sweet miscellany

Sparkling Sage Lemonade

March 12, 2021 By Courtney West 1 Comment

A sweet and earthy sage simple syrup is shaken with fresh lemon juice and bitters to form the base of this sweet-tart mocktail. Each glass is topped off with Topo Chico to add some fizz. This vegan gluten-free mocktail is perfect for winter, spring, and beyond!

recipe updated 2/19/2023

Let’s talk about this mocktail! I’ve been experimenting with a lot of non-alcoholic beverage mixing lately because I have less and less desire to drink alcohol the older I get. At this point, I’ve pretty much cut it out entirely. This sparkling sage lemonade was a recent creation due to a sizable sage harvest in the garden. Sage is one of my favorite herbs but I almost always use it in savory recipes. I wanted to try something sweet for a change so I decided on a sage simple syrup. Inspired by the return of warm spring weather, I paired it with sunny lemon and sparkling water for a seasonally appropriate tipple!

Why You Should Make This Recipe

The sage and lemon balance each other really well. Even though they seem like an unlikely pair in a drink, they yield a super refreshing and delicious mocktail!
It’s incredibly easy to make, especially if you want to multiply it for a large group or party.
It tastes like the time of year when we have one foot planted in winter and the other reaching for spring.
It’s perfect for those that don’t drink alcohol but still want to sip on something special.

Making The Sage Simple Syrup

You’ll start by making a batch of sage simple syrup. The amounts listed in the recipe below will yield enough simple syrup for 8-10 drinks. Combine the water and sugar in a sauce pan. Bring it to a simmer, stirring as you go to encourage the sugar to dissolve. Once the sugar dissolves and the syrup comes to a simmer, add 1/2 cup of lightly packed sage leaves. Simmer the sage in the syrup for 3 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat. Cover it with a lid and let it steep for 30 minutes to infuse the sage flavor. Once you strain out the sage, the syrup is ready to use!

Making the Sparkling Sage Lemonade

Aside from the ingredients for the sage simple syrup, you’ll notice the rest of the ingredients listed are for each drink. Simply multiply the amounts based on how many drinks you’d like to make. For instance, if you’d like to make 4 drinks, you’ll need 4 oz of lemon juice, 4 oz of the pre-made sage simple syrup, and 12-16 oz of Topo Chico or sparkling water. Easy-peasy!

To make each drink, you’ll add the lemon juice, sage simple syrup, a strip of lemon peel, 1-2 dashes of digestive bitters or cocktail bitters, and 2 or 3 sage leaves to a cocktail shaker. Or, you can use a mason jar and a lid like I did! Add a large handful of ice, then shake vigorously for 60-90 seconds. Strain this mixture into a glass, add some ice, then top it off with the Topo Chico. If you prefer, you can garnish each drink with a lemon round and some sage leaves.

Sparkling Sage Lemonade

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Author: Courtney West
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x
Diet: Vegan

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Description

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup filtered water
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh sage leaves, plus a handful more for making the drink and for garnish
1 oz fresh lemon juice per drink
1 strip of lemon peel per drink
1–2 dashes of digestive or cocktail bitters per drink
3–4 oz Topo Chico or plain sparkling water per drink
lemon rounds for garnish, optional

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Instructions

Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring regularly to encourage the sugar to dissolve. Add the sage to the syrup and let it simmer for 3 minutes. Remove the syrup from the heat and cover the pan with a lid to let the syrup steep. Steep for 30 minutes, then strain our the sage and pour the syrup into a bottle or jar. Keep it in the fridge and make sure to use it within 2 weeks. Once you make the syrup, you’ll have enough for 8-10 drinks.

For each drink, add 1 oz of the sage simple syrup, 1 oz of fresh lemon juice, 1 strip of lemon rind, 2-3 fresh sage leaves, and a dash or two of bitters to a cocktail shaker or mason jar. Fill the shaker with a large handful of ice, then cover with the lid and shake vigorously for 60-90 seconds. Place a few ice cubes in your chosen glass then strain the mixture from your shaker into your glass. Top with 3-4 oz of chilled Topo Chico and garnish with a sage leaf and lemon round if you like. Enjoy immediately!

