Fruit & Herb Infused Waters

Fruit & Herb Infused Waters are cool, colorful, and refreshing.  Not only do they taste great, but they also offer important vitamins and minerals, and are much lower in calories, and with no chemicals compared to sodas and other typical Summer drinks.  There are a variety of flavors to try, following a very basic recipe.

Ingredients for Fruit & Herb Infused Waters

• 2 cups of cut fruit and herbs
• 2  cups of ice
• 2 cups of water – filtered or mineral; sparkling or still

Mix the ingredients together in a pitcher and refrigerate for about 4 hours to infuse the flavors before serving.  Serve fresh that same day, but the infused water should last up to three days in the refrigerator.

Tips for Making Great Fruit & Herb Infused Waters

• Muddle the herbs to release their flavor into the water.  Herbs to try include mint, lemon balm, rosemary, sage, cilantro, clove, cinnamon, and lavender.
• Make it look fabulous: Serve on ice and garnish the glass with a few fresh fruits or herbs.  Select glasses and serving pitchers that give a Wow! appearance.
• Ingredients make the recipe, so be picky about the fruit, herbs, water, and ice you select.
  • Use organically grown fruits and herbs that have not been sprayed with chemicals.
  • The choice of water is very important – make sure the water you are using tastes good and is filtered and refreshing.  For some added zing, choose a sparkling water!
  • Ensure that the ice being used also comes from good water that is filtered and delicious.

Some Ideas for Great Fruit & Herb Infused Waters…

Cucumber / Lime / Lemon Balm

• Slice the cucumber pieces about 1/2 inch thin.
• Lime can be sliced in wedges or rounds.
• Muddle the lemon balm, but keep a few whole pieces to garnish.

Cilantro / Orange

• Oranges can be sliced into wedges or rounds.
• Muddle the cilantro, but leave a few whole pieces to garnish.

Mango / Pinapple / Mint

• Mango can be cubed or rounded with a watermelon baller.
• Fresh pineapple is much better than canned – its worth it!
• Muddle the mint and save some whole pieces as garnish.

Watermelon / Cantaloupe / Honeydew

• Using a watermelon baller makes for a pretty drink.
• Making some larger balls and some smaller balls also looks great.

Kiwi / Lemon / Green Apple

• To cut a kiwi like a pro, first cut each end off with a knife, then use a spoon to scoop around the perimeter of the skin; the kiwi flesh will be easily removed from the skin this way!
• Add some lemon zest, freshly grated from the peel, for added flavor.
• Soak the apple slices in lemon juice before adding to the recipe to reduce browning of the apples.

Peach / Lemon

• Be sure to use ripe peaches!
• Add lemon zest, freshly grated from the peel for added zing!

Strawberry / Watermelon / Mint

• Slice the strawberries for more flavor infusion into the water.
• Use a watermelon baller to create attractive watermelon pieces.
• Muddle the mint and save a few pieces whole as garnish!

By: Kathy Sadowski, MS in Aromatherapy, Registered Aromatherapist, AIA and NAHA Member, LMT

4/11/18