the martini glass out of the freezer and pour the drink into the glass. Garnish with a lime twist, if preferred. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

* Ideally, I would recommend doing this in advance, as it will have more of a potent and minty flavor as it sits.

Nutrition

The post Lime Drop Martini appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie

Aysegul Sanford — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 19:59:32 +0000

Hello from the first day of autumn.

The time has come for everything pumpkin and I am here to make my contribution to the craze. If you are as excited as I am about the beginning of the pumpkin season and are looking for a creative and healthy way to incorporate it into your diet, you are at the right place.

Because we are talking about what I consider “a luxurious treat in a glass”, aka Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie. A vegan, creamy, healthy and filling smoothie recipe sweetened with maple syrup and frozen banana.

About this Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie Recipe:

As the name suggests, this pumpkin protein smoothie embodies all the characteristics of pumpkin pie. Therefore, pumpkin, maple syrup, pumpkin spice, and pecans are naturally in the ingredients list. However, since I wanted to balance the flavors and make it more creamy, I added a frozen banana in there. If you are not a fan, simply omit it and add in more maple syrup and ice.

The protein part of the smoothie comes from almond butter, which has basically replaced peanut butter in our house. Whether it is in baking (as you can see in these almond butter brownies), adding a tablespoon in smoothies, or simply spreading on toast in the morning, I have been a big fan of it for some time now. Also, I don’t know if this happens to you, but every time I start my day with it I feel fuller for longer than usual.

A few variations for this vegan pumpkin smoothie:

As you can see in the recipe below, I used maple syrup as a sweetener, but in the past, I have also made it with Medjool dates. I personally like my smoothie mildly sweetened, but you can always increase the amount of maple syrup or dates you use based on your preferences.

I also loved it with a little bit of fresh ginger added in. I know that ginger has one of those flavors that either you love it or hate it, but if you are a lover I recommend giving it a try.

I used unsweetened almond milk, but creamy full fat coconut milk would also work in this recipe.

Finally, the recipe below serves 4-6 people depending on the pour and glasses used. However, if you are serving fewer people feel free to halve the recipe.

Other healthy smoothie recipes you should try

Kale and Pineapple Smoothie
Vegan Banana Milkshake
Superfood Recipes
Need more inspiration? Check out all our healthy smoothie recipes.

Other pumpkin recipes you might like

Moist Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Pumpkin and Ginger Soup Recipe
Gluten-free Nut and Seed Bread with pumpkin and cranberries
Maple Pumpkin Pudding

Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie

This pumpkin pie protein smoothie is a vegan, creamy, healthy and filling smoothie recipe sweetened with maple syrup and frozen banana.

Course Smoothie

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 163kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin puree
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 frozen banana
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons maple syrup or more to taste
Pinch of salt
1 ½ cups ice
1 tablespoon unsalted pecans chopped - as garnish

Instructions

Place all ingredients except pecans in a blender and blend until thoroughly mixed.
Garnish with chopped pecans and serve immediately.

Nutrition

The post Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Nutella Lovers Healthy Chocolate Smoothie

Aysegul Sanford — Sun, 13 Aug 2017 13:02:20 +0000

This Nutella Lover’s Healthy Chocolate Smoothie is a creamy and decadent chocolate smoothie that is actually good for you. Made with cocoa powder, medjool dates, pears, and hazelnuts it tastes like a chocolate icecream in a glass. Perfect for breakfast or as an afternoon pick-me-up.

I have been on the hunt for a good chocolate smoothie for sometime now. It is safe to say that I tried over 10 different recipes to finally end up in this one. In my quest for the “best healthy chocolate smoothie”, I wanted a recipe made with healthy ingredients and no refined sugars. I also wanted it to taste like milk chocolate. And when it comes to milk chocolate flavor, Nutella is my all-time favorite. The taste of cocoa mixed in with roasted hazelnuts and blended into a creamy concussion is to die for.

I don’t know about you, but I grew up eating Nutella every morning. My mother would spread a thick layer of it on a toast every morning for breakfast. Now years later, I do not eat Nutella everyday, but when I treat myself with a spoonfull it surely takes me back to my childhood. It is so sad that Nutella is not a healthy food that we should consume everyday.

If you feel the same way, I have some good news for you. Because this healthy chocolate smoothie recipe made with cocoa powder, hazeltnuts, pears, coconut water, vanilla extract and sweetened with Medjool dates tastes like Nutella. When I first read the recipe, I had zero expectations and didn’t think much of it. But after the first sip, I thought that this was the best chocolate smoothie I have ever had.

So here is to a great vegan and healthy chocolate smoothie recipe to help you cure your Nutella cravings.

If You Liked This Healthy Chocolate Smoothie Recipe, You Might Also Like

Maple-Sweetened Chocolate Almond Bark
Dark Chocolate Waffle Cake
Maple-Sweetened Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
Best Chocolate Recipes For The Holiday Season

Nutella Lovers Healthy Chocolate Smoothie

Let's face it. We all love Nutella, but it is not the most healthiest food to eat. Here is an alternative healthy chocolate smoothie recipe that is sweetened with dates and made with all vegan ingredients. Made with superfoods like cocoa powder and hazelnuts, this smoothie is guaranteed to cure all your Nutella cravings.

Course Smoothie

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 261kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

¼ cup roasted unsalted hazelnuts a few more hazelnuts as garnish
1 cup ripe pear chopped with the skin on from 2 small or 1 large pear
2 Medjool dates pitted
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups coconut water
2 cups ice
handful of seasonal fruit as garnish

Instructions

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and frosty. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

This recipe is adapted from Julie Morris’s cookbook, Superfood Smoothies.

The post Nutella Lovers Healthy Chocolate Smoothie appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Raspberry Lemon Drop Martini {VIDEO}

Aysegul Sanford — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 13:53:22 +0000

This post has been sponsored by Finlandia Vodka. As always, all opionions are my own.

Summer is in full force and we are gearing up for a busy August. Last month was all about family, but this month is going to be all about friends. We already have every weekend booked with friends coming over and we cannot be happier, especially if you consider the fact that we did not know anyone when we first moved to Vermont back in February. People around here have been so friendly and welcoming that my husband and I look forward to having them over and return the favor.

What is your process when it comes to entertaining?

For me, I usually make a plan a week in advance and then prep throughout the week. This way I am not juggling through a million things on the day of the party. In terms of the menu, I almost always pick a theme and then decide on the dishes around that theme. However, regardless of the theme I always serve a signature welcome cocktail.

I love serving a welcome drink as it puts people in the mood for a good time as soon as they come in the door. Think about it, who would not want a fruity cocktail that is refreshing and colorful? Believe it or not, my husband even has a “welcome-drink” playlist in his I-Pod. I am telling you, we take this very seriously.

When it comes to deciding on the type of cocktail to make, I take my cue from what is in season. In summer months, I love using berries and then come winter, cranberries, apples, and citrus fruits are perfect to use in signature cocktails.

Once I decide on the fruit, the next decision is what liquor to use to make this Raspberry Martini recipe. Though there are several options, I usually stick to the basics and go for vodka, gin, or tequila.

Because (1) we always have them in our home bar and (2) I learned over the years that when serving for a crowd it is better to keep things simple. If you go for a complicated welcome drink and people want more of it, you might find yourself making drinks all night long.

If I am going for a vodka-based cocktail, I love using Finlandia. It is funny because growing up this was my mother’s favorite vodka and we would always have a bottle of it in our home bar. To this day, I gladly continue the tradition and keep a bottle in our bar as well. I love that it has a clean and smooth taste that pairs so well with fruits.

Also, even though for this raspberry lemon drop martini I opted for the classic Finlandia, they offer a variety of flavors that you can use in your cocktails.

About this Raspberry Lemon Drop Martini Recipe:

As the name suggests, made from raspberries and lemon juice, this is a sweet and sour cocktail. The raspberries were already sweet, but after I mixed them with lemon juice, it needed a little bit more. So for some additional sweetness, I made a quick honey simple syrup, which beautifully balanced the sourness coming from the lemon juice.

To add another layer of flavor, I muddled the fruit and honey simple syrup with a few leaves of fresh mint.

The end product was truly a refreshing and flavorful summer cocktail that I feel confident to serve friends as a welcome-drink for our upcoming parties. As you can see in the quick video above, it was so quick to make and requires just a few ingredients. Plus, if you want to make it even quicker, you can make the honey simple syrup and squeeze the lemons in advance.

So whether you are entertaining a crowd or just looking for an early evening drink to unwind, give this summery raspberry lemon martini a try. I promise it won’t disappoint.

Other Summer Cocktail Recipes You Might Like

Raspberry Lemon Drop Martini

This raspberry lemon drop martini is my summer-y twist on the classic cocktail, lemon drop martini. Made with fresh raspberries, freshly squeezed lemon juice and Finlandia Vodka, it is guaranteed to impress.

