We’ve all heard of those overpriced, modernistic juice and wellness shops, which preach health and wellness but also somehow cost you more than your monthly car lease. Granted, everyone wants to do their best to eat and drink healthy, but if that comes with a hefty price tag and a lifetime of forcing down mouthfuls of spinach brownies, I simply won’t comply.
One prime example I’ve seen grow in popularity everywhere is the so-called “wellness shots”—more like menace shots if you ask me. Bitter, pungent, smelly, sour, expensive; an all around no. However, the concept is intriguing.
The idea of having an extremely concentrated drink filled with natural herbs and remedies seems wonderful, if it were to taste good. The benefits truly can be outstanding, especially if the drink is fresh, organic, and well made. So I wanted to try and make one myself.
I started by thinking of every ingredient I would like to include. Ginger, honey, mint, turmeric, lemon, and apple cider vinegar—all ingredients with specific uses and purposes.
Apart from the bright flavor, ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory that relieves muscle pain, while honey is a naturally sweet antioxidant. Peppermint leaves add an extraordinary fresh and spicy flavor as well as being calming and relaxing, and turmeric powder adds a vibrant color and contains many medicinal properties.
Lastly, fresh lemon juice spruces everything up with a hint of tartness and apple cider vinegar enhances the tart flavor and adds substances that aid health in a variety of ways such as reducing cholesterol, lowering blood sugar levels, and more.
In a blender jar, I added the juice of one meyer lemon, 2 tablespoons of minced ginger, 1 tablespoon of minced mint, ½ teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder, and 4 tablespoons of honey. I put this concoction in the fridge for 30 minutes to let it soak, allowing all of the rich flavors to marinate and combine into a flavorful concentrate.
Once the mixture was done marinting I added in 2 ⅓ cups of ice and blended it all together.
The result was a bright gold, icy drink filled with exquisite flavors and aftertastes. Refreshing and powerful, this wellness smoothie was far tastier than any overpriced, gimmicky, drink found in any shop. It was the perfect start to a hot summer day, cooling and icy but also calming, healthy, and delicious.
A disclaimer: this drink is very strong. As I said earlier, it’s a sort of concentrated smoothie that is designed to be consumed in small portions, so don’t expect to be able to gulp the whole thing down. Sip on small amounts every morning throughout the week for a refreshing, delicious, and beneficial herbal smoothie, but definitely don’t try to drink the whole thing in one sitting because it won’t work out.
But consumed in the right ways, this drink is the perfect start to any day and once you try it, you’ll be addicted:)
Ingredients:
1 Meyer Lemon Juiced
2 Tablespoons Minced ginger
1 Tablespoon Minced Mint
½ Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
4Tabespoons Honey
2 ⅓ Cups Ice
Recipe:
Combine lemon juice, ginger, mint, apple cider vinegar, turmeric, and honey in a blender jar and set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Add 2 ⅓ cups of ice and blend until smooth.
Enjoy!