Thursday, June 17, 2010

Refreshing Mocktail Moneysaver


As I stroll through the aisles of Whole Foods, one of the trends that has become increasingly popular are the herb flavored waters. And I will admit to having tried them and enjoying them on occasion. But for $2 to $4 a pop (and over $5 at JFK!), I realized I could very easily make my own.

This baby is easy peasy to make and cheap to boot! It also has a number of health benefits! According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, ginger is used to treat stomach issues and inflammation as well as a number of other medical needs. Whole Foods explains that lemons have numerous health benefits including containing anti-carcinogens and act as a natural diuretic.

Remove the tough outer skin from a piece of ginger and use a fine grater or micro-plane to shred the ginger into a pitcher. Using the same grater, grated the zest off of a lemon into the same pitcher. You want to avoid grating the white portion and only grate the yellow zest. You can then juice the lemon or just add slices right into the pitcher. Add cold water, stir and let rest. The amount of ginger and lemon you choose to the ratio of water will depend on your taste entirely. I used one medium ginger bulb and one lemon for my pitcher. If the water is too strong, you can dilute it in your glass by only filling it part of the way with the lemon-ginger water and the rest with plain cold water.

What are some ways you spice up your water during the summer?

9 comments:

Lauren said...

cucumbers!!
I've also really been liking a combination of lemon and thyme lately. Very refreshing.

Unknown said...

Strawberries, raspberries and I've even been known to use frozen grapes as ice cubes. I like cucumbers, too.

Ellen said...

What a great idea. I tried fresh watermelon & raspberry, lemon and cucumber but ginger is one of my favorites. Thanks for the idea!

Anonymous said...

Sounds so refreshing with the addition of ginger! I've been doing mint & lemon.

Carolyn Jung said...

Smart move. Studies always point to the fact that bottled water costs more than the gas we fill our cars with. Kind of crazy, huh.

jennifer said...

i don't have it, but have you seen this?! http://www.amazon.com/FI-3-Fruit-Infusion-Pitcher/dp/B0023UL86A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1277208353&sr=8-1

i think williams-sonoma has a version as well. it looks super cool. i want one. so bad.

paulawannacracker said...

I have a plant of yerba buena whichis mint leaves. I've been placing a handful in the bottom of my glass of water and then crushing them. Makes a refreshing drink and its good for me.

Juliana said...

Oh! What a nice and refreshing drink with ginger...great for a Summer treat :-)

Hornsfan said...

Wow, this is delicious looking, a big pitcher full would be the perfect treat this weekend once the summer heat sets in (we're lucky and getting some rain today)!

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