Sunday, September 4, 2011

Summertime Sparkling Fruit Slushie


Should I start with some good news or bad?

Today I found myself Googling "When does summer end in 2011?"  And there is was, staring me in the face:  September 23rd.

The doomsday is approaching us, people.

The bright side of this is that we all have three weeks to get out there and live it up before we have to part ways with sun, sandals, and summer salads.  Oh how I'll miss the salads.

The other piece of good news is that I discovered one of the most refreshing and delicious drinks I've had all summer.

What's been keeping you hydrated this season?  Besides good, old-fashioned agua, I've been a huge fan of iced chamomile tea, fresh coconut water, fresh vegetable juice, and green smoothies.  Last summer I kept my freezer stocked with these little goodies, but I've been a little lax in my popsicle-making duties this year.  So, when you're in a pinch and you have to have a tasty cold little treat, the slushie becomes your next best friend.

Slushies traditionally involve crushed ice, water, and some flavored syrup.  This slushie is a much healthier version that uses fresh fruit and a little agave for sweetness.  And, the best part:  it can literally be made in less than one minute!

This is the perfect drink for summertime because you get to experiment with all of the wonderful fresh fruit we have in season right now: cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries... yum.  I used a mixture of lapin cherries and blackberries in this particular slushy, but I absolutely adore a mix of peaches and cherries.



Summertime Sparkling Fruit Slushie
Serves 2

2 cups ice cubes
1 cup fresh or frozen fruit
16 ounces sparkling water
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1  Tablespoon agave nectar (or more to taste)

Pulse ice in blender until pebble-sized.  Add fruit and continue to pulse until it reaches a slushy texture.  (You want the ice and fruit to be crushed, but you don't want it to be melted into water.)  Add sparkling water, lemon juice, and agave nectar.  Stir and serve. 

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