Orange Pineapple Infused Water
Offered to guests at the Sonesta Bayfront Hotel in Miami, this ice cold, infused water was the best thing that I have tasted in a long time. The water is served in a gorgeous Eastern Tabletop Two Gallon Dispenser. If you are serving infused water at a wedding or event, this stainless steel dispenser makes your water taste better just by looking so good!
Recipe for a 2-gallon dispenser: 1/2 pineapple, quartered + 1 orange, sliced with peel on. Fill with ice and water. When the water runs low, simply fill with more ice and water. You can infuse 3-5 times.
Be sure to layer your pineapple on the bottom of the dispenser. Pineapple is a solid fruit that will not disintegrate and clog your dispenser’s nozzle like oranges can.
Enjoy this special water all summer long!
Pineapple Mint Infused Water
Mmmm, sweet pineapple and refreshing mint! You may not think these two flavors would go together, but they combine to form a delicious drink that will quench your thirst like nothing else on a hot summer day.
A couple tricks: it’s best to infuse pineapple for 8-12 hours. Unlike melons that release their juices quickly, pineapple needs more time to infuse. Also, be sure to tear or crush the mint leaves to release their natural oils.
Recipe for a 32 ounceBall jar (pictured with plastic lid): 2 pineapple spears (approximately 1” x 4”) + 1 sprig (6-8 leaves) of mint. Infuse in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight. Strain before serving and enjoy!
Raspberry Lime Infused Water
Ready for super flavor? Try this sweet tangy infusion of raspberries and lime! It’s easy, fast, and fresh. And if you leave the water to sit in the fridge overnight, you won’t believe how flavorful and delicious it becomes.
Recipe for a 32 ounce Ball jar (pictured with plastic lid): 8-10 raspberries crushed with a wood muddler + a small lime with rind removed. Infuse for 1-12 hours and strain before serving.
To muddle the raspberries, simply crush them with your muddler until you see the juice escape. There will be some raspberry pieces in the water as a result of the muddling, so it’s best to strain through mesh strainer before serving.
Lastly, it’s important to cut the rind off of the lime for this recipe. Lime rind is quite bitter and can impart an undesirable taste. Enjoy!
Cucumber Mint Dill Water
If you need a change from fruit flavored water, try this herb and cucumber mixture. It’s a light, fresh-tasting water that goes great with meals, especially sandwiches.
Recipe for a 93-oz fruit infusion pitcher: 2/3 organic cucumber with peel cut off + 3 sprigs fresh dill + 6-8 fresh mint leaves, torn. Infuse 6 hours or overnight for best flavor.
Cutting the cucumber rind off makes the ingredients look more sophisticated and removes the possibility of waxiness from the rind. Layer 3-4 slices of cucumber, then 1 sprig of dill, then a couple torn mint leaves, then repeat.
Note: dill is very powerful in flavor, so be careful not to use too much. You may want to experiment with how much dill you enjoy.
Watermelon Cilantro Infused Water
Watermelon is an excellent fruit for making infused waters as it releases flavor quickly and is very refreshing. The cilantro adds just a hint of herbal flavor. Delish!
Recipe for a 32-ounce Ball jar (with a plastic lid): 4 cubes fresh watermelon + 5-6 leaves cilantro. Tear the cilantro leaves in half to get the most flavor. Add purified water and chill in the fridge for 2-4 hours. Note: do not re-infuse this water or leave to sit too long as the water will become cloudy.
P.S. I had the awesome opportunity to visit Maui for a few days this week. These photos were taken from the top of Mt. Haleakala where I proudly hiked with my infused water.
Honeydew Sage Infused Water
Sage adds a savory note to this recipe while the honeydew is pure sweetness. Since both are green in color, it’s a beautiful infused water to behold.
Note: since melons are fleshy fruits, they tend to disintegrate rather quickly, so you will want to strain this water before serving. If your infused water appears cloudy, just add ice. Ice cubes make the cloudiness look intentional and also make the water more refreshing!
