Hot Whiskey Grog

I haven't felt the best lately. So I went searching for remedies, of course.

With St. Patrick's Day around the corner (at the time), and recently getting confirmation that I'm nearly a quarter Irish, I've been looking for some drinks to have some Irish whiskey with.

I found recipes for hot toddies. I saw some use whiskey, some use rum, some use bourbon. I had the whiskey on hand, so I started making one or two each evening for a few nights. When my whiskey ran out, I changed to rum.

I didn't have much of either liquor, so I had to get more.

But I got thinking about this drink. I even found an absolute Irish version as a Hot Whiskey, then figured it was pretty reminiscent of a pirate's grog or bumbo (the drink, not the baby seat).

After getting some more whiskey (because I needed it for St. Paddy's Day!), and we got some rum to have on hand for some other drinks, I got thinking about channeling my inner Irish pirate & mixing it all up!

Here's what I did:

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HOT WHISKEY GROG

Ingredients:

~ 1 Tbs brown sugar
~ 2 tsp honey
~ 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ground clove (pick one or two) OR pumpkin pie spice OR gingerbread spice
~ 2 tsp lemon juice
~ 2 tsp lime juice
~ 1-2 Tbs whiskey (I used an Irish whiskey)
~ 1 Tbs rum (NOT flavored!)
~ 1 slice lemon, cut in half
~ approx 8 whole cloves - enough to have 1 clove per section in the lemon slice
~ 1/2 C very hot water
~ 1 small mug or Irish Coffee mug


Directions:

* Run very hot water in the mug, especially if it the glass Irish Coffee mug, swish it around & dump it out to warm the mug

* Add in the brown sugar, honey, ground spice(s), lemon & lime juice into the bottom of the mug

* Add in the liquors

* Take a clove & insert it into each section of the lemon slice, which should be cut in half; add lemon halves to the mug

* Add in the piping hot water (you can do this with boiling water on the stove or in a tea kettle OR use a Keurig to pour in the hot water for you)

* Take a spoon & stir

* Sip & enjoy!


Yield: 1

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NOTE:  I have done this with steeping green tea in it, I've added additional vitamin C (i.e., orange juice or Welch's orange, pineapple & apple juice), and I've done it where I've added both. The additions are good, but having it as listed is yummy, too. Also, enjoy on St. Patrick's Day, Talk Like a Pirate Day, when you're feeling yucky, or on a cold night. Oh yeah...and all the measurements are approximate - eyeball it all & enjoy; don't get too caught up in the measurements...I kind of guessed.

This drink is warm, comforting, medicinal & yummy! It appeals to my Irish side plus my inner pirate! Whiskey AND rum; lemon juice, lime juice, the spices; the brown sugar & honey - it all has the makings of a toddy AND grog or bumbo. And I do believe it's helped me feel better, too.

ENJOY!

New Year's Day Dishes

So it's a New Year. You've been told you need to eat things like:
          Black Eyed Peas/Beans
          Pork
          Greens
          Circles

Amm-i-rite?

Now you've got those kiddos (or adults) who scrunch up their nose at you at the very thought. Right? We've all got 'em.

I enjoy making a one-dish-covers-all kind meal. And you can put those extra things in there without being full on detected. Much like the NEW YEAR'S HAM & BEANS I make. Seriously, there are some who wouldn't eat black eyed peas or kale (like I used last year), but when I put them in the ham & beans, those same people went back for seconds!

Happened this year, too. So glad! A newbie to my ham & beans said they were pleasantly surprised by the vegetable addition. And I added in extra dark red kidney beans as well as using collard greens instead of kale. Still so good...

You know, if you don't want to do ham & beans, I know some who will put these things into a chili! You can add bacon bits to the chili to cover the pork, too!

OK, I'm going to admit something to you. Until the beginning part of last year, I'd never heard of a thing called Hoppin' John. Seriously. Have you? Since it apparently involves rice, I thought of it as another option for those who don't want full-on ham & beans!

So I began to research. You know what I found out? Americans can sure screw things up! I found a lot of "traditional" Hoppin' John recipes out there, but as I dug further, I discovered it's not actually spicy & doesn't have a bunch of extra ingredients! It's also not supposed to be mushy. It's just simply supposed to be bacon (or ham or sausage) in beans & rice, cooked together, adding each ingredient at a different time. The only seasoning is maybe a little salt & some pepper. It's should be served with a side of collard greens, but since I'm a one-dish-covers-it kind of gal (remember?), I thought I'd add in some of the collard greens with the Hoppin' John.

