3 INGREDIENT Lemonade Slushy

This is a refreshing treat on a hot day---but be careful not to get cold headaches!  

Eat slowly!!!

Image Credit Here

INGREDIENTS

3 cups water
1/3 cup powdered lemonade mix
3 cups ice (more or less based on desired thickness of slushy)

-In your blender, blend all ingredient on high until well blended.  Serve on a hot summer day!

-Note--you can add some fresh mint or some berries for a variation.

Warm Spiced Milk

This is a simple drink that will warm you up any fall or winter evening!  I like it because it is not as rich or as sweet as Hot Chocolate.  I tried to recreate something I had at a restaurant.  I took a risk in ordering the drink, and I'm glad I did.  I hope you enjoy it too!

Ingredients:

4 cups warm milk

dash salt

3 TBS vanilla Torani Syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
2 TBS brown sugar

-Blend all ingredient in a blender for about 20-40 seconds (the longer you blend the frothier it will be).  Drink immediately.

Plum and Nectarine Punch

Picture from Williams Sonoma Outdoor entertaining Cookbook.  This is a pretty summer drink recipe.  The recipe is also from the Sonoma Outdoor Entertaining Cookbook, but with alterations to make it alcohol free.

3 plums halved, pitted, and cut into thin wedges
2 nectarines, halved, pitted, and cut into thin wedges
1 can nectarine nectar
1 2-liter bottle ginger ale or sprite, chilled
Ice

-In large pitcher combine all ingredients (if pre-serving, add fruit into glasses first then add liquid drink to make pouring easier).

Kale-Blueberry Smoothie

• 1 ripe banana, peeled and frozen
• ½ cup frozen blueberries
• 2 teaspoons ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 2 cups kale leaves, loosely packed
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon raw honey

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until completely smooth. If necessary, add more almond milk to help your blender process the frozen fruit.

Banana Oatmeal Smoothie

Creamy and delicious breakfast shake!  My kids love this.  I know putting oats in it sounds weird, but it really adds a creamy thickening texture to the smoothie!

2 bananas (prefer using frozen for extra cold kick)
2 c. milk
1/2 c oats
2 TBS maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla
pinch of cinnamon (optional)
6 ice cubes
-Blend until smooth and creamy.  Serve immediately.

Watermelon-Strawberry Slushie

Frozen watermelon, strawberries, and Sprite (or gingerale).  Easy!  Just blend and don't get a brain-freeze!  If you don't want to use Sprite, you can substitute a berry or lemonade juice instead.  This is a great recipe for so-so watermelon.  If you're watermelon is AMAZING then you can omit strawberries if you don't have any.

Homemade Sparkling Juice

For your own "Martinellis" or for a healthy "pop" treat, combine 100% juice concentrate with Sparkling water instead of regular water.  My kids think this is so cool!

Strawberry Syrup

 Strawberries!  My family downed this entire pitcher of strawberry syrup in two sittings...YUM!  Just blend up your fresh strawberries and add a bit of sugar to taste (you may not need any sugar at all!).  Keeps in fridge for a week.  Serve over ice cream...I recommend DRENCHING Breyers Natural Vanilla...

stir in a few tablespoons into some lemonade, drizzle over strawberry shorctcake, or pour over waffles/pancakes!

Sweet Lassi

This simple Indian yogurt drink is very mild and refreshing...and goes great with any spicy dish!

Serves 4
Blend until smooth:
2 c. plain yogurt (the lower the fat content the less flavor your drink will have)
2 TBS sugar
1/2 c. milk
10 ice cubes
Optional: Add a pinch of cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, or 2 mint leaves.

Spinach Smoothies

I LOVE smoothies or "special drinks" as my kids somehow came to name them! Add a couple handfuls of spinach to your favorite smoothie concoction for a little extra healthy uumphf (I have now idea how to spell that!) :-)

My smoothies usually consist of the following:
fresh or frozen unsweetened fruit (usually berries)
plain yogurt
milk or 100% juice (or 1-2 TBS 100% juice concentrate)
1 banana (for a naturally sweetener-I ALWAYS throw one of these in)
couple BIG handfuls of spinach
ice (if using fresh fruit because I like the consistency it gives and the "cold" factor)

-I really like to use the "Bolthouse" juice drinks that have citrus or tropical fruits in them.

Mango Lassi

This is a common drink at Indian restaurants. I've tried to recreate it. It is still not the same, but still very good!

Serves 2-3
1 cup plain yogurt (whole yogurt best---don't use fat free yogurt. You'll have no flavor!)
1 cup Bolthouse C-Boost/Citrus Drink (it has a lot of mango nectar)
7-8 ice cubes
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBS white sugar
-Blend and serve immediately.
-Bolthouse drinks can be found at health food stores and many grocery chains in produce or refridgerated juice sections.