Pineapple & Cucumber Agua Fresca and Hatch Pepper Lavosh Pinwheels
Agua frescas are light, non-alcoholic beverages made from fresh fruit blended with water, a splash of lime juice for brightness, and a sweetener if needed. In less than a couple of minutes, using a high-speed blender, quick & easy agua frescas (“fresh water”) are the epitome of delicious summertime hydration.
For the fresh fruit, you can choose from one of Melissa’s 40 different melon varieties, or maybe you’d like fresh papaya, guava, cherries, seasonal stone fruit, or strawberries (other berries are too seedy) to star in your drink. If watermelon is your choice, omit the water, and the result is a glass of pure watermelon essence. Other agua frescas are made with sweet tamarind or dried hibiscus (jamaica) for a tart take on this south-of-the-border beverage.
My recipe combines sweet pineapple (Melissa’s has 8+ varieties) with juicy mini cucumbers for maximum refreshment, plus fresh ginger & fresh turmeric for an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant boost. This agua fresca is nutrient, fiber, and vitamin-rich, and it’s also a natural detoxifier. And while you can strain the blended ingredients that create some pulp if you’d like, I don’t bother because I want to drink in all of the natural goodness.
The basic recipe is 4 cups cubed pineapple, 2 cups cubed mini cucumbers, 3 1/2 cups very cold water, 1 ½ tablespoons grated ginger, 1 tablespoon grated turmeric, and 1 ½tablespoons fresh lime juice, blended until smooth. If needed, add a bit of sugar, agave syrup, or stevia extract for sweetness and then blend again. Pour over ice and serve.
Seasonal roasted Hatch peppers are the star of these Hatch Pepper Lavosh Pinwheels. Combined with softened cream cheese, chives, arugula, roasted red bell peppers, fresh mango, and toasted pepitas, these colorful, flavorful, savory, hand-held, three or four-bite treats pair nicely with this sweet and refreshing agua fresca.
I hope you’ll enjoy both perfect summer recipes.
Pineapple & Cucumber Agua Fresca
Ingredients
4 cups fresh pineapple, cubed
2 cups mini cucumbers, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon fresh turmeric, grated
1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 packets stevia extract or sweetener of your choice
3 ½ cups water, very cold
Preparation
Place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender and process on medium and then high speed until smooth. Taste and adjust sweetener, lime juice, ginger and/or turmeric to your liking and then re-blend. Serve immediately over ice or place in the fridge until ready to serve.
Hatch Pepper Pinwheels
Servings: 16 pinwheels
Ingredients
2 whole wheat lavosh (8” x 12”)
2 cups plant-based cream cheese of choice, softened and divided into ½
1 cup chives, chopped and divided in half
2 cups arugula, divided in half
1 ½ cups roasted Hatch peppers, cut into 2” strips and divided in half
1 ½ cups roasted red bell peppers, cut into 2” strips and divided in half
1 package fresh cubed mango, chopped and divided in half
1 cup pepitas, toasted and divided in half
Salt & pepper for sprinkling
Preparation
Place one lavosh on your work surface, short side facing you. Spread with half the softened cream cheese. Sprinkle half the chopped chives over the cream cheese. Place half the arugula over the chives. Next, add half the Hatch pepper strips and half the roasted red pepper strips. Add half the chopped mango over the peppers. Scatter half the pepitas over the top and then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Starting at the bottom end, roll up the filled lavosh as tightly as you can, ending with the roll seam side down. Wrap the lavosh roll in plastic and place in the fridge for about 1 hour. Repeat the process with the remaining lavosh and ingredients.
After the lavosh rolls have chilled, unwrap and place each roll on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut into 1” slices and place on a serving platter.
