Homemade Electrolytes (variety)

Recipes from ChatGBT

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

It's extremely hot and humid right now and rather than buy expensive powdered electrolytes, I asked ChatGBT to come up with some recipes for homemade.  I've been making these to drink before and after our daily walks outside.

Basic Hydration Base
Great for replacing fluids after a workout or illness.
3 ½ cups water, 
½ tsp pink Himalayan or sea salt
2–3 Tbsp honey or sugar
¼ cup fresh lemon or lime juice.
Instructions: Whisk all ingredients together until the salt and honey dissolve completely

Quick, Affordable Homemade Electrolyte Drink 
3 ½ cups of water
½ teaspoon of unrefined sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
2 to 3 Tablespoons of raw honey, maple syrup, or sugar. 
Mix in ¼ cup of lemon, lime, or orange juice for flavor and extra potassium

Tropical Coconut Cooler
Coconut water provides a heavy dose of natural potassium and magnesium.
1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut water
½ cup fresh orange juice
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
pinch of salt.
Instructions: Stir well in a tall glass and pour over ice. 

Green Apple Limeade
2 ½ cups coconut water (filtered water or decaf green tea can be used)
1 small green apple, cored and cubed
1 lime, juiced
¼ to ½ teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons maple syrup

Citrus Maple Hydration Booster
3 cups filtered water
½ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon fine unrefined sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a large glass jar or pitcher. Shake or stir vigorously until the maple syrup and salt are fully integrated

Big Batch Pure Coconut & Date Hydrator (1 Gallon)
Since this recipe uses a high volume of coconut water, it is packed with potassium. Be sure to purchase 100% pure coconut water with no added sugars.
• 6 cups unsweetened, pure coconut water
• 9 cups filtered water
• 1 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1 ¼ teaspoons fine unrefined sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
• ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) date syrup
• Instructions: Pour 2 cups of the warm filtered water into your container first. Whisk in the salt and date syrup until completely dissolved. Pour in the remaining water, coconut water, and lime juice. Stir thoroughly.

Big Batch Citrus Maple Hydration Boost (1 Gallon)
This citrus-heavy blend freezes beautifully into popsicles or cubes and offers a crisp, refreshing flavor profile.
• 10 cups filtered water
• 2 cups fresh-squeezed orange juice
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 ¼ teaspoons fine unrefined sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
• ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) pure maple syrup
• Instructions: In a large gallon pitcher or pot, combine all ingredients. Whisk vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to ensure the maple syrup and salt are fully integrated with the water and juices.

Big Batch Whole Berry Hydrator (1 Gallon)
• 4 cups fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries (or a mix)
• 10 cups filtered water (divided)
• ½ cup fresh lemon or lime juice
• 1 ¼ teaspoons fine unrefined sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
• ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) pure maple syrup or date syrup
Blender Instructions:
1. Blend the Fruit: Place your fresh berries into the high-speed blender jar along with 2 cups of the filtered water, the syrup, and the salt.
2. Liquefy: Run the blender on high speed for 60 to 90 seconds until the berries are completely liquefied into a smooth, frothy puree with no visible seeds or pulp chunks.
3. Combine: Pour the berry puree into your large gallon pitcher or storage container. Add the remaining 8 cups of water and the lemon/lime juice.
4. Stir: Give it a thorough stir to blend the puree completely into the water.

Strawberry-Pineapple Hydrator (1 Gallon)
• 2 cups fresh strawberries (hulled)
• 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
• 10 cups filtered water (divided)
• ½ cup fresh lime juice
• 1 ¼ teaspoons fine unrefined sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
• ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) pure maple syrup
Blender Instructions: Place the strawberries, pineapple chunks, salt, maple syrup, and 2 cups of the water into your blender. Run on high for 60 to 90 seconds until perfectly smooth. Pour into your gallon jug, add the remaining 8 cups of water and the lime juice, and stir well. 

Blueberry-Peach Recovery Blend (1 Gallon)
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 2 cups fresh ripe peaches (pitted and sliced; leave the skin on for nutrients)
• 10 cups filtered water (divided)
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 ¼ teaspoons fine unrefined sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
• ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) date syrup (the caramel notes of date syrup pair beautifully with peaches) 
Blender Instructions: Add the blueberries, peach slices, salt, date syrup, and 2 cups of water to the blender. Blend on high until completely liquefied. Pour into your gallon container, mix in the remaining 8 cups of water and the lemon juice, and stir

Strawberry-Basil Lime Hydration Fuel (1 Gallon).
• 4 cups fresh strawberries (hulled)
• 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves (stems removed)
• 10 cups filtered water (divided)
• ½ cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1 ¼ teaspoons fine unrefined sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
• ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) pure maple syrup
Blender Instructions:
1. Place the strawberries, fresh basil leaves, salt, maple syrup, and 2 cups of the filtered water into your high-speed blender.
2. Blend on high for 60 to 90 seconds until the basil leaves are completely pulverized and the liquid is a vibrant, smooth red with no leafy flecks.
3. Pour the mixture into your gallon container, add the remaining 8 cups of water and the lime juice, and stir thoroughly before freezing.

Blueberry Quinoa Breakfast Bars (vegan & gluten-free)

Recipe from Simply Quinoa  

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 16 bars

Healthy vegan blueberry breakfast bars with oats, quinoa, coconut sugar, ripe banana, flax eggs, and fresh berries that are vegan and gluten-free. Be sure to read some of the variations in the notes below.  These were a nice change from my usual breakfast. If you have some leftover quinoa in the fridge, this recipe is a great way to use it up. I served these by smearing some Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Yogurt in a bowl and then topping the yogurt with the bars. I added sliced kiwi to get another fruit in my day.

