Dragonfly Treasure: 2016-08-14

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Fruit Infused Waters

We're back in the triple digits here.

Sweating like dogs, well, not actually - dogs don't sweat

but I digress.

Drinking water like crazy, but sometimes you just crave something a little different. So I've been making fruit infused waters again this year. They just add a slight flavor to the water making them very refreshing. They are also hydrating and detoxifying.

Watermelon is our all time favorite. After slicing up the melon I cut up the rind into small pieces toss in a handful at a time into the infuser, muddle, add some more and so on. Let it sit overnight and I have my own yummy flavored water the next day.

I thought for sure I was going to lose my Nectarine,
the fruit was really small and the tree had fallen to the side. I propped it up with a couple of cans and gave it extra water.
Come Fall I plan to stake it properly,
in this heat I don't want to disturb it at all.

This drought has not been kind to my garden.
Limited watering has taken it's toll on a lot of my plants,
losing many established 10 + year olds.

But it surprised me and came through!
The fruit may not be as big as in past years or as many,
but they are just as sweet.

They make great tasting infused water ~ it tastes like Summer :)

When the Grapes came in I used them to make infused water also.
Sorry didn't get a chance to get a photo of the pitcher.
Between the water being drunken and the fruit being eaten so fast, they were all gone before I knew it!

The Figs are ripening now. I try to get out every morning to pick them, but with all the Drs. appointments the kids have, it's been hard. With this heat wave they ferment so quickly on the tree a lot end up in the compost pile :(
I usually have 4 -5 for breakfast, love picking them fresh off the tree and eating them right in the garden!
It was my 4 day weekend with Izzy recently and she like figs too! I was kind of surprised, I thought the seeds would throw her off,
but they are so sweet - I think that's what she liked ;)

If I have more than we can eat I will try infusing water
with them this year.

It's really hard not to can and make jams like I usually do.
But since I'm on a minimal carb diet (thanks Doc)
jams aren't something I can have.
I'm not even suppose to have any fruit or veggies...but it's Summer! We usually eat what we grow. It's odd not having a veg garden this year too.

Yeh, I'm cheating by having fruit for breakfast.
And by having the infused waters, but it's so difficult to get your mind turned around from what you were taught your whole life - ''fruit and veggies are good for you'' - to now eat more protein.
The kids labs show they are very low on protein, well maybe that's because meat is so expensive! duh!

I give, we are doing the best we can. Trying to eat healthy, but tomorrow, the ''all knowing'' will change their minds. What's good for you one day isn't the next. All I know is I never thought I'd say I MISS ZUCCHINI!!!

Keep cool!