I used to save all of my stomach space and calories for my meal because I thought that it would be wasted on a drink. That was then. This is now. I am a reformed woman and now I thoroughly enjoy all my drinks. From smoothies to cocktails. And I would gladly make room for this blackberry lemonade. It is just the arsenal you need to fight through a hot blistery summer day. It is also a wonderful fresh lemon recipe to help you use up your delicious lemons or limes!

My husband, Ray, is the photographer for most of the pictures in this food blog. He is known for his even temperament. Even my friends are shocked when I tell them that he has his moments of irritability. We joke around that if I’ve angered him, then I’ve REALLY messed up. Ray just never gets mad.

Well, the exception to that rule is extreme heat. Ray really hates hot weather and becomes very irritable on hot days. There is a statistic showing that violent crimes go up during hot seasons. Heat is associated with increased irritability and anger. So rather than letting our anger get the best of us, I’m a firm believer in prevention. Whenever I sense that Ray is feeling a bit peeved, I immediately go to my secret weapon: this blackberry lemonade.

Can I use another berry with lemonade?

Absolutely! Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries would also be delicious in this recipe. I’m a fan of blackberry mojitos, which is why I decided to make a mocktail version of this favorite. Add a shot of rum to make it a full-on blackberry mojito!

Can I use another herb with lemonade?

Go for it! I think that basil would go really well with this mix of ingredients. It’s refreshing and fragrant, which would pair nicely with the lemon and berries. Be creative!

Why do I need to make a simple syrup?

It is best to make a simple syrup for all your cold beverages. Why? It is VERY difficult to dissolve salt or sugar into cold water. Even harder when it is icy. So if you do not want to end up with a bunch of sugar crystals at the bottom of your blackberry lemonade, take my advice. Make the simple syrup. Your guests will thank you.

What is simple syrup?

A boiled mixture of sugar and water. The ratio is 1:1. So equal amounts of sugar and water. Boil them together until the sugar is dissolved. That’s it. This is what coffee shops use to sweeten your iced coffee drinks. The baristas know that mixing sugar crystals into an icy drink is futile.

Other Refreshing Summer Recipes:

1. Thai Green Papaya Salad
2. Seared Tuna Poke Bowl
3. Vietnamese Pork Spring Rolls

Print

Blackberry Lemonade with Mint

A refreshing summer blackberry and mint infused lemonade

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword blackberry mint lemonade, lemonade, mocktail, summer drink

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 minute minute

Total Time 6 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Ingredients

• 1 cup blackberries pureed and strained
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 3 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 16 oz water
• 4 blackberries for garnish
• 1 shot rum optional

Instructions

• Make blackberry puree. Blend fresh blackberries until smooth. Strain with a sieve to remove the seeds. Set blackberry puree aside.
• Make simple syrup. Add in equal parts sugar and water into a small pot. Heat on medium until sugar is dissolved into water and becomes slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
• Gently bruise mint and lemon zest together.
• Then add in lemon juice, simple syrup, water, and strained blackberry puree.
• Shake with ice and serve with fresh blackberries as garnish.

Happy cooking! Tag me on Instagram @jennskitchendiary if you’ve made this dish! Would love to see how it turned out.

Nutmilk for Breakfast

Sometimes, I’m not in the mood for a full breakfast when I wake up to start my day. I usually prefer drinking smoothies or nut milks as a quick no-fuss breakfast lately. Come to think of it, I haven’t posted many smoothie recipes. I will make an intentional effort to post the smoothies that I have for breakfast to share some quick and easy breakfast ideas. But, when I tire of smoothies or crave something less acidic, I venture out into other drinks. This sesame nutmilk or smoothie was a result of this adventuring.

Sesame and Peanut- Classic Asian Flavor Combination

Sesame and peanut are a classic flavor combination in many Asian desserts. For example, my grandma makes Vietnamese/Chinese style mochi, a sticky rice cake. She always stuffs her mochi with an intoxicating mixture of roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, and brown sugar.

Additionally, this sesame nutmilk is a vegan recipe, as is often the case with some of the recipes I’ve been posting. But I guess I’m not too torn up about it. Hope my vegan friends out there can enjoy this healthy recipe! The sesame and peanut combination delivers that rich satisfaction that dairy often provides.

How do I cook with sesame and peanuts?

A ground mixture of peanuts, sesame seeds, brown sugar, and salt can be a delicious crumble for ice cream, panna cotta, or other creamy desserts.

Sesame seeds: can be tossed into fry batter for chicken wings, sesame chicken, or a topper for salads

Peanuts: they can be stir fried with kung pao chicken, pan fried with garlic and salt as a mini snack, crumbled on top of vermicelli noodle salad.

For more food inspiration from Asia, please check out my collection of Asian recipes.

Happy cooking (or in this case, blending)!

Price Comparison

How much did I spend to make this sesame peanut nutmilk? Sesame seeds ($1), oat milk ($2), peanuts ($.50). This makes 2 generous servings.

Pre-made ($6) vs. Home-made ($3.5).

You are paying almost double for store-bought sesame nut milk. I would recommend making it yourself to avoid any preservatives and excessive sugar that may be added by food companies. Making it at home lets you control how concentrated your nutmilk is as well as the level of sweetness.

Print

Sesame Peanut Milk

A quick and nourishing breakfast drink

Course Drink

Cuisine Asian

Keyword Asian, drink, smoothie, vegan

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 handful roasted peanuts
• 2 cups unsweetened oat milk or almond milk
• 1 tbsp brown sugar or 1/2 tsp Stevia
• 1 pinch salt

Notes

Add almond milk, sesame seeds, peanuts, and brown sugar (or Stevia) into a blender and blend for at least 2 minutes, or until the nut milk is smooth.

Taste for seasoning and add a pinch of sugar or salt to taste.  

Tag me on Instagram @jennskitchendiary to share your version of this recipe!