Pineapple Agua Fresca {Honey Sweetened + Coconut Water}

During the hot summer months, my family loves to drink Agua Frescas.  These fresh waters are light + refreshing ... a perfect thirst quencher on a hot day.  Whip up a few batches and serve it at potlucks, barbecues, picnics or simply for your family to enjoy at the end of the day. 

I'm so excited to be sharing this mouth-watering recipe over at Scratch Mommy! 

This delicious Pineapple Agua Fresca is full of flavor + so refreshing, you're going to want to make it all the time!

Head over to SCRATCH MOMMY to get the full recipe for this Pineapple Agua Fresca! 

Photo Bomb by TINY LOVE ... she couldn't wait to get her hands on that pineapple. 

If you haven't visited Scratch Mommy yet, make sure to check out some of my favorite DIY posts ... DIY Sunscreen - Easy to Make (and why YOU need this recipe)!, Bye, Bye Bigs (especially mosquitoes) Effective DIY Bug Spray! + her No Fuss Breadsticks grain-free recipe.  She has an amazing Skincare Shop too!  She makes + sells awesome, organic, non-GMO body products like sunscreen, lip balm, deodorant, bug be gone spray, foundation, body butter, body lotion + more. 

This post is shared at Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager, Gluten-Free & DIY Tuesday @ Allergy Free Alaska, + Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop. 

Hibiscus Strawberry Iced Tea Cooler

I can't drink Hibiscus Cooler without thinking about both of my pregnancies.  Each time I drink it, delicious sweet flavors waken my taste buds and take me back to beautiful memories ... my midwife fed it to me while I labored in the water {birthing tub} + my husband got cold glasses of it for me to sip on during my babymoon.  

Hibiscus has a very distinct, delightful taste ... tart, lemony + fruity.  It's heavenly paired with sweet, juicy strawberries.

My family loves this tasty iced tea cooler ... especially when the weather heats up.  It's perfect for the whole family {but make sure to omit the honey if you're feeding it to a baby under 2 years old}.    

HIBISCUS STRAWBERRY ICED TEA COOLER

Perfect drink for rehydrating during the warmer months.  Full of flavor + not too sweet ... this mouthwatering iced tea cooler will have you reaching for a second glass.  Enjoy! 

Equipment: Medium-Size Saucepan w/ Lid, 8-Cup Measuring Cup or Large Bowl, Fine Mesh Strainer, Blender, Pitcher 

{Affiliate links included help support this blog.}

Ingredients

• 1 quart + 1 cup filtered water, divided 
• 2 tablespoons hibiscus flowers*
• 1 teaspoon lemongrass*
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon chips*
• 2 tablespoons raw honey {or sweetener of choice}
• 2 cups frozen organic strawberries

• 1 cup fresh organic strawberries, hulled and sliced 
• 3 cups ice cubes {made from filtered water, I make my ice cubes with this} 

Instructions

1. In a medium-size saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to boil.  Remove from heat and add hibiscus flowers, lemongrass + cinnamon chips.  COVER with a lid and let steep for at least 30 minutes {covering helps keep all of the beneficial properties in the tea}.  For a richer flavor, I steep mine for about 1 hour or more.  

2. Over a 8-cup measuring cup or large bowl, strain tea through a fine mesh strainer, set aside.  

3. Add frozen strawberries, honey + about 2 cups of the tea to a blender.  Blend on medium speed to combine.  Puree until liquified and no strawberry chunks remain.

4. Pour strawberry mixture back into the tea {Note: If you prefer, strain strawberry mixture through a fine mesh strainer back into the tea.}.  Add 1 cup water, stir to combine.  Refrigerate until chilled.

5. Add 3 cups of ice + fresh sliced strawberries to a pitcher and pour cold hibiscus strawberry tea over.

Serve over ice with sliced strawberries to garnish.

Yield: Makes about 6 cups without ice added. 

*Note: If you would prefer to use tea bags instead of bulk herbs, try substituting with this or this. 

Vegan Option: Replace honey with sweetener of choice. 

Where Do I Buy Bulk Herbs? I buy bulk organic herbs, spices + more here.  

OTHER COLD DRINKS TO ENJOY

Vitamin C Herbal Tea by Recipes to Nourish 
Blended Watermelon Lemonade by Recipes to Nourish
Raspberry Lime Elixer by The Organic Kitchen 
Nourishing Herbal Tea Infusion by Recipes to Nourish
Berry Lemonade Kombucha by Live Simply 
Watermelon Cucumber Juice by Recipes to Nourish
Cherry Mint Lemonade by Recipes to Nourish
Honeydew & Lime Agua Fresca by Recipes to Nourish
Nettle Cinnamon Herbal Tea by Recipes to Nourish
The PinkBerry by The Organic Kitchen  

HAVE YOU EVER HAD HIBISCUS COOLER BEFORE?

