Fruity White Wine Peach Sangria is an easy and delicious summer cocktail made by the pitcherful. (No bartender necessary!)

This refreshing sangria is the perfect no-fuss fruity drink to enjoy poolside with friends and family this summer. Today I’m sharing an easy white wine peach sangria recipe perfect for a holiday weekend!

So we’ve been outside working hard to spruce up the yard for our son Jacob’s high school graduation party in just a few weeks. It always amazes me how much faster the weeds grow than the flowers.

Jon spent a good amount of time wrestling an invasive vine out of a rhododendron bush out front. He seriously filled three or four lawn bags with just the vines. He was also trimming bushes and weed whacking.

I was weeding flower beds and preparing our little patch of earth for the vegetable garden out back.

So by the time we finished all our hard work last Saturday we were in serious need of liquid refreshment. This Fruity White Wine Peach Sangria fit the bill.

If you’re familiar with sangria at all, you know it’s usually red wine, some sweetener and lots of fresh, ripe fruit. So I did a little switcheroo here, and used white wine instead for a more summery cocktail.

While it isn’t the mixed drink I’d serve Queen Elizabeth if she showed up to tea, it’s a great cocktail just the same. It’s a fun fru-fru girly drink, for the record.

Not high end or pricey, but the perfect cocktail to make by the pitcher and serve inexpensively to large groups. This recipe serves many and makes nearly a gallon. It goes a long way and everyone raves about it. (You’ll thank me later.)

A couple notes:

• Use fresh, ripe fruit that macerates well, releasing its sweet juice into the wine. Bad or unripe fruit doesn’t improve, even when soaked in wine.
• And use decent wine. I like to use cheaper or middle of the road wine for sangria. Today I used a bottle of 2014 Kendall-Jackson Pinot Gris and it turned out great.
• Melting ice can dilute, so opt for extra frozen fruit instead to keep your sangria well chilled.
• If you like a really sweet sangria, add simple syrup. Mine was plenty sweet without additional simple syrup.

Print

Fruity White Wine Peach Sangria Recipe

Sweet peaches macerate in a delicious cocktail for all the pool & patio summer parties! Make this by the pitcherful!

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• 1 25.4 ounce bottle white wine try pinot grigio, pino gris or prosecco I used Kendall Jackson Pinot Gris
• 1, 2 liter bottle of peach soda
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 3-5 ripe juicy peaches, sliced thinly
• Optional - add simple syrup if you like it super sweet. I did not add simple syrup
• Optional - one pint blueberries
• Optional - Extra frozen fruit to keep your sangria cold without dilution.

Instructions

• Pour all ingredients into a very large pitcher. (This make nearly a gallon.)
• Add fresh fruit.
• Chill in the refrigerator, letting fruit macerate in the sangria for several hours.
• Serve well chilled with ice or extra frozen fruit.

You may also like: Blueberry Basil Mojito

The post Fruity White Wine Peach Sangria appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Cucumber Lemonade with Mint is a refreshingly all natural drink on a hot day. Fresh squeezed sweet tart lemonade combines with cucumber juice and muddled mint. It’s especially delicious iced, so try this refreshing cold sip on a sweltering summer day.

Let me start out by saying we’re not big cucumber people around here. I know. My apologies if you are. But we aren’t, and so that means we also aren’t big pickle people either. (Gulp.)

Sacrilege. And furthermore, we don’t have have an abundance of ripe cucumbers waiting to be harvested off the vine in our garden. So there’s that.

BUT. That does NOT mean that we aren’t big Cucumber Lemonade people. Because we are. I discovered that a few weeks ago.

I love it when birthday celebrations stretch on for days, weeks and even months. Don’t you? That’s what happened to me this past summer. A friend took me out for a fun birthday lunch for my mid-July birthday at the end of August.

It was a sweltering day and there, chalked on the specials board, was Minted Cucumber Lemonade. No question, I had to have it.

It was a beautiful drink, pretty in every way. So refreshing and hit the spot. When our server asked if I’d like another – the truth was, I did. But I said, no thank you. (I do have manners.) I said no on account of the fact I’d rather spend my remaining calories eating than drinking…

So that was my first very pleasant encounter with Cucumber Lemonade with Mint and it won’t be my last.

