As we celebrate summer, I decided to create a wine based Margarita as I don’t drink Tequila. I cook with Tequila! Great for marinating your skirt steak. Yummm! I don’t remember here we were…We were given samples by a vendor at a music industry convention of their Wine Margarita and they were really good! Recently I tried to buy some near me and there were none? So I put on my thinking hat. My thoughts turned to a wine based margarita at the same time that I bought a chardonnay that was just okay. As I sat there and sipped my wine, it occurred to me that I was not enjoying the flavor! What can I do with not so great tasting chardonnay … voila, use it as the base for my wine margarita?
A little about me: I have eaten healthy most of my life. From the thousands of articles I’ve read over the years, I consider myself a Nutrition Mastermind. Mastermind as defined by Tony Robbins: I didn’t go to college but I read what the Masters wrote an became a Mastermind! That’s me too! As my desire for sharing my knowledge became my passion, I took a class last fall to become a Certified Nutrition Coach. Because I support a healthy body with the way I cook, I also consider myself a Healing Chef. I love a challenge. When my husband was told to eliminate gluten from his diet, I started finding ways to give him his favorites using a GF recipe and making it taste good. He loves carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. That was one of my first challenges! I did things like soak the raisins in rum. Then added a little rum to the frosting. My adult carrot cake was a hit!
Because I consume mostly “clean” foods and beverages, my body is mostly free of toxins, preservatives, additives, etc. When I consume them, I know it. Most mornings after eating out, I wake up with a histamine reaction including extra puffy eyes, stuffed up nose and a raspy voice. Well, I also noticed that when I drink toxic wines, I have a similar reaction. Therefore, I
transitioned to only organic wines from California as California wines are very toxic. Do a Google search and you’ll see.
Here’s a nutrition lesson: anything grown using Round Up produces toxic results. Here’s a excerpt from an article on the Riddle and Brantley website: Glyphosate is not sprayed directly onto grapes in vineyards (it would kill the vines). Instead, it is usually sprayed on the ground on either side of the grape vines. Roundup may be absorbed through the roots and bark of the vines. It is then translocated into the leaves and grapes. The organic vineyards were probably contaminated when glyphosate drifted over onto the organic and biodynamic vineyards from conventional vineyards nearby. Moreover, the contaminate may be left in the soil after a conventional farm is converted to an organic farm. Glyphosate can remain in the soil for up to 20 years.
Additionally, many of the foods in our grocery stores are full toxins and filled with chemicals. I believe we ARE what we EAT. That’s why most Americans aren’t healthy. Many have diabetes and autoimmune reactions. Their body is so busy fighting for it’s own survival, that it doesn’t fight for our health. If you want to feel better, make one shift: purchase only organic foods and drinks! I can also teach you how to buy organic and not break the bank. Once you get into the routine, buying decisions become a no brainer.
While shopping at Trader Joe’s I noticed that they now have a couple lines of wines made with organic grapes, Charles Shaw Organic and Grower’s Reserve. I purchased both. It was the Charles Shaw that I decided to make the wine margarita base. Grower’s Reserve is not the best chardonnay I’ve consumed, but it is drinkable and enjoyable. My favorite chardonnay right now is from Australia, 19 Crimes Hard Chard. 19 Crimes also makes my favorite red, Red Wine Aged in Rum Barrels … yummy! Everyone that I have shared this wine with begins to buy it too. I hope 19 Crimes gets the message and has more aging in those rum barrels! LOL!
As we think of great summer beverages, let’s start with lemonade. I have an allergic reaction to fresh citrus. I don’t understand that one because I grew up in Florida. As a kid I climbed into the orange trees in our yard and ate green oranges. As an adult, I can’t eat any fresh citrus. no tangelos … my favorite !!! Along the way, I discovered that I could eat the canned mandarins without a reaction. Then I discovered that if I removed the peel, removed the white pith, wash with dishwashing soap, I could squeeze and consume the juice without reaction. BUT, OMGoodness, who has time to do all that for a glass of lemonade? Right? Thank you Universe … I discovered Volcano Lemon and Lime juice from Italy. The lemon juice taste similar to the Meyer Lemon. I tried all the Volcano products and could consume them without reaction. Boy did that open up experimentation doors !!!
In a 24 ounce “sippy” cup, I put the following:
3 tablespoons Volcano Lemon juice
2 tablespoons liquid Wholesome Allulose
1 cup Perrier
Stir. Fill with ice and enjoy. If necessary, add more Perrier to fill up the cup! The beautiful thing here, if you want it sweeter add more Allulose. If you want it more lemony, add more Volcano. You could also make limeade. Make it to your taste.
What is allulose you ask? It is the best sugar substitute I have found. It’s a revolutionary plant-based sugar alternative that tastes and performs like table sugar and has 90% fewer calories, no impact on blood glucose levels and no adverse health effects! It’s Non-GMO, GF, Kosher, Keto, Vegan with no bitter aftertaste. It comes in granular and liquid form. My local Costco carries Wholesome Allulose which is a liquid. And my local Grocery Outlet has carried Anthony’s granular. Both are available from Amazon. I use allulose now for all my sugar needs and it’s performed perfectly in everything I’ve tried.
Since a margarita recipe calls for orange juice, I’ll share this recipe that substitutes juice for orange liqueur. Because I can’t use fresh orange juice, I’ve created several recipes using orange liqueur instead. Like Orange Glazed Baby Carrots … so yummy, right? Here’s my version:
Melt butter in a sauté pan.
Add orange liqueur and white pepper. Mix.
Add the carrots and toss to coat.
Slowly simmer until done. At that point, increase the heat and caramelize. I think mine are better than traditional Orange Glazed Carrot recipes. The flavor is scrumptious.
Now onto making some delicious wine margaritas! I use a 17 ounce stemless white wine glass. If you have a crowd, make them by the pitcher.
Recipe:
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons orange liqueur
1 cup white wine
Mix and fill with ice
If you want salt, of course, salt the rim first. If you want it sweeter, add Allulose or monk fruit sugar to taste. I like mine on the tart side. You can also decorate with slices of lime and orange!
Enjoy and have a HAPPY Summer!
Donnis
Organic Nutrition Coach & Healing Chef
www.DnLTrends.com