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Cucumber Limeade with Mint & Lemon Balm (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

This cucumber limeade with mint and lemon balm is a super refreshing and hydrating beverage that is perfect for hot days. All of the elements in this vegan and gluten free limeade work to cool the body plus the trace minerals from the lime juice and cucumber juice will help to replenish what you’re sweating out!

I’ve reached the point of the year when I’m constantly on the verge of sweating. You know that feeling when you aren’t sweating yet but you can feel the heat building and rising? My Scandinavian roots run deep so it’s a challenge to thrive in the Houston summer (which lasts like half of the year TBH). I used to cower inside and curse the sun but I realized recently that if I don’t spend a certain amount of time outside each week, I feel un-grounded, stagnant, and a bit uninspired. So, I deal with this brutal weather and try to spend time outside either in the mornings or evenings.

Since I’m so hot-natured I rely on various methods of keeping cool in the summer that go beyond blasting the AC and shoving ice down my pants. What I eat and drink during the summer plays a vital role in keeping me cool. The great thing is that Mother Nature has always been on top of this whole hot summer thing because a lot of summer produce like cucumbers and melons can not only be eaten raw (raw = no added heat in the kitchen) but they are cooling for the body. Let’s have a moment of silence to marvel at the fact that nature knows best…

To give you something a little more exciting than ice water to sip on this summer, I’ve whipped up a cucumber limeade infused with mint and lemon balm. All of the elements in this beverage work to cool the body plus the trace minerals from the lime juice and cucumber juice will help to replenish what you’re sweating out. Feel free to make up a big batch of this stuff because it will keep for a few days in the fridge. Just make sure to shake it well before drinking 😉

Cucumber Limeade with Mint & Lemon Balm

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Author: Courtney West
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 2-4 servings
Diet: Vegan

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Description

Ingredients

1 cup just boiled water
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tbsp dried lemon balm
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 cups cucumber juice (about 2 cucumbers-worth)
6 tbsp fresh lime juice (I was able to get this from 2 1/2 very juicy limes)

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Instructions

Add the dried mint and lemon balm to a heat-proof glass or mug, then pour the cup of just-boiled water over them. Cover and allow them to steep for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, strain out the herbs then add the tea to a quart-sized jar along with the maple syrup, cucumber juice, and lime juice. Shake or stir well to combine. Serve chilled over ice.

If you like, you can add thinly sliced limes or cucumbers to your glass along with some fresh mint.

Makes 2-4 servings.

Notes

You do not have to have a juicer in order to juice your cucumbers. You can simply liquify them in a blender then strain out the solids through a sieve.
If you don’t have dried lemon balm, feel free to double up on the mint or use dried sweet basil in its place.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Steeping Time: 15 minutes
Category: drink

Turmeric Lime Coconut Tarts (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

Lime and freshly grated turmeric root create a bright and sunny flavor combination in these creamy vegan and gluten free mini tarts. Soaked sunflower seeds and coconut cream lend creaminess while dates and maple syrup add a touch of sweetness. These delicious tarts don’t require any baking but rather a couple of hours in the freezer to set!

Do you ever have moments at the store when you decide to treat yourself with a little something out of the ordinary? These tarts came about because I decided to treat myself to a little fresh turmeric root! I mostly wanted to see the insane sunny color but I was also curious how the flavor in fresh turmeric would differ from its ground counterpart.

I ended up discovering that freshly grated turmeric root has an insanely bright color while having less of the bitter and somewhat mustard-like flavor that dried turmeric can have, especially in larger quantities. It’s bright, earthy, spicy, and warming. And, it pairs really well with all of the flavors in these tarts! Since the root is harder to find, I’ve written the recipe with amounts for both the fresh and dried/ground versions.

Notes on Making This Recipe

I made these into three mini tarts so that they would be easier to eat and store as well as photograph. If you don’t have a giant random pan collection like I do that includes three mini springform pans, don’t worry! You can either make these in a standard 9×5 (or similar sized) loaf pan or a 6-inch round cake pan. Just make sure you line both the bottom and sides with parchment for easy removal. With the mini springform pans you will only need to line the bottoms with parchment.

These tarts don’t require any baking or cooking since they set in the freezer. Just make sure to factor in 2-3 hours of freezing time before you can enjoy them! They store best when kept in the freezer, too so keep that in mind.

Turmeric Lime Coconut Tarts

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Author: Courtney West
Total Time: 4 hours
Yield: 12-18 servings
Diet: Vegan

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Description

Ingredients

for the crust:

3/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup pitted medjool dates (about 4–5 dates)
pinch of sea salt

for the filling:

1/2 cup sunflower seeds, soaked in very hot water for at least 30 minutes.
zest of 1 lime
1/2 cup lime juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 heaped tbsp freshly grated turmeric root (or 1 heaped tsp dried and ground turmeric)
a couple of pinches of freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp maple syrup or honey (or more if you’d like it sweeter)
1 tbsp coconut oil
10 tbsp coconut cream (one small 5.4 oz can)

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Instructions

Start by soaking your sunflower seeds. Place them in a bowl and cover them with boiling water to allow them to soften. Let them sit for 20-30 minutes then drain and rinse them off.

Prep your pans next. If you are using the mini spring form pans, cut a round of parchment to fit into the bottom of each, then lightly grease the sides with coconut oil. If you using a loaf pan or cake pan, line both the bottom and sides with parchment leaving an overhang.

To make your crust, add the sunflower seeds, shredded coconut, dates, and salt to a food processor or blender and pulse several times until the ingredients begin to ball up and stick together. Remove the dough, divide it evenly among your springform pans, then press it into an even layer. It helps to do this with damp fingers. If you are using only one pan, forget the dividing part and just press it into an even layer. Once you’ve got the crust in place, put the pans in the freezer to help it firm up while you make the filling.

To make the filling, drain and rinse your sunflower seeds, then add them to a blender along with the other filling ingredients. Blend until smooth. Taste the filling to see if you like the sweetness. If not, add more maple syrup or honey as you see fit. Remove your pan(s) from the freezer. Evenly divide the filling between the mini springform pans, pouring the filling over the crust. If you’re using only one larger pan, just pour all of the filling in. Park the pan(s) back in the freezer for 2-4 hours or until completely firm/frozen.

When ready to serve, remove the tart and allow it to sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving immediately. Leftovers must be stored in the freezer or they will melt into a puddle of (delicious tasting) goo. If you’d like to up your presentation game, feel free to decorate the tops with shredded coconut, lime, and turmeric before serving.

Notes

For the coconut cream, you can either buy a can of coconut cream, or scoop the solidified coconut cream out of a can of coconut milk. For this recipe I use one 5.4 oz can (10 tbsp) of coconut cream.
The amount of limes you need to get a half cup will vary depending on how juicy your limes are. I was fortunate enough to find very juice limes so it only took 2 1/2 limes to get 1/2 cup of juice. If you don’t feel like playing the guessing game, buy one lime for the zest and a bottle of already squeezed lime juice!
This recipe includes 2-3 hours of time in the freezer to allow it to set up. Make sure to factor that in when making it!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Freezing Time: 2-4 hours
Category: dessert