Thirsty Thursday: Summer (Detox) Mojito

This week’s Thirsty Thursday installment is at the other end of the spectrum from last week’s boozy brunch post - we’re talking detoxing today. My cousin - who is really more of a little sister to me, Irena Lambrou, is embarking on a new endeavor in juicing, keep an eye out for Zen Blendz Juice (!!!).  Irena desires to help others be the healthiest they can be through movement & nutrition.  This passion stems from her life as a yoga teacher (practice with her here if you're in Bellingham, Washington) & her grad school studies in Anthropology. 

One of Irena’s favorite juicing recipes comes from Choosing Raw. Since Irena knows I love a good mojito she thought this one would be right up my alley & it was. I will definitely make it again & maybe if I’m feeling less detox-y I’ll spike it with some rum! Plus, it's really pretty! Just look at that green frothy juice. Yum!

Watermelon Juice

My sister introduced me to Num Pang a delicious Cambodian sandwich shop.  Besides having one of THE BEST shrimp sandwiches I've ever eaten they also have awesome watermelon juice, which my sister (she is in the know about a lot of things) told me how to make.  Turns out you need just 1 ingredient: watermelon. You don't need a fancy juicer, just a blender. I'm pretty sure you could do small batches in a food processor too if you didn't have a blender. I used my immersion blender.

Fresh Guacamole

Everything I learned about guacamole roots back to Trader Joe's & table side restaurant guac prep.  Trader Joe's sells a great little kit with everything you need to make your very own fresh guacamole at home.  After you've used that kit enough you don't even need a recipe & you're able to fly on your own at other grocery stores to buy the ingredients for fresh guacamole all by yourself.

The one & only ingredient that can really make or break your guac is (clearly) the avocados.  Avocados need to be firm yet impressionable (so when you press your thumb into the side of it it should have a little give -not be rock hard or super mushy but just right).  So if your avocados are too hard no amount of mashing is going to make a great guacamole, post pone it or go on a hunt for some more avocados & in the mean time leave your avocados to ripen in a brown paper bag. If they're the other end of the spectrum & are super mushy use them fast before they brown.

Ingredients:

• 1 large (or 2 small) avocado(s)
• 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 shallot (chopped)
• 1 jalapeno pepper (ribs & seeds removed, chopped finely)
• 1 lime (zest & juice)
• 2 tomatoes (or 1 large) (seeded & chopped)
• salt & pepper
• red pepper flakes (optional)

Make it!

1. Cut the avocado(s) in half & scoop out the yummy goodness, discard the seed & shell/skin.
2. Mash avocado, garlic, shallot, jalepeno, lime zest & juice together (use whatever works for you, I used a fork, but a spoon for muddler will work too).
3. Stir in the tomatoes.
4. Season with salt, pepper & red pepper flakes.
5. Eat this with everything & on anything. Store in an airtight container (if there is any left).

Peaches with Basil Sugar

I love the flavors of a mojito, sweet, citrus-y & refreshing.  But why should mojitos have all the fun? Theses peaches with basil sugar taste like a virgin mojito that you can actually sink your teeth into.  Take advantage of your local farmers market & pick up what ever fruit is in season, sprinkle some of this basil sugar on top with a squeeze of citrus & you've got yourself a fresh desert in no time.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tightly packed fresh herbs (try basil or mint)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 lime or lemon
• fresh fruit 

Make it:

1. In a food processor combine herbs & sugar until it looks like green sugar.
2. Slice fruit & place on dessert dishes.
3. Sprinkle fruit with herb sugar & squeeze a lime/lemon on top of each pile of fruit.

Grilled Corn & Lime Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cup grilled corn
  (approx 2 ears)
• 1 lime (juice & zest)
• 7 fresh basil leaves
  (cut into ribbons or tear)
• 1 clove garlic
  (grated into super fine pieces)
• 1/2 red onion (finely chop)
• 3 plum tomatoes
  (seed & chop into small pieces) 
• 2 big handfuls arugula
• salt
• pepper

Nothing is better than grilled Jersey corn in the summer (yes, NJ has more to offer than MTV's diluted & polluted view of the people that supposedly reside here, there' actually farms, food & other fun things).

To make this salad,  grill up some corn & cut it off the cob (no corn stuck in your teeth now - you're welcome) & toss it with all the other ingredients!  You may have noticed this salad has no oil so yeah it's light & delicious perfect for hot summer nights or an outdoor lunch. Bon appetit!

What do you eat when it's super hot out?