Course Drink

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings serving

Calories 220kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For the honey simple syrup:

¼ cup honey
¼ water

For the rim:

1 tablespoon cane sugar
zest of a lemon
1 wedge of lemon for wetting the rim

For the cocktail:

¼ cup fresh raspberries
2 oz. lemon juice freshly squeezed
3-4 fresh mint leaves
1 oz. honey simple syrup recipe above
3-4 cubes of ice
0.5 oz. triple sec
1.5 oz. Finlandia vodka
1 slice of lemon as garnish

Instructions

To make the honey simple syrup: mix together the honey and water in a small sauce pan. Cook until honey fully dissolves. Let it cool while you prep the rest of the ingredients. *
For the rim: Mix together the cane sugar and lemon zest in a small flat plate. Using the lemon wedge wet the rim of a coupe glass. Dip the glass in sugar mixture making sure the rim is fully covered. Place the glass in the freezer.
To make the cocktail: Place raspberries, lemon juice, fresh mint leaves, and honey simple syrup in a large glass. Muddle until the raspberries are fully pureed.
Fill a shaker with ice. Pour in the triple sec and vodka. Strain the raspberry mixture. Put the lid on and shake for 40 seconds or so.
Take out the coupe glass out of the freezer and pour the drink into the glass. Garnish with a slice of lemon and serve.

Video

Notes

This honey simple syrup recipe makes more than what you need for this cocktail. You can place the rest of it in a jar with a lid and keep it in the fridge up to a week to use in other cocktails.

Nutrition

The post Raspberry Lemon Drop Martini {VIDEO} appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie

Aysegul Sanford — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 11:19:20 +0000

Foolproof Living’s Summer Smoothie Recipes Series continues with this Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie recipe. This icecream-in-a-glass like smoothie is for those of you looking for a refreshing breakfast smoothie or an afternoon pick me up in these hot days summer.

This post has been sponsored by the Dannon Company and The J.M. Smucker Company. As always, all thoughts and opinions are mine.

It has probably been over 4 years since I switched from regular milk to almond milk (and have been making almond milk at home now) with the hopes of limiting the intake of animal products in my diet. It was an easy switch for me as they both have a similar consistency and look.

I also love the taste of almond milk. However, one thing that I do not think that I could ever compromise is yogurt. I am a huge fan of yogurt, so much so that I am one of those people who put yogurt on everything. I guess the main reason for that is because, being from Turkey, I grew up eating yogurt every day. Back when I first moved to the US, my American friends would make fun of me for putting yogurt on my food.

Now, 15 years later, the yogurt section of most grocery stores has practically taken over the dairy aisle and every one of those friends is eating yogurt.

Go figure…

Today’s recipe, Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie , was one of the first smoothies I have ever made. Since then I have made hundreds of smoothies with or without yogurt, but still to this day this smoothie is at the top of my favorite smoothies list.

As the name suggests, I used strawberries (the leftover strawberries from the Almond Flour Strawberry Cake I made last week), banana, and yogurt. However, the yogurt is not just any yogurt; it is Dannon’s Non-fat Light & Fit vanilla yogurt. Now, I choose the vanilla flavor because I like it, but there are so many other flavors you can choose from.

Don’t like vanilla? Go for strawberry, banana, salted caramel, tiramisu, or blackberry. Don’t like any of those flavors? Go for plain yogurt. Literally, the sky is the limit.

To sweeten my smoothie, in addition to the fruit, I used a little bit of strawberry flavored Smucker’s Fruit and Honey spread. As you will see in the recipe below, for 2 servings I used a tablespoon of the spread. However, you can adjust the amount you use based on your sweetness preference. I love Smucker’s Fruit and Honey spread because it is made with ripened fruit that is naturally sweetened with honey.

Finally, as additional superfoods, I used chia seeds and hemp seeds. They are both rich in fiber, minerals, and Omega-3 fatty acids. It is totally optional to use them and they don’t affect the taste that much. However, if you have them in your pantry, I recommend adding them in as they are such an easy way to increase the nutritional value of your smoothies.

As I mentioned earlier, this smoothie tastes like ice cream in a glass. It is a great way to start the day or serve to your kids as a refreshing afternoon snack in these warm days of summer. Either way, once you give it a try, I guarantee you that it will become a favorite in your household just like it is in ours.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie healthy? While I believe that everything should be consumed in moderate doses, smoothies made with yogurt are generally considered healthy. Fresh fruit mixed in with yogurt that contains probiotics (also known as active living bacteria) can help keep intestines healthy. Additionally, yogurt contains a generous amount of calcium, potassium, magnesium, B6 and B12 vitamins. Additionally, in general if you use minimal amount of sweeteners and stick to natural ones (like I did here), you will have a much healthier breakfast smoothie on the go.
How To Make Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie? The process is very easy. Simply put strawberries, bananas, yogurt, and ice in a blender and mix it up. If you want to make it healthier add more protein into the recipe, you can also add in chia seeds and/or hemp seeds. Alternatively, if you do not have a blender, you can use a food processor to blend your smoothie.
Strawberry Banana Smoothie Nutrition Information: This smoothie has a healthy amount of protein, 7.5 grams per serving. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, it is rich in calcium, magnesium, and potassium. You can see detailed nutrition values underneath the recipe.
Can I freeze this Strawberry Banana Smoothie?: I do not believe that this is a great recipe to freeze. However, if you have leftovers, you can keep them in an airtight jar in the fridge and enjoy the next morning. Though I recommend giving it a good shake before serving it.

Other Smoothie Recipes You Might Like:

Smoothie with Cantaloupe
Healthy Chocolate Smoothie
Ginger Turmeric Smoothie
Can’t get enough? Check out all our Superfood Smoothie Recipes

Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie Recipe

This Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie is made with fresh summer fruit, vanilla yogurt and naturally sweetened strawberry spread.

Course Smoothie

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 190kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup strawberries hulled
1 teaspoon naturally sweetened strawberry jam adjust the amount based on your preference
1 banana ripe, peeled and cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon maple syrup Honey & Maple Syrup would work too
1 teaspoon chia seeds optional
1 teaspoon hemp seeds optional
1 cup ice

Instructions

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste for sweetness and add if necessary.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Both chia seeds and hemp seeds are considered as superfoods. Even though they are optional ingredients and do not change the taste of the smoothie, I highly recommend adding them into your smoothies.

Nutrition

The post Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Spicy Pineapple Jalapeno Mezcalita

Aysegul Sanford — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 16:16:56 +0000

This post is sponsored by Mezcal Creyente, but as always all opinions are my own.

One of my favorite things about writing a food blog is spending time in the kitchen to create new recipes. Give me the ingredients, tell me what you feel like eating and I will make it happen. It gets even more fun when it is a new ingredient that I have never used before.

Therefore, when Mezcal Creyente asked me to create a cocktail based on the “ruling element” of my zodiac sign, I knew this was going to be fun. I had never tasted mezcal before but heard a lot about it from a friend, who visited Oaxaca, Mexico last summer.

Coincidently, that weekend I was planning to meet a friend in New York City. Luckily, she was up for the challenge and agreed to try it with me. So we found a mezcal bar in lower Manhattan and enjoyed our first mezcal cocktails together.

As I was browsing down the cocktail menu (aka doing research for work), I was looking for a drink with a little bit of a spicy tone. Since I am an Aries and my ruling element is fire, I wanted to have something spicy and fire-y at the same time. I ordered a cocktail made with grapefruit and chile de arbol. It was love at first sip. The sweet, spicy and smokey flavors, all at the same time, were just so captivating.

When I came back home the next day, I knew I wanted a similar sweet-spicy-smokey flavor combination in my signature cocktail. I already loved the combination of pineapple, jalapeño, and cilantro and wanted to try it with Mezcal Creyente.

And it didn’t disappoint. With every sip, it made me want to drink more.

I can almost hear you say, “But, what is mezcal?”

What is Mezcal?

Allow me to explain:

Mezcal is a distilled alcoholic beverage that is made from the heart of the agave plant called the piña. To make it, they roast the piña using an artisanal method with mesquite wood in a stone oven for 3 days. This is how it gets its characteristic smoky aroma and taste.

Mezcal Creyente Joven is a blend of two extraordinary mezcals from Oaxaca’s Tlacolula and Yautepec regions. With sweet hints of fruit and light herbal notes, it has a smokey flavor that offers a unique set of complexity to any cocktail it is added.

About this Spicy Pineapple Jalapeno Mezcalita Recipe:

The fire-y part of this mezcal pineapple cocktail comes from jalapeño. Letting a small chopped and seeded jalapeño sit in Mezcal Creyente Joven for a few minutes infuses its spicy flavors into the liquor and complements its smokey notes in a beautiful way.

Since I am a fan of jalapeño and cilantro flavors together, I muddled a handful of fresh leaves of cilantro just enough to extract its aroma. Then I mixed it with some orange liquor, lime juice and pineapple juice. After I strained the spicy Mezcal Creyente into the pitcher my drink was ready. I poured it over crushed ice and garnished it with wedges of pineapple and a few leaves of fresh cilantro.

In the end, we all agreed that the sweet and spicy flavors coming from all the ingredients in this cocktail complimented Mezcal Creyente very well and left us with a new cocktail recipe that we will be used often throughout the summer.

Other Pineapple Based Drinks You Might Also Like:

Pineapple Margaritas – Whether you like it on the rocks or frozen, this pineapple margarita recipe is guaranteed to impress.
Virgin Gorda Style Pina Colada – This was my absolute favorite drink to order back when we were living on Virgin Gorda.
Kale Pineapple Smoothie – An ultra healthy smoothie recipe made with kale and pineapple. Whips up in less than 5 minutes.
Pina Colada Smoothie – Like pina coladas, but don’t want the extra calories? Well, this is the healthified version. You are welcome.

