beverage Archives | Page 22 of 25

Cucumber Watermelon Cooler (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

Hydrating watermelon and cucumber join forces in the refreshing summer juice. Lime, mint, and ginger root lend flavor and extra cooling vibes to this vegan and gluten free drink.

Ever since the ayurvedic portion of my yoga teacher training, I’ve been highly attuned to the things that will push my naturally fiery pitta constitution out of balance. Unfortunately, the summer months (aka the majority of the year here in Houston) tend to make me overheat and create imbalance. When I’m too hot, I am easily inundated with anger and frustration. It’s no bueno.

To combat the heat I often reach for things that have a cooling affect in the body and keep mint essential oil at my fingertips at all times. Aside from mint, there are numerous other foods that keep the body cool and hydrated as the temperatures start to rise. In this recipe, I combined watermelon, cucumber, and lime for a nice little tonic that will keep you hydrated and cool. I threw a little ginger in for good measure since it’s great for the digestive system.

Cucumber Watermelon Cooler

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Author: Courtney West
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 quart 1x
Diet: Vegan

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Description

Hydrating watermelon and cucumber join forces in the refreshing summer juice. Lime, mint, and ginger root lend flavor and extra cooling vibes to this vegan and gluten free drink.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 quart cubed fresh watermelon (roughly 1/4 of a watermelon)
1 large cucumber
1–2 limes, peel removed
2-inch piece of fresh ginger
1/2 cup fresh mint (packed, leaves & stems)

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Instructions

Juice everything together in your juicer. Shake and serve! Leftovers may be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Makes about 1 quart of juice.

Notes

If you don’t have a juicer, you can blend everything together in your blender and strain out the solids through a sieve.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Category: drink

Spiced Cacao Maca Shake (vegan & gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

This vegan cacao maca shake has a thick and luscious texture and is spiced with a bit of ground cardamom and ginger. Frozen bananas and raspberries add sweetness while soaked walnuts add healthy omega-3s. Ready in just 5 minutes, you can enjoy it as a quick breakfast or a frosty treat anytime you like!

It’s dark and stormy as I sit down to write this post and I’m remembering that last week when I tried to photograph this recipe, the weather was very similar. At this moment the thunder is rumbling off in the distance and since it’s cool enough for my windows to be open, I can hear the distinct plit-plot sound of rain drops hitting leaves. It’s a soothing sound that will most likely leave me renewed and inspired by the time it leaves. And maybe, just maybe, the coolness the clouds bring will linger long enough to make it pleasant out.

So let’s get to this shake! I just realized that the title of this post looks like some crazy new dance move, but if you know me, then you’ll certainly know I’m referring to a frosty beverage. Maybe one of you dance savvy people can come up with the moves to go along with the title because anything I come up with would be best kept behind closed doors, haha!

I enjoyed an amazing vegan chai coconut milkshake at Fat Cat Creamery a few weeks ago that I haven’t been able to get it off my mind. I went down a rabbit hole of thoughts that started at milkshake and ended up at ‘raw spiced chocolate shake thingy’. Thus, this recipe was born! This cacao maca shake has a thick and luscious texture and is spiced with a bit of ground cardamom and ginger. Don’t skip out on the a handful of raspberries! They temper the sweetness from the bananas and add a subtle berry flavor.

Ingredients of Note

M A C A — This high-altitude growing plant (and root) is a superfood that both nourishes and balances the body. Maca helps stabilize the hormonal, nervous, and cardiovascular systems as well as providing a natural source of sustainable energy without being a stimulant. In terms of flavor maca has a malty and slightly sweet taste.
C A C A O — Rich in fiber one of the highest sources of magnesium, cacao is the purest form of what we call chocolate. In it’s raw form, cacao contains a good amount of theobromine (along with other phytochemicals, antioxidants, & amino acids) which mimics a caffeine buzz but without the crash. Cacao powder and cacao nibs have a deep chocolate flavor with notes of fruitiness and coffee.
W A L N U T S — This lovely nut is high in omega-3 essential fatty acids. Our bodies cannot make omega-3’s so we have to get them from other sources. Omega-3’s aid in reducing cholesterol, boosting the immune system, controlling viral infections, and improving brain function among other things. Soaking walnuts (as you’ll see below) allows them to release their phytic acid and make their nutrients more bio-available as well as making them more digestible in the body.

Spiced Cacao Maca Shake