I didn’t think my guys at home would go for it, but I made a batch this week. But first let me tell you how I came to have several lovely cukes in the house.

I was at church and there they were sitting in our give-one, take-one blessing basket. Since I was one of the last out the door and there were still a few left, I couldn’t let good produce go to waste, now could I?

So there you go. That’s how these garden cucumbers arrived in my kitchen fruit bowl.

And the next hot, sweltering day (which happened to be Labor Day), all I could think of was that delicious refreshing birthday cucumber lemonade and what I’d do for another glass. The rest is history.

I shared some with my guys too. And aware of their resistance to all things cucumber, I conveniently failed to mention the cucumber factor when I said “lemonade”. Oops.

But smart, yes? Because they loved it, every sip. And so will you!

Tips for Making Cucumber Lemonade w/Mint:

• Use fresh cucumbers.
• A blender or Magic Bullet works great to puree the cucumber.
• Use fresh squeezed lemon juice if you can, but bottled works too.
• If you’re cutting down on sugar, make this without sweetener and sweeten by the glass. I tried it with stevia and it worked great. You could try honey, maple syrup or other sweeteners.
• If you add cucumber and lemon slices to the pitcher and it sits for a while, you’ll need to add more water. (The flavor intensifies over time as the juices release.)
• Make striped cucumbers for pretty garnishes by running a vegetable peeler down the length of the cucumber before slicing into rounds.
• Add more water if it’s too strong.
• How to muddle mint? Place a sprig of mint in your serving glass and use a wooden spoon to lightly crush it.

Print

Cucumber Lemonade with Mint

Servings 2 quarts

Ingredients

• 10 " fresh cucumber chunked
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice or bottled
• water
• mint sprigs
• extra lemon slices & cucumber slices for garnish

Instructions

• Puree fresh cucumber chunks with a small amount of water in a blender or Magic Bullet until well blended.
• Pour cucumber pulp into a metal sieve (or coffee filter lined colander) with a bowl underneath to catch the cucumber juice.
• Let drain for 10-15 minutes.
• (You'll want to use 1 to 1 1/4 cups of cucumber juice in this recipe.)
• Meanwhile, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup lemon juice in a 2 quart pitcher.
• Add 5 1/2 cups water and stir well.
• (Discard cucumber pulp or set aside for another use.)
• Stir in 1 cup cucumber juice.
• Taste test and add more water if needed.
• You may add extra cucumber juice if desired.
• Muddle a sprig of mint in each serving glass.
• Add ice and pour cucumber lemonade over all.
• Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and cucumber and lemon slices.

Other delicious ideas to use up fresh garden cucumbers: Feisty Cucumber Mint Martini, Sugar Glazed Cucumber Bread, and Cucumber Tomato Salad .

You may also like: Strawberry Basil Lemonade

The post Cucumber Lemonade with Mint appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Looking for a healthier peanut butter smoothie? Try my scrumptious Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Recipe w/Avocado. I’ve been perfecting it for the last few weeks and inhaling it daily for breakfast.

This smoothie tastes more like a shake – creamy, chocolaty and peanut buttery. And packed with 25 grams of protein and no added sugar. You can’t really taste the avocado, but it makes for an extra creamy smoothie and adds healthy fats and fiber. (Plus Tom Brady practically subsists on avocados – so there’s that.) And the whole shebang comes in at about 300 calories…. BIG SCORE!

I like telling tales here. If you’re not in the mood, scroll down for the recipe. If you are, hop on down my Hobbit trail with me…

As you know, we’ve been remodeling our kitchen for the last few months. Thrilled to be nearly finished, and just a few minor details left.

Each Monday morning for weeks during the remodel, Jon and I loaded up the back of the suburban and made the trek across town to the local dump, getting rid of various boxing, styrofoam, packaging and whatever other building waste the contractors produced.

The guy dealing with the public in the little entrance booth at the transfer station might as well have been Gandalf himself. He looks like him. Acts like him. A gruff man of few words is a generous description.

I could tell you various entertaining stories (entertaining in hindsight only!) from our visits, but you get the point. It became an exhausting weekly ritual, dealing with him and distributing the contents of the packed suburban into the various labeled dumpsters he barked out.

After the final less than pleasant visit, where Gandalf had obviously not yet sipped his morning coffee… we headed to the Bridge Street Cafe downtown for breakfast. To decompress…. and celebrate ‘THE. END’.

