Drinks - Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Here are six drink recipes to help you through the day, including Chocolate-Espresso Smoothie and Be Dazzled Cranberry Punch. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO SMOOTHIE

This is from the February 2007 issue of Runner’s World.

8 ounces chocolate yogurt, such as Brown Cow “Cream Top”

1 large banana (browned & frozen)*

2 shots espresso, chilled

2 C ice (about 14 ice cubes)

1 dozen chocolate-covered espresso beans

Place half of the yogurt plus all the remaining ingredients in blender & puree until smooth. Add remaining yogurt & pulse until smooth. (If you add full container of yogurt at beginning, mixture is too thick to blend easily.)

For a thicker smoothie, blend in up to a cup more ice. Serves two.

Note:* Any ripe banana will work, but a browned & frozen banana lends better flavor & texture.

With Brown Cow: calories: 230; fat: 7 g; carbs: 39 g; protein: 7 g.

WATERMELON PUNCH

Years ago, I was a bride’s maid at a friend’s wedding. A friend of the couple held the reception dinner; this punch was served with the hors d’oeuvres. I’ve added ginger ale to the recipe; it’s good either way.

You can find this in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking. I'll be updating it in the near future.

1 watermelon

6 oz. can orange juice, undiluted

1 T honey

1 liter bottle ginger ale

Put watermelon (excluding rind and seeds) in a blender—and blend. Pour juice through a strainer into a large bowl. Add orange juice and honey, stir, and add ice. Add ginger ale just before serving.

SORREL DRINK

This is from the June 2008 Vegetarian Times, page 78. The recipe begins, “Red hibiscus flowers are a common ingredient in ruby-hued herbal tea bags, such as Celestial Seasonings' Red Zinger.”

Sorrel Drink:

3 C dried sorrel or red hibiscus flowers, or 5 Red Zinger tea bags

1 4-inch cinnamon stick

10 whole cloves

1/4 tsp. crushed allspice

2 3-inch pieces peeled fresh ginger

Simple Syrup:

1 C sugar

1 C water

To make Sorrel Drink: Bring all ingredients & 4 cups water to a boil in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low & simmer 10 minutes. Cool, strain & chill.

To make Simple Syrup: Bring sugar & water to a boil in small saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar & simmer 1 minute. Cool.

Pour Sorrel Drink over ice. Serve with pitcher of Simple Syrup for guess to sweeten drinks to taste.

Per 1-cup serving: 33 cal; 0 g protein; 0 g total fat (0 g sat. fat); 8 g crab; 0 mg chol; 0 mg sod; 0 g fiber; 8 g sugars; vegan

GREEN TEA, BLUEBERRY, AND BANANA SMOOTHIE

This recipe and the next (Very Berry Breakfast Smoothie) are from “20 Super Healthy Smoothie Recipes” on the Runner’s World website. They’re originally from The Editors of Prevention.

This recipes begins, “Antioxidant-rich green tea makes this healthy smoothie a nutritional powerhouse.”

Servings: 1

3 Tbsp water

1 green tea bag

2 tsp honey

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

1/2 medium banana

3/4 cups vanilla soy milk

Boil water and pour in a small bowl. Add tea bag and allow to brew 3 minutes. Remove tea bag. Stir honey into tea until it dissolves.

Combine berries, banana, and milk in a blender with ice crushing ability.

Add tea to blender. Blend ingredients on ice crush or highest setting until smooth. (Some blenders may require additional water to process the mixture.) Pour smoothie into tall glass and serve.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 269; Protein: 3.5 g; Carbs: 63 g; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 38.5 g; Total fat: 2.5 g; Saturated fat: 0.2 g; Sodium: 52 mg

VERY BERRY BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE

This begins, “Start your day off with a bang with this fruit-packed smoothie recipe.”

Servings: 2

1 cup frozen unsweetened raspberries

3/4 cup chilled unsweetened almond or rice milk

1/4 cup frozen pitted unsweetened cherries or raspberries

1 1/2 Tbsp honey

2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

1 tsp ground flaxseed

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in blender, adding lemon juice to taste. Puree until smooth. Pour into 2 chilled glasses.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 112; Protein: 1 g; Carbs: 25.5 g; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 20 g; Total fat: 1.5 g; Saturated fat: 0 g; Sodium: 56 mg

BE DAZZLED CRANBERRY PUNCH

This is from Ocean Spray. Prep Time: 5 minutes plus freezing; Yield: Makes about 14 6-ounce servings

To view this yumminess, click here.

Ingredients

1 64-ounce bottle Ocean Spray® Cranberry Juice Cocktail

24 ounces club soda

8 ounces orange juice

Ice ring, garnish

Orange slices, garnish

Directions

Combine all ingredients, except garnishes, in a large punch bowl. Gently stir ingredients. Add ice ring and orange slices just before serving.