p

I’ve been mainlining these two recipes lately. I think my skin might turn orange. If that’s the case, when I return to ballroom competition, perhaps these Goji drinks will replace the need to “fake tan”. =)

Goji Berries are a pretty reddish color in their dried state, but when they are blended up in drinks, the spectacular orange hue of their ridiculous beta carotene content explodes into your glass! The outcome ends up looking like creamy carrot juice. It must be the protein content of Goji Berries that makes them so creamy when they’re blended. I’ven noticed the same thing about Broccoli when it’s blended up in a smoothie — it becomes creamy, which I’m sure most people would never expect.

I like to make Raw “Soda Pop” using raw honey and organic, unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar, and lately my soda of choice is made with the addition of Goji Berries and the juice of a whole organic lemon. (The obvious benefits of buying organic aside, there is simply no comparison between a non-organic lemon and an organic lemon… the latter is like perfume, so fragrant, and tends to be much sweeter and delicate in taste.)

The other thing I’ve been doing is taking the same recipe but adding only 2 cups of water, then making a tea with equal parts of that mixture and hot water. Looks like frothy, creamy carrot juice in a mug, and is very flavorful.

Recipe for Goji Berry “Raw Soda Pop”

• 1/4 cup Goji Berries
• juice from one organic lemon
• 2 heaping tablespoons raw honey
• 2 tablespoons organic, raw Apple Cider Vinegar (such as Braggs)
• 3 cups water
• 3 cups ice

Blend up and drink.

Note: You can also leave the ACV out of the recipe and just go with the lemon juice. It is excellent.

Recipe for Blended Goji Berry-Lemon Tea

Make the above recipe (with or without the ACV), using only 2 cups water.  Then make a 50-50 tea using one part of the Goji/Lemon mixture to one part hot water.

How to Make a Super-Fast, Super-Easy, and Super-Refreshing Raw Soft Drink!

One of the things I’ve discovered along the way is that the use of organic Apple Cider Vinegar coupled with raw honey (a famous and ancient combination) in a very simple blended drink produces a kind of “soda pop” beverage. Lately I’ve been drinking a lot of a favorite Goji Berry-Lemon raw soda I like to make, and it reminded me I wanted to share my versatile raw soda recipe here.

One thing most people don’t realize when they drink soda is that the “spritzy” quality in the taste isn’t just the carbonation, but all the citric acid added to the soda. Citric acid may give a tasty “zing”, but it’s very acidifying to one’s system, so while we may want to drink a soda for “refreshment”, in fact it has the opposite effect because your system will then require the consumption of a tremendous amount of water to dilute that acidified state. Most people don’t do this, so they set their bodies up to be prone to degenerate into a host of imbalanced states.

However, the use of organic, raw, unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) gives that spritzy-tangy quality while alkalizing your system. And most people sorely need that alkalizing effect. You can also add fresh lemon or orange juice to the drink, which further adds to the alkalizing quality, and certainly adds a tasty layer to the flavor. It also makes a beverage that is truly refreshing. You can almost hear your cells going “aaaaaaaaahhhhh!”

Endless Flavor Possibilities…

So, here’s my general template recipe for making “Raw Soda Pop”. The flavor variations you can add to this are truly ENDLESS. Pop in a bit of mango, or a few blueberries, or some goji berries… or a piece of vanilla bean. You could add mint, or a bit of pomegranate concentrate, or a bit of lemon & ginger. My recommendation is to treat this as you would a genuine soda — to create a very simple flavor profile rather than a melange as you might in one of your breakfast power smoothies.

Lately, I’m practically  mainlining a Goji Berry-Lemon “raw soda”, which is very creamy because that’s what happens to Goji Berries when you blend them up. But I’ve also gone one step further and have started reducing the water in the raw soda blend and then adding hot water to make a tea! Again, so refreshing, and you can feel the healthifying well-being that emerges afterwards. Very unlike the kind of soda most people live on…

Make It Fizzy If You Want… or Turn It into A Raw Cocktail!

Also, if you must have some bubbles, add some quality seltzer. Shoot… you could even segue this into a bonafide cocktail by adding a shot of your favorite vodka or tequila. Pure raw foodists might cringe at this, but my message on this site is the same I live by: add, add, add… add all the healthifying maximum nutritional goodness you can! The rest will take care of itself, because your tastes, cravings, and sensitivities begin to change on their own. If you enjoy alcholohic beverages, then… let’s find great ways to make some “raw cocktails”! They are far more healthifying than anything a bartender could ever make for you. Why not serve double duty and get your intox AND your detox on at the same time? =)

Raw “Soda Pop” — The Basic Template Recipe

• 2 heaping tablespoons raw honey
• 2 tablespoons organic, raw Apple Cider Vinegar (such as Braggs)
• 3 cups water
• 3 cups ice

Blend up and drink. If you want it both sweeter and tangier, you may want to increase the honey and the ACV each to 3 tablespoons — the recipe above is lighter and milder. If you aren’t quite adjusted straightaway to the taste of the ACV, add a bit more honey!

Suggested Additions to the basic Raw “Soda Pop” recipe:

• Raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries…or a berry mix
• Juice from one lemon
• Mango
• Ginger
• Cherries
• Pomegranate (1/2 a skinned pomegranate or some pomegranate concentrate)
• GOJI BERRIES!!!
• Inca berries
• Peaches, plums, red grapes, honeydew, pumpkin, sweet potato… the list could go on forever.
• You could make a mean Virgin Bloody Mary using this template recipe — squeeze in a tomato, then add some ginger, celery, chile, and lemon! Add vodka or tequila to be not-so-virgin…