Jon got a ham, cheddar and spinach omelet and I had the peanut butter power smoothie. I’d never tried one there before but it was excellent and tasted just like a thick peanut butter shake with chocolate overtones.

I go way back with peanut butter and chocolate. Peanut butter and chocolate ice cream from Baskin Robbins as a kid. And then there were those incredible peanut butter chocolate shakes at the Clock Restaurant in Greenville, SC years later. Alas… a moment on the lips, forever on the hips …

So back to that yummy, healthier peanut butter power smoothie a few weeks ago. I asked for the ingredient list, and she mentioned almond milk, peanut butter, ice, cocoa and espresso. Healthy! So of course I had to come home and try to replicate it myself.

It was pretty easy to do, except for the creamy part… and that’s where the ripe avocado comes in.

I initially used organic natural peanut butter. It tasted great but was too many calories to use regularly, so I switched to a peanut butter powder (PB Fit) I found at Walmart in the protein powder aisle. (Using the peanut butter powder instead of the peanut butter cut out 150 calories.)

PB Fit has 90% less fat and 1/3 the calories of regular peanut butter. But still all that great peanut butter flavor we love, making it the perfect addition to smoothies!

Place all the ingredients – unsweetened organic almond milk, chocolate protein powder, peanut butter powder, ice and avocado in your blender or Magic Bullet and blend together until smooth and creamy. (Optional: add stevia and espresso powder for even more flavor.) Serve immediately.

Tips for making Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Recipe w/Avocado:

• Use unsweetened organic almond milk.
• Use ripe avocado.
• To cut calories and fat, use peanut butter powder instead of peanut butter. I used PB Fit peanut butter powder.
• Use good quality chocolate flavored protein powder. (I used 365 Everyday Value Natural Chocolate Flavor whey protein powder from Whole Foods)
• Here’s the calorie/nutrition breakdown if you’re interested:
• 1 cup unsweetened organic almond milk = 30 calories, 1 gram protein, 1 gram carb
• 1/2 avocado cubed = 114 calories – 3.5 grams fiber, 1.5 grams protein, 6 grams carbs
• 2 Tablespoons PB Fit peanut butter powder = 50 calories, 6 grams protein, 4 carbs
• Chocolate Protein powder = 1 scoop – 110 calories, 16 grams protein (365 Everyday Value Natural Chocolate Flavor whey protein powder from Whole Foods), 8 grams carbs
• If using peanut butter instead of the peanut butter powder, it adds a whopping extra 150 calories, because 2 tablespoons organic, unsweetened peanut butter = 200 calories
• 2/3 cup ice = zero calories

Print

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Recipe w/Avocado

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup crushed ice or ice cubes
• 1 cup unsweetened organic almond milk
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder I used 365 Everyday Value Natural Chocolate Flavor whey protein powder from Whole Foods
• 2 tablespoons I used PB Fit Peanut Butter Powder (or 2 tablespoons peanut butter)
• 1/2 ripe avocado peeled and cubed
• optional: 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
• optional: 1-2 drops stevia

Instructions

• Place all ingredients in blender or Magic Bullet and blend until smooth and creamy.
• Serve immediately!

You may also like this: Blueberry Coconut Almond Smoothie

The post Creamy Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Recipe w/Avocado appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Sweet, creamy and oh so chocolate. That’s all you need to know about this Godiva Chocolate Martini recipe. It uses Godiva chocolate liqueur, creme de cacao and Stoli vanilla vodka. I’ll raise my glass to that! Cheers to a delicious chocolate martini for the holidays!!! (Clink clink.)

It all started last month. Or several decades ago.  Maybe earlier. But last month I commissioned my talented niece Kate to paint a custom sign for our house. I wanted the Irish words céad míle fáilte. (Also attributed as Gaelic, but let’s say Irish since I’m nearly a quarter Irish. And that should count for something.)

I had Kate paint that phrase because those words hang above the welcoming front porch of the Rabbit Hill Inn in Lower Waterford, Vermont. Rabbit Hill Inn is dear to our hearts and sits on a hill overlooking the picturesque valley below, including a beautiful, New England white-steepled church.