Also, you can have small red peas/cowpeas that are basically red black-eyed peas! BOOM! Now they are interesting to look at, too.

Dried small red peas/cowpeas...see the black eyes??

Since I have a non-pork eater, I thought I'd add in some liquid smoke, butter, and then some turkey bacon bits. No, it's not pork, but we still worked in the bean & greens thing. So, there's that. And? My daughter LOVED it!! I asked her if I should add in some of the extra veggies & spices others have done, and she said no! She loved the comforting taste & feel of the dish. YAY! This is coming from a girl who doesn't even like beans...but she had several bowls of it! YAY!

Simple, non-pork Hoppin' John

I also had an idea! I had a wonderful, "awful" idea! Stay with me...

Since we have already been trying to eat better around here, and with the running my hubby & I have been doing, I really wanted a dessert that we could really enjoy, yet not feel horrible about! Many of the after-workout protein bars are already like a candy bar, so how could I give an awesome protein follow-up punch to a good run? BROWNIES! Right?

If you know me, you know I will celebrate about ANY holiday to the hilt! It's food, attire, activities, color schemes...everything. With the new year ringing in within hours, I was planning how this year could be different than last year.

Last year I became fully aware of the "Color of the Year," put out by Pantone (go figure), for the defining color of the new year...even with the definition!
Our family began a new tradition, last year, of starting the new year with a casual get-together with great, positive people while enjoying edible new year's traditions together. It was delightfully uplifting! I also decided to use the 2014 color of the year, Radiant Orchid, to decorate a tree with for display. We took down our other trees, but I left up a little tinsel tree adorned with purples, pinks, fuchsias...all in the Radiant Orchid color palette. It was a lot of fun to have up. So, we decided to renew the tradition for 2015!

The Color of the Year, from Pantone, is Marsala! Yes, like the wine. A deep, robust & earthy red-brown. It's very lovely. So I decided to focus on the color for this year's gathering. I left up a small tree to decorate in a lovely deep red with golds & greens, feathers & sparkle. It's rather elegant.

Along the same color lines, I decided to find more for the edible portion of the holiday. Much like those red black-eyed peas being a perfect fit! I'm also added those dark red kidney beans to the ham & beans, along with the Hoppin' John, of course, for the same reason. So why stop there? Why not with the brownies, too??

For the first time, this past year, I heard about bean brownies. Yes...the brownies where you add a can of black beans (or cannellini beans, etc.) to a brownie mix, or homemade brownie batter, for a fiber-filled, protein-filled yummalicious treat! Or so I've heard...
Well, I decided I would make a protein-packed, fiber-filled red velvet cake brownies!!

How can you go wrong with ingredients like these?



Here's what I did...

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RED VELVET PROTEIN BROWNIES

Ingredients:

* 1/2 lb. dried small red peas/cowpeas, soaked, drained & rinsed
* 1 can dark red kidney beans, NOT drained
* 1 C red quinoa
* 5 C water
* 1/2 C plain non-fat Greek yogurt (vanilla non-fat Greek yogurt for sweeter taste)
* 1 box red velvet cake mix
* 1 pkg fudge brownie mix
* 1 bag chocolate chips (dark best, but any will work) OR 1 bag peanut butter chips; divided
* 1/4 C natural creamy peanut butter (if not using peanut butter chips)

** Used a food processor and standing mixer for this recipe


Directions:

~ Soak dry beans in water, placed in the fridge, for about 8 hours

~ Remove beans from fridge, drain & rinse (check for pebbles)

~ Place drained & rinsed beans in a medium saucepan, then cover with 5 C water


~ Bring water in saucepan to a boil, then lower burner to low & cover with lid (kept tilted) and allow to simmer until beans are tender (abut 1 1/2-2 hours)

~ In the las 30 minutes of the beans cooking, add in the quinoa (you can rinse if you'd like, first - I didn't)

~ Once beans are cooked thru & the quinoa has expanded, take off the burner to cool for several minutes (may have standing water...which is OK)

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

~ When the bean & quinoa mixture has cooled significantly, transfer to the bowl of your food processor

~ Open the can of dark red kidney beans, and add all contents into the food processor

~ Turn on the food processor (I used the chop setting) until mixture is a creamy consistency

~ Stop the process, open the food processor, then add the Greek yogurt

~ Close lid & start the food processor back up to incorporate the yogurt into the mixture

~ When all the beans, quinoa & yogurt are creamed together, stop the food processor

~ Put the contents of the cake mix & brownie mix into the bowl of the standing mixer

~ Transfer the bean mixture into the standing mixer bowl

~ Incorporate the mixes, chips & bean mixture on low in the standing mixer

~ Add in about 1/2-2/3 of the chocolate chip (or peanut butter chip) bag to the batter slowly

~ While it all mixes, spray a 9"x13" cake pan with cooking spray or lay down parchment paper

~ Once all the ingredients are good & mixed, pour it into the prepared cake pan - it will be thick! You will probably want to spread it with a rubber spatula.