Recipe for a 32-ounce Ball jar: 5 pieces honeydew melon + 4 sage leaves, torn in half. For a fast infusion, leave at room temperature for an hour, then strain and add ice. Or, you can infuse in the fridge for four hours.
Health tip: sage is a proven memory booster. It is naturally high in antioxidants and flavonoids that are especially beneficial for people with inflammatory conditions. You can read more at WHFoods.
Lemon Infused Water
An ancient summertime staple, lemon water is the easiest and most refreshing infused water to make in a large beverage dispenser. The lemons stay intact and do not become clogged in the dispenser’s spigot, plus they release their flavor almost immediately. Add ice and you’ve created “nature’s lemonade.”
Recipe for a 2.5 gallon beverage dispenser: 1 organic lemon, sliced + purified water + 2-4 cups of ice.
Did you know that lemons are both a weight loss aid and liver cleanser? Lemons (and limes) also contain the least amount of sugar of any fruit, so add them without guilt to your water recipes.
Pineapple Thyme Infused Water
Sweet and slightly herbal, this infusion will tickle your tastebuds! For maximum flavor, there are two things you need to do: 1) rip the thyme leaves before infusing and strain them before serving and 2) infuse for 24 hours. Even though pineapple is a juicy fruit, its juices do not release as readily as other fruits, which is why you need to infuse for longer.
Recipe for a 32-ounce Ball jar: two 1” thick slices of pineapple + 5 sprigs fresh thyme, torn. Infuse in the fridge for 24 hours and strain before serving.
If you are making your fruit infused water in a Ball jar, this straining top really makes your life easier. Enjoy!
Hibiscus Starfruit Orange Water
Hibiscus tea is your friend when making fruit infused waters. This flavorful flower petal turns your water a rich pink color and has a floral taste that complements fruit perfectly. You can find hibiscus at health co-ops, Whole Foods, or online.
Recipe for an 80 oz infused water pitcher: 2 teaspoons loose hibiscus tea (or two bags) + 3 slices organic orange + 4 slices starfruit. Combine the orange slices and tea in your pitcher’s core, but leave the starfruit outside of the core. Chill for 4 to 12 hours and enjoy!
Health benefits of hibiscus: Did you know that hibiscus can help you to lose weight and to reduce bad cholesterol? Hibiscus contains an enzyme inhibitor that blocks the amount of sugar absorbed by the body Less sugar absorbed = less pounds. Studies have also shown that hibiscus makes it more difficult for LDL cholesterol to bind to artery walls, resulting in less blockage and heart disease. So, if you thought hibiscus was just used to make your infused waters pretty, you can now enjoy this special tea twice as much.
Blackberry Lime Orange Water
Sometimes I feel like I work in a bubble gum factory when coming up with these combinations! The truth is that most fruits are naturally delicious and combine with each other well, so it’s great fun to make these drinks. I highly encourage you to experiment with as many fruits as you have access to.
This sweet and tangy fruit infused water requires muddling, so use a metal muddler or wood muddler to smash all of the juice out of your blackberries.
Recipe for a 32 ounce Ball jar: 10 blackberries, muddled + 3 slices organic lime + 2 slices organic orange. Fill with purified water and let chill for 4-8 hours. You may want to strain before drinking to avoid the blackberry pieces.
P.S. I just found these plastic tops for my Ball jars and I’m already in love. They don’t rust, are dishwasher-safe, BPA-free, and just all around more attractive than the metal tops.
Blackberry Mint Infused Water - Instant
Because you muddle the blackberries for this recipe, their juices are released and you can enjoy the infusion almost immediately. To muddle (aka smash), you use a muddler or even just a wooden spoon.
