Healthy Drink Recipes From Anna Tourkakis

Last week, Lynnfield resident Anna Tourkakis gave a talk to the library's Curious About Cuisine group on healthy drink recipes.

Anna is the author of a cookbook entitled "Delicious Simplicity," which features healthy recipes - dinner, dessert and more - with a Mediterranean influence. Check out Anna's interview with Lynnfield Patch from the early days of this website. We've also got some recipe's available at this link from Anna's book. 

Along with her cookbook, you can also see a full archive here of the Everyday Nutrition columns that Anna wrote for Lynnfield Patch.

Here are some of the healthy drink recipes that Anna shared last week at the library, and which she is now graciously sharing with readers of Lynnfield Patch:
 

Pomegranate Cocktail

Makes: 2-8oz drinks

12 oz. sparkling water or club soda

1 peach or pomegranate flavored tea bag

1 teaspoon sugar

few drops lime juice

1/4 cup pomegranate juice 

Steep tea bag in cold sparkling water for one hour or more. Add rest of ingredients. Serve chilled or over ice. Can be prepared overnight in refrigerator.

Wassail Punch

Makes: 6 servings

1 quart apple cider

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice, fresh

6 whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

1 pinch fresh ground ginger

1 pinch ground nutmeg

In a slow cooker or a medium pot over low heat, combine apple cider, orange juice and lemon juice. Season with cloves, ginger and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer (If using a slow cooker, allow to simmer all day). Strain if desired.  Serve hot.

Chocolate Chai

Makes: 4 servings

This recipe combines cinnamon, ginger and cloves with rich cocoa for a warm spiced  end  to a delicious meal. research shows that the antioxidants in tea and chocolate may improve blood vessel function and lower blood pressure. 

4 cardamom pods, cracked

1 (4-inch) piece cinnamon stick

4 whole cloves

1/4 teaspoon anise seed

2 -4 (1/4-inch,) slices fresh ginger, peeled*

2 cups water

2 black tea bags

2 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups unsweetened almond or soymilk

3 tablespoon agave syrup, honey or stevia, or to taste

Place cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, anise seed and ginger in medium saucepan, add 2 cups water, and place over medium-high heat, bring to a simmer,cover, and steep over low medium-low heat for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.  Add tea bags, cover and steep for 4 minutes. Remove tea bags, cover, and steep brewed tea with spices for 20 minutes. Strain to remove spices, and return spiced tea to saucepan.

In small bowl, whisk cocoa with 1/4 cup of hot tea until dissolved, then add to tea.  Mix in vanilla, and almond or soymilk. Heat chai over medium-high heat until steaming.Sweeten to taste then pour into mugs. or divide chai among 4 mugs and sweeten it to taste individually.

Note: Ginger root varies in thickness. If you have a fat piece, 2 slices may be enough.

Spiced Hot Cocoa

Makes: 4 servings

1/4 cup sugar

6-8 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Dash salt

1/2 cup hot water

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon allspice

3 cups 1% milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In medium saucepan, combine first 6 ingredients; simmer 2 minutes. Add milk; heat to boil and quickly remove from heat. Add vanilla and pour into mugs, serve hot. 

To make in mugs: combine 1 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, dash salt, cinnamon, allspice  and 2 tablespoons hot water, dash in  each mug. Heat milk; pour into mugs; mix well.

Smoothie with Silken Tofu

Makes: 2 servings

1 cup frozen berries

1 small banana or 1 cup crushed pineapple 

1 cup soymilk

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup soft silken tofu

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.