J’s Summer Berry Cooler
Welcome to my Ayurveda & Yoga blog! I’m Evangeline and I’m an RMT and holistic health coach. I started my blog during covid to stay connected to my clients and share my love of cooking healthy, AYURVEDIC INSPIRED meals.
Ayurvedic cooking is a conscious approach to preparing and cooking tasty, nutritious, balanced meals using spices and herbs, and taking into consideration the external conditions such as the season and time of day, in addition to how you are feeling.
A few days ago my son had a great idea to make a berry drink when I asked “What should we do these leftover berries?”
We had returned from cottage country and brought back blackberries and raspberries but they got a bit mushy. Inspo!
“Let’s mash it up and make a berry drink!” he announced. We ended up creating a simple refreshing and nutritious summer drink with a mint tea base, sweetened with sucanat, unrefined cane sugar. You could substitute maple syrup or honey for the sucanat if you wish.
Berries are loaded with antioxidants, and are high in fibre and Vitamin C. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, unstable molecules that damage your cells. Fibre aids in metabolism, digestion and overall health. Vitamin C plays a number of roles in the body including neutralizing free radicals, fighting infection, healing wounds and are needed for making collagen, a type of protein found in connective tissue throughout the body.
Blackberries - also contains Vitamin K and high in manganese
Red Raspberries - also contains Vitamin K, high in manganese
Mint - cooling, refreshing for summer
Sucanat - unrefined cane sugar for sweetness
J’s Summer Berry Drink
1 cup mint tea cooled or 1 cup spring water
⅓ cup blackberries and raspberries
2 tsps sucanat
You can mash up up the berries and mix all together with the sucanat and water/tea or blend all together for 30 seconds in a blender.
Enjoy!
References
Antioxidants - https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-antioxidants
Fibre - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7589116/
Vitamin C - https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-c/