~ Place the filled cake pan into the oven for about 25 minutes, until cake brownies are firm to the touch (may do the toothpick/knife test, but it may not come out completely clean)

~ While the brownies bake, melt the remaining chocolate chips with the peanut butter (or just the peanut butter chips); I put the remaining chips from the bag into a small bowl with the peanut butter, then put the bowl in a slightly larger bowl filled half-way with water, then placed in the microwave for 2 minutes - when done, I took out the bowl with the chocolate & peanut butter, then stirred them until completely incorporated & smooth (you may use a stovetop method if you so choose)

~ When the brownies are done, take out of the oven & allow to cool for about 10 minutes

~ Once the brownies are cooled enough to touch without burning yourself, carefully cut it up into smaller squares (I cut mine into 24 brownies)

~ Either with a spoon for drizzling, or placing the chocolate/peanut butter mixture into a small plastic storage bag with a tiny hole cut on the corner, begin to drizzle the mixture over the cut brownies

~ Allow to set for about 1 hour while the drizzle harden

~ Serve or keep covered with foil


** Perfect to grab with a glass of chocolate milk after your next workout

Yield: about 24 servings

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When I tried them, I had a partial bag of chocolate chips that I used for the topping. I didn't have any to put IN the brownies. Also, I used the plain non-fat Greek yogurt...I want to try the vanilla. Without the chocolate chips & extra vanilla flavoring, these are a rich consistency, but are not sweet at all! So if you are not big on sweets, and still want a treat for after your long run, well...here you go!

Either way...they are rich & have a great moist texture!

So, with a new year setting in, and if you have a resolution to begin getting in shape, or if you are looking forward to staying in shape, consider these to have as guilt-free muscle rebuilding! It's also a beautiful color that coincides with the 2015 color of the year!! YUM!! Plus, the beans, quinoa, Greek yogurt & peanut butter will give you a power-protein-punch!! BOOM!

Now have a happy & blessed new year!

Oh, and do me a favor and NOT tell my kiddos they were enjoying beans & quinoa for dessert! OK? Thanks...

ENJOY!

Summer Dublin Coddle

Since my family is trying to eat better & cleaner, there have been some switch up in dishes & recipes. Even though we haven't given up EVERYTHING...we have been working hard to work in some better-for-you stuffs &/or changing up some of the ingredients we use.

With that said, I still had some overstock of mixed greens (find out my leafy greens mix HERE), so I was trying to figure out what to use. After doing the cleaner eating research, I knew it was pretty good to get some turkey in the mix. And since I had some cabbage & kale to use, I decided revisit my Dublin Coddle (recipe HERE)! However, it's pretty heavy & perfect for fall & winter eating. With my previous recipe, there were some things missing that could help lighten it up! Well...I changed that a bit.

Here's what I did:

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SUMMER DUBLIN CODDLE

Ingredients:

~ 1 pkg. turkey Lit'l Smokies
~ 1/4 C turkey bacon bits
~ 1 lb. baby potatoes, quartered
~ 1 small onion, sliced
~ 6 C brewed green tea
~ 2 chicken bouillon cubes
~ 1/8 C chopped parsley
~ 2 medium carrots, sliced
~ 2 red cabbage leaves, torn or chopped
~ 3 green cabbage leaves, torn or chopped
~ 2 curly kale stems (just use the leaves), torn or chopped & massaged in lemon juice & sea salt
~ 2 T marjoram
~ 2 T dried (crushed) rosemary
~ 2 T dried thyme
~ 2 T minced garlic
~ salt & black pepper to taste

Directions:

* Place all prepared ingredients into a large pot on medium-hi heat

* Bring coddle to a boil, then slightly lower burner temp (medium-lo), stir occasionally

* Allow to boil for about 15-30 minutes until potatoes & carrots are tender, stirring occasionally

* Turn burner down to lo to allow to simmer & until the cabbage leaves are tender & kale is slightly wilted

* Serve

Yield: about 4 servings

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When I made this, I could only get a hold of ruby potatoes. I really like a mixture of colors, but it was still really pretty! Imagine if I'd thrown in some Yukon &/or purple potatoes!

