No matter who you are, where you live, or what you’re doing, hydration is key. If you’re like me, drinking enough water and staying hydrated is sometimes strangely overlooked.
I’ve always been the girl who could nurse a cup of coffee all day long, realizing late into the afternoon that I’d not had a sip of water and was parched. Not good. Drinking water seems incredibly simple, but I’m certain that many days I don’t do enough of it. While there are times that a glass of ice cold water is incredibly thirst-quenching, I often find plain water to be super boring. Give me flavor…
But, don’t give me beverage alternatives high in simple sugar, loaded with chemically sugar substitutes, or overpriced bottles off the grocery store shelf.
We are entering the season of hydration for sure… Long days of play outside, warmer temps, and finally a need for ice cubes. Combine that with the lovely berries that are bursting with flavor and freshness.
Enter the Agua Fresca. Central America has this one right… a light, refreshing drink infused with fresh fruit and herbs. Though typically sweetened with sugar, I’ve sweetened this Agua Fresca with just a bit of stevia omitting the extra calories and effect on blood sugar. While I’ve added seltzer for a little fizz, feel free to substitute cold still water if you’re not so much into the bubbles.
This simple, added flavor will keep me coming back for more and will certainly help with hydration. With the coming Spring and Summer fruits, the add-ins are limitless.
Strawberry-Mint Agua Frescas
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced ripe strawberries preferrably organic
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 sprigs fresh mint
- 5 drops liquid stevia
- Chilled Seltzer Water or Ice Cold Water
Instructions
- Combine strawberries, water and mint in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Mash mixture through a fine strainer or sieve, catching juices in a bowl or measuring cup; discard remaining pulp and leaves. Add stevia to strawberry juices.
- Fill glass with crushed ice. Add 1/3 cup strawberry juice and fill remainder of glass with Seltzer water or ice water. Garnish with mint, if desired.
