Fresh cranberry fizz with a citrus twist

Fresh cranberry fizz with a citrus twist

Yield: 1 cup of juice concentrate = approximately four beverages depending on taste preferences

Prep time: a few minutes

Total time: about five minutes
Equipment: something to blend the fruit & liquid (I used a Bella personal size smoothie blender- new for less than twenty dollars)

Ingredients:
1 cup of fresh, whole, washed cranberries (organic whenever possible)
1 seedless clementine (or fresh mandarin) washed and tough ends removed. (keep the peel on!)
– 1 cup pure/filtered water (or *Sparkling water of your choice (no added ingredients)
– 2 teaspoons peeled & chopped (or grated) fresh ginger

Optional: choose one of these fresh garnishes
Sprig of fresh mint or rosemary
Thin slice of fresh citrus like a lime wedge
A few whole cranberries
Serve in an attractive cocktail glass like these vintage French gems!

Directions:
Rinse the fresh cranberries, taking care not to use any fruit that appears off color, scent, or texture. (Mold Free Menu is pretty strict about mycotoxins). Wash the clementine (or citrus substitute) and slice it into about four wedges. Trim off any tough bits like the remaining stem and be sure to remove all seeds.
Carefully peel & rinse a section of fresh ginger root and chop it into pieces no larger than the size of a green pea.
Place cranberries, clementine, chopped ginger, and water in a blender and process until no large chunks remain. Small pieces are just fine- they will be strained out. Should only take a few pulses with this handy and portable blender. If the mixture is allowed to sit untouched for a couple of minutes, you’ll see a separation as the pulp floats on top of the watery juice. Use a stainless strainer or unbleached cheesecloth to strain the juice from the pulp, saving the juice in a separate container like a lead free glass measuring cup with a pour spout. You should end up with about one cup of fresh juice concentrate, and a pile of damp fruit pulp. If you have another use for the pulp- refrigerate and use it the same day. (This pulp is a bit tart, working well as a flavor enhancer as opposed to using it as a base for smooth sauces or desserts. A few ideas here. ) if you’re not planning to use it within 24 hours, just drop it in your compost.
To make a bubbly mocktail, simply combine the juice concentrate with sparkling water; for a richer flavor, use one cup of juice to one cup of sparkling water. A favorite of several readers is the proportion of two tablespoons of juice to a half can of sparkling water (12 oz can).

If you prefer a sweetened beverage, add a sprinkle of pure stevia to the juice and then add sparkling water.

Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint, an orange slice, or a few fresh whole cranberries.

Two personal favorites if you choose to use sparkling water occasionally:

• this one by Waterloo because they use filtered water, and the bubbles seem to be gentler than other brands.
• and of course one of the best tasting sparkling mineral waters available all around the world

*note about Sparkling water… carbonation can effect bones & teeth as well as aggravate IBS symptoms, so consume only moderate amounts)

On the go? This super durable, easy to clean bottle is a favorite! And Amazon has a great price 🙂

Special diet information about this recipe: CIRS approved/Dairy Free/Gluten Free/Whole30/Low-carb, Paleo, SIBO friendly low Fodmap.