Also, if you have other root veggies to throw in, do it! If you have some parsnips or turnips to throw in, cut 'em up & do it. The more, the merrier! And, if you use turnips, throw in the turnip greens, too! Some mustard greens work in this coddle, also.

It's lighter, it's pretty, and it lends to that cleaner eating. My hubby liked it, too!  I'm thinking this one needs to be done again! And it's a lighter version, perfect for Spring or Summer dishes!

Short on time that day? Throw it all in the lazy cooker & let it cook on low for about 6-8 hours.
TA-DA!

ENJOY!

Mixed Leafy Greens

Lately, we (my hubby & I) have noticed that we still aren't doing as well in our family eating. Eating? Yes. Good stuff? No.

Not that we have been doing horribly, but there was plenty of room for improvement. And I've mentioned that it's hard when you have kids who like & dislike all different things. But a foot is being put down!

Now then, when we have things like tacos, salad or sandwiches (and sometimes burgers), we have lettuce. Makes sense, right? But we would just get a bag of shredded iceberg lettuce for everything except the salad...but we'd deal with a bag of shredded salad mix which included iceberg lettuce with carrot shreds, choppy cabbage pieces & maybe another kind of lettuce. But we decided to change this.

In the midst of deciding to try to eat cleaner, we decided to work in more greens & salads. And, if you have seen some of my past posts, I really like pretty & colorful food! So I thought thru how to work out the leafy greens situation.

After some research, I figured out that I could get the freshest produce for cheaper, but stock up on it...and...I discovered that I could freeze it!! (Check out my source for freezing lettuce HERE at livestrong.com)

I went to the store & got a bunch (no pun necessarily intended) of leafy veggies. So, not really a recipe, but a tip on a mix.

Here's what I did:

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Mixed Leafy Greens

Ingredients:

~ 1 head green leaf lettuce
~ 1 head red leaf lettuce
~ 1 bunch romaine lettuce
~ 1 bunch curly kale
~ 1/2 head green cabbage
~ 1/2 head red cabbage


Directions:

* separate & wash off all leaves

* tear or chop all leaves into small pieces; discard all big stems

* if using kale, be sure to massage it with sea salt & lemon juice first, to begin breakdown early

* toss all greens together & make sure all leaves all dry

* separate into several freezer bags (as in link, above)

* use as necessary in meals

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One thing I did was spend a little bit on a salad/lettuce spinner to help with getting rid of the moisture. Plus...it's totally fun to use! Then, be sure, because it is IMPORTANT, to lay out the spun greens & pat dry with paper towels. DO IT!!! The lesser the moisture before freezing, the better. Otherwise it will turn to nasty mush when you thaw it out.

Also, if you do not want to separate the different leaf varieties, freeze in much smaller bags so you can decide what to use at any given time while getting a small bag of each needed/wanted for any dish when you need it! Or just do it all in smaller freezer bags & pull out what you need in smaller portions.

And you can throw in some iceberg lettuce if you'd like, and any other leafy greens in any mix (mustard greens, collard greens, Napa cabbage, spinach, turnip greens, etc.).

And...it's gorgeous while giving different flavors, textures, and pumping up the nutrition factor when you use these!

So...salad anyone?

ENJOY!!

Rice for Breakfast

As the family slowly continues the move toward cleaner eating, I have to take a look at breakfast. It starts our day & gets us going. But grabbing a Pop Tart is probably not the best option.

For Christmas, my hubby & I got a rice/veggie steamer. We were STOKED to get it! We haven't used it a whole lot, but we do use it & find new ways to make rice all of the time. The kids really enjoy some plain, steamed, white rice. So do I! But finding out that the white rice is fairly "empty", I wanted to boost it up to brown rice. Yes, it takes longer & takes more prep in planning, but we do what we can.

Now, when we received our steamer from the in-laws, my MIL questioned why we wanted one so badly. I told her we like rice. I thought it was a no-brainer. But then she wanted to know why we have so much rice for breakfast. Yeah...she asked me about that. I was confuzzled!! I informed her we have it or dinners mostly, and she graciously accepted my answer. But her inquiry got me thinking...

Several years ago, my hubby was on a week-long mission trip in Nicaragua. He said that they were served rice pretty much every morning for breakfast. They just added some milk & sugar...so treated it like we look at cereal. He has brought up wanted to do that at home, but we didn't have the thought process or prep in planning to do so.

In the quest of cleaner eating, I decided to swap out some oatmeal (even though good for you...still very heavy for summertime) with rice! And I found a wild rice blend at the grocery store, so I mixed it with some brown rice.