This post is shared at Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Allergy-Free Wednesdays @ The Tasty Alternative, Gluten-Free & DIY Tuesdays @ Allergy Free Alaska,  Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager, + Paleo AIP Recipe Roundtable @ Phoenix Helix. 

Amazon and Mountain Rose Herbs links are affiliate links, prices are the same for you.  Should you decide to purchase through my blog, thank you in advance and much gratitude for supporting Recipes to Nourish.

Real Food Root Beer Float {How To Make + Where To Buy}

Scoops of Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream floating in bubbly Root Beer ... there's nothing like the Classic Soda Fountain Root Beer Float. 

I loved a good ole' Root Beer Float as a kid, it was one of my favorite extra special desserts.  It's the ultimate summertime drink but makes a fabulous treat anytime of the year.  There's something so nostalgic about it, a childhood memory for many ... it brings back special memories for everyone.

As a kid, I was determined to find the perfect way to make a Root Beer Float ... this took many trials which I happily gobbled up.  I made it so many different ways ... slowly pouring the Root Beer over the ice cream so it wouldn't create too much foam, placing glasses in the freezer first, making sure the root beer was extra cold, etc.  And then, I discovered THE perfect Root Beer Float.  ICE CRYSTALS ... those delicious little pockets of frozen Root Beer that form around the submerged ice cream ... that my friends makes a perfect Root Beer Float {in my opinion}.     

If you have the time to make your own Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream and Homemade Root Beer, then go for it!  If that's not an option and you're craving a Root Beer Float but still want to have a healthy, REAL version ... there are some great options available.

So the question is ... HOW do you make a REAL FOOD Root Beer Float when you are short on time and just want to pick up the ingredients from the store?

WHERE TO BUY:

Root Beer

Revive Root Beer Kombucha - by LIVE Soda Kombucha {click here to find it} Raw, Organic, Creamy, Refreshing + Full of Probiotics

Virgil's Root Beer - by Reeds, Inc. {click here to find or buy here} Non-GMO, Uses Old Fashioned Root Beer Spices + Herbs like Anise, Licorice, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Clove, Wintergreen + Sweet Birch  

Vanilla Ice Cream

Jeni's Ice Cream - {click here to find} Milk from Grass-Grazed Cows, Whole Ingredients, No Flavorings + No Chemical Dyes

Straus Family Creamery Organic Ice Cream - {click here to find} Dairy from Pasture-Fed Cows that Graze on Lush Grass in Tomales Bay, CA, Non-GMO, No Gums, No Thickeners, No Additives, No Artificial Ingredients + No Coloring Agents 

Traders Point Creamery - {click here to find} Organic Grass-fed Ice Cream 

Not all of the ingredients may be "perfect" ... but compared to mainstream, highly processed, non-organic, GMO filled ice creams and root beer, these are the best Real Food options available.  


HOW TO MAKE:

• Place glasses in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to chill.  Optional - place scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream in the glass while the glass chills.  
• Make sure the Root Beer is very cold.
• Remove frozen glasses from freezer.  Fill with Vanilla Ice Cream.
• Slowly pour very cold Root Beer over the Vanilla Ice Cream.  Tilt the glass when pouring to create less foam.
• Optional - place floats back into the freezer for about 5 minutes, this helps develop extra ice crystals around the ice cream.    
• Serve immediately and ENJOY with someone you love!  

WANT TO TRY MAKING YOUR OWN ROOT BEER + ICE CREAM? 

Root Beer Kombucha by Hybrid Rasta Mama
Homemade Root Beer by Nourished Kitchen
Old Fashioned Root Beer by Wellness Mama 

Honey Vanilla Ice Cream by Recipes to Nourish 
Simple Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream by Live Simply 

What memories do have about the Root Beer Float?

Amazon links are affiliate links, prices are the same for you.  Should you decide to purchase through my blog, thank you in advance and much gratitude for supporting Recipes to Nourish.

Creamy Turmeric + Ginger Tea {Dairy-Free Option}

A while back one of my Facebook readers shared that her favorite warming drink in the morning is this Creamy Turmeric Tea {that she found on Mark's Daily Apple}.  I had been drinking lots of my Honey-Sweetened Hot Chocolate in the mornings with a bunch of cinnamon and ginger + adding butter {or ghee} and copious amounts of coconut oil to it.  Now, I LOVE LOVE LOVE my hot chocolate + it's extra delicious with cinnamon, ginger, butter and coconut oil ... but I figured I would check out the recipe my FB reader shared to change up my usual morning warming drink ... especially since everyone is talking about the health benefits of TURMERIC these days.

