Satisfying Seasonal Drinks

By Nancy Eisman

You are what you eat, and drink, so here are two beverage ideas for maximum nutrition and enjoyment. The first is a take on V8 juice, but using a different array of veggies than in the canned original. Of course, you can replicate that recipe too, but this version is vibrant green instead of brownish red, a more spring-summer seasonal color palate.

Tomatillos replace tomatoes, parsnip replace carrots (or use yellow carrots), and celery, cucumber, scallions, green pepper (or yellow if you prefer), watercress & parsley (or cilantro) make this drink not only green but healthy and delicious.

#1
GV8 (8 green vegetable beverage)


1 cup tomatillos, chopped
½ cup parsnips, peeled & chopped
½ cup celery, chopped
½ cup mini cucumber, chopped
½ cup green or yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons scallions
1 cup spinach
1 cup watercress
½ teaspoon green Hatch chile powder
Splash of seasoned rice vinegar
Pinch of sea salt
1 cup ice
Water as needed


Place all the ingredients, except the water, in a high-speed blender and blend on high until the mixture is the consistency of juice, adding water if necessary. Adjust seasoning if necessary. (For an adult version add a jigger of vodka per glass.)

#2
SPA WATER


While eating plant-based is delicious, it’s also good for your health. Another practice important to make part of a healthy lifestyle is to drink lots of water, which is key to maintaining maximum hydration. Adequate quantities of plain water are sometimes hard to swallow, and the colorful and flavorful answer to this dilemma is spa water, aka detox water. Infusing your drinking water with herbs, veggies, fruits & flowers adds minerals and vitamins, thereby increasing the nutritional benefits while making the water much more enjoyable to drink in abundance.

Freshness is key so be sure your produce is at their peak in flavor and washed thoroughly. Slice any citrus thinly for quicker infusion. Add a handful of your favorite ingredients to a glass pitcher, muddle just a bit, fill the pitcher with cold water (straight from the tap is fine), and infuse for at least 1 hour and up to 4 for maximum flavor. Replenish the water as needed for a couple of days, but the water is at its most delicious the first day.

Take your water from dull to delectable with some of these suggested combinations:

1. Mint & Melon (rind on)
2. Lime, Strawberry & Basil
3. Cucumber, Blueberries & Mint
4. Oranges, Cucumbers & Rosemary
5. Blackberries, Lime & Mint
6. Lemon, Rosemary & Mint
7. Peaches & Basil
8. Lavender & Lemon
9. Raspberries, Oranges & Mint
10. Honeydew Melon & Blood Oranges
11. Grapefruit, Pears & Thyme
12. Mixed Berries & Edible Flowers
13. Pineapple, Mint & Strawberries
14. Green Apples, Oranges & Thyme
15. Ginger, Pineapple & Rosemary

After infusion, place 1 of each of the ingredients in a glass, fill with the water, and enjoy the refreshing flavors. Now that you’ve got the idea, and you can imagine the endless possibilities, go to town with your favorites and you’ll find drinking 8+ glasses of water each day is a tasty, thirst-quenching, and hydrating pleasure.