This refreshing 'Wonder Water' makes it easy to drink lots of water every day! (Skip to recipe.)
Have the January 'blahs' hit you yet? Are you feeling caught in that nowhere land that comes between the end of the holiday rush and those first stirrings of a distant spring?
I am.
We've had unseasonably warm days here in the sunny (ahem - cough, cough) north. I shouldn't be testy, though, because we do have many glorious sunshiny days here in Alberta, both in winter and summer. It's just that they can be deceiving. The sun can be brilliantly sparkling over diamond-encrusted snow while the thermometer hovers decades below the freezing point. A fairy-tale illusion.
We still have a long winter ahead of us up here . . . I'm feeling those 'blahs'. We've just come through a bout of yukky stomach flu that graced us all with its nauseous presence, and it's hard to get our gumption up and going again. We need to be rehydrating our bodies and 'spring cleaning' our systems, not only from the flu, but from all that Christmas feasting.
I was wanting to drink more water, really I was. I just kept forgetting.
However, lately it all got a lot easier when I began making my water wonderful. Just adding a little bit of natural flavour from some fruits, veggies or herbs has made me not only drink more water, but actually crave it.
My aunt (thanks, Auntie Irma) had suggested this to me quite some time ago, and I filed it in the hard-drive between my ears and forgot about it. Til now.
I am loving my naturally flavoured WONDER WATER. (I feel like I should be shouting those words as if a superhero - say Wonder Woman - was to take off in flight).
WONNNDER WATER!
I may even get me some superpowers.
Who said drinking all that water was a chore?
* * * * *
Kitchen Frau Notes: Put a big jug of this in the fridge the night before, and you'll have it ready to sip on (or guzzle) all the next day. The apple slices may get a bit brown at the edges, which doesn't affect the taste. If you don't like the hint of brown, you can add a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime, although the water will be slightly cloudy.
For another variation, try this Apple Cranberry Detox Water.
Wonder Water with Green Apple, Cucumber & Mint
- 2 litres/quarts filtered water
- ½ green apple (like Granny Smith)
- 3 inch (8cm) piece of cucumber
- small handful mint leaves
- squeeze of lemon or lime juice (optional)
Fill a large jug with the water.
Thinly slice the apple and cucumber. The more thinly you slice them the more surface area there is to release flavour into the water. Add the slices to the water.
Remove the mint leaves from their stems and slightly crush or twist them to help them release their flavour. Add them to the water.
Let chill and steep in the refrigerator overnight. Serve with plenty of ice cubes. Strain out the fruit to serve, or leave some pieces in.
Makes 2 litres.
Guten Appetit!
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Jenn
I love reading your stuff. You have a wonderful way with words and fantastic topics.
Thank you for all your hard work.
Margaret
Oh, thank you, Jenn. You've made me smile, and reading your comment makes it all worth it for me. Wishing you some warm sunshine in the winter, too!
Vivian
How very timely! I've decided to follow a regimen to bring my pH more into balance. One of the ways is to drink a lot more water and having it infused with cucumber, apple and mint is even better. Have you any good ideas or recipes to help with alkalizing?
Margaret
Bringing down our pH is something we should all be more aware of - good for you! As far as I know, and as you probably already know too, it really helps to eat lots of fruits and veggies, and less dairy, meat and sugar. I know that spinach and sprouts are some of the best veggies for that, and also asparagus, and using lots of fresh lemon juice, in water first thing in the mornings, and in salad dressings, is very beneficial. Good luck with your regimen - and hoping you feel great and energized on it! 🙂
Debbie
I love different waters but I have a hard time drinking 8 glasses water a day. I am lucky to get at least 2 glasses down...So what do you recommend I do?
Margaret
I have trouble getting enough water in, too, but if I can get even four glasses in a day, I am happy. So if you could aim for that, you'd be doubling your intake and that would be doing twice as good as you're doing now. I find that filling a one-quart canning jar with water (especially if it's flavoured water) and keeping it on the counter next to my sink makes me much more aware of what I drink. I try to guzzle about one quarter of the jar when I first get up, then sip or guzzle throughout the day so that the jar is empty by bedtime. For me, seeing the water and how much I drink of it keeps me more aware of drinking. Some days I even end up refilling the jar. If I'm out and about or on days I work, I screw on the lid and take the jar with me. Good luck with that - and happy guzzling!
Debbie
Thank you so much for your response. I will try that and hope I
can do it....
Ashley
Hello, this is my first time trying these detox waters. Seeing as I am the only person that is doing this I am wondering if I would get the same affect if I made these detox waters for one serving instead of an entire pitcher. If I would like to switch up different detox waters .
Margaret
Absolutely! That would be a great way to get variety into your sipping, and a variety of nutrients. (I'm just much too lazy to make small batches!)
Cathy L. Rowell
Love your articles.
Margaret
Thanks so much for visiting! Happy cooking. 🙂
Andrea
Would adding raspberries to this effect it or just change the flavour?
Margaret
Raspberries would add another fruity layer of flavour - and look pretty, too! The cucumber and mint help with detox, and the raspberries would add flavour like the apple does. The fun about infused waters, is that so many combinations taste good, and if they help us to drink more water - that's the most important part. 🙂
Noelle Murphy
Hi I'm drinking this for 4 days I drink alot of
Of water can you drink to much? What
Exactly does it to for you? Thanks Noelle.
Margaret
Drinking enough water is important, but also drinking excessive amounts of water can cause problems, too. According to different things I've read, a person should drink between half an ounce and one ounce of water for each pound you weigh, per day. And it should be spread out over the day. It also depends on how much physical activity you do and what the temperature is. You can google it and find different sites online that talk about how much water to drink and how much is too much. I know I don't drink enough water, so for me adding some healthy and tasty additions like the apple, cucumber and mint, help me to drink enough in the day for my weight. 🙂
Shiela
Thanks for putting this all together. I use this page along with http://7-min.com/detox-water-fruit-infused-water-recipes-healthier/ to come up with some awesome recepies that I use on a daily basis: )
Margaret
That's great! Thanks for stopping by. Happy, healthy cooking!
Deborah
I would love to lose some weight.
Margaret
Sigh. . . . me, too. We'll just keep on plugging away at it, right? Little baby steps. But meanwhile it's important to love ourselves where we're at right now (and keep on drinking our water:) ) Best of luck to you. You're not alone in your journey.