Category Archives: Beverages

Grapefruit Ginger Cocktail

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Beverages and tagged with , , , ,

Welcome to Olivelle October! As one of my favorite places in Bozeman, Olivelle is a great source of both inspiration and deliciousness, and their cooking classes are something I look forward to attending several times per year. As a fun challenge for the fall I decided to put together my own Olivelle menu in the same format, and I’ll be releasing a new addition each week. Starting with today’s cocktail, look forward to four more delightful recipes coming your way, all featuring some of my favorite Olivelle products with a sweet & spicy theme. Extra bonus: everything will be vegetarian and lactose-free in honor of one of my  best friends.

Fall came in with a bang here in Bozeman, with a mix of rain and snow all weekend and more in the forecast. Fortunately, this cocktail is a delight all year round and a great way to bring some brightness to a gray day. Even more fortunately, I’m actually on my  way  to Europe! (Don’t worry, posts are already scheduled for your enjoyment while I’m busy galavanting around another continent.)

Grapefruit Ginger Cocktail {{Baking Bytes}}

Grapefruit is possibly my favorite citrus, favoring it over orange for mimosas and loving it in tarts and other desserts. It’s somehow both mild and sharp and doesn’t overwhelm other flavors in the same way orange and lemon often do, and lovely in its pure unsweetened form as well as in a more traditional dessert experience. Keeping on theme I’ve paired it here with the spiciness of ginger, bringing a slightly earthy profile without overwhelming the refreshing citrus.

grapefruit_cocktail_3

This cocktail is light and refreshing and dangerously good, equally delightful on a warm summer day as it is on a chilly winter afternoon. A great way to make proper use of citrus season by incorporating fresh grapefruit, but also delicious if you cheat (as I did) and buy a bottle of pure juice. Sweet, tart, and spicy all at once, it’s a mouthful of complimentary flavors with every sip.

Grapefruit Ginger Cocktail {{Baking Bytes}}

Paired with white rum, the alcohol is less of a feature and more of a light compliment to the rest of the drink, which makes it easily substitutable. If you’re not a rum fan, try using gin or vodka instead. Feeling more like a sparkly drink? Make it a mojito and top the whole thing with soda water.

Start your month off deliciously and prepare yourself for more sweet and spicy combinations headed your way.

Grapefruit Ginger Cocktail

Serves 2

Ingredients

Thai Ginger or Lime Fresco Sea Salt

4oz pure grapefruit juice (I used Simply)
3-4 oz white rum1 
1 1/2 oz White Ginger Simple Syrup, plus more for rimming
1/2 oz lime juice

fresh grapefruit, for garnish

Directions

  1. Pour a small dollop of simple syrup on a paper towel and use to rim two cocktail glasses, then sprinkle with salt.
  2. In a cocktail shaker, combine all remaining ingredients. Shake with ice until chilled, about 30 seconds.
  3. Strain into rimmed glasses, and garnish with 1/2 slice of fresh grapefruit.
  4. Optional: make a mojito by pouring over ice and topping with soda or seltzer water.

Notes

1 If you are not a rum person, gin or vodka also work beautifully here.

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Chocolate Blackberry Smoothie

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Beverages and tagged with , , , , ,

Following a hard run in hot weather, I rarely feel like turning on a stove but still want something high in protein and properly filling as a recovery meal. Since I nearly always have frozen produce at my disposal, smoothies have become a go-to for the summer months.

Blackberry Chocolate Smoothie {{Baking Bytes}}

After deciding to incorporate protein powder into some of my smoothies, I debated a good recipe for using the chocolate version. Blackberry seemed the obvious answer, especially since we’re often gifted Oregon-grown boysenberries from M’s parents (something I am never sad about.) Blackberry and chocolate is a delicious combination in any form and this smoothie definitely feels quite decadent despite its healthy ingredients.