Other Creative Cocktail Recipes You Might Like:

Black Cherry Cocktail – The most gorgeous Calvados cocktail in the world.
Mango Vodka Cooler – A 10-minute fresh mango and vodka cooler guaranteed to impress.
Raspberry Cocktail – Flavored with pomegranate arils
Blueberry Hot Toddy – Honey sweetened hot toddy recipe for cool winter evenings.
Raspberry Martini – The classic lemon drop martini flavored with fresh raspberries.
Martini with Lime – For those who prefer limes over lemons.
Kentucky Mules – If you are a lover of whiskey-based drinks, this classic recipe is guaranteed to be a favorite.
Blood Orange Mimosa Recipe – 2 ingredients and 2 minutes are all you need to make this delicious mimosa.
Cilantro Jalapeno Margarita – Spicy margarita as its best.

Spicy Pineapple Jalapeno Mezcalita

This Spicy Pineapple Jalapeno Mezcalita is a refreshing cocktail made with pineapple, cilantro, jalapeño, and mezcal. A delicious drink with sweet, spicy and smokey flavors all at the same time.

Course Alcoholic Drink

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 263kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

3 ounces Mezcal
1 small jalapeño sliced thinly – plus more as a garnish
1 ounce orange liquor
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves plus more as garnish 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
2 wedges of pineapple
Ice

Instructions

Place Mezcal Creyente in a jar. Add in the jalapeño slices, put the lid on and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. The longer it sits the spicier it will get. If you like it spicier, feel free to let it sit longer.
Gently muddle cilantro in a large glass just enough to release its essential oils. Add in the orange liquor, lime juice and cilantro and give it a mix. Strain it into a pitcher.
Strain the jalapeño flavored Mezcal and pineapple juice into the same pitcher and stir well.
Pour the drink into glasses filled with ice. Garnish with fresh pineapple, a few slices of jalapenos, and fresh cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

The post Spicy Pineapple Jalapeno Mezcalita appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Banana Free Carrot Cake Smoothie

Aysegul Sanford — Sun, 18 Jun 2017 12:48:38 +0000

This Vegan and Banana Free Carrot Cake Smoothie has all the usual ingredients that you would have in a carrot cake. Plus, to make it more nutritious I added a cup of romaine lettuce. Sweetened with natural sweeteners, like unsweetened raisins, pineapple, and carrots, it is a refreshing summer smoothie you ought to try.

I had no idea that there were people out there, who would search for banana-free smoothies until I started this summer smoothies series. Come to find out, a lot of people look for smoothies made without bananas as they (1) do not like the taste of bananas and (2) think that they take over the whole smoothie.

As a banana lover, while I have no complaints with bananas dominating a glass of cold, creamy and sweet smoothie, I can understand the argument. Therefore, as a part of these series, I am going to make sure that there are ample amount of smoothie recipes made without bananas. This banana-free carrot smoothie recipe is the first of many to come.

How To Make This Recipe

As its name suggests, this smoothie has all the usual ingredients you would have in a carrot cake. Carrots, pineapples, nutmeg, pecans, cinnamon, raisins, and coconut are definitely in there. But I also added a cup of chopped romaine lettuce to make it a little more nutritious. As the lettuce is lighter in color, it doesn’t make the change the color of the smoothie that much.

If you are trying to secretly incorporate green leafy vegetables to your kids’ diets, romaine lettuce is the way to go. If that is not a problem for you, try adding a cup of baby spinach in there. The color of the smoothie will not be as orange, but it will still taste very good.

The process is no different than any other smoothie. Simply put all the ingredients into a blender and blend it for a few minutes or until it reaches the consistency you like.

A Word On The Sweetener For This Vegan Carrot Smoothie

As I mentioned earlier, I did not use bananas to sweeten this carrot smoothie. Instead, I used 1/4 cup of raisins and a cup of pineapples. I recommend giving it a taste as you blend and add in if you feel like it needs more sugar.

If you don’t care about adding in bananas, you can easily turn this into a Carrot Banana Smoothie by substituting raisins with a frozen or ripened banana.

Similar Recipes You Might like

Carrot Cake Smoothie Recipe

This Vegan and Banana Free Carrot Cake Smoothie has all the usual ingredients that you would have in a carrot cake. Plus, to make it more nutritious I added a cup of romaine lettuce. Sweetened with natural sweeteners, like unsweetened raisins, pineapple and carrots, it is refreshing summer smoothie you ought to try.

Course Smoothie

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 605kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

¼ cup of unsweetened raisins
½ cup boiling hot water
1 small head of romaine lettuce rinsed and chopped (should be approximately 1 cup)
1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 ½ cups carrot peeled and cut into small chunks (2-3 medium size carrots)
1 cup pineapple cut into small cubes
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 cup ice
1 tablespoon pecans chopped
1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

Place raisins in a small cup and pour boiling hot water over it. Let it sit on the kitchen counter until raisins plump up a bit, 10-15 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool while you are prepping the rest of the ingredients.
Place the rest of the ingredients in a blender, add the raisins, and blend in high speed until smooth.
Garnish with pecans and coconut flakes on top.
Serve immediately.

Notes

This recipe yields a thicker-than-usual smoothie, which also makes it a good candidate for a smoothie bowl. However, if you prefer a thinner smoothie, feel free to add in more coconut milk.

This smoothie makes 2 large servings or 4 small servings. The nutrition values listed are for 2 servings.

Nutrition

The post Banana Free Carrot Cake Smoothie appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Vegan Banana Split Smoothie

Aysegul Sanford — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 21:21:29 +0000

When I was a kid bananas were my favorite fruit. If I had my way I would eat a banana for every meal. My poor mother would try to introduce me to other fruits, but I would still ask for more bananas. Then one day, someone introduced me to banana split; a large banana in middle served with 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce on top. To this day I still remember thinking to myself how could something taste so good.

Now years later, though I have other favorite fruits I still love bananas and order banana split as dessert if it is on the menu. But let’s face it, with all the additional sugar added banana split is not the healthiest thing to eat. So as someone who no longer eats processed sugars, I had to come up with a healthier way of making banana split at home and ended up with this banana split smoothie.

About This Banana Split Smoothie Recipe:

Though it takes 5 minutes to make this smoothie, it requires a little bit of planning as I found that using frozen bananas yield a thicker and sweeter smoothie than using bananas at room temperature. Plus, frozen bananas eliminate the need to add ice, which waters down the smoothie. To freeze bananas, I wait for them to soften a little bit and peel, slice and freeze them in Ziploc bags. It is a great way to use bananas that are going bad on the kitchen counter.

For the chocolate-y taste, I used unsweetened cocoa powder, which is a natural antioxidant with anti-inflammatory qualities. To make it creamier, I added a tablespoon unsweetened almond butter, but you can also substitute it with peanut butter. To sweeten it I used one fresh Medjool date, but if you like it sweeter feel free to add in more dates, honey or maple syrup.

Banana Split Smoothie

Course Breakfast, Smoothie

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings serving

Calories 357kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

1 large banana sliced and frozen – plus more as garnish
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon unsalted almond butter
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 Medjool date pitted
1 teaspoon hemp seeds (optional)

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Garnish with a few slices of banana and sprinkle the top with hemp seeds.

Notes

If you like your smoothie to be sweet, feel free to add another date or a few teaspoons of maple syrup or honey.

Nutrition

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Pina Colada Smoothie

Aysegul Sanford — Sun, 04 Jun 2017 18:01:00 +0000

The beginning of this year, I made a promise to myself. I wanted to find a way to share more recipes on the blog. I have been averaging on 1-2 posts a week, but I wanted to increase it to 3 recipes a week.

However, with all my freelance work it proved to be an unrealistic goal. In between all the testing and photographing recipes and the admin work that comes right after that, I couldn’t find a way to do it.

But the other day an idea popped up in my head. What if I were to start small and find easy-to-make yet still useful recipes and share them with one or two photos? If you think about it, the part that takes most of my time is the photographing part so by changing my usual 5-6 photos per post I could have more time to reach my goal. After a little thinking and planning I decided to start a new series that I would like to call Summer Smoothies on Foolproof Living.

Starting this week, until the end of this summer, I will post one smoothie recipe a week with just a few photos and words. My goal is to be your go-to source for healthy, no-sugar added smoothies that you can make for your family during these warmer months of the year. I have already made a list of all the smoothies that I love and want to share with you throughout the next months. If you are a smoothie lover, who is looking for ways to switch up your smoothie routine, be sure to follow along.

About this Pina Colada Smoothie Recipe

The first smoothie recipe of the Summer Smoothies series is this Pina Colada Smoothie. If you are a lover of the famous Puerto Rican cocktail, you will love this smoothie version. This used to be my go-to smoothie back while we were living in the Caribbean.

As it is in the signature cocktail, the two main ingredients are pineapple and coconut milk. However, as I was trying to keep things on the healthier side, instead of the sweetened canned stuff I used freshly cut pineapple and unsweetened coconut milk (I love Trader Joe’s brand). To sweeten my smoothie, I used a few pitted Medjool dates, which I find to be the best sweetener for smoothies.

If I have time to plan ahead, I like to buy a big pineapple, cut it into big chunks, place them in plastic bags and freeze to use in smoothies. I find that having them readily cut into smaller pieces makes it so much easier and quicker. It also eliminates the need to use additional ice.