Here's what I did:

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RICE FOR BREAKFAST

Ingredients:

~ 1 C steamed brown &/or wild long grain rice
~ 1/4 C dried or fresh fruit
~ 1/4 C nuts
~ 1 T honey or agave
~ 1/2 T cinnamon

Directions:

* I used equal parts of wild rice blend & brown long grain rice & steamed it according to my steamer's brown rice directions; about enough to last 4 days (about 4 cups worth)

* When finished (about 45 minutes later), I scooped about 1 cup of steamed rice into a small bowl, then added the fruit (I used a dried berry mix) & the nuts (I used sliced almonds); you may mix it all together at this point

* Drizzle the cereal, fruit & nut mixture with the honey or agave (I used honey), and then sprinkle with cinnamon; you may mix it all together at this point

* Consume

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I love this for breakfast!! And it's very vegan friendly, too! It's easy...plus you can refrigerate the left over rice & have it for a few days afterward, too.

If you want to change it up a bit, change up the fruit and nuts. You can also add raw sugar or a sugar-free maple syrup & a bit of milk for cereal option less heavy than oatmeal. I've even mashed up a banana in with it. YUM!!

So...happy eating!

ENJOY!

Cucumber Melon Water with Mint

As we continue to hydrate while keeping up variety, I have another flavor of water for you!

One of my favorite scents is the clean aroma of cucumber & melon together. YUM! Then add a little mint to the mix for a refreshing kick. Close your eyes for a moment & imagine it...Mmmmmm...

Well, how about this? Add those very things to your water! Oh yes...that's what I'm talking about!

Here's what I did:

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CUCUMBER MELON WATER WITH MINT

Ingredients:

* 16 oz chunked melon (seedless watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe)
* 2 small seedless variety cucumbers, thinly sliced
* 1 long or 2 short mint sprigs
* about 1 gallon of filtered or tap water
* ice cubes (optional)


Directions:

~ Make sure melon is cut up into 1 to 1 & a half inch chunks; try to make sure as many seeds are out as possible

~ wash cucumbers & thinly slice (I like using English cucumbers since they are seedless already)

~ wash mint sprig(s) (I still had some to use, so I tossed it in there)

~ place all above ingredients into a 1 gallon pitcher, preferably with a slotted lid

~ fill the rest of the pitcher with filtered or tap water

~ add ice cubes, if desired

~ allow to sit for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator, or overnight

~ hydrate until gone; repeat about 2 or 3 times since the melon may not last as long

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This may be my favorite flavored water. Seriously.

Again...I want to hydrate with this water! All while getting some of the health benefit properties from the ingredients. Such a super win!

I used pre-cut melon spears this time, but I always promote swinging by your local farmer's market to get the  freshest stuff. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.

May I also suggest making a green tea with honey & milk with this water? Because it is so scrumptious, too!

And don't forget being super green by using that favorite cup or glass to drink from, or keep filling up that reusable bottle!

Happy Hydrating, everyone!

ENJOY!

Citrus Mint Water

How's that hydrating going? Going well? Need to get started? Cuz I've got another water for you!

A couple of years ago, I got on a weird kick of mixing the flavors of citrus (usually orange) with mint. It's a surprising flavor that is bright, sunny & refreshing!

Since I've been playing with flavoring my own water, I thought I'd go back to this flavor just for something different.

Here's what I did:

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CITRUS MINT WATER

Ingredients:
* 1 small to medium orange, thinly sliced & deseeded
* 1 medium lemon, thinly sliced & deseeded
* 1 limes, thinly sliced & deseeded
* 1 long or 2 short mint stems (you may tear off the leaves to use, if desired)
* 1 gallon filtered or tap water (approximately)
* ice cubes (optional)


Directions:
~ wash off all produce

~ thinly slice citrus fruits & remove any seeds

~ place all ingredients into 1 gallon pitcher (preferably with a slotted lid)

~ fill the pitcher the rest of the way with filtered or tap water

~ add some ice cubes, if desired

~ place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to steep into the water (longer is better, like overnight)

~ serve & repeat


Notes:

= The flavor may be strong; if the flavor is too much, try it with a couple of oranges & the mint.

= Freeze water into ice cubes to give drinks like water, tea (sweet or unsweet), or Sprite a new kick of flavor

= Use to brew up a cup of black tea.

= You may refill the pitcher with the same ingredients about 4 times

= As always...use a fun cup or reusable bottle for another layer of encouragement of hydration!

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This flavor is VERY strong compared to other waters I've posted. Be prepared for a flavor rush! But imagine the amount of vitamin C you are placing into your body while hydrating! And doing so without the extra sugars, syrups & chemicals in other juices & mixes. You're welcome!