Recipe for a 32-ounce ball jar: 10 blackberries, muddled + 10 mint leaves, torn. Muddle those blackberries into a pulp, add your mint, then add water. Let the infused water sit for 5-10 minutes, then add ice and stir. It’s the perfect drink for a hot day!
For the daring, you can also let the water infuse for four hours, then use it as a mixer for vodka drinks. It’s unbearably delicious.
Also note how the mint is in a bowl in the background. Mint stays fresh in water, so if you pick a few stalks, you can put them in a bowl of cold water and the mint leaves will stay perky for up to three days. When you use mint in infused water recipes, tear each leaf in half to release its flavor.
Starfruit Strawberry Infused Water
Starfruit is a fantastically fun fruit to add to any infused water recipe. Not only is it a powerhouse of Vitamin C and A, but starfruit is also easy to work with and does not require any peeling. Simply slice and you’re good to go!
The taste of starfruit is very unique - mild, sweet, and tangy all at once. When shopping for a ripe starfruit, look for yellow to orange flesh (not green).
Recipe for a 32-ounce Ball jar: 1 organic strawberry, sliced + 3 slices of starfruit. Add purified water and let chill for 4 to 24 hours.
Warning: if you walk down the street drinking this infused water, people will stop and ask you about it!
Orange Blueberry Basil Water
The best way to describe this infused water is “clean and bright.” The fruits add a touch of sweetness and you can taste the basil on the aftertaste. Plus, the combination of colors is quite beautiful!
Recipe for an 80 oz Infused Water Acrylic Pitcher: 2 slices of organic orange, quartered + 10-15 blueberries + 6 basil leaves.
When you put in the blueberries, give them a small squeeze in your hand so that you break their skin a little. This will allow their juices to seep out. Also, when adding the basil, tear the leaves in half to allow the essential oils to be released. Enjoy!
Chamomile Strawberry Orange Water - To Go
This antioxidant-rich, flavorful water is such a treat! Made with chamomile tea, the infusion is the ultimate refresher on a hot day, plus your water bottle can be refilled for a second infusion. No straining is required since you are using bagged tea. I am using Trader Joe’s Organic Chamomile in this mix.
Recipe: 1 bag organic chamomile tea + 1 sliced organic strawberry + 1 half of an orange slice, cut into two quarters. Combine with water and let chill for two or more hours.
The water bottle you see in this picture is an 18 oz Sun Tea’s Double-Wall Glass Travel Mug. I originally purchased the travel mug to transport hot tea to work, but the double walled insulation also keeps drinks icy cold. Glass is the ideal water bottle material since many plastics have BPAs and metal water bottles leave a taste reside.
Fiber, Infused Water, & Weight Loss
Dietary fiber and drinking lots of water go hand-in-hand when it comes to weight loss. Fiber fills you up for hours at the cost of only a few calories. And when you drink a lot of water after eating fiber, you make your digestive tract more efficient. All of this adds up to easy weight loss. I can say this confidently because I’ve lost 20 pounds in the last three months (yes!).
I apologize for the product plug, but GG Scandinavian Bran CrispBread Crackers are amazing. These low-carb, high-fiber crackers are made from slow-roasted wheat bran. Each large cracker has a measly 25 calories and 3.5g net carbs. And yes, they are dry, but if you add a topping and drink some infused water while eating, the crackers are quite tasty.
Every day for lunch I eat two GG crackers with a smear of hummus or feta spread and some olives, as pictured. Then I drink tea or infused water until dinnertime. This keeps me filled up all day! The added fiber also keeps me regular in the bathroom. It’s just a total win in my book.
These crackers are the rage of diet books like the F-Factor. I have not read the book, but many other nutritionists recommend the crackers while also noting that it is imperative to drink a lot of water while eating fiber-rich foods. If you are reading this blog, then you probably fit into the “heavy water drinker” category :)
P.S. GG Crackers are hard to find in stores. You can sometimes find them in Whole Foods. I buy mine off of Amazon in packs of 5.