However, if you only have fresh pineapple feel free to add in some ice to make it cold and refreshing. As long as you are not using the canned (additional sugar added) pineapple, you should be fine.

Pina Colada Smoothie

This Vegan Pina Colada Smoothie is made with chunks of pineapple, coconut milk and a few Medjool dates. It is stupid easy to make and ready in 5 minutes.

Course Smoothie

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings serving

Calories 1156kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For the smoothie:

1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
pinch of nutmeg
1-2 Medjool dates depending on your sweetness preference
½ cup ice

For garnishing:

1 small slice of pineapple as shown in the photo
1 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut as garnish (optional)

Instructions

Place pineapple, coconut milk, nutmeg, dates and ice in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Garnish with a wedge of pineapple, and if preferred, sprinkle it with shredded coconut.

Notes

Alternatively, you can use slice your pineapple into chunks, place them in plastic bags, and keep them in the freezer. If you do decide to use frozen pineapple, you might need less ice.

Nutrition

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Clementine Cranberry Prosecco Cocktail

Aysegul Sanford — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 16:55:58 +0000

This year for New Year’s Eve, we are going to change things up a bit and instead going to bed at 10 o’clock, we will welcome the New Year with friends. Yes, you read it right, we don’t really care for the date change. However, this year has been a crappy one so we decided that we should celebrate the fact that it is ending and start the new one with a positive attitude. We are not planning to do anything fancy; just have a few friends over, play games, and have the TV on in the background. Food will not be fancy either, just a few appetizers and a big pot of chili to feed everyone.

However, I plan on serving a few great cocktails, as I believe a good New Year’s Eve party should be all about the celebratory drink. And what is a better way than to serve an easy-to-make and seasonal Prosecco cocktail? So I partnered up with Lunetta Prosecco to bring this Clementine Cranberry Prosecco Cocktail recipe to you.

About this Clementine Cranberry Prosecco Cocktail recipe:

My initial plan for this cocktail was to pair up blood oranges with cranberries and cinnamon. However, I could not find bloof oranges in our farmers market. Instead, I found Clementines. Here in North America, they are available from late November through early February. They are easy to peel and super sweet making it a great substitute for my blood orange.

On my first try of making this cocktail, I mixed freshly squeezed clementine juice with a homemade honey-sweetened cranberry simple syrup that was flavored with cinnamon. It was not good. Clementine and cinnamon combination was not a good one. I thought about switching it with some fresh mint, but didn’t have any in the fridge. Instead, I had some rosemary. So on my second try, I added a sprigs of fresh rosemary into the simple syrup. I let it sit in there for a little while. Once it was mixed with the clementine juice and topped off with the crisp and bubbly Lunetta Prosecco it ended up being a phenomenal drink.

How to make Homemade Cranberry Simple Syrup:

Like I mentioned earlier, I did make simple syrup for this recipe. If you have never made simple syrup, this is a great recipe to start. The classic simple syrup recipe is made by heating equal amounts of sugar with water and cooking it until the sugar is fully dissolved. You do this because sugar will not fully dissolve in cold liquid regardless of how much you stir it. Now, you can certainly buy simple syrup from your package store, but I love making my own because it allows me to infuse it with fruits, spices, and fresh herbs. Just like I did in this recipe.

For my version, I switched granulated sugar with honey. I added a half a cup of chopped fresh cranberry for flavor and color. I also added a sprig of fresh rosemary. After the honey was fully dissolved, I let it sit on the counter to cool off. Once it was cool enough to handle, I strained it and ended up with a gorgeous maroon colored cranberry simple syrup. If you want you can certainly do this a few days in advance, place it in an airtight container (or a bottle) and keep it in the fridge.

Even though I plan on serving this drink on the New Years Eve night, this Prosecco cocktail would make a fantastic drink for any occasion even after the holidays. At least until the end of the Clementine season. So why not, try Lunetta’s Prosecco next time you are at the package store and give this recipe a try. I promise, it won’t disappoint.

Other Cocktail Recipes to Serve During the Holidays

Mango and Blackberry Vodka Cooler
Basil Margarita
Cilantro-Infused Spicy Jalapeno Margaritas
Honey-Sweetened Blueberry Hot Toddy
Cranberry and Mint Rum Punch

Clementine Cranberry Prosecco Cocktail

An easy-to-make Clementine Cranberry Prosecco Cocktail sweetened with a homemade honey-sweetened cranberry and rosemary simple syrup. A delicious and seasonal cocktail recipe that is perfect for all your upcoming holiday celebrations.

Course Cocktail - Alcoholic Beverage

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings servings

Calories 206kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

To make the Honey-Sweetened Cranberry Simple Syrup:

1 cup honey
1 cup water
1 cup of fresh cranberries chopped – plus more to use as garnish
1 sprig of fresh rosemary plus more to use as garnish

To make the cocktail:

1 ½ cups freshly squeezed Clementine juice from 10-12 Clementines
1 bottle Lunetta Prosecco

Instructions

To make the Honey-Sweetened Cranberry Simple Syrup: Place honey, water, and cranberries into a saucepan. Let it cook in medium heat until the honey is fully dissolved, 4-5 minutes. Off the heat add the rosemary and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Strain the mixture and discard the cranberries and rosemary. Let the mixture cool completely.
To assemble: When ready to serve, place a tablespoon of the simple syrup in a champagne flute. Fill each flute with clementine juice until it is half full and top it off with Lunetta Prosecco.
Garnish each flute with a sprig of rosemary and a few fresh cranberries.
Serve immediately.

Notes

- This recipe serves 6-8 people if you serve it in small champagne flutes like I did. However, if you are serving it for a crowd, feel free to double or even triple the recipe.
- You can make the simple syrup a few days in advance. As long as you keep it in an airtight container (or a bottle) and in the fridge, it will keep fresh up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Editor’s note: Editor’s Note: This post is sponsored by Cavit Collection. The compensation received in exchange for placement on Foolproof Living is used to purchase ingredients and props, write blog posts, take and edit photos and maintain this website in general.

However, though compensation was received in exchange for coverage, the thoughts and opinions mentioned in this post are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that support Foolproof Living!

The post Clementine Cranberry Prosecco Cocktail appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Honey Sweetened Blueberry Hot Toddy

Aysegul Sanford — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 22:24:14 +0000

Last week was a tough one. Tuesday morning started like any other morning. I woke up early, read the news, and started working at 8am. Half an hour later, as I was typing an e-mail, I realized a tingling feeling on my left hand. I shrugged it off and thought that it would go away. It didn’t. Instead, it spread to the whole left side of my body. I went out to get some fresh air, but it did not work. Not only I wasn’t feeling better, but also I was feeling like my tongue was going numb as well. I tried to swallow but I couldn’t.

To make matters worse, Dwight had just left home to go for a run without his phone. In panic, I called my husband’s best friend. Luckily, he answered the phone. He quickly came by, picked me up, and took me to the ER. After 6 hours of blood tests, cat scans, and x-rays later, my doctor said that I had a pinched nerve in my neck and that was the cause of the numbness.

Prior to that day, I was photographing almost every day. My back was hurting a lot, but instead of resting, I was ignoring it. As a result, my body pushed the breaks on my behalf and thought me a very important lesson. Since then I have also gotten a little bit of a cold and feeling like my lungs are congested. I feel like my body is begging me for some rest. Thankfully, instead of putting me on any medication my doctor suggested that I stay in bed and rest as much as I can. So I am taking it easy, resting a lot more, and nourishing my body with heartwarming soups and drinks. This honey-sweetened blueberry hot toddy is one of them.

After we came back from the hospital, my husband decided to take the matters into his own hand and went to the supermarket to get me some healthy food. A few hours later, he came back with bags full of fresh produce. In addition to winter vegetables, he also bought 5 pints of blueberries, as he knows how much I love them. They are my absolute favorite food to snack on and since they are available year-round I always keep some in my fridge. In the next few days, I snacked on some and on Friday night, after it got very cold, I decided to use the rest to make this homemade blueberry hot toddy.

About this Honey-Sweetened Blueberry Hot Toddy

Hot toddy is one of the easiest drinks you can make. Basically, you pour some boiled water in a mug, add some freshly squeezed lemon juice, a shot of bourbon (or brandy) and sweeten with sugar. However, for my recipe, I wanted to take it up a notch.

First, I used the rest of the blueberries to make a honey-sweetened simple syrup as the base of my hot toddy. I used blueberries intentionally as they are full of antioxidants and vitamins and they help reverse damage done by toxins. Exactly what I needed…

Second, I strained the simple syrup and divided it in between 2 mugs. To finish it up, I added some boiling water, a shot of bourbon and a generous squeeze of lemon juice in each cup. It ended up being a healer. I swear I could literally feel that I was getting better with every sip.

So next time you are feeling under the weather or simply want to warm the hearts of your guests, reach out for this blueberry hot toddy recipe. With its gorgeous and festive maroon color, I think it is the perfect drink to serve during the holidays.

