For as much as I love fruit, I have never loved grapefruit.  I’ve always wanted to, but it’s been a struggle.  When I was a little kid I thought that eating a halved, sectioned grapefruit, lightly sprinkled with sugar and topped with a maraschino cherry served with breakfast was considered an elegant side.  I never […]

Close friends introduced my family to a special place in Hawaii we have come to adore. It was during our first visit there, years ago, that their signature kid “drink” won my children’s hearts, as we were told it would. The specialty frozen drink was simply called, “Ovaltine froth“. Ovaltine, for those unfamiliar (or too young…), […]

The days were long in lockdown. As a result, people drank substantially more than usual and I’m totally guilty of that. We were all just trying to get by. In many ways, we still are. But the reality is not everyone drinks alcoholic drinks. In fact, pre-Covid, the trend was showing that younger people (millennials) […]

Oat milk is all the rage these days. And oat milk could not be more simple to make. In fact, this popular dairy-free alternative is really just rolled oats and water blended together then well strained to remove the pulp. The result is easy, creamy, DIY oat milk! Lately, this dairy-free milk alternative seems to […]

Mocktails have become popular go-to drinks year-round, but they peak in popularity in the warmer months. High temps and longer sunny days increase the need for refreshing, flavorful drinks to quench one’s palette, and the bonus is, that they keep you just as hydrated as water. This is my dragon fruit-mint mocktail and it’s just […]

I, like so many others, have been muted on social media for the past week in response to the murder of George Floyd. It has been an incredibly sad and scary time in our country.  I decided to mute myself because I stand in soldiery against racism and also because I felt others had more […]

An elixir by definition is “a magical or medicinal potion“. I’ve always loved that word. When used in this juice recipe, it implies healing powers. In some ways, that’s true. This superfood juice elixir is as healthy as you can get in the juice world, thanks to the superfoods it’s made with. But, what are […]

Almond milk is a plant milk made from almonds with a creamy texture and subtle nutty flavor. A popular non-dairy milk, that does not contain cholesterol or lactose making it a great go-to option for people with milk allergies, who are lactose-intolerant, vegans and those who have increasing concern over animal rights and environmental protection. In all honesty, almond milk has become […]

Nothing says summertime like lemonade. Hot sunny days call for refreshing beverages that are not soda. This is a lovely cucumber-limeade mocktail guaranteed to cool you off day or night. I fell in love with cucumber mojitos years ago while vacationing in Hawaii and I had that flavor in mind when I developed this recipe. […]

Who does not love hot chocolate in the winter? There are a number of ways to make this old standby different, and this is one of them. This is my pumpkin-spiced white hot chocolate, because I’m not over my pumpkin obsession just yet. In this simple recipe, white chocolate replaces the traditional milk or dark […]

This blood orange-pomegranate mocktail with a touch of turmeric is not only seasonal, it’s hands-down delicious. For all my non-drinkers out there, this recipe is a must try.  Lightly sweet and bubbly, this beauty is not only nice to look at, it might even be good for you. Perfect for the cool Fall and Winter […]

Unless you’ve traveled to Peru, chances are you have never tasted chicha morada. I have Erik Burmeister to thank for introducing me to this delicious Peruvian speciality. Chicha morada is a non-alcoholic Peruvian beverage made from purple corn called “maiz morado“.  “Chicha” is common in South and Central American–it is a fermented (alcoholic) or non-fermented […]

I don’t believe I had ever heard of agua fresca until I came to California. Popular in both Mexico and the United States, “agua fresca” is Spanish for “cool water” and is just that–a cool, water-based drink with various flavor combinations. You can blend fruits, cereals, flowers, or seeds with sugar and water and serve […]

My fascination with mocktails continues.  I’m not typically a juice drinker, so coming up with mocktail recipes on the less-sweet side has been a fun project.  This recipe for a sparkling orange-carrot mocktail took me some time to fine-tune, but it’s winner and super refreshing on a hot day. Even though I don’t love carrots, […]

Sometimes a smoothie just doesn’t cut it. So I’m mixing it up a bit with this raspberry-pineapple protein slushy and it’s perfect for the Spring and Summer months. I thought a bright, fruity, protein slushy might be just what I needed to kick-start my Spring and give me a non-caffeinated energy boost. Personally, with all that’s […]