cold drinks Archives • New Nostalgia

5 Reasons To Drink Lemon Water In The Morning

Number 1

It balances pH–Lemon is an acidic food, but once metabolized, it becomes alkaline. I work very hard at keeping my body alkaline. Why?

To put it most simply, alkalies help keep the oxygen in our blood at a safe pH level, and this helps our body heal itself, assimilate nutrients and fight off unwanted sickness.

-Nicole Bennet

I have read of many people who have fought their cancer nutritionally by focusing on the body’s pH levels. Kris Carr, of Crazy Sexy Cancer has halted tumors growing in her liver for over 7 years by focusing on nutrition, including alkalizing foods. I think that is crazy cool. Even a little crazy sexy cool!

I regularly check the pH of my body using these little pH strips. I now know what foods –GREENS!–will keep my levels where they need to be. I also believe lemon water helps this process.

Number 2

It keeps skin clear and glowing! I have noticed this. Hydration from drinking lemon water is great for moisturizing our skin from the inside out. Lemon also contains lots of Vitamin C, which helps with wrinkles and blemishes.

Number 3

It kick starts the digestive system–a big glass of lemon water is a great way to start the day. It encourages the liver to produce bile which in turn aids in digestion. It increases urination which helps purify it. It also helps with heartburn and constipation.

Number 4

It helps with weight loss–I have read that keeping the body in an alkaline state helps people lose weight faster. Lemons are high in fiber pectin, which helps keep one full, longer. They also have a diuretic effect, which helps with water weight gain.

Number 5

It helps control the coffee habit–I will drink coffee sometimes, but only if I have had my entire glass of lemon water. Many days I feel like the lemon water wakes me up more than coffee does…

…which brings me to bonus Number 6:

It helps kick the pop habit--I have found that adding lemon to sparkling water and adding a whole lot of ice satisfies any soda craving I might have. I gave up soda pop the minute I was diagnosed a year ago, and I really don’t miss it. I don’t think I could stand the sweetness of it now, but I DO miss the fizz, so my “Lemon Spritzer”–lemon +sparkling water+ice–is the perfect solution!

My mom gave me this lemon press. I just love it. I think it is cute so it stays out on my counter top, on display, which is perfect since it is used every morning.

I use 1/2 lemon, add ice to a 24 ounce mason jar, and add water to the top.

So easy fun and easy to use!

I save the second half for a refreshing “Lemon Spritzer” (see #6) later in the day.

When I pour freshly squeezed lemon juice over ice, I get the same feeling one might get when popping the top of their pop can and fizz leaks out, Ahhh…. or maybe the same feeling of the champagne cork popping? Ok..maybe not THAT good…

My lemon press is super easy to clean. I just the remove the metal and rinse.

*Tip..use a straw to keep the acidic lemon off your teeth. Remember, it is acidic until digested, then it turns alkaline.

I am not sure where you can get a press exactly like mine. Like I said, my mom bought it for me, it might have even been from a thrift store.

Thanks to your comments below, I am now saving my pennies for these beauties!

Endurance Stainless Steel Drink Staws (Set of 4)

These glass straws are strong, durable, and GORGEOUS.

They offer several sizes, I love that the 12mm will make my daily green smoothie sipping much easier!

The also offer bead free, if you prefer plain glass.

Glass Dharma Set of 4 Simple Elegance 12mm x 8″ drinking straws with cleaning brush

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Easy 3 Ingredient Chocolate Almond Iced Latte

I posted “Perfect Iced Coffee” a few months ago, and though it still remains my favorite, this is a very close runner up! The process of making this is so very easy. It may be a bit more familiar to you than the cold brew process, and familiar is nice sometimes– plus, I love how drip brewing process makes my house smell in the morning!

Starbucks Iced Coffee blend is new, and GOOD! It is “roasted to accentuate its full-flavored taste when chilled. It is medium bodied , well-balanced and caramelly smooth.”

You brew it just like regular coffee, but make it double strength and serve it over ice. Here are the directions from the package:

1. Brew as if you’re making a full pot, but use half the water.
2. Slowly fill remaining pot with ice, or add same amount to a pitcher.
3. Serve fresh, over ice.
*By double strength, we mean: 4 TBS GROUND COFFEE to 6 OZ. WATER.
(I do not make mine that strong)

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HERE IS HOW I MAKE MY CREAMY, DREAMY, EASY..
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..CHOCOLATE ALMOND ICED LATTE: (V-Vegan; ND-Non-Dairy)

~8 HEAPING TBS Starbucks Iced Coffee Blend coffee
~16 OZ Water (this is my Mr. Coffee pot filled to the 4 line)
~Chocolate Almond Milk (I use Silk brand, Dark Chocolate, found at Walmart)
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Brew coffee and water. This is your coffee concentrate.