OTHER BLUEBERRY RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gluten-Free Healthy Blueberry Muffins
Blueberry Feta Spinach Salad
Blueberry Sweetened Spelt Scone Recipe
Vegan Blueberry Peach Tart
Blueberry Lemon Tartlets

Honey Sweetened Blueberry Hot Toddy

With its festive color, this honey-sweetened blueberry hot toddy recipe is the perfect drink to serve during the holidays (or any other time of the year). As the name suggests, it is sweetened with honey and healthy blueberries. It takes less than 15 minutes to make and I think it is the best remedy for those who are feeling under the weather or need a pick-me-up.

Course Drink

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 411kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

To make the Blueberry Honey Cinnamon Syrup:

1 cup honey
1 cup fresh blueberries rinsed - plus as garnish
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed - plus slices as garnish
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

To make the Hot Toddy:

8 oz. whiskey or brandy
8 oz. Blueberry-Honey syrup
8 oz. boiling hot water

Instructions

Place honey, blueberries, lemon juice and ground cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
Using the back of a fork, mash the blueberries. Turn the heat off and let it cool for 10-12 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer.
Divide the Blueberry-Honey syrup amongst 4 glass tea cups (or large coffee mugs).
Top each cup off with 2 oz of whiskey and 2 oz. of boiling water.
Garnish each cup with a slice of lemon and blueberries.
Serve immediately.

Nutrition

The post Honey Sweetened Blueberry Hot Toddy appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Cilantro-Infused Spicy Jalapeno Margaritas

Aysegul Sanford — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 18:45:56 +0000

This post is sponsored by Powell & Mahoney. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hi friends! I am pretty sure you are in the midst of cooking and prepping for the big day tomorrow. I am too. I just wanted to pop in, wish you a happy Thanksgiving, and sneak in one last quick recipe. Because (1) I think these Cilantro-infused Spicy Jalapeno Margaritas are awesome and (2) I think they are a showstopper if you are entertaining. ‘Tis the season…

One of the fun projects that I worked on back in September was doing some photography work for Powell & Mahoney, a company that produces craft cocktail mixers, for their new website. They sent me several bottles of their carefully crafted and naturally sweetened cocktail mixers along with some recipes to make and photograph in my studio.

With this experience, I had a chance to try some of their best-loved classic cocktail recipes that are made by using pure cane sugar. As you might already know, I am all about sweet recipes made with natural sweeteners so this was totally up my alley. Oh and also, they are all naturally gluten-free.

Now, I’ll be the first one to admit, I am all about creating recipes from scratch. However, let’s face it, if you are entertaining a crowd, a little help from a trusted brand could be a welcome change. And as someone who made, photographed and enjoyed over 10 of cocktails made with Powell & Mahoney mixers, I can tell you that this stuff is really good.

They offer many flavors ranging from classics such as Skinny Margaritas, Cosmopolitan, Mojito to trendy ones like Chipotle Bloody Mary, Yuzu Sour Mix, and Mango-Passion Fruit Margarita. All so delicious and true to what it would be like if you were making them from scratch.

About this Cilantro-Infused Spicy Jalapeno Margaritas Recipe

For this cocktail, I used Powell & Mahoney’s Spicy Jalapeno Margarita mix. This was my favorite one of all the cocktails I made while I was working on this project. If you are like me, a lover of spicy hot food and especially the flavor (and hotness) of jalapeno peppers, you are in for some serious treat.

To make this recipe, I infused some fresh cilantro leaves in the margarita mix to get in more of the traditional Mexican flavors into the drink. Here, the word “infused” is a fancy word for steeping 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro leaves in a cup of margarita mix. I kept the fresh herbs in the mix only a few hours, as I wanted to make sure its flavors do not take over the whole drink. If you are not a fan of cilantro, feel free to make the drink without it. Either way, this is a fantastic cocktail that will impress.

How To Make Homemade Spicy Jalapeno Margarita without Margarita Mix

Alternatively, you can make your own mixer for this Jalapeno Margarita recipe. To do so, mix together 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice along with 1/4 cup honey simple syrup. This would be perfect for 4 servings.

To infuse your homemade mixer with jalapeno and cilantro, place the lime juice and simple syrup mixture into a mason jar. Add one small sliced jalapeno (with the seeds) and cilantro leaves. Let is sit for 2 hours or longer if you like it spicier.

You can continue with the rest of the recipe as it is. If you want you can also top each glass with a splash of sparkling water.

More from Powell & Mahoney:

Though I loved every cocktail I made using their cocktail mixers, my two other favorite cocktails were the Skinny Margaritas (get the recipe) and Sriracha Bloody Marys (get the recipe). Like it is with the Spicy Jalapeno Margarita recipe, both drinks can be made super fast and they are guaranteed to provide an incredible drinking experience for your upcoming entertaining.

To get more information on Powell & Mahoney products, recipes, and where you can find them, please visit their website and follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

Other Margarita Recipes You Might Like

Pineapple Margaritas – Whether you like it on the rocks or frozen, this pineapple margarita recipe is guaranteed to impress.
Spicy Pineapple Mezcalita – Have you ever tried making your margaritas with mezcal instead of tequila? If not, you should. They are SOOO good.
Basil Margarita – Sweet basil mixed with tequila makes the best beach drink. Don’t believe me? Check out my beach photos in this post.
Virgin Margarita – This is a great recipe if you are in need of an alcohol-free margarita recipe.
Strawberry Champagne Margaritas – Your usual strawberry margarita taken to the next level with a splash of champagne. This is my go-to summer party drink.

Spicy Jalapeno Margaritas Recipe

These Cilantro-Infused Spicy Jalapeno Margaritas are the perfect drink for all your entertaining need. They are made with Powell & Mahoney's Spicy Jalapeno Margarita mix.I infused them with fresh cilantro leaves to enhance the Mexican flavors we all love. However, if you are not a fan of cilantro, feel free to omit it. Either way, this drink is guaranteed to impress.

Course Alcoholic Drink / Cocktail

Cuisine Mexican

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 2 5

Total Time 2 5

Servings servings

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

12 ounces Powell & Mahoney Spicy Jalapeno Margarita Mix instructions without the Powell & Mahoney mixer is in the notes below
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped – plus more for garnishing
salt for the rim of the glasses
6 ounces tequila such as Jose Cuervo
1 cup ice
1 lime sliced for garnishing
1 jalapeno pepper sliced thinly as garnish

Instructions

Place the margarita mix and cilantro leaves in a large mason jar (or a mixing bowl), cover and let it steep for 2 hours*. Drain and discard the cilantro leaves.
If you prefer, moisten the rim of your cocktail glasses with some lime and dip them in a plate of salt. Set them aside.
Place the now “infused” margarita mix in a cocktail shaker along with tequila and ice. Shake and strain over fresh ice.
Garnish with a lime, slices of jalapeno pepper, and a few fresh cilantro leaves.

Notes

If you want the cilantro taste to be more intense you can steep them longer. Or if you are not a fan of cilantro, feel free to omit it.
Alternatively, you can make your own mixer for this Jalapeno Margarita recipe. To do so, mix together 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice along with 1/4 cup honey simple syrup. This would be perfect for 4 servings.
To infuse your homemade mixer with jalapeno and cilantro, place the lime juice and simple syrup mixture into a mason jar. Add one small sliced jalapeno (with the seeds) and cilantro leaves. Let is sit for 2 hours or longer if you like it more spicy.
To make simple syrup, heat 1 cup sugar (or honey, agave, or maple syrup) with 1 cup water in a small pan until the sugar completely melts. This will make more simple syrup than you need but you can keep the rest in a jar with a tight lid and keep it in the fridge up to a month.

The post Cilantro-Infused Spicy Jalapeno Margaritas appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Immune Boosting Multi-Colored Beet Smoothies

Aysegul Sanford — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 20:35:50 +0000

I had no intentions of sharing a beet smoothie recipe until I saw these colorful beets in our farmer’s market last week. I do not usually buy beets that much because my husband does not like them. But these ones were too pretty to pass up. So I bought a bunch with no recipe in mind. I thought I would roast them with a little olive oil and salt and pepper; mix with goat cheese and walnuts and treat myself to a simple dinner.

But then I saw a smoothie recipe using red beets. Even though I have tried this Beet Juice recipe before, I had never used beets in a smoothie before. So the next morning I put a small red beet in my usual morning smoothie that I make with almond milk, frozen bananas, and baby spinach.

To my surprise, it was not bad at all. The next day, I tried it with a yellow beet. Unlike the smoothie that I made with the red beet, it tasted much more earthy and beet-like. This time it was more like the strong taste of the yellow beet took over the whole smoothie.

A couple of days later, I went back to the kitchen and this time I used coconut milk instead of almond. I also added some grapes to make it a little sweeter. Unlike it was in my first try, the taste of beets didn’t take over the whole smoothie. It was much more balanced. In the following days, I tried different versions of the same smoothie with and without baby spinach and kale. I also combined two different colored beets. They were all so good. Coconut milk was definitely a better option than almond milk.

About this beet smoothie recipe:

As I mentioned earlier, you can mix and match as you please. If you make it with red beets and no greens, it has a pretty pink color and it tastes very much like a cow-milk based milkshake. If you make it with yellow beets, you can swap the grapes with pineapple. Both fruits complement yellow beets well. You can also add a cup of baby spinach or kale to make it even more nutritious.

