It used to be that I loved drinking an Ice Cold Coke, on a hot day. Not that I actually enjoyed the Coke, or the burps that were sure to come afterwards. But I loved the way that cold Coke, and it's carbonation would burn my throat as it went down. I wanted to believe it was burning, cause it was taking all that dust, and grime away with it.
But that isn't always the case. Have you ever had a Coke of of one of those lunch wagons? or "Roach Coaches?" You know the ones, the Cokes in the tall, glass bottle? The ones made in Mexico? They are Ice Cold most of the time, and they really don't taste like the Cokes that you get here in the US, in the plastic bottle. It's not that the standards for the very same drink are lax, south of the border. It's because they are not allowed to put all that crap in them, that they are allowed to here in the States. The ones from Mexico, well, they taste different, and once you have one, your craving is really satisfied for the rest of the day.
BUT - You gotta start thinking HEALTHY !!! As a rule, you should try to avoid as much as possible sugary drinks. Instead drink more WATER!
At least 6 to 8 - 8 Ounce servings per day of water, to be exact. And this is more important then ever now that Summer is here. SO - here are 8 homemade water infused recipes to help you keep drinking water.
1) THE CLASSICAL - Lemon/Cucumber:
Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water + 1 cucumber and a lemon, thinly sliced + 1/4 cup fresh finely chopped basil leaf + 1/3 of finely chopped fresh mint leaves. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
2) THE GRANITE - Strawberry/Lime or Raspberry/Lime:
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 6 strawberries or raspberries and one thinly sliced lime + 12 finely chopped fresh mint leaves. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
3) THE DIGESTIVE - Fennel/Citrus:
First: infuse 1 to 3 grams of dried and crushed fennel in 150ml of boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Allow to cool. Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water + lemon juice (put the leftover lemon in the mix) + a small thinly sliced orange + 12 fresh chopped mint leaves + the infusion of fennel seeds. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving.
4) THE ANTIOX - Blackberry/Sage:
Note that apart from the berries, sage leaves are one of the herbs with the highest antioxidant content. Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of blackberries that have been very slightly crushed + 3-4 sage leaves. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving.
5) WATERMELON - Watermelon/Rosemary:
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of watermelon cut into cubes + 2 rosemary stems. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving.
6) THE EXOTIC - Pineapple/Mint:
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of pineapple cut into cubes + 12 fresh mint leaves finely chopped. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
7) THE TRADITIONAL - Apple/Cinnamon:
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of apple cut into cubes + 2 cinnamon sticks + 2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
8.) THE ZINGIBIR - Ginger/Tea:
In advance: heat 1 teaspoon of ginger in two cups of tea, let it cool down. Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water with two cups of the ginger tea + 4-5 pieces of fresh ginger cut into cubes. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.