If you could cram everything about summer into a glass, it would be this blueberry lavender lemonade. It's sweet, floral, and refreshing. Doctor it up with vodka or tequila, or drink it straight and cold from the refrigerator, barely pausing to pour it from the pitcher. You could try raspberries or strawberries, but for the tastiest, prettiest punch, your best bet is a blueberry. More

After reading that the average coffee shop muffin weighs in at around 350 calories, I decided that there had to be another way to get that flavor. That's how the Blueberry Muffin Smoothie was born. This smoothie is creamy and full of blueberries, with just a pinch of cinnamon and a dash of vanilla, making it a little reminiscent of muffin batter. More

Soon after my parents got married, they bought a plum tree. I'm not quite sure why, but I believe it had something to do with the new couple "planting roots" or being told to "be fruitful and multiply." Now, thirty-three years later, I have five siblings and that same tree drops forty to fifty pounds of fruit between July and September each year. When you're facing 2 to 3 pounds of plums each day, you've got to get really creative. That's where a shrub syrup comes into play. A shrub is a deliciously tart fruit syrup, usually made of sugar, fresh fruit, and vinegar. More

Nothing washes down lunch quite like freshly made lemonade. You'll enjoy how the mint perfumes your house while you make the simple syrup. More

If iced tea and lemonade is an Arnold Palmer, then this shiso limeade is a Ryo Ishikawa. It's not until you mix the limeade into the purple shiso tea that it turns bright pink, just like the pH tests you did in elementary school with red cabbage juice and lemon. More

Similar to the popular ice blended drinks found at coffee shops, this beverage blends salty sweet homemade caramel and cold milk into a frothy mix that is this close to a mocha-frappa-something-ccino, but better, and it lacks the caffeinated kick. More

It's hot enough to even consider the quickie mart slushie, those neon-colored sugar concoctions that taste nothing like the flavors they're named for. Why would I go that route when just a few ingredients in the fridge can give me far healthier and much tastier results? To make this strawberry and watermelon slush, I just dropped the diced fruit in my blender, added some citrus juice to help the blender move, a little honey for sweetness, and then it's straight to the freezer. More

Summer is officially in full swing at my local farmer's market: piles of peaches, plums, and apricots are everywhere. My small garden is also bearing fruit, and the pots are bursting with chili peppers. This time of year, pick one and two grow back in its place. Pico de gallo and fruit salsas are always an option, but the peppers are coming in fast and I need something that helps the pile-up. More

This recipe makes about 20 to 24 ounces of shrub syrup, enough to make anywhere from 10 to 20 drinks, depending on how much syrup you use per drink. Store it for up to a year in your fridge. The acid and sugar will preserve the syrup and keep it tasting bright and fresh. More

I've recently returned from a week-long family adventure in Hawaii, and alongside a gnarly sunburn and a few bags of li hing mui (also known as "crack seed"), I came back with this refreshing cooler recipe. It all started with a trip to the Honolulu farmer's market, and a local's warning to arrive before 10 am and beat the hoards of tourists. More