I’m all about a beverage.

You can typically find me with 2 or 3 beverages surrounding me at my desk. I’ve finally gotten into the habit of drinking lots of water everyday, but it’s always been a struggle for me. I’m just one of those people that wants a little more pizazz in a drink. I’ve started mixing up lots of different iced tea and lemonade combinations and I love how versatile they can be.

This tart pink beverage gets its hue from beet powder. Feel free to use a teaspoon of beet juice, or leave it out entirely for a hue-less lemonade.

Variations:

• I usually make it spicy by adding some cayenne pepper, but feel free to leave this out if heat isn’t your thing.

 

• If I’m drinking this in the evening, sometimes I’ll add in some magnesium powder or ashwaganda to make it a relaxing tonic.

 

• Sometimes I’ll add a splash of apple cider vinegar in the  morning to help with pH balance.

 

• I’ll often add in a teaspoon of rosewater- the flavor goes so well with lemonade.

 

• I’ve been using stevia for drinks like this- so that they don’t raise my blood sugar levels, especially when I’m drinking it first thing in the morning or before bed. I’ve always hated stevia and haven’t been able to palate it, but I find that something about the tartness of lemon balance the aftertaste stevia usually has and I enjoy it. I like the brand ‘sweet leaf’, it seems to have the best reviews overall so I gave it a try and I’m a fan. If you don’t like stevia, you can use honey or maple syrup.

 

R E C I P E:

Makes about 1 liter

 

• 4 cups filtered water
• Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/3 cup)
• 2 droppers of stevia (or to taste, start with less and add more as needed)
• 1/4 teaspoon beet crystals (I use ‘Flora’ brand)
• 1 teaspoon rosewater (optional)
• cayenne pepper, to taste

 

Add all ingredients to your high speed blender and blend on high for about 10 seconds. Taste and adjust as needed. I like to store it in the fridge in a large jar and then pour over ice when I’m ready to drink it.

 

 

Ohhhhh my. I honestly thought I couldn’t beat the milky perfection that is my daily matcha latte , but then I ran out of milk and was still eager for my matcha fix, so I set out on a journey to make a matcha ‘americano’ aka matcha with more water instead of milk.

The idea of a plain old watery matcha didn’t really get me going TBH. I decided some lemon would be nice, then in true form, I decided that wasn’t enough so I had to add in some fancy rosewater. I add a touch of raw honey to balance out the tartness of the lemon and the earthiness of the matcha. After pouring this deep green elixir over ice and taking a sip- I knew I had created something that would be in my beverage rotation for a long long time.

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I’m a big fan of cold pressed green juices, but sometimes I want to get my fiber in along with the goodness of greens.

Lately I’ve been making this giant blended green smoothie in the morning and it gives me such good energy. The trick I’ve found to cutting the intense and often bitter flavor of greens like kale and spinach, is to add a whole lemon- skin and all. The tartness of the lemon takes away all the bite of the greens, in my opinion- another random and welcomed side effect I’ve noticed is that the lemon skin in the smoothie makes your mouth feel super fresh and clean.

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I think photo editing would have to be included in my top 10 favorite things to do in the world. I love the opportunity that each new photo brings for experimentation with color, light, texture, and general vibes. I wrote a post a few years back about styling + editing tips, but I think at the point I was only using Instagram’s editing features and I have a lot more tools and tips in my arsenal now.

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