As a young boy my husband Jon lived in Lower Waterford, just down the street from Rabbit Hill. And Rabbit Hill is the magical New England get-away where we’ve celebrated several milestone anniversaries. So we have a love for the inn and the area on many counts.

When we moved to our new home across town this past summer, I knew I wanted the phrase ‘céad míle fáilte’ hanging over the entrance to the vaulted ceiling living room. ‘Céad míle fáilte’ means ‘a hundred thousand welcomes’. And you can’t get much more welcome than that!

I was perusing Rabbit Hill’s site to spell the phrase correctly, when I stumbled on the Godiva Chocolate Martini recipe served in Rabbit Hill’s Snooty Fox Pub. Naturally I wanted to share it with you here. It’s the perfect little sweet something for December cocktail parties.

Creamy and sweet, this Godiva Chocolate Martini recipe is ideal for the holidays. Use Stoli vanilla vodka, Godiva chocolate liqueur and creme de cacoa. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

And since I can’t stomach the thought of ingesting FD & C red #4 (learn more about the horrific traditional processing of maraschino cherries here) , I treated myself to a very pleasant field trip to Whole Foods this past week to buy stem-on maraschino cherries. Merry Maraschino Cherries are free from artificial colors, flavors and dyes.

I also found a mini rosemary Christmas tree! So not only am I feeling festive, but my kitchen smells divine! Woot woot! The wallet groans, but I always feel better after a Whole Foods field trip. Maybe don’t mention that to my husband. Though I’m guessing it’s cheaper than therapy…

Tips for making the perfect Godiva Chocolate Martini:

• Chill the martini glasses.
• Have plenty of fresh ice on hand.
• Use Stoli Vanilla vodka, Godiva chocolate liqueur and creme de cacoa.

Print

Godiva Chocolate Martini Recipe

Cuisine Cocktail Drink

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 drink

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Stoli vanilla vodka
• 1.5 ounce creme de cacao
• 1 ounce Godiva chocolate liqueur
• Optional garnish: maraschino cherry and shaved chocolate

Instructions

• Chill martini glass on ice. Set aside.
• Fill cocktail shaker half full of ice.
• Add Stoli vanilla vodka, creme de cacao and Godiva chocolate liqueur.
• Shake well in shaker and strain into chilled martini glass.
• Garnish with maraschino cherry and shaved chocolate.

You may also like: Famous Brick Street Chocolate Cake

The post Godiva Chocolate Martini appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

If you haven’t visited the green mountain state of Vermont and sampled a Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer, what are you waiting for? Translation? (Giggle.) Steaming milk whisked to a froth combined with pure maple syrup. A dollop of fresh whipped cream floating on top. A dusting of cinnamon. Now that is a bonafide maple syrup steamer.

Best savored from a hand-thrown mug I might add. That’s all folks. So. Dang. Good. And this New England girl will absolutely swoon for a mugful!

So the first time I tasted a Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer was at the Moon Dog Cafe in Chester, VT a few years ago on a girls’ road trip. It was November and cold. Rainy and RAW. If you live around here, you know raw is that unpleasant combo of piercing cold and wet that goes straight to the bone. (Just like ugly.)

It was that kind of a day, raw. The sky was dark and ominous. The girls and I wandered in and out of artisan boutiques and vintage resale shops on main street. (My favorite – a resale leather shop that specializes in personalized, stamped leather bracelets.)

Cold drops splish-splashed down the window panes and our cold noses both. Early afternoon we stumbled through the swinging door of the Moon Dog Cafe in Chester, VT .

Inside the dimly lit cafe, we stepped back in time. Quaint is the word that comes to mind when I think of Moon Dog. Vintage painted furniture stacked with hand poured soaps and lavendar sachets.Eclectic gifts. Metal tubes of thick hand cream for serious gardeners. (And gourmet pastries for the rest of us.)

Chilled and dripping, we headed straight to the hot drinks counter. That’s when I spied “maple steamer” chalked on the black board menu overhead. Since anything maple reels me in fast, I asked the hippie server about it.

She knew her stuff and in a minute flat, handed me a steaming mug of pure, creamy maple deliciousness. I have quite a few maple syrup recipes here on the blog, but today’s recipe is by far the simplest.