Fill a mason jar (or glass of choice) with:

1/2 coffee concentrate & 1/2 Chocolate Almond Milk (or 2/3 coffee concentrate and 1/3 almond milk, according to personal taste)

Add Ice.

Add sweetener if desired. I do not think this is necessary as the Chocolate Almond Milk is sweetened.

Pop in a straw and enjoy!!

Store leftover concentrate in a jar in the refrigerator, for up to 2 days.
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This particular brand of almond milk has 120 calories per cup (2% chocolate dairy milk has 190), no saturated fat, no cholesterol, 45% DV of Calcium (milk has 25%) and added Vit C and Vit E. They use pure cane sugar to sweeten instead of high fructose corn syrup, and it uses Non GMO (non-genetically modified) almonds. I do wish it were organic and a little less sugar, but all- in- all not too bad, especially compared to syrup sweetened, high calorie, budget- breaking drinks available to buy!

Let me know if you try this! Enjoy.

Drinks/ FUN/DIY/ RECIPES

Iced Tangerine Mint Green Tea

I made this great recipe after I saw a similar one on the Dr. Oz show. He featured a recipe for Tangerine Mint Green Tea as part of a series of foods that help one lose weight. He called it Tangerine “Weight-Orade.” I will share his recipe below. It looked so refreshing on his show, and I knew I should be drinking green tea due to my history (I LIKE saying “history” :)) with breast cancer. Green tea is rich in catechins, which reduce growth of blood vessels needed for tumor growth.

A study published in 1998, Japanese researchers investigated the effects of drinking green tea on the progression of breast cancer. The study involved 472 patients with stage I, II, and III breast cancer. The results showed that increased consumption of green tea was linked to a decrease in the spread of breast cancer in premenopausal women. In a follow-up study, the researchers found that increased consumption of green tea was correlated with decreased recurrence of stage I and II breast cancer.

–The New Encyclopedia of Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements and Herbs by Nicola Reavley

Green tea has been cited to be beneficial when it comes to all kinds of disease, from heart disease to Alzheimer’s, to many types of cancers. Read more on the benefits of green tea, at the World’s Healthiest Foods website.

Iced Tangerine Mint Green Tea

~4 organic green tea bags

~1/2 tangerine, sliced

~fresh mint leaves

~honey to taste

~water, just boiling

~ice

While water is heating, prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Here is what I do:

~get out 2, 32 oz mason jars

~fill one with 2 cups of ice

~unwrap 4 green tea bags and put in the second jar

~slice tangerine

~rinse mint leaves

My electric kettle in the above picture is one of my most favorite and well used kitchen appliances. It heats water to a boil in minutes, and keeps the water hot for a long while. In the winter, I will press the button throughout the day to keep hot water ready at all times for tea or hot chocolate.

Mine is the Hamilton Beach 10 Cup Kettle. I love it!

Pour hot water over the tea bags, fill the 32 ounce jar to the top.

Steep according to package directions, usually 3-4 minutes for green tea.

I use a slotted spoon and a regular spoon to squeeze every bit of goodness out of those green tea bags.

Add honey to taste while tea is still hot, honey will dissolve much better in hot tea.

Add mint and tangerine slices to jar of ice.

The mint is very subtle in this, but if you are not a mint lover, you can skip it.

Let the tea cool a few minutes, then pour over the ice in the prepared mason jar.

Store the remaining tea in the refrigerator to

refill and drink over ice throughout the day.

So refreshing! Enjoy!

**Tea lovers, check out this recipe for Easy Iced Tea Concentrate In A Mason Jar

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Dr. Oz’s Tangerine Weight-Orade Recipe

For a powerful metabolism-boosting drink, try Dr. Oz’s Tangerine Weight-Orade. It contains: green tea, shown to boost metabolism 12% by drinking just one cup; tangerine, with a chemical composition that increases sensitivity to insulin and stimulates genes that help to burn fat; and mint, a calorie-free flavor enhancer.

