The Beach Berry Cocktail

Recipe courtesy of Executive Chef Keith Roberts, Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel

Ingredients:

·         8 Fresh Organic Blackberries

·         1/4 ounce of Fresh Organic Lemon Juice

·         1 1/2 ounce of Prairie Organic Vodka

·         1/4 ounce of Agave Nectar

Garnish:

·         Thyme Sprigs

·         Blackberry

In a mixing glass, muddle blackberries and lemon juice. Combine remaining ingredients into mixing glass. Transfer ingredients into tin filled 2/3 full with ice. Shake vigorously 8 to 10 times. Strain mixture over fresh ice into rocks glass and add garnish.

Ocean & Vine at Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel
1700 Ocean Avenue
Santa Monica CA 90401
(310) 458-6700           
www.loewshotels.com/santamonica

Bananas: The Magical Fruit

My mom was right when she said bananas are the magical fruit, and apparently they also help with stopping hunger pains. A banana is loaded with Resistant Starch (RS), a healthy carb that fills you up and helps to boost your metabolism.

Here are some tasty ways to work this magical fruit into your diet, courtesy of Health.com.

Banana "Ice Cream"
Peel, slice, and freeze 1 small banana. Place frozen banana pieces in a blender with 3 tablespoons 1% low-fat milk; blend until thick. Top with 1 tablespoon of chopped walnuts.

Broiled Bananas
Slice 1 peeled banana in half lengthwise. Put banana pieces, cut sides up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the banana pieces with 1 teaspoon brown sugar, and broil on high until the sugar bubbles and the bananas brown (about 2–3 minutes). After broiling, sprinkle with cinnamon —or drizzle with 1 teaspoon of rum for an extra-special treat.

Coffee and Banana Smoothie
Place 1 sliced peeled banana, 1 cup 1% low-fat milk, 1/2 cup of cold back coffee, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and 1/2 cup ice in a blender. Blend until smooth—and enjoy.

My Summer Sweet Treat

I can't wait for this weekend. Looking forward to seeing good friends, eating good food and drinking good Sangria - I should say GREAT, since I will be making it.

Serves: 20 or more

• 4 bottles of Roja (dry Spanish red wine)
• 4-5 shots of Gin
• 1 cup of Orange Juice
• 1 bottle of Ginger Ale
• 2 Oranges
• 3 Lemons
• 3 Limes
• 1 Pint of Strawberries

Summer Drink: Pimm's Cup

I went to a baby shower today and had a great summer drink – and yes, it had alcohol in it. This wasn’t your usual baby shower. Instead of baby shower games, we had drinks and small bites such as tea sandwiches, quiche, scones and cookies. And this baby shower included men, so my husband was quite happy with the array of foods and drinks. Now, getting to the drink. The hostess and host are both British, as is my husband, so this drink brought back memories of home – Pimm’s Cup. The father-to-be’s sister made a super tasty Pimm’s Cup punch with lemonade and fruit – it sort of tasted like an Arnold Palmer with an added bonus – liquor. Here is the recipe below.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of Lemonade
• 5-6 cups of Pimm’s No. 1 Cup
• 1 lemon – cut into slices
• 1 orange – cut into slices
• 1 small cucumber – cut into slices
• 5-6 fresh mint sprigs
• Ice cubes

Fill a large punch bowl with all the ingredients above. Add ice cubes – enough to cool the punch down. Serve in glasses and can garnish with a mint leaf and/or lime.