Steam your choice of milk, froth it if you like. Stir in pure maple syrup for a sweet, creamy hot drink that’ll warm you from the inside out. Even on a raw New England day. Top with a dollop of pure whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.

I was reminded of that first maple steamer a few weeks ago when Jon and I sneaked (snuck?) away for a whirlwind weekend to Jackson and Littleton, NH. It was another cold weekend. Not cold enough for snow. But wet, yes.

Jackson Falls – Jackson, NH

We breakfasted for a late lunch at Polly’s Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill. If you’ve never been to Polly’s before, do add it to your bucket list. They’ve been serving pancakes and all things maple for over seventy-five years. They have a million different kinds of home made pancakes on the menu, cooked individually, just for you by your server. (Jon ordered six different kinds, one of them, cornmeal coconut. I sampled – unusual, but delicious.)

That’s when I saw the maple steamer on the menu. I had to have one and it was just as good as I remember from Moon Dog. Maybe even better.

So treat yourself to a little slice of New England on a cold afternoon this winter. Relax by the fire and savor a Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer. Warm, comforting and simply delicious. You’ll be glad you did!

Are you a pottery junkie like me? I’m lucky one of my boys takes pottery and feeds my habit, bringing home beautifully glazed pottery from the wheel. Love it. I also love searching out new pottery for posts here.

The unusual mug featured above was found on our recent whirlwind weekend in northern NH at the League of NH Craftsman Fine Craft Gallery  in Littleton, NH. The mug was crafted in clay by NH resident and potter, David Ernster.

Says David: “I have spent my life working with my hands. There is something spiritual and precious about handmade objects. They connect us to the past, tradition, and passion of the maker – a passion I think we all feel and crave to be a part of. Most of my work is conceived around this personal contact and interaction with the object.

I received a BFA in Metalsmithing from the University of Iowa and my MFA in Ceramics from West Virginia University. While I do make work that is purely sculptural, I am most interested in the things that we use and the ideas of containment, protection and mystery they evoke. What really excites me are the personal objects we interact with in intimate ways in our daily lives.”

Tips for making a Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer:

• Use your choice of milk.
• Use pure maple syrup.
• Use a frother if you have one, or one of these clever milk frothing ideas from Pioneer Woman!
• Optional: top with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon if desired

Print

Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups milk your choice - dairy, coconut, almond, etc.
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• Optional Garnish: whipped cream & cinnamon

Instructions

• Heat milk until steaming on the stovetop or in the microwave.
• Stir in maple syrup.
• Froth if desired.
• Pour into a mug.
• Optional: Garnish with fresh whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.

You may also like: Maple Chai Tea Latte

or Maple Pumpkin Spice Tea Latte

The post Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Maple Pumpkin Spice Tea Latte: wrap your hands around this warm, comforting mug of delicious in the cooler months. This rich and creamy spiced latte drink recipe uses your choice of milk and pumpkin spice tea. It’s lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup.

When the opportunity presents itself to escape for a few hours of quiet and relaxation, run that direction. Run fast. Because you never know when it might happen again. That’s just what we did this past Monday. It dawned a beautiful fall day, and the kids had already headed off to school, so Jon and I made a break for it. To the beach.

There was a fall chill in the air when we left mid-morning, so we stopped along the way at Popovers on The Square for a hot drink to go. He ordered a chai tea latte and I a pumpkin spice latte. The lidded cups weren’t marked and Murphy’s law, the drinks got swapped.

You should’ve seen the grimace as he sampled my PSL. You’d think it was Drano. Ha ha. A coffee lover he is not. Then he bemoaned the sad fact that no one ever has a pumpkin spice tea latte on the menu.

Of course then I got excited… because that’s something I can fix in the world. LOL. The Maple Pumpkin Spice Tea Latte recipe you see here today is my attempt to right this wrong!

The beach was deserted and we took along our furry new sidekick, Chloe. She’s an older rescue dog from the south, and we don’t think she’s ever been to the sea shore before.

Chloe loved the beach, sniffed every pile of seaweed suspiciously and raised her nose to the breeze often. She also rolled around in the sand quite a bit! (We initially got Chloe for Hudson as a companion, but the rest of us are enjoying her every bit as much.)

