Recipe: Rosemary Pomegranate Syrup // Champagne Cocktail

'Juice sacs.' Just what I wanted to see when I googled 'pomegranate' right before bed last night.

....and visions of juice sacs danced in their heads. 

Nooooo, Internet, no. Can we all agree to never use those two words together again? Maybe just banish the second word from the English language entirely? (With the exception that I may bust it out on Christmas just to skeeve out my cousins... 'tis the season!)

For the purposes of not ruining this beautiful cocktail with our filthy minds (ok my filthy mind), let's stick to arils. Or seeds. Whatever you'd like to call those glimmering little gems one finds inside a pomegranate. And then stained onto your fingertips. And on the collar of your white shirt. And smeared on the rug, which someone likely tracked in from the kitchen. And holy, what how did pomegranate juice get on the dog? WHO WIPED THEIR HANDS ON THE DOG.

Aahhh so there's a reason Trader Joe's sells containers of pomegranate seeds. I now see the light.

Truth be told though, I'm so excited to get you drunk share this recipe with you that I don't care how many obscure places I find pomegranate stains over the next three days. 

Ain't she perty?? The crimson syrup with the deep green rosemary is like the closest thing to drinking Christmas. 

This is also a great cocktail to allow guests to help themselves to, and to show off your DIY skillz. Bottle with spout plus twine plus tag equals most Pinteresting person at the party. Arrange all of the ingredients with a little instructions card, and voila - you're free to set up camp at the cheese plate. Which is where you'll find me too, so cheers to THAT!

I wouldn't want to leave you hanging with just booze right before Christmas, so here are a few appetizer recipes in case you're still looking for ideas:

• Endive with Smoked Salmon and Boursin Cheese
• Marcona Almonds with Rosemary and Salt
• Pear Slices Topped with Crispy Pancetta, Goat Cheese and Honey
• Prosciutto Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Gorgonzola 
• Roasted Eggplant Dip with Tahini and Lemon

And for good measure, a Cranberry Lemon Cake that Santa actually requested I include because it explodes with Christmas spirit like Buddy the Elf wouldn't even believe. 

Wishing you warm company, great food, and minimal stomach issues this holiday season. Enjoy, friends!

Recipe: Rosemary Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail

Ingredients (for syrup; makes just over 2 cups)
1 cup 100% pomegranate juice (like POM Wonderful)
1 cup water 
1 cup sugar
3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary

Ingredients (for cocktail)
Chilled champagne or prosecco 
Pomegranate arils (or seeds, or juice sacs.. AHH I can't stop.)
Rosemary sprigs, trimmed into small pieces 

Instructions (to make syrup)
Add pomegranate juice, water and sugar to a saucepan. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for three minutes, uncovered, until all of the sugar is dissolved in the liquid. 

Remove from heat. Submerge rosemary sprigs in the liquid. Cover with a lid, and allow the rosemary to steep for 10 to 20 minutes.

Remove the rosemary sprigs, and allow the syrup to cool completely before using in cocktails. (You can speed this up by putting it in the fridge or freezer.)

Can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge.

Instructions (to make cocktail)
Pour about 2 tablespoons of the rosemary pomegranate syrup into a champagne flute. (3 tablespoons for a sweeter drink.) Fill the rest of the way with chilled champagne. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and a small sprig of rosemary. 

(Could also do the same with sparkling water instead of champagne for homemade soda!)

Gluten Sucks, This Doesn't: WINE IN A CAN

This is a story about a girl and her cans. (No not that kind of story.) 

Here's a hint:

For four years of my life I ate so much pizza and drank so much beer. The pizza was ALWAYS dunked (literally - dunked. swimming.) in ranch dressing, and the beer was.. Well. Let's be honest is anyone picky about beer in college? Natty Light fished out of a murky tub of liquid that maybe possibly used to contain ice? Sure! Ok. I'll take five. #FITLIFE. 

Then, college was over and BAM: Celiac disease. Bye (normal) pizza, bye (normal) beer. 

Bittersweet timing, huh? Even though I was for SURE unknowingly doing some damage to my bod for a while there. (Sorry little villi please still love me!!!) It was really nice not to have to worry about all this gluten junk in college. For those of you experiencing Celiac in your college years (or younger), I want to give you so many hugs and gluten free pancakes. You are doing great. Keep it up.

At this point it's been just over 4 years since being diagnosed, and I'm pretttty used to turning down beer. (And bread. And all good things.) So when I actually get to drink something out of a can in a social setting it's SO EXCITING! Seriously. Put a canned alcoholic beverage in my hand and I'm the world's happiest camper (heh heh). It's the little things. 

Thus began my love affair with Union Wine Company. It started on Instagram after I posted this photo, then blossomed into a sweet, sweet online (but not catfish-y) friendship based on a mutual adoration of wine in cans. Why should beer drinkers get to have all the fun?

(Oh, um. A word to the wise - each can holds roughly two glasses of wine. So if you don't know this, and drink one full can on the train from NYC, you might be a little bit drunk by the time you meet your parents in NJ.)

I've brought these cans everywhere over the past few months - from the beach, to concerts, to the roof of our apartment building. But my favorite place I've kicked back with a can of vino is in the woods. All the photos here are from a most perfect camping weekend in South New Jersey with my fam, boyfriend, and our precious, hopelessly dopey Carl. (Despite the presence of a cheese plate, this was NOT glamping. There was dirt and bugs and peeing outside and stuff. I LOVED EVERY MINUTE.) 