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These smoothies are such a good way of getting raw beets in your diet. They are high in immune boosting vitamin C, potassium, manganese, and fiber. They also have anti cancer properties. As I was researching for this post, I found out that you could eat their green leaves as well. Come to find out, they are just as, if not more, nutritious. I had no idea that they were edible. Apparently, a lot of people chop them up and sauté them with onions and other vegetables and serve them as a side dish. Unfortunately, I had already thrown them away, but I know next time I will make sure to use them in my cooking.

Other Smoothie recipes you might also like

Immune Boosting Multi-Colored Beet Smoothies

This beet smoothie is one of my all-time superfood smoothies. Made with coconut milk, it is delicious, healthy and satisfying.

Course Breakfast Smoothie

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings glasses

Calories 587kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

2 small or 1 big beet – red yellow, or both – peeled and cut into cubes
1 (14 oz.) can of whole coconut milk
1 frozen banana in small pieces
12-14 red seedless grapes
1 tablespoon lime juice freshly squeezed
1 cup baby spinach or kale rinsed (optional)
1 cup ice

Instructions

Place beets, coconut milk, banana, grapes, lime juice, spinach (or kale) and ice in a blender. Blend until smooth. Divide it in between 2 glasses and serve immediately.

Nutrition

The post Immune Boosting Multi-Colored Beet Smoothies appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Blueberry, Dark Cherry and Calvados Cocktail

Aysegul Sanford — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 18:58:47 +0000

Last week my friend Lisa and I went out for a drink to a local bar. I have been trying to check out a new spot every week since we moved back from the islands and loving all these new restaurants that the Atlanta scene has to offer.

Our plan, as usual, was to order a couple glasses of wine and enjoy it while we catch up, but then we met our server Becca, who convinced us to order a cocktail instead. She suggested that we order this blueberry flavored dark cherry and calvados cocktail, as it is her favorite drink on the menu. I am so glad we listened to her, because it is so rare that I order a cocktail at a restaurant and love it so much.

Becca and the creator of the drink, Logan were so sweet and generous to share the recipe. So here I am with an end-of-summer cocktail recipe for you: Blueberry, Dark Cherry and Calvados Cocktail.

As its original name suggests, this cocktail has a little bit of Mexican and a little bit of French in it. It is made with mixing together tequila with some Calvados (aka apple brandy) and cherry liquor. Its beautiful color comes from a homemade blueberry honey simple syrup that is flavored with all spice, cloves, and black peppercorns. The recipe below makes more simple syrup than you will need to make this drink, but feel free to keep it in the fridge and try using it in your other cocktail creations to give them a summery kick.

Blueberry, Dark Cherry and Calvados Cocktail

Calvados and Dark Cherry Cocktail: A next-level cocktail recipe made with apple brandy, tequila and homemade blueberry simple syrup. Garnished with a mint leaf, it is not only delicious but also visually impressive. If you are new to apple brandy-based drinks and in need of a creative cocktail, give this dark cherry and Calvados cocktail recipe a try.

Course Drink

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings coupe glass

Calories 1463kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For the Blueberry Honey Syrup:

1 ½ cups of water
1/3 cup (113 gr.) honey
1 cup (250 gr.) Demerara sugar
2-3 black peppercorns
3-4 whole cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
2 cups blueberries rinsed

For the cocktail:

1 drop of orange citrate
1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
3/4 oz Blueberry Honey Syrup
1/4 oz dark cherry liquor – Heering
1/4 oz almond-flavored crème liquor – Crème de Noyaux
1/2 oz apple brandy – Calvados
1/2 oz egg white
1 oz Tequila Cabeza
½ cup ice
1 fresh mint leaf

Instructions

To make the blueberry honey syrup:

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan, bring it to a boil and let it simmer 10 minutes.
Place the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine strainer and set aside to cool.

To make the cocktail:

Place all the ingredients in to a shaker and shake vigorously until frothy.
Add in the ice and continue to shake for 45 more seconds.
Strain it through a strainer into a coupe glass.
Garnish it with one mint leaf. Serve.

Notes

The leftover blueberry honey syrup can be kept in the fridge in an airtight jar up to a week to make more of this cocktail later or to use it in other cocktails.

Nutrition

The post Blueberry, Dark Cherry and Calvados Cocktail appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Raspberry and Pomegranate Rosé Summer Cocktail

Aysegul Sanford — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 15:47:37 +0000

This post is sponsored by Casal Garcia Wines. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In about two weeks I will be traveling to Chicago to visit my best friend, Ceren. Ceren loves throwing parties and every time I go, I find myself in the middle of preparations for a fun gathering. Usually, I am in charge of creating a recipe based on a theme she chooses.

This time we are having a Sunday brunch with a bunch of girlfriends. I was given the assignment to create a mild and girly cocktail recipe that we can serve during the brunch. She made sure to let me know that she does not want mimosa. So I thought, why not come up with something a little over the top. If you think about it, what is girlier than a pink drink filled with whole summer fruits, served in coupe glasses, and topped off with sparkling rosé?

About the Pomegranate Cocktail Recipe:

This summer cocktail recipe is full of refreshing summer flavors.

To make it, I first made simple syrup. Instead of using sugar, I used local honey with blossom orange flavor. As it was cooling on the counter, I stirred in a bunch of fresh mint leaves to enhance its flavor with mint. Once it cooled down, I mixed it up with some gin, (unsweetened) pomegranate and fresh lime juice.

I placed some whole raspberries and pomegranate seeds in coupe glasses and poured the cocktail over halfway through the glasses. Then I topped it off with Casal Garcia’s Sparkling Rosé. I choose this sparkling wine as it has such a mild flavor that compliments the rest of the cocktail without taking over the whole drink. Also, it is so SO delicious even if you drink it just by itself.

In the recipe below, you will see that I started with a half a cup of simple syrup as I thought that 1 cup made it too sweet. Therefore, I recommend starting with a half cup and giving it a taste before you add more. Also, before adding more keep in mind that you will have sweet fresh fruit in the cocktail as well. So adjust it based on your sweetness preference.

Needless to say, I am so excited about this upcoming trip and sharing this cocktail with friends. I’ll make sure to keep you posted on social media when I make this cocktail in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, if you make it make sure to tag me using my hashtag #flprfeats.

Other Summer Cocktail Recipes You Might Also Like:

Raspberry and Pomegranate Rosé Summer Cocktail

This Raspberry and Pomegranate Rosé Summer Cocktail is made with mint infused honey simple syrup, gin, pomegranate juice, and sparkling rosé. It is served with fresh raspberries, pomegranate seeds, and mint. It is such an impressive cocktail for any summer gathering.

Course Cocktail

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 305kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For the mint infused honey simple syrup:

1 cup honey
¾ cup water
¼ cup fresh mint rinsed and leaves torn – plus more as garnish

For the cocktail:

1 cup ice
¼ cup gin
½ cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
Juice of a fresh lime
1 cup fresh raspberries
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
Casal Garcia Sparkling Rosé

Instructions

To make the mint infused honey simple syrup: Place honey and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a boil; making sure that the honey dissolves completely. Off the heat, stir in the mint leaves and let it cool completely. When cooled, fish out the mint leaves from the simple syrup and set aside.
To make the cocktail: Place ½ cup of the simple syrup, ice, gin, pomegranate juice, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Close the shaker and mix well to combine. Taste for sweetness and add the rest of the simple syrup, if you prefer it to be sweeter. If not, reserve it for another use.
Divide the raspberries and pomegranate seeds in between 4 cocktail glasses. Strain the cocktail mixture over the fruit. Top it off with Casal Garcia Sparkling Rose. Garnish with mint leaves and serve.

Nutrition

The post Raspberry and Pomegranate Rosé Summer Cocktail appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Minty Watermelon Cucumber Smoothie

Aysegul Sanford — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 21:22:54 +0000

Two weeks ago my sister-in-law gave me a Vitamix as a gift. It came as such a surprise as I have been wanting one for a long time. Since then, our new blender has been my favorite toy. It is crazy how much you can do with these powerful blenders. I am still in the process of experimenting with smoothies and popsicles, but hopefully soon will be venturing out to try nut butter, soups, dips, and spreads. Meanwhile, this Minty Watermelon-Cucumber Smoothie is the first of many recipes to come.

How To Make Watermelon Cucumber Smoothie

We have literally been having this smoothie as breakfast for a month now. Before I had my new and shiny blender, I was using my food processor to make it. The flavor profile, aka mint-cucumber-watermelon-lime juice combination, is to die for. It has been my favorite flavor combination for the year so far.

You may remember, a couple of weeks ago I posted a Watermelon Cucumber Feta Salad. This watermelon mint smoothie is the sweet (and liquid) version of those flavors. The best part is that if you have your watermelon already cut, it takes 5 minutes to put it all together.

Even though I didn’t put it for the recipe below, I sometimes add a couple of cups of baby spinach (or kale) leaves to increase its nutritional value in the morning. That smoothie is not the most aesthetically pleasing, but it is super good for you.

Either way, I find that a big glass filled with summer fruits is the way to beat the current 92 degree Atlanta weather. How about you? What is your favorite summer smoothie?

Need a help with cutting a watermelon? Here is a great tutorial on How To Cut A Watermelon with step by step photos.

If you liked this watermelon recipe, you might also like:

Watermelon Cucumber Smoothie

This watermelon Cucumber Smoothie is a refreshing summer smoothie recipe made with fresh mint, watermelon and cucumbers.