Notes

The syrup makes enough for 8-10 drinks! If you want to make a big batch for a party, you can multiply the rest of the recipe by 8. Add the lemon juice, syrup, lemon rind, bitters, and a handful of sage leaves to a pitcher or large bottle. Chill until ready to use, then add 2 oz to each glass, topping off each glass with 3-4 oz of Topo Chico.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: drink

Late Winter Abundance Bowl with Maple Dijon Dressing

March 5, 2021 By Courtney West 1 Comment

When I first moved up to East Texas (over a decade ago!) I was inspired to begin supporting my local farmers market after reading Barbara Kingsolver’s non-fiction book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Maybe it sounds cliché but there was something that clicked once I finished it. You know, one of those figurative light bulb moments? It resonated with me on a deep level and immediately made me want to seek out my local farmers and producers. It’s rare that something lights such a fire under my ass but this was one of those occasions.

Once I started regularly shopping at the farmers market, I realized how completely out of touch I was with the seasons. I also learned how incredibly narrow my view of fruits and vegetables were and begin to try new-to-me things like lemon cucumbers and black radishes and kohlrabi. I talked to the farmers and asked them how they liked to prepare and cook each vegetable. And slowly, over time, I began to shift to a mostly local and seasonal diet.

This change was not immediate (or easy) by any means. There were plenty of growing pains along the way, and plenty of weak moments when I just wanted an out of season strawberry at the grocery store in December. But eventually, I adapted and learned. That experience formed the basis for how I approach food today: keep it predominantly local and seasonal.

Since my work involves local farms, I’m fortunate enough to have access to beautiful produce each week. I often opt to keep it simple when I’m cooking with farm fresh produce so that I can taste the nuances of everything while also keeping it easy on myself. The dish I’m sharing today is a perfect example of a go-to option when I’m lacking creativity: simply cooked vegetables, a cooked grain, and a dressing to tie it all together.

Since this recipe is seasonally based, please feel free to use whatever root veggies or greens you have available to you. The way I’ve written it is to give you exactly what you see in the photographs with suggestions for changes or substitutions in the notes. I’ve really been enjoying the grain fonio lately so that’s what I’ve used here but you can use rice, quinoa, barley, millet, or anything else you like!

Late Winter Abundance Bowl with Maple Dijon Dressing

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Author: Courtney
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

This dish is a perfect example of a go-to option when I’m lacking creativity: simply cooked vegetables, a cooked grain, and a dressing to tie it all together!

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 small bunch of radishes
1 small bunch of Hakurei turnips (also called salad turnips)
3 kohlrabi
4 medium sized carrots
1 bunch of rainbow chard
1/4 cup olive oil plus more for roasting the veg
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or alternately, fresh lemon juice)
2 tbsp maple syrup (you can also use honey)
Sea salt
Black pepper
Your favorite cooked grain such as fonio, brown rice, or quinoa

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. While your oven is pre-heating, prep your vegetables. The goal is to try to cut them into similar sized pieces. Start with the radishes and turnips. If they’re small, cut them in half and if they are larger, cut them into quarters. Cut your carrots into rounds that are roughly the same size as your prepared radishes/turnips. Then, you’ll peel the kohlrabi and do the same. Arrange the vegetables in an even layer on a baking sheet, drizzle them lightly with olive oil, and season with sea salt and pepper. Once the oven has pre-heated, you’ll roast this tray of veg for 20-25 minutes or until they are tender and just beginning to caramelize.

For the chard, inspect the bottoms of the stems. Trim off and discard any rough or dried parts. On a separate baking tray, lightly grease the surface with olive oil, then arrange the leaves of chard in an even layer. Season with sea salt and pepper. Add this tray to the oven during the last 5 minutes of roasting time for your other vegetables. The chard only needs to be in the oven just long enough to wilt.

Make the dressing: in a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil with the dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and a pinch of sea salt. Whisk until smooth, then taste and add more salt if needed.

To assemble: In a large bowl, add a scoop of your favorite grain, a heaping portion of the roasted veggies and chard, then top with a drizzle of the dressing. This recipe will make enough for about 4 servings.

Notes

If you don’t have the vegetables listed below, you’re going to fill one standard baking sheet with your root vegetables and one with your greens. For the roots, you’re roasting them until they are tender and just beginning to caramelize and for the greens, you’re only popping them in the oven just long enough for them to wilt (about 5 or so minutes depending on the type of green). Sub in whatever cooked grain you like for the fonio. Lastly, Kohlrabi is technically a brassica but I’ve lumped it in with the root veggies to make it easier. To use kohlrabi, you’ll need to peel off and discard the outer purple or green layer before eating!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes