Berries, Ginger & Sage – Refreshing Non-Alcoholic Beverage
You gotta love summer, baby! How does a nice, refreshing drink sound?
Well, here is a recipe that will definitely quench your thirst. The combination of berries, ginger, and sage is going to rock your world.
How did this berries, ginger & sage recipe come about?
A few years ago, I was making a batch of water kefir and used a recipe to flavor it and further ferment it.
Water kefir is a fermented probiotic drink with many nutritional properties. The recipe included mixed berries and sage.
Wow, I loved the stuff. The flavor was mild and intriguing, with a hint of sage. I had never tasted anything like it.
Who would have thought of putting “sage” in a beverage? I am a big fan of sage and have grown it in my garden for years.
Sage’s smell is one of my favorites, next to rosemary’s. I never really used it much, sometimes for tea or adding to a meat dish, but now… I have found the perfect use!
So, back to the recipe. A few months ago, I taught an herb class at my home and wanted to serve a delicious beverage that included an herb.
I have a recipe for lavender punch, but I wanted something different. Bam, I remembered the sage-flavored water kefir I had made.
That would have been great to serve, but it takes several days to ferment, and I didn’t have the time.
I had an idea. When processed, water kefir has a fizziness like soda pop. So, I thought I’d add the syrup to some ginger ale.
That is what I did, and it worked out fabulously. It worked in a pinch, but I dislike consuming high fructose corn syrup.
What’s so bad about High fructose corn syrup?
I avoid this form of sugar at all costs. One of my mentors, Robyn Openshaw (Green Smoothie Girl), explains why high fructose corn syrup is so bad.
Corn Syrup: Nearly all corn is genetically modified, but that’s not even the most important reason to avoid corn syrup. It’s highly-refined concentrated fructose that inflames and ages your cells, erodes your gut lining, and is highly acid-forming. It easily overwhelms the liver’s ability to get rid of it, so it gets stored as fat. That’s why high-fructose corn syrup is linked to metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, candida, diabetes, heart disease, and food addictions. Not only do I academically know too much about its detrimental effect on health, but it sends my lifelong anxiety, completely under control on whole foods, into instantaneous orbit. Please don’t ever eat it.
This stuff is in many processed foods, so pay attention. Something to think about, ey?
Tweaking the Recipe
I knew there would be a way to still get the goodness of the berry drink without the soda.
So I spent some time tweaking the recipe until I came up with something extraordinary. Adding fresh ginger gives it the zing of ginger ale.
I will share several versions with you, and let you choose which way you want to make it.
- Using sugar and water
- Mixing with Ginger Ale
- Making flavored water kefir
Now for the recipes.
Berry Ginger & Sage Drink Ingredients:
Using Water & Sugar
- 4 cups fresh or frozen berries.
- 1 cup of water
- 5 Tablespoons dried sage or 2/3 cup packed fresh sage leaves
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup sugar to your liking, or 1/2 tsp Stevia (I prefer regular sugar)
- 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thin
Mixing With Ginger Ale
It isn’t the end of the world if you use soda pop. It tastes good and is quick if you are in a pinch for time.
- Same as above, except DO NOT ADD ANY SUGAR or GINGER!
The sweetness and ginger flavor will come from the ginger ale.
How to make flavored water kefir
This method is suitable for those who make their own water kefir or want to flavor already-made kefir.
- Prepare the syrup using the sugar method. DO NOT STRAIN!
- Let the syrup cool completely.
- Add syrup to 8 cups of already prepared water kefir.
- Pour the liquid (including berry pulp) into sealable bottles.
- Seal the bottles and leave them at room temperature. The fizzier the soda will get, so be careful not to leave the bottles for too long, or else they will fizz over when opened.
- Before drinking, strain out the berry pulp with a fine strainer.
For more information on kefir making, this is a good resource.
You can use fresh or frozen berries.
Since my strawberries have already gone and my raspberry patch this year is a total mess, these frozen berries from Costco work great.
Add berries, ginger & sage, and all other ingredients to the sauce pan
Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the cooked mixture. Let it sit for a few minutes to ensure that all the liquid is removed.
You will end up with approximately 1 cup of syrup.
- Add the syrup to 6-8 cups of water depending how strong you want it.
- Start with 6 cups, and if you think you could stand it a little weaker, add more water. I prefer it to be a little on the weak side, using 8 cups of water. The flavor will intensify a bit after cooling.
- Mix well and chill before serving.
Berries, Ginger & Sage – Refreshing Non-Alcoholic Beverage
A yummy, refreshing beverage. Berries, ginger, and a hint of sage make this drink delicious and satisfying.
- Prep Time10 min
- Cook Time8 min
- Total Time18 min
- Yield7 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups fresh or frozen berries.
- 1 cup of water
- 5 Tablespoons dried sage or 2/3 cup packed fresh sage leaves
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup sugar to your liking, or 1/2 tsp Stevia (I prefer regular sugar)
- 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thin
MIXING WITH GINGER ALE
- Same as above except DO NOT ADD ANY SUGAR or GINGER!
WATER KEFIR INSTRUCTIONS
For those of you who make your own water kefir or want to flavor already made kefir, you can use this method.
- Prepare the syrup using the sugar method. DO NOT STRAIN!
- Let the syrup cool completely.
- Add syrup to 8 cups already prepared water kefir.
- Pour the liquid (including berry pulp) into sealable bottles.
- Seal the bottles and leave them at room temperature, the fizzier the soda will get, so be careful to not leave the bottles for too long or else they will fizz over when opened.
- Before drinking, strain out the berry pulp with a fine strainer.
BERRIES GINGER SAGE SYRUP
You can use either fresh or frozen berries. Since my strawberries have already come and gone and my raspberry patch this year is a total mess, these frozen berries from Costco work great.
Add all ingredients to sauce pan
Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
Using a fine mesh strainer, strain cooked mixture. Let it sit for a few minutes to make sure you are getting all the liquid out.
You will end up with approximately 1 cup of syrup.
Add the syrup to 6-8 cups of water depending how strong you want it. Start with 6 cups, and if you think you could stand it a little weaker, add more water. I prefer it to be a little on the weak side, using 8 cups of water. The flavor will intensify a bit after cooling a bit.
Mix well and chill before serving.