Course Smoothie

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings servings

Calories 84kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

5 cups of seedless watermelon cut into chunks
1/2 cup of fresh mint leaves more for garnishing
3 medium-size Persian cucumbers washed and chopped (no need to peel)
1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup ice
handful of pomegranate seeds as garnish (optional)

Instructions

Place watermelon, mint, cucumber, lime juice and ice in a blender and blend until smooth.
Divide it in between 4 glasses and garnish each glass with mint and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

The post Minty Watermelon Cucumber Smoothie appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Mango and Blackberry Vodka Cooler

Aysegul Sanford — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 16:42:35 +0000

This post is sponsored by Zubrowka Vodka. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It is hard to believe that this is the 4th year of me celebrating Mother’s Day without my mother. But this time it is a little different, because last year we also lost my mother’s sister, my dear aunt, to a long and hard battle to cancer. It is so sad to see my already small family getting smaller.

Needless to say, I miss those two amazing women terribly. At the same time, I feel happy that they are no longer in pain and try to find comfort in knowing that they are in each other’s company.

If you had met these two women, you would be surprised to see how much life and love they embodied. They were the kind of people, who would light up a room with their fun personalities and laughter. They were the definition of living life to the fullest and like it was a celebration.

So this year, instead of being sad about not having a mother on Mother’s Day (like I did in the past), I will continue their legacy and do my best to celebrate this special day and the fact that I have been fortunate enough to have them as a part of my life. And I will do it with a special homemade cocktail; this Mango and Blackberry Vodka Cooler.

Do not mistake this vodka cooler with others though. It is not made with just any vodka. It is made with Żubrówka, also known as bison-grass vodka. This Polish liquor derives its unique taste from extracts of bison grass. It is made with infusing grass hand-picked from the Bialowiesa forest located in northeastern Poland, which is a Unesco protected site.

Once this rare and aromatic grass is handpicked, they lay it out in the open for it to air-dry. Then they extract its unique flavor and infuse it into the vodka. What I found amazing is that the creation of a bottle takes 60 days and is an example of impeccable craftsmanship every step of the way. With its smooth flavor and earthy tones, you can easily enjoy it just by itself or add it into your cocktails whenever you want to give them a refreshing twist.

If you do a Google search, you would quickly find out that the most popular way of serving Żubrówka is by pairing it with apple juice and ginger ale. You can easily find a lot of drink recipes made with apple juice and other flavor boosters like lime, lemon, honey, grape, and even star fruit.

At first, I was going to follow the tradition and create a cocktail made with apple juice, but after researching online, I found out that it also pairs well with mangos. This was exciting because I was lucky to get my hands on the sweet Caribbean style mangos the next day in our local farmer’s market.

To make this cocktail, first I made simple syrup and infused it with mango and mint. The word “infuse” may come across as complicated or fancy, but it really isn’t. All you have to do is to cook a cup of sugar with a cup of water until the sugar is completely melted. Then off the heat, add the peeled and sliced mangos and fresh mint leaves and let it sit for 15 minutes (or longer, if you have time) on the counter.

Once you strain it into a pitcher, most of the job is done. The best part is that you can totally make this simple syrup ahead of time. Simply use the same method with whatever fruit and herbs you have on hand and keep it in a large mason jar in the fridge. This way it is nice and cold when you are ready to serve your cocktails.

When you are ready to make it, simply fill your glass (I used a 10 ounce glass) with crushed ice, 2 shots of the simple syrup, 1 shot of Żubrówka and top it off with a little bit of sparkling water. Once you garnish it with a couple of sweet blackberries and fresh mint leaves, you are in for a treat. The earthy and fresh grass flavor tones of this bison-grass vodka mixed in with the sweet mangoes and mint is a truly refreshing combination.

Wishing all mothers a very happy Mother’s Day. Thank you so much for all you do. Cheers to you all!

OTHER CREATIVE COCKTAIL RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

Mango and Blackberry Vodka Cooler

This Mango and Blackberry Vodka Cooler is a cocktail made by infusing fresh mangos into simple syrup and mixing it with vodka and sparkling water. For color and more fruity flavor, it is garnished with blackberries. A great cocktail recipe for all your parties year-round.

Course Drink

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 269kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For the Mango Honey Simple Syrup:

3 small ripe mangos peeled and sliced
2/3 cup honey
1 cup water
8-10 leaves of fresh mint plus more to use as garnish

For the Vodka Cooler:

4 shots 1 1/2 ounces each of Zubrowka Vodka
8-10 fresh blackberries
1 can of sparkling water/club soda
Crushed ice

Instructions

Place the slices of mango in a large glass (or jar). Muddle them until they are thoroughly crushed. Alternatively, you can puree them in a food processor or blender.
Bring honey and water to a boil in a medium-size sauce pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the sugar is dissolved. Off the heat, add in the muddled mango and mint leaves and let the mixture cool for 10-15 minutes. Strain the syrup into a pitcher and discard the solids. Let it cool completely before using.
Fill four 10-ounce glasses with crushed ice. Divide the mango simple syrup in between glasses. Pour 1 shot of Zubrowka in each glass. Top them off with club soda. Garnish them with fresh mint leaves and 2-3 blackberries for each glass.
Serve.

Nutrition

The post Mango and Blackberry Vodka Cooler appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Cranberry and Mint Rum Punch

Aysegul Sanford — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 14:37:43 +0000

This past January, the hotel that Dwight works at, Rosewood Little Dix Bay, celebrated their 50th anniversary. As you can imagine, for an island with a population of three to four thousand people, this was a big deal. A lot of people, ranging from journalists to frequent hotel guests to owners of the hotel to the BVI government representatives came from all over the world for this very special day. The hotel staff and its leaders did an incredible job making sure that this would be a night to remember for everyone who were invited. Needless to say, we were honored to be a part of such an important milestone for this community.

After the dinner, towards the end of the evening while we were all waiting for the fire works, I saw a group of people gathering around a drink station on the corner, away from the large crowd. Come to find out, it was a rum tasting station.

Until that night, my experience with rum had never been more than a mojito, a pina colada, or the infamous rum punch, that you would most likely be served as soon as you set foot in the Caribbean. I drank it, but didn’t know much about it. However, later I realized, on that evening we were in for a treat. They were serving the best quality of rum from countries throughout the Caribbean and Central America. With the help of people who were already enjoying a shot, I started my first rum tasting experience with a shot of the Guatemalan Ron Zacapa Centenario XO. It was the smoothest taste that one could imagine. After that, I tried the Flor de Caña (18 year old) from Nicaragua. Before you know it, I had 4 glasses of some of the best rum produced in the world. The best part of it was that since we were enjoying an evening out in the open by the beach, it brought me to a very happy place without actually getting drunk. Since that evening, it became a tradition in our house to treat ourselves every once in a while with a shot of good quality rum after dinner.

I have been thinking about sharing the recipe of the Caribbean rum punch for a while now. However, I did not think that there is anything exciting about the way that they usually serve it in restaurants here on Virgin Gorda. Because, if you think about it, who needs a recipe for mixing boxed fruit juice with inexpensive rum?

About this Cranberry and Mint Rum Punch Recipe:

I wanted a rum punch recipe that truly takes it up a notch. Also, be appropriate for the season. That is when I decided to use the fresh cranberries I had in the fridge. But for my kind of rum punch, I decided to use a good quality rum, such as Flor de Caña. The idea was making a quick cranberry juice and mixing it with freshly squeezed lime juice and rum. Though it looked pretty, it needed some color. That is why, at the last minute, I added fresh mint leaves to both enhance the flavor and give it a nice contrast of color making it a perfect drink for the holidays.

How To Make It:

To make this incredibly delicious drink, I started with bringing water, sugar, and fresh cranberries to a boil, and cooked it until the sugar was dissolved. Then I strained it to a pitcher and set aside. As it was cooling, I squeezed the juice of 5 limes and muddled a half a cup of fresh mint leaves with some sugar until they were bruised and the juices of mint leaves were extracted as much as possible.

I added the lime juice and the now-bruised mint leaves into the pitcher. I stirred in a cup and a half of Flor de Caña (18 years old) and placed it in the fridge for it to cool. After an hour in the fridge, I strained it over a fine mesh strainer into a big pitcher. When I was ready to serve, I filled up a couple of tall glasses with ice and poured the drink over it. To garnish it, I put a couple of cranberries and fresh mint leaves on top.

As you can see in the pictures, it not only looked very festive but also ended up being a perfect Caribbean-style holiday drink that I will be making in the years to come.

And if you can’t get enough of these kinds of holiday drinks, check out this Thanksgiving Punch and Non-alcoholic Halloween Punch recipes.

Cranberry and Mint Rum Punch

This Cranberry and Mint Rum Punch is a Caribbean-inspired holiday cocktail made with rum and cranberry-infused simple syrup and garnished with mint. Festive, fun, and perfect for all your holiday parties.

