In honor of the midweek achievement, it’s only right to continue the cocktails and dressing segment with this tasty cocktail recipe that infuses a little bit of fruit and heat. I have challenged myself to use the fresh herbs that are doing surprisingly well in my backyard, in as many ways as possible. Since we are still in strawberry season, it was an easy fruit pick and I decided to pair it with basil, an infused vodka and a surprising kick. 🙂 If you are not a pineapple person, I would recommend a coconut or citrus infused vodka for this recipe below. Thanks to my pal Lance, I had the perfect mason jar glass to put my drink in and toast the end of the day. Since my salads have been topped with chicken salad this week for lunch, I’ve kept the dressing simple with balsamic, but somehow I think an avocado dressing may make the next cut.
Share your thoughts and enjoy!
Strawberry Basil and Jalapeño Spritzer
Serves: 1
Ingredients:
1/8 cup of fresh strawberries (2-3 small)
2-3 basil leaves
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 lime wedge (1/4 of a small lime)
1 small seeded jalapeño
1.5 ounces of pineapple vodka
8 ounces of club soda
Directions:
1. Rinse all produce.
2. With gloved- hands, cut the tops off of the berries and cut the jalapeño in half before removing the seeds, ribs and top stem.
3. Squeeze half of a lime into a steel cup or drink shaker. (A bowl will work too.)
4. Add berries, jalapeño, lime and basil in with the squeezed juice. Mash items down with a pestle or a drink muddler for 30 secs-1 minute or until the contents start to break down.
5. Add pineapple vodka and 1/2 cup of ice. Use a second cup pouring the contents from one cup to the other to mix the ingredients well. You can also use a martini shaker if preferred.
6. Pull out lime wedge and jalapeño halves.
7.Add ice to a glass and pour in mixture. (You can strain it if preferred).
8. Add club soda and squeeze lime wedge over the glass.
9. Enjoy.
Note: For a more intense flavor, let mashed ingredients steep in the vodka for 15-20 minutes prior to using. You can also make it the day before and steep the mixture overnight in the fridge.