Did you do a double-take when you read that title? Can you believe I am posting a recipe that contains alcohol??? I'll admit I am not much of a drinker. Pretty much anyone could drink me under the table. I realize the problem is that I don't practice enough.
But seriously, alcohol is a slippery slope that some of us should just avoid completely. Studies show that even one single alcoholic drink per day raises the risk of breast cancer. One thing women need to know if they plan to drink anyway is that the increased risk disappears once women are not deficient in folic acid. Any good multivitamin should have adequate levels (at least 400 mcg.) so check yours and make sure you are getting enough. Women of child-bearing age have already been warned that folic acid is vital, but even as we age, we continue to need it! Some food sources of folate are liver, beets, oranges, and asparagus.
But I digress! On to the sangria! I was inspired to make this for the first time when I discovered a recipe in The Healthiest Meals on Earth by Jonny Bowden. I have already told you that I LOVE this cookbook! Tons of great advice for ways to improve and spice up your diet. But sangria is healthy? This was news to me! Of course I've heard that resveratrol is a wonderous antioxidant found in red wine, but I decided to use white for my first venture into sangria-making. Why? Because it just seemed more summery to me.
We had a bottle of Fish Eye Moscato from Australia in the wine rack. Moscato is a slightly sweet, sometimes fizzy, and quite delightful white wine that I had never tried before. To me, it seemed perfect for this sangria, but you can experiment with your own favorite whites, or even reds, as the original recipe calls for. I took great liberties with the sangria recipe in the book, basically just using what I had on hand. Often sangrias have additional alcohol in the form of brandy, but just the wine is plenty for me!
Summer Sangria
If you have a lovely glass pitcher, you could use a whole bottle of wine and make sangria for at least 4-8 thirsty friends, depending on how many refills they want. If you want to try this just for yourself, you can make it right in your large wine glass. Adjust the proportions to suit the size of your glass.
1 bottle Moscato or other slightly sweet white wine, fizzy is also nice
1 lemon, sliced thinly
1 cup strawberries, sliced
2-4 fresh apricots, sliced
2-4 fresh peaches, sliced (both white and yellow)
10 fresh cherries, sliced (both red and yellow)
1 liter sparkling water or plain seltzer (optional)
Pour the wine into a large glass pitcher. Gently squeeze the lemons into the wine, removing all seeds but not all the juice. Add the rest of the fruit. Stir lightly to combine. Refrigerate for at least several hours or overnight. Add seltzer immediately before serving, if desired.
But seriously, alcohol is a slippery slope that some of us should just avoid completely. Studies show that even one single alcoholic drink per day raises the risk of breast cancer. One thing women need to know if they plan to drink anyway is that the increased risk disappears once women are not deficient in folic acid. Any good multivitamin should have adequate levels (at least 400 mcg.) so check yours and make sure you are getting enough. Women of child-bearing age have already been warned that folic acid is vital, but even as we age, we continue to need it! Some food sources of folate are liver, beets, oranges, and asparagus.
But I digress! On to the sangria! I was inspired to make this for the first time when I discovered a recipe in The Healthiest Meals on Earth by Jonny Bowden. I have already told you that I LOVE this cookbook! Tons of great advice for ways to improve and spice up your diet. But sangria is healthy? This was news to me! Of course I've heard that resveratrol is a wonderous antioxidant found in red wine, but I decided to use white for my first venture into sangria-making. Why? Because it just seemed more summery to me.
We had a bottle of Fish Eye Moscato from Australia in the wine rack. Moscato is a slightly sweet, sometimes fizzy, and quite delightful white wine that I had never tried before. To me, it seemed perfect for this sangria, but you can experiment with your own favorite whites, or even reds, as the original recipe calls for. I took great liberties with the sangria recipe in the book, basically just using what I had on hand. Often sangrias have additional alcohol in the form of brandy, but just the wine is plenty for me!
Summer Sangria
If you have a lovely glass pitcher, you could use a whole bottle of wine and make sangria for at least 4-8 thirsty friends, depending on how many refills they want. If you want to try this just for yourself, you can make it right in your large wine glass. Adjust the proportions to suit the size of your glass.
1 bottle Moscato or other slightly sweet white wine, fizzy is also nice
1 lemon, sliced thinly
1 cup strawberries, sliced
2-4 fresh apricots, sliced
2-4 fresh peaches, sliced (both white and yellow)
10 fresh cherries, sliced (both red and yellow)
1 liter sparkling water or plain seltzer (optional)
Pour the wine into a large glass pitcher. Gently squeeze the lemons into the wine, removing all seeds but not all the juice. Add the rest of the fruit. Stir lightly to combine. Refrigerate for at least several hours or overnight. Add seltzer immediately before serving, if desired.
Comments
Post a Comment
Please share your helpful questions and comments here! Thanks for being part of this balanced community!