ENJOY!

Lemon Ginger Cucumber Water

So...how are we doing on that whole hydration thing, people?

After consuming the Lemon Cucumber Water (recipe HERE), and after the change-up to Autumn Water (recipe HERE), it was time to try something else. However, I just recycled some stuff I had, so I took the Lemon Cucumber Water & added an extra layer of good-for-you & delicious flavor!

I have seen (and have even purchased) lemon ginger tea bags. It is generally labeled to be "probiotic" & "for digestion". I just know it's really good. So, if it's actually good for me, too...then BONUS!

So I've taken the flavor concept, especially since I have made the lemon ginger tea with the Lemon Cucumber Water (which is so unbelievably good, by the way), and decided to let the flavors sit in water together!

Here's what I did:

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LEMON GINGER CUCUMBER WATER

Ingredients:

* 2 medium lemons, sliced & deseeded

* 2-3 seedless variety cucumber, sliced (I used 3 mini English cucumbers)

* 4 1-inch chunks of ginger root, peeled

* about 1 gallon of filtered or tap water

* ice cubes (optional)


Directions:

~ After washing, slicing, deseeding lemon & cucumber, and chunking & peeling the ginger root, place all produce into a 1 gallon size pitcher, preferably with a slotted lid

~ Fill the pitcher the rest of the way with filtered or tap water; add ice cubes, if desired

~ Allow to set for about 1 hour to allow flavors to steep; 4-8 hour wait time would be better

~ Pour into a glass/cup or a refillable bottle & keep consuming throughout the day

+ Good for about 4 refills, discard used produce after finished & repeat with this flavor or another

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Like in the picture, above, I have added it to tea: lemon ginger tea, green tea, green & white fusion tea, black tea...it's all so refreshingly good!

Oh...and you can totally do that whole "freezing in an ice cube tray" thing to put into sweet or unsweet tea. You know what I'm saying...

Oh...this means I have hydrated while getting the good-for-you properties of the any probiotics, some vitamin C...and I'm super sure a lot of other things, too. I just know I really like the flavor...and it makes me want to do the most important thing: HYDRATE!

I still have more flavors I want to try. And I'm loving changing it up. I'm not getting tired of water at all!

ENJOY!

Autumn Water

I want to be clear when I say that I do not like the heat. Yes, summertime is a time off & to "enjoy" outside time...but the heat & sun are generally too much for me. My time of year is the fall. I love fall. The colors, the landscapes, the clothes, the smells...and the flavors!

As we are entering into the continued hot weather, we are supposed to be doing something very important for ourselves: HYDRATE! And I do mean hydrating with lots of water! I did already share one way to do that with flavored water...and it's delicious! (Lemon Cucumber Water recipe HERE) However, you gotta change it up from time-to-time...

I have seen a couple of "detox water" how-to's out there. It's generally an apple-cinnamon water (which is really good, by the way), but I like to bump it up a bit. I added a couple more flavors in there to boost up my  reminiscing of the fall season...all while staying cool & hydrated...and apparently "detoxed".

Here's what I did:

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Pictured:  pitcher of Autumn Water, water over ice in my cute cup,
Honeycrisp apple (big red one at the bottom), Granny Smith apple (the greenish one - just for variety),
Asian Pear (the ugly, yellowish, apple-looking fruit), ginger root & cinnamon sticks, plus green tea bags

AUTUMN WATER

Ingredients:
* 1 medium to large apple, cored & thinly sliced into discs (I used a Honeycrisp apple)
* 1 medium to large pear, cored & thinly sliced into discs (I used an Asian pear)
* 2 cinnamon sticks
* 2 inch ginger root, peeled & cut into chunks
* about 1 gallon of filtered or tap water
* ice cubes (optional)


Directions:
~ wash/rinse the apple & the pear, core both fruits, and slice thinly (I did horizontally for big, round discs)

~ rinse off the ginger root, pat dry & then carefully slice/peel the outer skin off the root until about a 1 x 2 inch piece is left (just smell the fresh lemony scent to it...yum)

~ in a 1 gallon pitcher (preferably with a slotted lid), place the ginger root, cinnamon sticks, apple & pear slices inside

~ fill the pitcher with filtered or tap water

~ add in ice cubes, if desired

~ place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour to let the flavors sit & steep (longer is better...like overnight)

~ enjoy often

~ repeat about 4 more times before discarding steeping contents


Notes:
= I used the Honeycrisp apple for it's natural "apple cider" flavor properties. You may use any apple you like. I plan on using our Golden Delicious apples from our back yard when they are ripe for the pickin'!

