The big talk at this time of the year in Israel is how to store your limes for the next year. My social media is blowing up with all these hacks about how to preserve limes, freeze them, store them, make them last. Limes are really a one of a kind citrus. Sweeter and a bit tangier than lemons, they can really elevate a lot of dishes. Thought this would be the perfect time to give you all this recipe; so that you can put some of your fresh limes to use now while you can. Of course your frozen lime juice will work just as well all year round.

The second reason I thought it was fitting to share this recipe now is because the main player in this drink is apple juice, and Rosh Hashana is upon us. Now let’s talk juice for a second. Then I’ll move on to the booze I promise 🙂

The Pros and Cons of Juice

First just want to clarify: when I say juice, I mean the 100% natural juice extracted from the fruit or vegetable. No added sugars, no stabilizers, no dyes etc. Just the fruit.

So is drinking juice that is 100% natural ok? Per my usual answer when I am asked about a food group, I’d say yes, drinking juice is ok, but in moderation.

Fruit in general is known to be high in sugar. This is why often people are advised to keep fruit servings to 2 a day. But when we eat a whole fruit, we are also eating the outside layer of it which is where all the fiber lies. This topic may ring a bell because this fibrous layer is exactly what sets whole grains a part from processed grains (go check out my Grain Guidebook if you missed this topic, worth a read!) This fibrous layer is the reason why our bodies can process the natural sugars found in fruits at a gradual pace without spiking blood sugar. So this is the blatant con in juice drinking. It can really get sugary, and the body really doesn’t like to receive such an influx of sugar (even if it’s 100% natural) without some sort of fiber to regulate it.

Fruit is filled with a crazy amount of beneficial vitamins and minerals that are crucial to our daily function. Fruits are also really high in phytonutrients, a compound produced by plants that fights inflammation and oxidative stress. Different types of phytonutrients can help fight different disease risks. A polyphenol for example, is a phytonutrient found in high concentrations in grapes, that has been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease (because come on, don’t we all know that a glass of wine a day is good for our heart health?! That’s where this idea stems from). These vitamins and minerals and phytonutrients REMAIN in the juice even though the fibrous layer has been discarded. So if juice drinking is the only way you are getting in fruit and veggies, I’d say the benefits may outweigh the cons. What I would suggest however, is to try to limit the intake of juice (ie don’t use it to hydrate, that’s what we got water for, but use it as a treat here and there), and pair it will a balanced meal, so that the body is processing some healthy fats or other sources of fiber in order to keep blood sugar levels stable.

This is an APPLE LIME COCKTAIL. Literally such a perfect flavor profile paired with some booze as an added bonus. We gotta let ourselves enjoy every so often. And truthfully, amidst this corona life, don’t we all just deserve a cocktail on a daily basis? I’m going to go with yes.

Notable Products

So let’s talk products for a second. Israel is bursting with natural juice booths. It’s really not very hard to find. But if you want to keep qualitative, 100%, preservative free juice at home, Keshet is the best brand I’ve seen for a number of reasons. Firstly, all their products are 100% natural, meaning there are none of those preservatives, stabilizers, or sugar added. They also have a variety of juices and combos which are sold in most supermarkets! I also love that the juicing is done pretty adjacent to distribution so any of the vitamins and minerals that we really want to be getting remain fresh and potent. And when we are talking about apples in particular, it’s actually pretty important to be buying organic because apples are one of the most highly pesticide sprayed fruits out there. Ever wonder why apples always looks so perfect? Food is not meant to look like a sculpture! So basically if you’re going to drink juice at home, go get yourself some keshet juice!

Ok we covered a lot there. Think it’s time for a drink 😉

Anyone else obsessed with the passion fruit iced tea lemonade at Starbucks? Brings me back such high school nostalgia! I found once moving to Israel that there’s no equivalent to a good iced tea readily available at your typical cafe. So had to take it upon myself to recreate. In Israel’s hot summer months (which, who am I kidding, last most of the year) I like to have an alternative to ice coffee. This is seriously a summer time must!

This version uses all natural sweeteners, and has a nice fruit punch feel with non of the artificial flavorings and colors. Always so happy when fresh, organic materials make a worthy product in comparison to the real deal.

Let’s talk ingredients: the most exciting part for me is that Israel has upped its berry game over the years. Blueberries used to be impossible to find, but now they are becoming more readily available in even the super market chains! So much so that I felt ok putting them as a garnish in my drink! But, if you can’t find fresh blueberries, frozen blueberries should work just fine 🙂

The lemons are actually out of season in the peak of the summer, though I was able to source my last bit of lemons for the season in late June. So this drink actually makes the perfect mid May summer welcoming drink. Right when lemons are still big and juicy and highlight this beverage so nicely. Obviously, though, lemons are still readily available throughout the year, so really timing is really not a game changer.

For the tea, I used Celestial Seasonings’ cold brew tropical tea, which i get from iherb, however, any tropical tea, even if not cod brew should work just fine. Just make sure you add some steeping and fridge time to cool the tea before serving.

This is really a game changer for summer time guys! So light and refreshing, I really think you’ll enjoy!