Following our beach time, we dropped by Trader Joe’s in Portsmouth. (We’re getting a Trader Joe’s near us soon, but not soon enough!) I was delighted to see pumpkin spice rooibos tea sachets in their stellar tea collection. Rooibos tea is caffeine free, FYI, and I picked up a box for this Maple Pumpkin Spice Tea Latte recipe. I checked and Walmart, Target, Harry & David and Amazon all sell various brands of pumpkin spice tea.

Some pumpkin spice latte recipes use pureed pumpkin, but I really don’t want to open a can of pumpkin every time I want a pumpkin spice latte, use a tablespoon or two and have to store/refrigerate the rest. (Aka throw it out eventually.) So these pumpkin spice tea sachets from Trader Joe’s fit the bill perfectly for this recipe.

Tips to make the perfect Maple Pumpkin Spice Tea Latte:

• The following recipe makes 12 ounces, serves one and is made in a mug. You can multiply the recipe by as many servings as needed and steep in a saucepan on the stovetop.
• Use pumpkin spice or fall harvest tea bags for this recipe.
• Control flavor, calorie and nutrition content by using your choice of milk.
• Steep tea bag/sachet in the hot milk for 5-7 minutes, then discard.
• For heightened flavor, use less milk or add an extra tea bag/sachet.

Print

Maple Pumpkin Spice Tea Latte

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 serving - 12 ounces

Author Allie

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups milk dairy, almond, coconut etc.
• 1 pumpkin spice tea bag
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 - 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup to taste
• dash of pumpkin spice ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice

Instructions

• Heat milk until steaming (not boiling) in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop.
• Pour steaming milk over pumpkin spice tea bag in mug and steep 5-7 minutes.
• Squeeze tea bag well and discard.
• Stir in vanilla and maple syrup.
• Lightly dust with pumpkin spice, ground cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice.
• Serve hot.

Notes

Easily multiply this recipe by as many servings as needed and make in a saucepan on the stovetop.

You may also like: Maple Chai Tea Latte Recipe

The post Maple Pumpkin Spice Tea Latte appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

This old-fashioned, fresh-squeezed limeade recipe will transport you to a bygone era when chatting and sipping in the old porch rocker was summertime itself. Fresh-squeezed lime juice combines with pure sugar in this simple recipe for a refreshingly sweet-tart summer sipper for everyone to enjoy!

Let’s Do It the Old-Fashioned Way

This is the ultimate refreshing summer drink that’s ready in just 5 minutes! You’ll need only four everyday ingredients to make this easy homemade limeade recipe. Plus, it’s perfect to make ahead of time and enjoy it through the day in the hot summer months. 

I’ve learned through much trial and error that when it comes to super simple recipes like homemade lemonade or limeade, it’s better to make it from scratch. (And honestly just as easy as buying the powdered stuff from the store!)

Simply squeeze fresh limes (or use store-bought lime juice in a pinch), and combine in a pitcher with water and sugar. Serve with ice cubes, and garnish with fresh mint and lime slices , if desired. Then all that’s left to do it sit back, relax, and and enjoy!

Key Ingredients

You only need four ingredients to make this quick and easy homemade limeade recipe!

• Freshly squeezed lime juice (or store-bought, if you’re in a rush)
• Granulated white sugar (or your preferred sweetener)
• Water (filtered, if desired)
• Fresh lime slices and mint (for garnish)

How To Make It

This recipe could not be more simple to make! Start by squeezing your limes to yield 1 cup of lime juice. Place that in a 2-quart pitcher. Add 1 cup of granulated sugar, and stir to combine until the sugar is dissolved. (This is essentially the simple syrup for the limeade.)

Then, add enough water to fill the pitcher. Stir again to combine the water with the lime juice-sugar simple syrup mixture.

Now, all that’s left to do is serve! Pour the limeade into individual glasses with ice, thinly sliced limes, and fresh mint leaves. Refrigerate the leftovers, or freeze them to use for up to 3 months later.

Storage and Freezing Tips

• Store this prepared homemade limeade recipe in the pitcher it’s prepared in for up to 1 week.
• If making a large batch, you can freeze any extra limeade mixture in an airtight, freezer-safe plastic bag, container, or even ice cube tray for up to 3 months. To thaw, simply allow it to come to room temperature.

