DIY Drinks

These healthy homemade soda recipes will help you kick the can!
 

 

There are plenty of health reasons to avoid drinking soda-but that hasn't stopped the average American from swigging 44.7 gallons of the stuff a year. Here's a delicious sub: DIY bubbly drinks with gourmet flavors you won't find in a store. They're easy to make, and each of the following has just 120 calories (or less) per serving.

Carbonation Minus the Can

Love the fizzy stuff but hate lugging home cases of seltzer? A carbonation system is the next best thing to a personal soda fountain. Owning a machine like the SodaStream Genesis ($100, sodastream.com) can save you money in the long run, and your drink will be ready in about a minute. You can make your own syrups or use the ones that come with the machine. Just fill the BPA-free bottle with chilled tap water, press the button to add your desired amount of fizz, mix in the flavor, and--voila--you have a bubbly drink with half the sugar of commercial soda.
 

Pineapple-Rosemary-Ginger Soda

2 cups diced pineapple

2 sprigs rosemary (about 3 inches long), plus more for garnish, optional

3 Tbsp chopped ginger

4 Tbsp agave nectar

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup filtered water

Seltzer or soda water

Place pineapple, 2 sprigs rosemary, ginger, agave, lemon juice, and filtered water in a medium-size saucepan. Cover and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, mashing a bit with a wooden spoon to break up the pineapple. Remove from heat and let mixture rest for 30 minutes.

Remove and discard rosemary sprigs and any loose rosemary needles, then transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and pulse until pineapple is macerated but not blended smooth. Pour through a strainer lined with a double layer of cheesecloth and squeeze to extract as much liquid as possible.

Chill in a sealed glass jar in the fridge. Syrup will stay fresh for up to a week.

To serve, pour 1/4 cup syrup into a tall glass, top with 6 to 8 ounces chilled seltzer or soda water, and stir. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS. Per serving: 70 cal, 0 g fat, 19 g carbs, 0 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 0 g protein

 

Cherry-Vanilla Soda

3 cups 100% unsweetened black cherry juice

1 vanilla bean (about 6 inches long)

Seltzer or soda water

Place black cherry juice and vanilla bean in a medium-size saucepan. Cover and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, until liquid has reduced to 1 cup. Remove from heat and let cool until comfortable to handle.

Remove vanilla bean and chill the syrup in a sealed glass jar in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks.

To serve, pour 1/4 cup syrup into a tall glass, top with 6 to 8 ounces chilled seltzer or soda water, and stir. 

MAKES 6 SERVINGS. Per serving: 80 cal, 0 g fat, 18.5g carbs, 5 mg sodium, 0 g fiber, 1 g protein

Orange-Mango-Strawberry Soda

2 cups orange-mango juice, such as Santa Cruz Organic

1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries, thawed

Seltzer or soda water

Orange slices for garnish, optional

Pour juice into a sauce pan. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until liquid has reduced to 1 1/2 cups.

Put strawberries and their juice in a blender and pulse to roughly chop. Pour through a strainer lined with a double layer of cheesecloth and squeeze to extract as much liquid as possible.

Mix both juices together and chill in a sealed glass jar in the fridge. Syrup will stay fresh for up to 3 days.

To serve, pour 1/3 cup syrup into a tall glass, top with 6 to 8 ounces chilled seltzer or soda water, and stir. Garnish with orange slice, if desired.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS. Per serving: 63 cal, 0 g fat, 16 g carbs, 8 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 0.5 g protein

 ...click HERE to read FULL ARTICLE...

Sarsaparilla Root Beer

Raspberry-Lime Rickey

Watermelon-Mint Pop with a Kick

Pomegranate-Cranberry Soda

Bonus Recipes:

...click HERE for BONUS RECIPES...

Matcha Honeydew Melon Fizz

Cream Soda

Red Grape & Thyme Soda

Green Grape & Tarragon Soda