I'm all about mocktails (a.k.a virgin cocktails) this summer because I'm still nursing baby Vienna, which means no alcohol for me! I've been creating plenty of alcohol-free drinks all summer long. Truth be told, I am not missing wine and I haven't had a full glass of wine since 2014!
One of my fave drinks has always been a white wine spritzer. It's the perfect combo of coolness and fizziness! This Peach Basil Spritzer fits that description, plus it's very refreshing. The hint of basil with the natural sweetness of peaches is such a great combination. It was a total fluke that I ended up combining these two ingredients together. I bought both at farmer's market the other weekend and just felt they would work nicely together.
Peaches don't need an introduction, but since I'm a nutritionist I always love sharing why they are a so good for you!
Peaches are high in immune-boosting, free radicalfighting, beautifying antioxidant vitamin C
Like many other yellow and orange fruits and veggies, peaches have lots of carotenoids, the vitamin A precursor that promotes eye health and has anti-cancer properties. The darker the colour of the peachs flesh, the more carotenoids it has (e.g., yellow peaches have more carotenoids than white peaches).
Peaches contain plant-based sources of blood-building iron.
In addition to the vitamin C, peaches contain many different antioxidant flavonoids that help fight free radicals, including lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin.
Did you know that peaches and nectarines are the same fruit? Both are Prunus persica, but if it has fuzzy skin, its a peach and if it has smooth skin, its a nectarine, which is simply a variety of peach!
Now that we are done with the nutrition tidbits, check out this spritzer! Doesn't it make you salivate!! Thanks to my hubs Walkman for these awesome photos. It was hard to style them without wanting to keep sipping, ha!
Here's the recipe. It's designed to serve four, but if you want the peach flavour more concentrated then divide between two glasses instead.
Drinks
Peach Basil Spritzer
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Ingredients
- 4 ripe, skin-on, small to medium peaches
- Handful fresh basil
- 2 cups fizzy (carbonated) water
Instructions
- Using a juicer, run the peaches through the juice extractor. You'll get about 1 cup of peach juice. Or place the peaches in a blender -- just keep in mind it will be more of a smoothie consistency if you don't juice them, but that's okay too!
- Finely chop basil or muddle it to help release the natural oils because that's where all the flavour is.
- Divide peach juice and basil evenly amongst 4 champagne glasses. Fill glass with fizzy water. Enjoy immediately!
Happy sipping!