Since I wanted to make this drink extra nourishing, I changed it up a bit by adding pasture butter + coconut oil*.  I love pasture butter for it's omega 3 fatty acids + CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) ... who am I kidding, I love it because it tastes so good and makes me feel good!  But, I also love it because it's a nourishing fat and helps the body absorb minerals + it's a good source of vitamin D, E and K.  Coconut oil is wonderful for so many reasons too ... I love it because it's high in lauric acid {which is also found in amazing liquid gold a.k.a breastmilk} + it has immune-boosting properties, it's naturally anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal + helps fight of yeast.  And for all of my nursing mommy readers - coconut oil is SO good for you and your baby, it helps increase your lauric acid and can boost milk supply!  


And of course, I couldn't make this drink without cinnamon!  I LOVE cinnamon and it's warming properties, so I decided to add some.  Why not?  If you don't like cinnamon, just leave it out.  

CREAMY TURMERIC + GINGER TEA

This warming drink is full of nourishing, immune-boosting ingredients.  Enjoy a cup with someone you love. {Recipe adapted from Mark's Daily Apple}.

Equipment: Medium-Size Sauce Pan, Blender or Whisk

{Affiliate Links included help support this blog}

• 1 cup raw milk {See Resources}, coconut milk or almond milk
• 1 cup coconut water {I like this + this} or filtered water
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger {I buy mine here}
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric {I buy mine here}
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon {I buy mine here}
• 1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper {I buy mine here}
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon local raw honey or Manuka honey 
• 1-2 tablespoons pasture butter or ghee {optional, See Resources}
• 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil {optional}

1. Place all ingredients into a medium-size sauce pan.  Slowly warm over medium-low heat for about 5-7 minutes {heat to your desired temperature}.  If you are using coconut milk, make sure you do not boil it, it tends to become thick and unpalatable when boiled.  If you're using raw milk, you'll want to heat over a lower heat so you do not destroy the beneficial properties.     

2. If you are adding butter or coconut oil: Place tea into blender and blend for about 10-12 seconds, until the fats are fully incorporated and emulsified.  [Note: Use CAUTION when using the blender, the tea/liquid is very hot and increases in volume when blending.  Make sure to hold the lid on tight while blending or the hot air and liquid can escape making the lid pop off the blender.]

3. Serve hot.  Enjoy immediately. 

Yield: Makes 2 servings

Where Do I Find Bulk Spices + Herbs? My favorite source for bulk spices and herbs is Mountain Rose Herbs. They have a wonderful selection of organic spices and herbs at great prices.  

OTHER WARMING DRINKS TO ENJOY:

• Sweet Butter Tea by Food Your Body Will Thank You For
• Golden Milk by Nourished Kitchen 
• Turmeric Milk by Fresh Bites Daily
• Cinnamon-Thyme Tea by Recipes to Nourish
• Hot Garlic-Ginger Lemonade by Recipes to Nourish
• Chai Tea {Caffeine Free + Immune Boosting} by Recipes to Nourish
• Mexican Hot Chocolate by Recipes to Nourish

*For more info on why Pasture Butter is nourishing and good for us, click here.

*For more info on why Coconut Oil is nourishing and good for us, click here.   

Disclaimer: ALL information you read on Recipes to Nourish is purely for informational and educational purposes only.  I love to share and share with love, but I am not a health care practitioner.  This information is not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease.  If you have questions about food, diet, nutrition, natural remedies or holistic health, please do your own research and consult with your health care practitioner. 

Amazon and Mountain Rose Herbs links are affiliate links, prices are the same for you.  Should you decide to purchase through my blog, thank you in advance and much gratitude for supporting Recipes to Nourish.

This post is shared at: Pennywise Platter Thursday @ The Nourishing Gourmet.

Mexican Hot Chocolate {Vegan Option}

I LOVE Hot Chocolate, especially during this time of year.  When I was a little girl my grandma would make it for me every morning when I stayed with her.  It was such a special treat and created a long time love of the delicious, warming drink.  

My husband grew up drinking Mexican Hot Chocolate with the traditional Ibarra Mexican chocolate.  I was so thrilled when I found TAZA chocolates at our local natural foods co-op.  TAZA is organic, stone ground {like traditional Mexican chocolate} and made with healthier ingredients than the traditional version.  I had been wanting to make Mexican Hot Chocolate for my husband for a long time ... finally, with this Mexican style chocolate I could!  And to my surprise, I ended up loving it.  I thought it would be too spicy for me, but the heat it just perfect and the flavor is divine!  My husband said it was the best hot chocolate he had ever had, better than the authentic version he grew up with.

