Watermelon Cooler

Serves 8

• 3 pounds watermelon
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon superfine sugar
• Ice cubes
• 1 1/4 cups ginger ale
• 1/4 cup vodka
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 or 4 splashes bitters
• Fresh mint, for garnish

1. Puree watermelon in a food processor. Muddle mint with sugar in a large pitcher; fill with ice cubes. Stir in 2 cups puree, ginger ale, vodka, lemon juice, and bitters. Garnish with fresh mint.

Vodka-Thyme Lemonade

Serves 8

• 2 cups sugar
• 12 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
• 4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 24 lemons
• 2 cups vodka

1. In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups water with the sugar and thyme; bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat; let cool to room temperature.
2. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a large glass measuring cup; discard thyme. You should have 2 cups syrup. Cover with plastic; chill.
3. In a large serving pitcher, stir together lemon juice, vodka, and chilled syrup; garnish with thyme. Divide evenly among eight tumblers filled with ice; serve immediately.

Bahama Mama

Serves 1

• ¾ ounce Coconut Rum (Malibu)
• ¾ ounce Banana Liqueur (Hiram Walker)
• 1 ounce Spiced Rum (Captain Morgan)
• 1.5 ounce Orange Juice
• 2.5 ounce Pineapple Juice
• 2-4 dashes (1-2 tablespoon) Grenadine
• ¼ cup crushed ice

Garnish:

• Orange/Pineapple wedge
• 1 Maraschino Cherry (optional)

1. Combine all the ingredients and mix them in a cocktail shaker. Serve in a cocktail glass. Garnish with Orange/Pineapple wedge.

Peach Mojito

Serves 1

• 1.5 oz white rum (Myer’s is my favorite)
• 1 small, ripe peach, skin removed and sliced
• small handful fresh mint leaves
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon raw (turbinado) sugar
• club soda

1. In a mixing glass, thoroughly muddle peach slices, mint, lime juice and sugar.
2. Swirl with rum.
3. Fill a collins glass with ice and pour your mixture into the glass. Top it off with club soda.
4. Mix by pouring the drink back into your mixing glass, then back into your drinking glass.
5. Cheers!

White sangria with apple and mint

Serves 4-6

• bottle of dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc
• 1 cup all natural lemonade
• ¼ cup triple sec
• club soda or ginger ale
• 4 granny smith apples, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch of mint
• ice

1. In a large pitcher, combine white wine, lemonade and triple sec.
2. Using a mandoline, thinly slice your apples and add them to the pitcher. The lemonade will help prevent them from turning brown. Also, depending on the size of your apples, you may not need to use all of them. It’s up to you. If you are making this in advance, chill in the refrigerator.
3. Right before serving, toss in some whole mint leaves and give it a stir.
4. Fill individual glasses with ice. Pour in some sangria and top off with club soda or ginger ale.
5. Garnish with extra apple slices and mint.

Cranberry-Whiskey Sour Slush

Serves 8

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• Dash of salt
• 4 cups fresh cranberries (about 1 pound)
• 1 1/3 cups 80-proof bourbon 
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, and salt in a microwave-safe dish; microwave at HIGH for 3 minutes. Stir until sugar dissolves. Combine sugar syrup and cranberries in a blender; process until smooth. Strain mixture through a sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth over a bowl; press mixture to extract liquid. Discard solids.
2. Combine cranberry mixture, bourbon, and lemon juice in a freezer-safe bowl, stirring well. Freeze mixture overnight or until partially frozen. Scrape mixture with a fork until slushy; serve immediately.

Healthy Granola

Makes 10 Cups

• 450 grams rolled oats
• 120 grams sunflower seeds
• 120 grams white sesame seeds
• 175 grams apple sauce (or apple compote)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 120 grams brown rice syrup (or rice malt syrup, or failing that golden syrup)
• 4 tablespoons clover honey (or other runny honey)
• 100 grams soft light brown sugar
• 250 grams whole natural almonds
• 1 teaspoon maldon salt
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 300 grams raisins

1. Mix everything except the raisins together very well in a large mixing bowl. I use a couple of curved, rigid spatulas; normally, I'd be happy to use my hands, but here it just leaves you covered with everything.
2. Spread this mixture out on two baking tins (the sort that come with ovens, and are about the width of a rack) and bake in a gas mark 3/170°C/300-325ºF oven, turning over about halfway through baking and re-distributing the granola evenly during the baking process. The object is to get it evenly golden without toasting too much in any one place. This should take anything from about 40 minutes. I use a gas oven, which doesn't brown as fast as an electric one, so often leave it in for up to an hour.
3. Once it's baked, allow to cool and mix together with the raisins. Store airtight.