Tips and Variations

• Make this a cocktail by mixing in your favorite light liquor like gin, vodka, or tequila!
• Add some bubbles by serving this homemade limeade with some carbonated water (plain or citrus-flavored).
• Take it up a notch by serving this limeade with a sugared rim. Dip your limeade glasses in some water (or some limeade), then dip them into a light layer of granulated sugar mixed with lime zest. 
• Add more mix-ins like thinly sliced jalapeños, sliced cucumber, or even fresh berries!
• Not a fan of lime? Use any citrus you like! Lemons, oranges, and grapefruit work beautifully with this blueprint recipe.

More Refreshing Drink Recipes To Try

• White Wine Peach Sangria
• Raspberry Limeade Recipe 
• Strawberry Sangria Recipe
• Clean Eating Orange Julius
• Cucumber Lemonade
• Triple Easy Homemade Lemonade

Print

Old-Fashioned Fresh Squeezed Limeade Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2 quarts

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• nearly 2 quarts water
• garnish with fresh lime slices and mint if desired

Instructions

• Place fresh squeezed lime juice in a 2 quart pitcher.
• Add 1 cup granulated sugar.
• Stir to combine.
• Add enough water to fill the pitcher.
• Stir well until combined.
• Serve limeade over ice and garnish with lime slices and mint sprigs.
• Refrigerate leftovers.

The post Old-Fashioned Fresh Squeezed Limeade Recipe appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Raspberry Limeade: the perfect summery drink. Cool and refreshing. Sweet and tart. Pink! The perfect pool-side sip. Says summer, vacation, fabulous and fruity. (Can you tell I’m ready? Ha.)

Growing up in Rhode Island, we had a few wild raspberry bushes out by the pool in the side yard. My brother and I kept close tabs on the berries as they morphed from a yellowish-green hue to fat and juicy, ripe and pink. The bushes didn’t produce many raspberries, not enough for a pie or cobbler, so we pretty much inhaled them as they ripened. Such easy contentment and satisfaction enjoying warm, sweet raspberries in the sun.

This recipe for Raspberry Limeade uses frozen raspberries. Frozen are so much cheaper than fresh and you can barely tell a taste difference in a drink like this. I used the fresh berries for garnish only.

This patio drink is one the whole family can enjoy. Make it extra special with easily assembled fruit skewers! A pretty sip for spring baby or bridal showers. Raspberry Limeade is so festive!

Mash the raspberries and stir in 1/4 cup sugar. Let macerate for ten to 15 minutes. (What a pretty color!) Strain sugar/raspberry mixture, pushing through sieve with a spoon. Discard seeds.

Squeeze fresh limes! If you’re in a hurry, bottled lime juice will do, though fresh is better.

Mix together remaining sugar and lime juice in 2 quart pitcher ’til sugar is dissolved. Add raspberry juice and enough water to fill the pitcher. Float raspberries, mint, and lime slices or garnish with fruit skewers and paper straws. Relax and enjoy every refreshing sip!

Print

Raspberry Limeade Recipe

Raspberry Limeade: the perfect fun, summery drink. Cool and refreshing. Sweet and tart. Pink!

Course Drink

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• water
• 1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice or bottled
• 2 cups fresh raspberries or frozen, mashed
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• Optional for garnish: fresh raspberries limes, wooden skewer, mint, fun straws

Instructions

• In mixing bowl, mash 2 cups of fresh or frozen raspberries.
• Allow to macerate for 10-15 minutes.
• Separately, place 1 cup lime juice in a 2 quart pitcher.
• Stir in 1 cup sugar "til dissolved.
• Strain raspberries through strainer, saving juice only.
• Add raspberry juice to pitcher and fill remainder with water.
• Serve with fresh raspberries, lime slices and mint sprigs.

Notes

Stack fresh fruit on wooden skewers.
Float raspberries, lime slices and mint sprigs.

You may also like: Triple Easy Homemade Lemonade

The post Raspberry Limeade Recipe appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Blueberry Coconut Almond Smoothie: light and refreshing smoothie with wild blueberries, coconut milk, Greek yogurt and almonds. Perfect light breakfast, lunch or post work-out power snack.

Summer’s coming and I’m excited. Wicked excited. It’s been a bear of a winter around here. Fact is, spring just finally arrived here this past week. I can hear the tinkle of my wind chimes, and that make me happy. We’re finally outdoors more, eating lighter, perhaps wanting to BE a little lighter… (!)