Course Cocktail – Alcoholic Beverage

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 186kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups fresh cranberries picked over and washed
2 1/2 cups of water
1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves washed and dried – plus more for garnishing
1/2 cup lime juice freshly squeezed from 4-5 limes
1 1/2 cup rum such as Flor de Cana

Instructions

Place the cranberries, water, and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Stirring regularly, bring it to a boil, and then, let it simmer for 10 minutes or until the granulated sugar completely dissolves. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
In the mean time, place fresh mint leaves and 3 tablespoons in a measuring cup. Mash it with a muddler until mint leaves are completely bruised and sugar is dissolved.
Strain the cranberry syrup into a pitcher. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cranberries for garnishing, for later.
Add the lime juice, rum, and mint in to the pitcher. Stir it until they are all mixed.
Strain the mixture through a medium mash strainer pressing gently to make sure you get all the juices out of the mint leaves.
Pour it over tall glasses filled with ice cubes, and garnish each glass with fresh mint leaves and reserved cranberries.

Nutrition

The post Cranberry and Mint Rum Punch appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Woman on the Rocks {A Caribbean Cocktail}

Aysegul Sanford — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 11:13:58 +0000

I love my girlfriends and making the move to Virgin Gorda, far away from them all, was tough. After we relocated, it was a challenge for me to find a girlfriend locally to spend time with. Yes, I have my husband and he is my best friend but… girlfriends are different. You can talk to your girlfriends about things that would not excite a husband (or, at least my husband). I think girlfriends can understand you on a different level than a man ever can. Also, they are wonderful listeners.

It was almost a year and a half after our move that I met my friend Chrissann here on Virgin Gorda. Originally from Northern California, Chrissann moved down to the Caribbean almost 9 years ago. For the first 5 years, she lived on St. Thomas and then moved over to Saba Rock to be with her now-boyfriend.

Chrissann and I clicked almost as soon as we met. It was one of those “love at first sight” kind of friendships, mainly because we had so many things in common. She, too, used to be a hotelier, left her country to experience a different culture, was in a relationship, and most importantly – living here.

However, I think the biggest connection that we have in common is that we both have blogs. Like me, Chrissann started her blog last year and has been enjoying writing it ever since. The best part of it is that she is very well aware of the challenges that come with maintaining and promoting a blog. After spending months to start a blog, it was such a fresh breath of air for me to meet her. I felt like there was finally someone out there who understood what I was going through.

A writer herself, Chrissann created the blog Women Who Live on Rocks, which is a collaboration of many other funny women writers living on tropical islands. Women Who Live on Rocks is a place where you can read humorous articles about what it’s really like to actually live on an island – all the quirks that come with a lifestyle that are very different from simply vacationing on one.

Though it is much different than writing a food blog, a lot of the challenges we face are similar. To bounce ideas off of each other, Chrissann and I get together once a week, mostly over coffee. We enjoy these times that we spend together and feel very positive, happy, and energized after each of our dates.

This week, instead of doing our typical meeting over coffee, we decided that we would take a moment to celebrate being a “Woman Who Lives on a Rock” by creating our own signature cocktail and enjoying it on the beach, in true island-style.

It ended up being a fantastic afternoon of chatting, brainstorming, and laughing about our lives on this rock.

As we were thinking about the kind of cocktail we wanted to create, I was so happy to see my favorite gin, Hendrick’s, in Chrissann’s liquor cabinet. I just love fruity, cold drinks mixed with the unique flavor of Hendrick’s.

Because we wanted to create a drink with bright Caribbean flavors, we decided to use a refreshing combination of honeydew melon, cucumbers, and limes.

We took everything out to the deck and started testing. It didn’t take us long to come up with an easy-to-make, cool, tropical cocktail for happy hour on the beach.

To make this delicious cocktail, Chrissann started by muddling 4 slices of fresh cucumbers, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon lime zest with a couple of honeydew balls that she carved using a melon baller. After they released their juices and mixed thoroughly, she added the mixture into a rock glass. She stirred in a shot of Hendrick’s, 1 teaspoon of simple syrup, 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice. After adding a couple of cubes of ice and freshly cut cucumbers, she topped it off with some club soda.

We decided to call our creation, “Woman on the Rocks”. Whenever you feel like being transported into our island world, just make yourself one of these, grab your e-reader/laptop, and go to Women Who Live on Rocks to read and laugh through our often unbelievable – yet true – island adventures.

Woman on the Rocks {A Caribbean Cocktail}

This Lady On The Rocks Cocktail is a Caribbean cocktail recipe made by melding the crips flavors of Hendrick’s gin, honeydew melon, cucumbers and lime. It is light and refreshing for the sweltering days of summer.

Course Alcoholic Drink / Cocktail

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings

Calories 169kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

6 4+2 divided slices of cucumber, peeled and sliced into 1/3 inch thick slices
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon lime zest
5 3+2 divided pieces honeydew balls, carved with using a melon baller
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon simple syrup
1.5 fluid ounces 1 shot of Hendrick’s gin
club soda
2-3 cubes of ice

Instructions

Muddle 4 slices of cucumber, brown sugar, lime zest, and 3 balls of honeydew in a rock glass.
Add a shot of Hendrick’s, simple syrup, lime juice. Stir to combine.
Add 2-3 cubes of ice. Garnish it with slices of cucumber and honeydew balls. Top it off with club soda.
Serve immediately.

Nutrition

The post Woman on the Rocks {A Caribbean Cocktail} appeared first on Foolproof Living.

Dominican Style Ginger Iced Tea

Aysegul Sanford — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 20:39:17 +0000

Jungle Bay, in Dominica, where we vacationed last week, has one of the best breakfast buffet I have ever seen. In addition to the usual breakfast items like pancakes, eggs, bread, and cereals, they offer freshly squeezed juices from the local fruits that they get delivered daily. Fruits like tangerine, orange, passion fruit, lemon, and coconut.

The best part of it is that they serve them as sweetened and unsweetened. I prefer unsweetened whereas my husband, Dwight, loves sweetened drinks.

Speaking of my husband, he is a big fan of having a non-alcoholic drink as a pick me up or with his meals during the day. Cold teas like Tazo peach and green tea that they sell in Starbucks are his favorite.

However, finding those here on Virgin Gorda is almost impossible. Since he cannot find Tazo Teas, he usually goes for Coca-Cola, which I am not too happy about because it is not healthy.

So I am always on the look out for drink ideas that I can make at home and have it readily available in the fridge for Dwight.

We were served this Ginger Iced Tea recipe in Jungle Bay for lunch on our first day. We both loved it and ordered it several times. On our last day, Joanne, the Food and Beverage Manager, came to say goodbye to us with a bag full of fresh ginger in her hand. She explained to me how they make, our favorite, Ginger Ice Tea.

I was so happy as I was looking forward to trying the Pumpkin Ginger Soup that she showed us how to make, during the Caribbean Cooking class, as well as this ice tea.

When we came home first thing Dwight asked was to make some Ginger Ice Tea. So I did.

How To Make Ginger Iced Tea:

The process of making this iced ginger tea has just a few steps:

Steep the ginger in boiling water: Pour the boiling water in to a heatproof glass pitcher. Add the ginger and let it sit for 15 minutes.
Squeeze lemons & and limes: In the meantime squeeze the juices of lemons and limes.
Strain & sweeten: Strain the ginger and water mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. Add honey (or sugar) when it is still hot and mix thoroughly. Taste it and add in more honey if you like.
Let it cool: Place some ice cubes in the pitcher and add the juice of the lemons and limes.
Add in optional flavoring agents: Stir in fresh mint leaves or a splash of vanilla if you’d like.
Give it a mix & serve: Mix thoroughly. Serve it with freshly sliced limes and leaves of fresh mint.

Sugar vs Honey:

Instead of using granulated sugar I used honey thinking that it is somewhat healthier. You can use splenda, stevia, agave or natural sugars like coconut or maple sugar.

The refreshing taste of fresh lime and lemon juices mixed with the tangy flavor of shredded fresh ginger is heavenly.

In order to ensure that it will keep its freshness (and flavors) for a couple of days I put slices of lemons and limes in the pitcher. I serve it with lots of ice and more fresh mint leaves.

In the never-ending hot days of the Caribbean, this Ginger Ice Tea is, for sure, a star in our fridge.

If You Liked This Dominican Ginger Tea, You Might Also Like:

Rosemary Lemonade
Herbal Iced Tea
Blueberry Hot Toddy
Strawberry Basil Limeade
Turmeric Ginger Tea
Need more inspiration? Check out all our drink recipes.

Dominican Style Ginger Ice Tea

Dominican Style Ginger Ice Tea: A recipe where fresh ginger shines. Made with freshly squeezed lemons, limes and fresh mint leaves and sweetened with honey, this drink is a refreshing non-alcoholic beverage that you can serve every member of your family.

Course Drink

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Servings cups

Calories 26kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

2 3- inch pieces of fresh ginger peeled and shredded
8 cups of boiling filtered water
6 juicy lemons freshly squeezed
3 juicy limes freshly squeezed
7 more or less tablespoons of honey or any sweetener of your choice
Mint leaves optional
10-12 ice cubes

Instructions

Pour the boiling water in to a heatproof glass pitcher. Add the ginger and let it sit for 15 minutes.
In the mean time squeeze the juices of lemons and limes.
Strain the ginger and water mixture through a fine mash strainer. Add honey (or sugar) when it is still hot and mix thoroughly. Taste it. At this point you want it to be sweeter than you would normally like.
Place some ice cubes in the pitcher and add the juice of the lemons and limes.
Mix thoroughly and add more honey to sweeten it, if necessary. If it is too sweet you can add more water.
Serve it with freshly sliced limes and leaves of fresh mint.

Nutrition

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