Union Wine Co's Pinot in a can goes great with cheese (as does everything.) It also happens to play very nicely with grilled garlic bread (AH), portable backgammon, live guitar tunes from Jer, gluten free dump cake, and sisters on hammocks. Not once did someone say WHERE IS THE GOD DAMN WINE OPENER AND ALSO MAY I HAVE A FLASHLIGHT. Oh, cans. It's no wonder people drink stuff out of you.

If you're local, I get my wine-in-a-can at Bottlerocket in NYC. (It's a REALLY cool/different wine and spirit store with a super helpful layout, so if you haven't been you should check it out.) Here are some other handy sources for getting your canned wine fix:

Order online here.

Email info@unionwinecompany.com.

Additional info on Pinot in a Can here.

Bottoms up, and #pinkiesdown!

Disclaimer-smishclaimer: Union Wine provided me with some product after I emailed them completely fan-girling. Much of the wine pictured I purchased myself because I'm a grown ass woman.

Recipe: Peach-Basil Smoothie with Cucumber and Lime

Listen up, New York. If I have to shave my legs in October I'm at the very least going to cheer myself up with a smoothie that has summer written ALL. OVER IT. 

And there are plenty of peaches and bunches of basil at the Union Square Greenmarket, so I've gotta believe I'm in good company. 

I've literally been thinking about this smoothie for months (MONTHS!) after hearing about it from one of the neighborhood Moms at home in NJ. You see, I super-love herbs in just about anything: rosemary shortbread cookies? Sure! Herb-flecked ice cream? Uh, yes. Infused cocktails? Even better. Give me the whole freaking thyme sprig while you're at it.

So I'm obviously 110% okay with tossing some basil into a smoothie. Basil and peaches are pretty much lovers, and the cucumber and lime are ridiculously refreshing. If it hadn't been 3 in the afternoon I might have glugged in a little liquor - but I'll leave the experimenting to you party animals.

  

Hi-fives all around for October peaches!

Recipe: Peach-Basil Smoothie with Cucumber and Lime

[original recipe via Diane Whitman & It's All Good]

Ingredients (serves ~2)

2 ripe peaches, unpeeled and pit removed 

1 small handful fresh basil leaves

1 cucumber, peeled 

Juice and zest of 1 lime

10-12 ice cubes (standard size)

Instructions

Blend all of the ingredients. Add more ice as needed.

Recipe: Pear, Almond + Kale Smoothie

Here I am, giving you a smoothie recipe when everyone else is welcoming fall with open arms and pumpkin-spice-everything. But fear not, this smoothie is decidedly fall-ish. Because pears, kale and nutty almond butter are rather cozy sounding, aren’t they? Also, I don’t make this with ice, so the consistency is much more creamy and thick than icy.

My lovely college roommate Vic first turned me onto this flavor combo when she recommended the Green Power smoothie at Terri. (Which also has gluten free cupcakes and sandwich/wrap options, though I haven’t tried them yet.) They typically make it with soy milk, but I’ve had some hellish allergic reactions to soy milk in the past. (Hoorah for new, freak allergies in your early 20s!) So I subbed almond milk.

Best. Decision. Ever. Now, I’m completely hooked on almond milk. Like, drink-it-out-of-the-container hooked. Sorry, cows. Don’t be sad though, I will continue to use your services/udders for cheese, butter, more cheese, etc.

So this smoothie. Make it! You will love it. And do pop over to Vic’s blog. She makes delicious things that I sometimes get to eat.

Recipe: Pear, Almond and Kale Smoothie

[Original recipe from Terri / A Tbsp of Therapy]

Note

-I’ve let the smoothie sit in the fridge for a few hours and it stays nice and thick. Not sure how it would fare overnight, but give it a try!

Ingredients

2/3 cup cold, vanilla almond milk (or plain almond milk + ¼ tsp vanilla extract)

1 tbsp almond butter

1 c packed kale, ribs removed

1 teaspoon ground flax seed (optional)

1 pear (i.e. Bartlett), peeled and roughly cubed

½ frozen banana

Instructions

Using a standing blender or immersion blender, puree almond milk, almond butter, kale and flax seed (if using) until smooth.

Add pear and banana. Blend once more until smooth. If smoothie is too thick, thin it out with water or additional almond milk. Alternatively, if it’s too thin you can add a few ice cubes. But mine’s usually just right. 

Recipe: Kale and Berry Smoothie

If anything good is to come out of today, it’s that my first recipe disaster is officially behind me. Well, not quite yet. It’s still mocking me from its plate on the coffee table.

Word to the wise: don’t buy eggplant and fennel if you don’t like eggplant and fennel. This holds true even if the eggplant (aptly named the Fairy Tale variety) looks too good to be real.

So what to do when every inch of counter space in the kitchen is covered, the fridge is strangely empty, and it’s too hot to turn on the oven again? Two words: kale smoothie. Don’t knock it till you try it. I happen to love the glaring green color, mostly because it freaks out my roommate Angie. But if you can overlook that minor detail, it tastes like any other berry smoothie and is chock full of Vitamin A and other good-for-you things.

Ingredients

6 oz. fat free vanilla yogurt

Bunch of kale, leaves stripped from stems

¼ cup orange juice

1 cup frozen berries (mix of strawberries and raspberries)

Recipe

First, a quick note on the berries. I buy mine fresh, wash them, lay them on a cookie sheet, pop it in the freezer for an hour or so, then transfer them to a freezer bag. This eliminates the need to dilute the smoothie with ice later on.

To make the smoothie, add the yogurt and orange juice to the blender. Fill the blender with loosely packed kale and blend on high until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Add additional O.J. or water as needed. To finish, add the berries and blend until you’re happy with the consistency.