A Blueberry Coconut Almond Smoothie is a refreshing way to eat (drink?) a nutritious, healthy snack or light meal with fewer calories than a sit down lunch or dinner. Smoothies also tide you over perfectly if you had a late brunch.  Just enough to get you through without a big lunch or lots of carbs. I get it, because I’m doing that here too.

This Blueberry Coconut Almond Smoothie is light, refreshing and oh so tasty. Perfect for breakfast, the almonds, blueberries, yogurt and coconut milk make it super nutritious too! You’ll be whipping this up time and again.

The recipe makes a full 16 ounces. Drink it all, or if you’re in a generous state of mind, share it with someone lucky. Either way, this Blueberry Coconut Almond Smoothie is a tasty, healthy choice for spring and summer.

Not long ago I spied these great Easy Blueberry Rosemary Drink Garnishes on my friend Amy’s She Wears Many Hats blog. Amy’s clever, yes she is. Also kind, said I could share them with you here.

So take a jog over to her blog today and make these pretty garnishes for your Blueberry Coconut Almond Smoothie.

Print

Blueberry Coconut Almond Smoothie Recipe

This smoothie is refreshing, light and nutritious!

Course Smoothie

Cuisine light meal, Snack

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups frozen blueberries
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon sliced or slivered raw almonds
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup water or more for consistency
• 2 ice cubes
• Optional: 1/8 teaspoon almond or coconut extract

Instructions

• Place everything in the blender and blend blend blend, adding more water if needed for consistency.

Notes

Garnish with Easy Blueberry Rosemary Garnishes from She Wears Many Hats http://shewearsmanyhats.com/easy-rosemary-blueberry-drink-garnishes/

This recipe makes two 8 oz. servings, 180 calories each.

You may also like: Clean Eating Orange Julius

The post Blueberry Coconut Almond Smoothie appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Today I’m sharing a quick and easy recipe for How to Make Buttermilk at home. Buttermilk is a key ingredient used in many recipes: muffins, pancakes, waffles, cakes and biscuits to name a few. Save a trip to the store and make buttermilk at home in five minutes with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.

I don’t usually buy buttermilk at the grocery store anymore. We don’t actually drink it, we just use it in baking recipes. Buttermilk is universally known to add tenderness to baked goods. There are lots of great recipes here on the blog using buttermilk: white wheat waffles, biscuits, pancakes, cupcakes and chocolate cake!

The most popular cake recipe here on the site that uses buttermilk is the Famous Brick Street Chocolate Cake recipe found here. Chocolate lovers – you will not be disappointed!

If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, you may already know these hacks for making buttermilk at home. Before I learned them, I was buying buttermilk for recipes all the time. Then the extra just sat around and I had to pour it down the drain when it went bad. Now I make the exact amount of buttermilk needed for a recipe in less than five minutes. (Homemade buttermilk is cheaper too.)

Here’s How to Make Buttermilk at Home:

For every cup of buttermilk called for in a recipe, add one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a scant cup of milk and stir. Let the mixture sit for five or ten minutes. The acidity of the lemon juice or vinegar causes the milk to curdle and thicken. It’s not quite as thick as traditional buttermilk from the store, but it’s a wonderful substitute and works well in baked goods, pancakes and waffles.

• You can also whisk in 1/4 cup milk (or water) into 3/4 cup sour cream for a great buttermilk substitute.
• Or mix 1/4 cup milk (or water) with plain or vanilla yogurt.

These are great buttermilk substitutes and are less expensive than buying traditional buttermilk in the dairy section. Happy baking!

Print

How to Make Buttermilk at Home (Buttermilk Recipe)

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cup buttermilk

Ingredients

• 1 scant cup milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar

Instructions

• In a small mixing bowl, stir one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into a scant cup of milk.
• Let sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken.
• Use as a substitute for buttermilk in your baking recipes.

Notes

Here are some other great substitutes for buttermilk:
Stir in 1/4 cup milk or water into 3/4 cup sour cream.
OR:
Stir in 1/4 cup water or milk into plain or vanilla yogurt.
Use as a substitute for buttermilk in your favorite recipes.

You may also like: DIY Pure Vanilla Extract

The post How to Make Buttermilk at Home appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.