Tag Archives: lime

Drink Up! These Fizzy Jalapeno Cherry Limeades are a Hot Twist on a Cool Classic

My friend Lacy (and fellow DIR contributor) started posting (bragging) about a large cherry tree in her backyard, and then, of course, came the pictures of the mini cherry pies she’d made with her son.

little cherries

I more or less publicly begged for her to share. And she did! Then two nights later she invited my family over to climb that cherry tree and pick some of our own. We took her up on the offer and left her backyard two hours later with two gallons of fresh picked cherries. Score!

Too hot to bake, and not really sure what else to do with these little ruby-like gems, thirst became my muse. An ordinary cherry limeade wouldn’t do though. I’m a “foodie” after all. I took this cherry limeade to the next level.

jalapeno cherry limeade

What this fizzy cherry limeade needed was a little heat, something to literally spice up the classic. Jalapenos were the fix. (more…)

Posted on July 15, 2023 by Natalie K

Roasted Tomatillo and Pineapple Salsa is a Sweet and Spicy Treat

“I’m solar powered,” my grandmother recently said to me in the deepest, darkest part of the Winter That Just Would Not End. I couldn’t have agreed more, I thrive on sunshine! That day, the sun had poked through for the first time in weeks and we were all in a better mood. That night, I couldn’t handle sitting cooped up at our table for dinner one more time, so we made our way to the patio of a Mexican restaurant and enjoyed what will be the first of many outdoor dinners this season.

Our complimentary chips and salsa included a tomatillo and pineapple variety that I hadn’t tried before. One bite was all I needed to try and commandeer that part of the sampler. My husband told me I could make it better. Challenge accepted.

By the way – challenge won! (more…)

Posted on April 8, 2024 by Natalie K

10-Calorie Fresh Sweet and Sour Mix for Your Skinny Cocktails

We keep experiencing these little glimpses of spring, which immediately puts me in the mood for summer. Does that make me an over achiever or impatient? Either way, both seasons make me want to sit on my patio, sip something delicious, and revel in my family and friends. I can’t be alone in this – just look at the Mason Jars full of beverages on Pinterest. We’ve all got the itch.

The scratch? My Sweet and Sour Vodka. It’s as light and refreshing as a tart glass of lemonade but has that little somethin-somethin to bring you back down after a long day. It’s. Amazing.

I stopped buying the jug o’ drink mixer at the grocery store years ago. Master of Mixes’ Sweet ‘n Sour has 110 calories and 25 grams of sugar per four-ounce serving. Our recipe has TEN calories and LESS than 1 gram of sugar. That neon yellow color, ridiculous after taste, and undesirable ingredient list left me thirsty for something better.

The answer was in front of me all along – my own lemons and limes squeezed to cocktail-mixing perfection. (more…)

Posted on February 18, 2024 by Natalie K

Homemade and Fat-Free Creamy Feta Salad Dressings Two Ways

If I told you that you could have big salads tossed with a creamy dressing and it would be fat free, would you believe me? Not only fat free, but extremely low calorie, fresh flavor, and maybe the best dressing you’ve ever had. Let me show you the way.

I prepare a big entree salad for dinner for my family once or twice a week. I swore off grocery store salad dressings years ago because they’re terrible, and frankly, I can whip up a vinaigrette on demand with a flavor that perfectly complements my meal. But I recently grew tired of the vinegar and oil and craved the creamier variety I used to douse my salads in. Inspiration struck.

Picking through the refrigerator, I found feta crumbles, Greek yogurt, and the strawberries and basil I usually add to vinaigrette. These were blended together, without the oil, and the sweetest pink dressing adorned our salads that night. And with that, my creamy feta dressing fixation began. (more…)

Posted on February 11, 2024 by Natalie K