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

  
Mexican Hot Chocolate

Equipment: Cutting Board, Knife or Standing Grater, Medium-Size Sauce Pan

{Affiliate links included help support this blog}

• 2 cups organic or raw whole milk {See Resources} or full fat coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon cacao powder
• 2.7 ounces of TAZA chocolate {I use 1 Cinnamon disc and 1 Guajillo Chili disc}
• 1-2 tablespoons honey {I use raw local creamed clover honey}
• 1 1/2 teaspoons gluten free vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest {optional}
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Chop or grate the TAZA chocolate discs. 

2. Add all ingredients to the saucepan and heat over medium-low heat {low heat for raw milk} until all chocolate is melted - for about 5-7 minutes or until desired temperature.

3. Serve immediately. 

Yield: 2 servings

Vegan-Option: Use full fat coconut milk {this brand is bpa free, organic and non-gmo} and organic maple syrup grade B.

TAZA Chocolate: Other delicious flavors - Orange, Ginger and Vanilla discs, mix it up by using different chocolate discs.  If the chili heat is too much for you, omit and use just Cinnamon discs or Cinnamon and Orange discs.  Or if you want more spice, use all Guajillo Chili discs and increase the ground cinnamon to 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon.

Looking for another version that has no spice/heat? Check out my 

Honey-Sweetened Hot Chocolate recipe.

Amazon links are affiliate links, prices are the same for you.  Should you decide to purchase through my blog, thank you in advance and much gratitude for supporting Recipes to Nourish.

This post is part of Pennywise Platter Thursday @ The Nourishing Gourmet, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday @ Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop, and Allergy-Free Wednesdays @ The Tasty Alternative.

Guest Post: Pumpkin Chai Smoothie {gluten-free + vegan} by Tasty Yummies

 

I am super excited to have Beth from Tasty Yummies guest posting for The Seasonal REAL Food Blog Series.  I am a huge fan of Beth's blog and have been following it for a long time now.  Her photos are simply beautiful and her gluten-free, fresh, unprocessed recipes won't disappoint (many are vegan too).  

Please make sure to visit Tasty Yummies and check out Beth's wonderful blog.  And while you're there, make sure to check out some of my favorite recipes: Grain-Free Mini Pumpkin Pie Tarts (Vegan), No Bake Vegan "Cheesecake", Cocoa Dusted Macadamia Nuts,  and Grilled Sweet Potato & Wilted Kale Salad.     

************

Hi there, I am Beth from Tasty Yummies. I am a yoga-obsessed graphic designer, illustrator and printmaker living in Southern California and I have been blogging and sharing my recipes on Tasty Yummies for nearly four years. All of the recipes I share on my website are gluten-free, clean and seasonal, many are dairy-free and vegan. I consider myself to be a “conscientious omnivore”, though I eat a lot of naturally vegan foods. 

I am so excited to be here sharing a fun fall recipe here on Recipes to Nourish. I had to go with a pumpkin recipe, because it is one of my most favorite things about this time of year. 

This pumpkin chai smoothie is simple to make and it's the perfect way to enjoy one of fall's best flavors any time you'd like. Besides being so delicious, pumpkin is loaded with a variety of health benefits, too. Chock full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants here are just some of the benefits of that orange goodness!

- Great for digestion! Just 1 cup of pumpkin provides you with 7.1 grams of dietary fiber. Plus 10% of your daily requirement for potassium. 

- Promotes a strong and healthy immune system with various vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. 1 cup of pumpkin supplies 3.4 grams of iron, plus more than your daily serving of vitamin A from antioxidant carotenoids, particularly alpha and beta-carotenes. It’s a good source of vitamins C, K, and E, and lots of minerals, including magnesium.

- Low in calories and fat. One cup contains less than 50 calories, less than one gram of fat and around 3 grams of protein. Plus only 8 grams of carbohydrates.

And don't forget to scoop out and save the seeds and toast 'em up. Pumpkin seeds are a good source of protein and fiber, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, and manganese and a number of other health benefits themselves. 

What's your favorite way to eat pumpkin?

Pumpkin Chai Smoothie - Gluten-free & Vegan

{Affiliate links included help support this blog.} 

• 1/2 cup organic pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
• 1 frozen organic banana
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or milk of your choice
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey (or other sweetener of your choice, you can also add a one or two medjool dates)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon* 
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg*
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger*
• dash each of black pepper, ground cloves and ground cardamom*

Add all of the ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.

{serves 1} 

{*Recipes to Nourish Note: I purchase all of my spices here.}

If you haven't already, make sure to connect with Beth from Tasty Yummies on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.  

Amazon and Mountain Rose Herbs links are affiliate links, prices are the same for you.  Should you decide to purchase through my blog, thank you in advance and much gratitude for supporting Recipes to Nourish.