Dare I say it? Winter is coming.
I don't remember the last time I saw snow in early November along the Pacific Northwest, nor the temperature plunge so drastically (+16 down to 0) in a matter of a 48 hours. Nevertheless, it happened on the Island last week. I remember waking up, seeing the snow flakes and thinking to myself "it's time" *said in a heroic tone*. By that, I meant it was time to save the vegetables from certain death; I pulled my boots on (and some clothes, because I'm not that kind of neighbour) and headed outside to cover the garden beds. It hasn't snowed since, thankfully...for as much as I love Fall and Winter, snow is November is not my cup of tea.
It's been a few weeks since my last post. The kitchen has been busy though, and I certainly haven't forgotten about you all. If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know I've been working with the amazing people at Vitamix photographing recipes for their website! You likely already know how much I love (and use) my Vitamix, so it goes without saying how wonderful (and cool) this opportunity has been for me! So, my sincere apologies for having been a tad m.i.a. this last month. Nevertheless, I'm back with a perfect little recipe for the unexpected winter-esque season that's cast itself upon us.
While soups, stews and all-things-comfort-food are on repeat, I always make time for fresh fruits and vegetables in my day. This recipe contains Vitamin C from fresh citrus juices and has the heat or fresh ginger root and a pinch of cayenne pepper. As you've guessed, this is somewhat of a "hot" drink (taste-wise) meant to be consumed in small doses. We drink it straight up sans sweetener, however, the option is there to add a few tablespoons of maple syrup or honey. I quite enjoy the kick of this tonic, and I'm all about boosting my fresh produce intake during cold season.
xo
CITRUS GINGER ROOT TONIC
Fresh citrus juice mixed with the heat of fresh ginger root and cayenne pepper. This recipe is quite hot taste-wise, but can also be sweetned to your liking.
Ingredients
- 2 naval oranges rinds cut off
- 1 lemon rind cut off
- 1 lime rind cut off
- ½ grapefruit rind cut off
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger root
- 1/16 tsp Ground Cayenne Pepper
- 1 cup filtered water
- 3 tbsp maple syrup optional
Instructions
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Cut off the fruit rinds/peels. Cut the fruits into quarters and place in a high powered blender (I recommend Vitamix) along with the remaining ingredients. Blend on high for 20-30 seconds until smooth. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
you can adjust the amount of maple syrup in the recipe if you find the heat too much. Be cautious using cayenne pepper- it is hot and if you happen to get any on your hands/skin, be sure to wash the area thoroughly and avoid touching your eyes to prevent irritation.
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