= I used the Asian pear since it was evenly large & round. It looks like an ugly apple but with dark pear coloring & texture. You may use any type of pear you choose. If I were choosing again...I might do a more traditional variety. I just think they have more flavor. I have done it that way before.

= Use this water when you make a cup of green tea & add some honey. SOOOOO yummy!!!!!

= Freeze the water in ice trays & let them melt into your iced tea: sweet or unsweet.

= Keep filling up that super fun, reusable cup/glass &/or awesome reusable water bottle! Keeps you wanting to hydrate while staying green by keeping waste out of the landfills.

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And you know what? In all of this...you are getting some of the benefit properties from the flavor steeping of the fruits & stuff.  So, drinking this one will help with the antioxidant, fiber, vitamin C...and I'm pretty sure a whole lot of other good-for-you stuffs from the ginger & cinnamon & fruits. But I just really love the flavor! Like...REALLY love the flavor!!!

I continue to play with flavored waters & will keep posting recipes throughout the summer to keep things fresh while keeping up variety. Especially while making use of the produce from farmers' markets while they are all in full swing & going strong!

Support your local farmers, people...if possible! And it's better for you, anyway. Or just hit the produce section of your local grocer.

Keep healthy & hydrated, people! And love every moment of it! And try not to consume tons of caramel with it...even though you might be tempted. Seriously.

And...HYDRATE-HYDRATE-HYDRATE!!

ENJOY!

Lemon Cucumber Water

"...'Tis the season for hy-dra-tion.
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la"

If you know of my friend, Katy, at I Want a Dumpster Baby (blog HERE; Facebook HERE), you will see she is great for encouraging others (along with reminding herself) to HYDRATE-HYDRATE-HYDRATE! I thank her for a lot of things...and this is only one of them. And I am thankful for it.

I have seen/read &/or heard about great ways to train the body & brain to hydrate the right way. WATER! Even though all liquid you put into your body somewhat counts, it's the water that is the absolute best! Though it's so refreshing in those times when you are parched, it can get tired & lifeless when you need to suck down 64 oz of it (or half your body weight in ounces...whichever...just drink it).

Now, I have heard using a fun &/or bold water bottle or cup/glass will encourage the eye to want it. You know: a visual cue. I've heard of folks who use a schedule to drink down the water & just force it. If that works for you...then whatever! Then, here's my current trick: surprise your taste buds. That's right! Make your mouth & belly WANT that water!

I know there are packets you can get to add to water bottles. But the Crystal Light (best of this bunch, by the way), Gatorade, Koolaid, Mio, etc. all add some extra chemicals & sugars that you want to stay away from! Tea is good for you...but don't do it all the time. SAVOR the tea! Coffee is my best kick start...but I know I need the absolute agua (yes, "water"...not vodka) into my body, too. But it's so hard for me!!!

Well...I discovered self-flavored water!! You get the refreshing water you need while having a hint of taste. And it's from fruits (mostly...sometimes veggies) that are so good for you! No adding a ton of extra calories & additives/preservatives. Just fresh water that my body does tend to want!!

Here's my new-found flavored water:

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LEMON CUCUMBER WATER

Ingredients:

~ 2-3 cucumbers (English or seedless variety), thinly sliced
~ 2 medium lemons; thinly sliced & deseeded
~ about a gallon of filtered or tap water
~ a few ice cubes (optional)


Directions:

* wash/rinse cucumbers & lemons before slicing
* thinly slice the cucumber & lemon
* make sure there are no seeds
* place the produce slices into a 1 gallon pitcher (preferably one with a slotted lid)
* fill the pitcher with water (add a few ice cubes if desired)
* place in refrigerator for a few hours (at least 1 hour)
* drink throughout the day
* repeat


Notes:

= If you make up the water before you go to bed at night, it will be ready to begin consumption the next morning

= The cucumber & lemon slices may be used about 4 times of filling the pitcher. After that, discard of the slices & begin with new ones.

= Save a slice of cucumber AND a slice of lemon to garnish your cup/glass with as garnish. *PRETTY*

= I used this water to make a few cups of hot tea with...and it is SO good!

