A combination of the sweet taste of pomegranates and crisp, clean taste of cranberries makes a good-for-you drink that’s fat-free, low in sodium and delicious.
Fruit juices/drinks are always in demand in our house. We love to begin our day with a smoothie or fruit juice as it keeps us refreshed and hydrated the whole day. Ever since I moved to the US, I began experimenting with fruits. In Bombay, I was reluctant to try new fruits as a child. My parents have tried all tricks in the book to make me eat fruits but in vain. I bluntly refused. It was only after coming to this country, KR coaxed me to try some fruits in smoothies and I obliged.
If you are wondering why I did that, it’s because over all these years I have finally understood the importance of fruits in our day-to-day diet. I seem to have made up for all those years in the last 3 years. I have tasted not just basic fruits, but exotic ones as well. The credit surely goes to KR for this. I have reached such a stage in life that I never leave a grocery store without some fruits in my cart. Slow clap anyone?!!
I seemed to have some weird thing going on with pomegranates though. Somehow, every time that I purchased it, I ended up forgetting about it and they would rotten in the fridge. This time I made it a point to use them the very same day I bought them. My SIL is pregnant and she enjoys eating pomegranate everyday. She told me that even its juice tastes really good. This got me thinking. I also had some cranberries from Amortentia – Harry Potter Love Potion Punch recipe which I intended to use in this recipe as well.
Thus this Sparkling Cranberry Pomegranate Drink was conceived. This drink is ready in just a few steps with a great end result. To make pomegranate juice, place the arils in a blender along with little water and pulse just enough so that the arils are broken up. Then strain through a fine mesh sieve. Add this to a thick bottomed pan along with cranberries, sugar and lemon juice. Add more or less sugar or lemon juice to get the right balance of sugar and acidity.
Bring this mixture to a boil and then simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the juice has a syrupy consistency. Let it cool and strain the juice. Store in fridge and serve chilled when needed. Pour sparkling water or soda in serving glasses and then add the juice and ice cubes. Toss in some cranberries for garnish and serve.
This drink has a tangy yet sweet taste to it. An ideal drink for any season, parties, holiday entertaining and date nights. While this drink is non alcoholic, you can always mix it up with vodka or gin. I must add here that this drink has become a family favorite and even KR has learnt to make it now. Even at this moment, I have a jar filled with this juice in the fridge. Perfect way to quench your thirst on a hot afternoon.
- 1 cup pomegranate arils
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup cranberries
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- Sparkling water/Soda as needed
- Mint leaves for garnish (optional)
- Lemon wedge (optional)
- To make pomegranate juice, place the arils in a blender alongwith little water and pulse just enough so that the arils are broken up. Then strain through a fine mesh sieve. Add this to a thick bottomed pan along with cranberries, sugar and lemon juice. Add more or less sugar or lemon juice to get the right balance of sugar and acidity.
- Bring this mixture to a boil and then simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the juice has a syrupy consistency. Let it cool and strain the juice. Store in fridge and serve chilled when needed. Pour sparkling water or soda in serving glasses and then add the juice and ice cubes. Toss in some cranberries for garnish and serve. Can add mint leaves and lemon wedge as well.
If you are looking for some more non alcoholic drink options, then check out Honeydew & Orange Chiller Drink, Spiked Plums & Strawberries Juice, Sunrise to Sunset Drink, Amortentia – Harry Potter Love Potion Punch, Rambutan Rose Lassi and Raspberry Shikanji recipes.
If you do try this recipe, please do share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. This will keep me motivated to develop more interesting recipes. Click a pic and post it with the hashtag #cookiliciousveg — I would love to see your pictures on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!