In a large pitcher, combine:

8 cups of brewed green tea

1 tangerine, sliced

A handful of mint leaves

Stir this delicious concoction up at night so all the flavors fuse together. Drink 1 pitcher daily for maximum metabolism-boosting results.

Drinks/ Frugal/ HOME/ RECIPES

Perfect Iced Coffee

Now that the weather is warming up, I have been splurging and buying iced coffee from my local coffee shop. This last time I went, I paid attention to how they made it, and as I watched him removed a bottle of cold coffee concentrate from the refrigerator and add some milk and ice to it, I was reminded of a post I had read at Small Notebook on making iced coffee the cold brewed way. I paid almost $4.00 for my iced coffee, and walked out of there determined to figure out how to make some at home.

The Cold Brew Method

The cold brew method is so easy, and you end up with a delicious drink that is less acidic, which is much more gentle on the stomach and goes down very smooth. No bitterness, which means less sweetener is needed.

You won’t believe how easy this is to make, and it is so much cheaper that buying a cup at the coffee shop! The recipe below costs 50 cents per cup, and that is using good, organic coffee!

How To Make Iced Coffee Using The Cold Brew Method:

The cold brew method is simply soaking 1/4 cup of coffee grounds overnight in 1 cup of cold water. Let sit out on the counter overnight. The next morning, add another cup of cold water. Then strain the grounds and pour over ice. This makes 2 cups of coffee. I add a generous splash of vanilla almond milk and some sugar or stevia to taste.
If you like more milk, add less water.

I use a french press, but you could also just use a mason jar and a sieve or strain through a coffee filter twice. The french press makes for a simple, easy process. I love it!

Tips:
~You can keep any leftovers in the refrigerator for several days.
~I have read that adding sweetened condensed milk makes for a very special, rich and creamy dessert coffee.
~Freeze any leftovers in ice cube trays to use in your next iced coffee or to throw in the blender for a blended treat.
~Pour into Popsicle molds for a frosty treat on a hot day.
~Make your own flavored simple syrups, using these recipes.

Drinks/ RECIPES

Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar Spritzer

If you know me, you know I love Trader Joes for many reasons, and here is one more:

Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar!!

I do not drink soda anymore, and I miss the fizz. I tried some and after being off of it for so long, I am pleased to say I just can’t handle the sweetness of it anymore! (I never thought I would say that, I used to love my pop!) But, I do miss the fizz. When I read the back of Trader Joes Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar bottle and a suggestion for use was to add crushed ice and sparkling water for a refreshing spritzer, I got REALLY excited. It calls for 3 Tbls of vinegar, next time I will only do 2, as I like just a hint of the citrus and vinegar tang.

It really was refreshing.

The vinegar contains:

Champagne Vinegar, Orange Juice, Sugar, Fresh Oranges, Muscat Grape Juice

Its suggested use on the bottle:

~as a marinade for chicken or shrimp

~tossed with melons peaches and berries for a fruit salad

~use as a dressing with 1 part vinegar to 2 parts olive oil

~use to make a tangy fruit salsa of mango, red onion, serrano chile and cilantro.

I will be trying it on my next Spinach Salad w/ Mandarin Oranges and Slivered Almonds.

MMMmmmm.

If you do not live close to a Trader Joes, here is a similar product:

Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar Spritzer

{Add 3 Tbls. (or 2:)) to a glass full of sparkling water and crushed ice.}

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Drinks/ FUN/DIY/ HOME/ Homemaking/ RECIPES

Mason Jars: Easy Iced Tea

I used to buy a 2-liter of pop every week. I decided to try and cut pop out at least when I am at home. I still enjoy a coke occasionally, especially when we are out for pizza or at a movie with popcorn.
What helped me in this transition was making iced tea instead. I found a super easy way to make it that does not include boiling water or sitting it in the sun all day, and uses a mason jar which we all know I love!

Basically, you take a jar, put in 4 tea bags, fill it to the top, screw on the lid and put it in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, take the bags out and give them a little squeeze over the jar. What this does is makes an iced tea concentrate! Love it! Now when I want a glass of tea, I pour about 1 part concentrate to 3 parts water into a glass of ice and stir. I adjust the amount of concentrate depending on how weak or strong that particular brand of tea is. Here is the blog that I got the idea from, there are a bunch of comments regarding specific measurements if you are someone who likes more details.
*the picture above was taken before the jar sat overnight. The concentrate gets much more, well, concentrated:)