Blackberry Chocolate Smoothie {{Baking Bytes}}

Frozen blackberries and, optionally, a small piece of banana for sweetness form the base of this smoothie. Chocolate protein powder is boosted by cacao powder to make the chocolate aspect more prominent. Cacao is a vaguely “healthier” option that cocoa powder, but you can definitely sub unsweetened cocoa if you’d like. Standard fiber and fat boost from chia and hemp seeds if that’s something you’re looking for, but for a lighter smoothie feel free to leave them out. A generous helping of spinach to get in those veggies rounds out the deliciousness without affecting the flavor. Blended up with almond milk (or your “milk” of choice) and a decadent but super healthy smoothie is ready to go.

Blackberry Chocolate Smoothie {{Baking Bytes}}

 

For the days when your mouth wants dessert and your body says “but maybe a vegetable”, keep your freezer stocked with blackberries and spinach and whip up this great snack or meal replacement. Tailor the mix-ins to your caloric needs and nutrient preferences and you’re good to go for all those hot summer days ahead.

Chocolate Blackberry Smoothie

Makes 16-20z

Ingredients1

3/4 cup frozen blackberries
2″ frozen banana (optional)2 
1/2 – 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1-2 Tbsp (each) chia and hemp seeds
1-2 Tbsp cacao powder
3/4 cup almond milk
1 cup frozen, crushed spinach

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a blender (add the spinach last) and process until smooth.
  2. Taste and add extra cacao or mix-ins if desired.
  3. Thin with additional almond milk as necessary.
  4. Serve immediately.

Notes

1 I listed these in the order I personally add them because I find it easiest to just fill the remainder of my single-serving blender container.

2 I Adds a nice sweetness but doesn’t change the flavor; I’ve made it with and without the banana and it’s good both ways.

Blueberry Almond Cardamom Smoothie

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Beverages and tagged with , , ,

Smoothies are one of my favorite things about summer. There’s nothing like a cold smoothie at the end of a hard and hot workout for a no-brainer recovery meal. I’ve previously shared my other go-to peanut butter and banana concoction, but this is another excellent option for those that aren’t fans of banana or are in the mood for a less sweet experience.

Blueberry Cardamom Smoothie {{Baking Bytes}}

Plenty of blueberry flavor with hints of almond and cardamom make this reminiscent of one of my favorite pies, while the other mix-ins add protein and healthy fats to keep me full. Spinach is the best secret ingredient and if your blender allows, feel free to add more. As written, this recipe nearly exactly fills my single-serving blender (a bit overfills  it with the higher ends of everything) but if you’re using a standard size you can easily double the spinach content without affecting the delicious flavor.

Blueberry Cardamom Smoothie {{Baking Bytes}}

Like all smoothies, this one is super easy to tailor to your caloric needs: use the low end of the protein powder, chia, and hemp (or skip them entirely) for a lighter snack or a healthy dessert, and the full amounts for a proper meal replacement. I like my smoothies and milkshakes quite thick, but you can add extra almond milk to thin yours out if necessary.

Perfect for the next time you want pie but need protein, this is a great go-to to add to your summer smoothie repertoire.

Blueberry Almond Cardamom Smoothie

Makes 16-20 oz

Ingredients

3/4 cup frozen blueberries
2-inch piece frozen banana (optional, adds a touch of sweetness)
1/2 – 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1-2 Tbsp chia seeds
1-2 Tbsp hemp hearts
1/4 – 1/2 tsp ground cardamom, to taste
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 cup spinach, frozen and crushed1
3/4 – 1 cup almond milk, to taste

Directions

  1. Add all ingredients to a blender (I find it easiest to add the spinach and almond milk last) and process until smooth.
  2. Taste and add extra spice or thin almond milk as preferred.
  3. Enjoy immediately.

Notes

1 Easiest way to do this is just to pop a whole bag of fresh spinach in the freezer. Once frozen you can crush it with your hands or a rolling pin, which makes it much easier to pour into the blender cup.

