June 12, 2017
Submitted photo/for PhillyVoice
Depending on the mixtures of ingredients, infused waters can boost your immune system, aid in digestion, help lose weight and increase your normal vitamin, mineral and fiber intake.
Drinking homemade infused water is a great way to quench your thirst on a hot summer day as well get additional nutritional and health benefits than drinking just plain water. It is also a great alternative to flavored waters that may contain carbonation, preservatives and additional sugar. Depending on the mixtures of ingredients, they can boost your immune system, aide in digestion, help lose weight and increase your normal vitamin, mineral and fiber intake.
Most importantly though, it will keep you hydrated. So, raise a glass and cheers to your health. Before you start soaking your ingredients, here are a few helpful tips:
• Wash all your ingredients in cold water and very lightly rinse herbs.
• Use fresh, ripe fruits.
• Soak ingredients at room temperature for two hours then refrigerate or soak ingredients in the fridge for three to four hours.
• Use filtered tap water or plain tap water if your pipes are good.
• After four hours, you should remove ingredients and transfer water to a clean pitcher.
• Best if consumed the day of, but mixtures will hold for up to the days in the refrigerator.
• Keep mixtures extra cold with ice if left out at room temperature.
• The denser the fruit, the thinner you want to cut it.
• Smash or muddle ginger and herbs to release the most flavor.
• Add a few pinches of Pink Himalayan salt for added minerals and electrolytes.
Now, for your recipes.
2 sliced red apples
6-8 honeysuckle blossoms snapped in half
Half of a vanilla bean
Half gallon of water
Use an apple wedge and fresh honeysuckle blossoms for garnish
Strawberry Basil
10-12 large strawberries
Leaves from 1 bunch of basil, roughly chopped
Half gallon of water
Use strawberry or basil top as garnish
Watermelon Mint Lime
2-3 cups of large, diced watermelon (rind off)
1/2 cup of roughly chopped mint
5 TBS of freshly squeezed lime juice
Half a gallon of water
Garnish with a watermelon wedge
Dragonfruit Jalapeño Mint: The Mother of Dragonfruit
2 cups small diced dragonfruit
2 jalapeños de-seeded and rough cut
1/2 cup rough cut mint
Half a gallon of water
Garnish with wedge of Dragonfruit or jalapeño rings
Orange Blueberry
2 large oranges cut into rings
1 cup of blueberries cut in half
Half gallon of water
Garnish with an orange wedge and a few floating blueberries
Pineapple Honeydew Mango Ginger
1 cup medium diced pineapple (skin off)
1 cup medium diced honeydew (skin off and seeded)
1 cup medium diced mango (skin off)
2 TBS of skinned and crushed ginger
Half gallon of water
Garnish with a pineapple wedge
2 oranges sliced into rings
2 lemons sliced into rings
2 limes sliced into rings
Half gallon of water
Garnish with thin, round slice of orange, lemon and lime stacked against each other
The Vanilla Pear
3 sliced pears
2 cinnamon sticks snapped in half
2 TBS of peeled and crushed ginger
1 vanilla bean split in half
Half gallon of water
Orange Cinnamon
3 oranges sliced into rings
4 cinnamon sticks snapped in half
2 cloves cracked in half
Half gallon of water
Garnish with orange wedge and whole cinnamon stick
Stay cool and healthy and enjoy.
