This recipe was completely eyeballed, so all amounts are estimates; adjust to your tastes and preferences. If unsure, start with a little and add more if needed. Don’t be scared, it’s not that serious.
amount
ingredient
1 cup
strawberries, fresh, sliced
~15
mozzarella balls, fresh, small
2-3 T
basil pesto
to taste
salt
to taste
black pepper, fresh cracked
drizzle
olive oil
to taste
lemon juice, fresh
1 bag
spring mix
handful
arugula
2 T
balsamic vinaigrette
Process
Add all ingredients up through lemon juice into a bowl and mix thoroughly
In a separate bowl, mix the spring mix, arugula, and dress lightly with balsamic vinaigrette
To plate, fill individual salad bowls with salad greens and top with the strawberry caprese mix
Notes
toasted walnuts (or any other nut you prefer) would go great here
can pair with chicken breast as well for a protein boost
You can use any fresh mozzarella you want, I just had the little balls on hand, so that’s what I used; I tore them in half and squished them a bit
I pre-process most of my fresh ginger in the blender and freeze it for use in all my recipes, which makes this very simple. If you’re using fresh ginger, you can blend it with the water or grate it finely on a microplane.
Process
Ginger Water: mix ginger with water, set aside
Light Honey Simple Syrup: mix honey with water, stir until the honey is completely dissolved (a few minutes), set aside
in a tall glass, add ¼ cup each of the simple syrup and ginger water (strain if desired); add the lemon juice and swirl to mix
top up the glass with sparkling water
if desired, sprinkle a smidge of sea salt for added flavor
the salt will make the drink froth and bubble up, so make sure the glass isn’t so full that it will overflow, if adding the salt
Variation: Ginger POW
WARNING: Ginger can be a very strong spice, especially this variation which brings out more of the spiciness. Each individual has varying tolerances and health profiles, so proceed at your own risk. If you have any concerns, research the properties of ginger, and start with less of the ginger water. You can always add more later if you like.
Ginger water
to a small sauce pot, add the ginger and water and set it over a medium high flame
if you have an exhaust fan, turn it on as the spice from the ginger will aerate from the steam and can cause coughing or irritation
cook until the water reduces by about half, stirring occasionally (it won’t be half in overall volume because of the ginger)
once the water has reduced significantly, let cool
add the mixture to a high powered blender and blend until smooth, ~1 minute
strain the mixture (optional, sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t)
making the drink
Light Honey Simple Syrup: mix honey with water, stir until the honey is completely dissolved (a few minutes), set aside
in a tall glass, add ¼ cup of the simple syrup, the juice of 1 lemon, and 2 tablespoons of the ginger water
top up the glass with sparkling water, taste, and adjust the amount of ginger water to your preference
if desired, sprinkle a smidge of sea salt for added flavor
the salt will make the drink froth and bubble up, so make sure the glass isn’t so full that it will overflow, if adding the salt
Notes
Ginger Water
Store the ginger water (either version) in a glass jar in the fridge.
Use your best judgement regarding how long it will stay good for. If the taste, smell, or texture is off, feel free to toss it. If you don’t think you’ll be able to get through all of it before it goes off, freeze it in an ice cube tray for use later.
Remember that it is just a ginger and water concentrate, so feel free to repurpose it for other drinks, like tea, kava, meat marinades, dressings, etc. You can even toss it in your salans and curries.
Light Honey Simple Syrup
I typically make the simple syrup in a glass measuring cup and then just store it in the same vessel in the fridge (uncovered). You could put it into a squeeze bottle, mason jar, whatever you have on hand.
If in an airtight container, it supposedly can last up to a month in the fridge. Again, use your best judgement.
Sugar syrups are a great way to make many different drinks, so remember to stay flexible. Use it in teas, coffees, marinades, vinaigrettes, sauces, as a soak for a sponge cake, etc.
cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving
Notes
The covering and chilling is actual pretty vital to this recipe, although it’s tempting to skip the step. If you eat it right away, the flavors will feel off and disjointed, maybe too sweet or too tart. But once it’s had a chance to meld together in the fridge, everything becomes much more cohesive.
slice the onion very thinly, lengthwise (from pole to pole)
slice jalapeño very thinly into coins
add salt to taste—not enough to make it salty, just enough to play up the other flavors
add lemon juice and massage into the vegetables so that all the onions break up from their nested sections and the lemon juice nicely coats everything
rest ~10 minutes until the vegetables lose some of their raw bite
Notes
can use white onions, but the flavor is better with red, as they tend to be sweeter and better for consuming raw
I cut my vegetables very thinly; you could make thicker slices if that’s what you prefer and those may hold up better to storing (untested)
other acids can be used as well, such as vinegars, or lime juice; I find the lemon juice adds the best burst of bright citrus flavor and tang
These pickles are best made and enjoyed fresh, but can be stored covered in an airtight container in the fridge for several days. They will lose some of their snap as the acids continue to work on the vegetables, but will still be tasty.