Cold Brewed Coffee: “Latte”

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Beverages, Breakfast and tagged with ,

[Welcome to this month’s Cold Brewed Coffee Series! If you missed the first post on making your own cold brew concentrate, you can find it here.]

Happy last week of July! Can hardly believe the month went by so quickly. I hope you have enjoyed both series the last few weeks and in August we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled programming.

For the last week I’m sharing my favorite treat beverage. Technically, it’s a café au lait but it feels closer to a latte to me since the cold brew is so concentrated. I don’t drink my cold brew this way as often, but it’s a delicious way to start the morning as well as a lovely pick-me-up in the afternoon.

IMG_6056_FotorAs with everything, I like to add a dash (heap) of cinnamon, and a little vanilla is a great addition too. For a sweeter experience, use your favorite coffee syrup, maple syrup, or homemade simple syrup. I don’t often do sweet lattes these days but I have a white ginger simple syrup I’m definitely looking forward to trying out soon.

Cold Brew: "Latte" {{Baking Bytes}}Thanks for following along and I would love to hear about your cold brew adventures. And be sure to come back Friday for the pièce de résistance of National Ice Cream Month!

Cold Brewed Coffee: “Latte”

Makes ~10 oz

Ingredients

2-3 oz cold brew concentrate1
7-8 oz milk of choice (I like to use almond)

optional
1/4 tsp vanilla
cinnamon, to taste
sweetener, to taste

Directions

  1. Heat milk to simmering using method of choice: microwave, stove, milk frother, etc.
  2. Pour cold brew concentrate into a mug, and optional add any garnishes (vanilla, cinnamon, simple syrup).
  3. Carefully stream in the heated milk.
  4. Enjoy!

Notes

1 My preference is 2 oz cold brew and 8 oz almond milk, but you may prefer slightly different ratios depending on the strength of your concentrate and the type of milk you use.

Cold Brewed Coffee: Vanilla Iced

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Beverages, Breakfast and tagged with ,

[Welcome to this month’s Cold Brewed Coffee Series! If you missed the first post on making your own cold brew concentrate, you can find it here.]

Cold Brew: Iced {{Baking Bytes}}

Although I typically enjoy my cold brew as a hot beverage, sometimes an iced coffee just feels right: usually after long, hot runs or on particularly toasty afternoons. On those occasions having my own cold brew concentrate ready to go is not only more delicious and convenient, but also much cheaper than going to a coffee shop.

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It is excellent plain, of course, but since I’m usually in the mood for a treat anyway I like to doctor mine with a little vanilla and creamer. Vanilla is always a welcome addition to coffee beverages, and the creamer makes it an extra delicious summer treat. Half and half is my mixer of choice (or cream, for extra decadence), but you can substitute your own favorite. A dash of cinnamon (or heap, in my case) adds a little spice. Although I rarely sweeten mine, a bit of simple syrup, maple syrup, or regular ole sugar is definitely an option if you like your coffee sweet. Use an infused simple syrup for additional flavor options.

Cold Brew: Iced {{Baking Bytes}}

The next time you’re in the mood for an iced coffee, give this one a try. You may have to play with the proportions a bit to find your perfect ratios, but I promise the practice will be worth it.

Cold Brewed Coffee: Vanilla Iced

Makes 12-16 oz

Ingredients

6-12 oz cold brew concentrate
1/2 tsp vanilla
dash of cinnamon (optional, but encouraged)
sweetener, to taste (optional; simple syrup blends the easiest)

~1 cup ice
cold water

1-2 Tbsp half and half or cream

Directions

  1. In the bottom of a glass, add cold brew concentrate and vanilla. Stir in sweetener and/or cinnamon, if desired.
  2. Carefully add ice cubes (should be around 2/3 full), then top with cold water.
  3.  Stir in creamer of choice, and enjoy!

Notes

1 As with the hot version, this will depend on how strong you like your coffee and how strong you brewed your concentrate. For mine, I do about 2 parts coffee to 1 part water, but you may not need to dilute yours at all or you may need closer to 50:50 so play around with it till you find what works!