= An idea is to freeze the flavored water in ice trays, then they will melt slowly into your water or unsweet iced tea! (Ok...I just heard all my southern sweet-tea drinkers gasp...I'm sure it's fine in your sweet tea, too.)

~~~~~~~~~~

I have seen on Pinterest where there is a "detox water", too. I have my own version of that, also, as a change up. I will cover it in the near future.

Also...if you use a reusable cup/glass or a refillable bottle, you're helping the environment, too!

Until then, and as Katy would say, "HYDRATE-HYDRATE-HYDRATE!" Oh...and love every bit of this refreshment in a fun &/or bold cup or bottle. Your body will love you back for it!

ENJOY!

Cilantro Lime Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup with Green Tea

We really enjoy eating Mexican around here. Tacos are a staple favorite. It's one of the few things that we know everyone will eat. Nachos, enchiladas & taco mac are also big hits. I think this is about the only line of things my whole family will eat together. Seriously.

Now, even though some of my family freaks out over soup...cuz they are weird...I will have issues with them trying this new version. But...I am quite happy with it!

So...wanna try to make it, too?

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Cilantro Lime Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup with Green Tea

2 lb boneless/skinless chicken breast, cooked & shredded

1/2 C lime juice

80 oz chicken broth

4 C brewed green tea (yes! Green Tea)

1/4 sweet onion, chopped

2 C finely chopped spinach or kale (or other dark leafy greens)

1 - 10 oz can cilantro lime Ro-Tel

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 small can whole kernel corn - no salt added, drained & rinsed

1/4 bell pepper of each color (red, orange, yellow & green)

Ground black pepper, to taste

3 T ground ginger

1/4 C parsley

3 T ground cinnamon

1/4 C cilantro

3 T smoked paprika

2 T chili powder

2 T garlic powder

2 T green onion

2 T cumin

1 T onion powder

1 bag whole wheat egg noodles

Pour lime juice, chicken broth & green tea into a large pot. Bring to a boil.

Once boiling, turn heat down to mid-hi heat. Put in the shredded chicken (I put the chicken breasts in my lazy cooker in the morning so it would be cooked thru & easy to shred by the time I made the soup) into the broth.

Begin adding the vegetables plus the herbs & seasonings to the soup. Continue to let boil on mid-hi heat.

Then add the noodles. Make sure they are tender.

Begin testing the soup's broth to make sure seasonings are to your liking; adjust as necessary.

Let simmer.

Garnish with shredded cheese & tortilla chips (crushed or strips). Serve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I made this version after I made the LEMON HERB RAINBOW CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH GREEN TEA and based it off the same soup. So still the healing properties...and still the beautiful comfort food!

Aye-yi-yi...I think I need another bowl.

Soup's on, y'all!!

ENJOY!

Lemon Herb Rainbow Chicken Noodle Soup with Green Tea

This year was supposed to have been the worst flu season on record! And not just flu, but a lot of other junk along with it. And I got hit with yucks. Mine was strep. Ewwww... 

I had been working so hard to stay well, but it didn't really happen. Instead, I had to fight to regain getting well & healthy again.

So, I have decided to take hold of the the chicken & noodles kick. I made some chicken noodle soup designed to help kick this crud where it counts!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lemon Herb Rainbow Chicken Noodle Soup with Green Tea

2 lb boneless/skinless chicken breast, cooked & shredded

1/2 C lemon juice

80 oz chicken broth

4 C brewed green tea (yes! Green Tea)

1 C celery, chopped

1/4 sweet onion, chopped

1 C carrot, shredded

2 C finely chopped spinach or kale (or other dark leafy greens)

** other vegetables, fresh or frozen - (i.e. bell peppers - all colors, chopped; corn kernels; peas, shelled; butternut or any other squash, chopped; etc.) - the more color, the better...this is the "rainbow"

1 T salt (any)

Ground black pepper, to taste

3 T ground ginger

1/4 C parsley

3 T oregano

3 T basil

2 T thyme

2 T garlic powder

2 T cumin

1 bag whole wheat egg noodles

Pour lemon juice, chicken broth & green tea into a large pot. Bring to a boil.

Once boiling, turn heat down to mid-hi heat. Put in the shredded chicken (I put the chicken breasts in my lazy cooker in the morning so it would be cooked thru & easy to shred by the time I made the soup) into the broth.

Begin adding the vegetables plus the herbs & seasonings to the soup. Continue to let boil on mid-hi heat.

Then add the noodles. Make sure they are tender.

Begin testing the soup's broth to make sure seasonings are to your liking; adjust as necessary.

Let simmer.

Serve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This soup is PACKED with the good for you stuffs! And, it was pretty good. I toned down the amount of lemon juice...I used about 2 cups of it when I first made it...and it was REALLY strong! Didn't need quite that much. Half a cup was just perfect!

And? It's a beautiful comfort food, too!

So...stay well, my friends.

ENJOY!