Chapter 5 Preparing Simple Recipes 93 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. nearly as much sugar as soda. Drinks and mixes made with artifi cial sweeteners provide few if any calories. However, some health experts believe habitual use of these products can play a role in weight gain. Studies show people who regularly consume artifi cial sweeteners tend to seek out sugar from other sources. For good health, you need to drink plenty of liquids every day. To make healthful drink choices and limit calories, opt for pure water most often. Try adding lemon wedges, mint sprigs, or cucumber slices to give water a refreshing fl avor twist. Drink milk to help meet your daily need for dairy foods. Then choose limited amounts of calorie- free beverages and juices. Enjoy drinks such as fl avored milk and fruit smoothies less often, as they provide more calories than other options. Choose nondiet soft drinks and fruit drinks only on rare occasions. (Mix equal parts of 100 percent juice and seltzer for an alternative to carbonated soft drinks you can enjoy more often.) Milk shakes, smoothies, and fruit slushies are thick, frosty treats. Ingredients can vary, but milk shakes contain milk and ice cream. Smoothies are often made with yogurt and fruit. While shakes and smoothies provide some nutri- tion, they can be high in fat, sugar, and calories. Slushies do not contain dairy ingredients. If they are made with just fruits and juices, they are a lower-fat, lower-sugar treat choice. When preparing shakes, smoothies, and slushies, have all ingredients as cold as possible. Using frozen fruit will help make drinks extra thick and cold. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Adding the liquid ingredients fi rst will help the solid ingredients become thoroughly blended. Blend for about 20 to 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth. Pour it into tall glasses and serve with straws. Coffee Coffee is a popular beverage at breakfast and with desserts. However, many people drink coffee all day long. Coffee is made from the beans of the coffee plant. The beans are dried, roasted, and pack- aged for shipment. The fl avor of coffee beans depends on the variety and growing conditions. It also depends on the degree of roasting, which may be described as mild to dark. You can buy a single variety of coffee beans. You can also buy coffee blends, which are mixtures of several varieties of coffee beans. Coffees that have added fl avorings, such as hazelnut or French vanilla, are available, too. You can choose ground or whole bean coffee. If you choose whole bean coffee, you can have it ground at the store. For freshness, however, you might prefer to grind it yourself just before brewing. You can choose the coarseness of the grind to suit your preparation method. Coffee stales quickly when exposed to moisture and air. Buy only enough coffee to last a week or two. To help maintain freshness, store both ground and whole bean coffee in opaque, airtight containers at room temperature. Recipe for Good Food Mix and Match Fruit Slushies Serves 2 Select a juice: Select one or more fruits: Apple Banana, sliced Orange Cantaloupe, cubed Pineapple Mango, diced White grape Strawberries, halved 1. Measure ½ cup of your choice of juice from the fi rst column and pour it in a blender. 2. Measure 1½ cups of your choice of one or more types of fruit from the second column. Add fruit to the blender. 3. Add 5 or 6 ice cubes to the blender. 4. Blend 20 to 30 seconds, until smooth. For a thinner consistency, add more juice. For a thicker consistency, add more ice cubes. 5. Pour into glasses. Serve with straws. Average per serving (varies by juice and fruits chosen): 96 calories (0% from fat), 1 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 0 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g fi ber, 8 mg sodium