3/4 cup turbinado sugar

2 cups water

2 cups fresh mint, torn into 2-inch pieces

Mint Soda

1 cup sparkling water

3 T Mint syrup

Mint Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine sugar, water, and mint. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let stand for at least 30 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl or pitcher and discard mint. Store in an airtight container in the frig for up to 1 month.

Mint Soda: Mix syrup and sparkling water together and serve.

Makes 2 cups syrup and 1 cup soda.

1/2 cup light agave nectar

1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 cup water

Ginger Soda

1/2 cup Ginger Syrup

3 cups sparkling water

ice cubes

Make the syrup: Place agave nectar, ginger, and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until ginger aroma and flavor is strong, about 1 hour. Let cool. Strain and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Make the soda: In a pitcher, combine 1/2 cup syrup with the water. Pour over ice.

Makes 2/3 cup ginger syrup; 3 1/2 cups soda.

1/2 cup sparkling water

1 T freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1/2 lime)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until liquid. Makes 2 cups.

1-2 T pure maple syrup

16 oz. sparkling water

Place all ingredients into a pitcher and stir. Pour over ice and serve.

Makes 2 1/4 cups.

1/2 cup turbinado sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice from about 4 lemons)

1 cup water

2 cups ice cubes

Prepare Simple Syrup: Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved adn mixture has thickened, 2-3 minutes. Cool to room temp.

Combine lemon juice, syrup, and water in a blender with ice cubes and blend until slushy.

Makes 3 1/2 cups

3 cups warm water

Place almonds in a pitcher or large bowl and add water. Allow to soak for at least 4 hours. Transfer water and almonds to a blender and blend on medium until nuts are completely blended, 1-2 minutes. Strain the milk through a cheesecloth or fine-mesh colander 2 times to remove sediment and solids.

Makes 2 cups.

1 cup cooked rice

1 tsp vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on medium until smooth, about 1 minute. Let the milk sit for about 30 minutes. You will see the liquid, or milk, is at the top and the rice solids are on the bottom. Pour the milk steadily into another container (a glass jar works well), leaving most of the sediment in the blender pitcher. Milk can be stored in the frig for up to 5 days.

Makes 4 cups

1 cup ice cubes

1 cup chocolate soy milk

1 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1 T honey

Blend until smooth. Makes 2 cups.

1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks

1 cup frozen mango chunks

Blend. (I had to add about a cup of water to get it to blend well.) Makes 1 (1 1/4 cup) serving.