Ingredients
1½ cups quick cooking oats  
1 cup cooked quinoa  
1 teaspoon baking powder  
1/3 cup coconut sugar  
1/4 cup hemp seeds or pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 cup mashed bananas about 2 medium
2 flax eggs (2 Tablespoons flaxseed meal + 6 Tablespoons of water)
2 Tablespoons nut/seed butter
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries (You can also use a mix of frozen blueberries and raspberries)

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9"x 9" baking sheet with parchment paper and grease the sides with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oats, quinoa, sugar, baking powder, and hemp seeds.
In a separate bowl, mix the banana, nut butter, flax eggs, lemon juice and vanilla. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients, mixing everything together until fully incorporated. The batter should be moist, but not runny. Fold in the blueberries
Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula.
Bake on the center rack for 25 - 35 minutes until the bars are golden brown and firm to the touch.
Remove and let cool completely in the pan, then remove and slice into squares (or rectangles). Store in an airtight container for 4 - 5 days.

Notes
The author found that she enjoyed the texture of the bars best after being cooled on a wire rack overnight because some of the added moisture from the blueberries was removed and she found that they were even more hearty.
You can reduce the sugar to 2 Tablespoons instead of 1/3 cup.  

You can replace ½ cup of the oats with ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut. 

You can substitute almond extract for the vanilla extract.
According to reviewers, you can also bake these in an 8”x8” pan or a standard muffin pan.

Another reviewer makes these as muffins in a standard muffin pan. 

Nutritional Information (1 of 16 bars)
Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 3.3mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1.2mg


 

Berry Baked Oatmeal (vegan and gluten free)

Recipe from Faith VanderMolen 

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 4 generous servings

This berry baked oatmeal is a beautiful and nutritious way to start the day. It's easy to prepare, tastes amazing and will fuel you for whatever the day holds!

Ingredients
2 ripe bananas cut into ½-inch slices
1 flax egg*
1⅔ cups unsweetened almond milk
⅓ cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup toasted* chopped walnuts, divided
1½ cups blueberries and chopped strawberries

Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375 °F and spray an 8x8 inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
Slice your ripe bananas and place them in a layer on the bottom of your baking dish. Set it aside.
In a large mixing bowl prepare your flax egg by whisking together 1 Tablespoon of ground flaxseed and 3 Tablespoons of water. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
Once the flax egg has thickened, whisk in the non-dairy milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, baking powder, cinnamon and sea salt.
Lastly, stir in your rolled oats, toasted walnuts and berries. If desired reserve some of the nuts and berries to sprinkle on the top.
Pour the batter on top of your sliced bananas in the baking dish and spread it out to be level. Sprinkle the top with any reserved berries and walnuts.
Bake for about 25-35 minutes, or until set.
Let cool for a few minutes before serving plain or with more berries and maple syrup.

Notes
*To toast walnuts, place them on a baking dish in an oven heated to 375°F / 190°C for about 7 minutes.
*To make a flax egg, whisk 1 Tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 Tablespoons of water and let sit for five minutes until it becomes gelatinous, like an egg.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 4 servings)
Calories: 442kcal; Carbohydrates: 71g;  Protein: 10g; Fat: 15g;  Saturated Fat: 2g;  Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g;  Sodium: 539mg; Potassium: 552mg;  Fiber: 9g;  Sugar: 30g;  Vitamin A: 73IU;  Vitamin C: 11mg;  Calcium: 269mg;  Iron: 3mg

Mini Blackberry Cheesecakes (Vegan)

Recipe from TasteMade
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 12 servings

Though these are very easy to make, they sure do look fancy and they taste delicious!  This is the dessert to make if it's so hot outside that the oven is unthinkable.  Of course, that's the time the berries are in season!  To gild the lily, make some Homemade Berry Sauce (only three ingredients and one of those is water) to swirl on the plate. 

Crust:
1 cup raw pecans
1 cup pitted dates, packed
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Filling:
1 ½ cups raw cashews
1 cup fresh blackberries (I used black raspberries.)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
Instructions:
Place the CASHEWS in a heat proof bowl and pour hot water over the to soak.  Allow them to soak for about 1 hour. 
Place a thin strip of parchment on the bottom of each of 12 standard size muffin cups. (*See photo below) These strips will help release the cheesecakes.)
Meanwhile, place the pecans in a food processor and process until they are fine.  (Do not over process or they’ll turn to nut butter.)  Pour the pecans into a bowl and set aside.  Add the dates to the food processor and process.  Then add the pecans back to the food processor along with the dates.  Sprinkle in the sea salt.  Process.  Scoop out the crust “dough” and put a bit in each of the muffin cups.  Press the “dough” well.  Set aside while you prepare the filling.
Drain the cashews.  Place them in a high speed blender.  Put the rest of the filling ingredients into the blender.  Blend on high until very smooth.  Pour the filling into each muffin cup.  Place the muffin pan in the freezer for at least 2 hours until set.**  Serve.

  

**Note:  The recipe on the website only gave the list of ingredients and a video.  I watched the video and so knew what to do.  However, I discovered that the cheesecakes wouldn't come out easily right out of the freezer, even with the little parchment strips.  So, I left them out to thaw about 10 minutes and then they came out with no problem.  If you don't eat them all at once, they will need to be stored in an airtight container in the freezer.  

Strawberry Oatmeal Bars (Vegan)

Servings10

Recipe from Michaela Vais Ela Vegan

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

We thought these strawberry oatmeal bars were delightful.  Of course, the husband loved having this seasonal treat.  These had just the right amount of sweet to them.  By using mashed banana and just a bit of maple syrup, the flavor of the berries really comes through. (I followed the original recipe to the letter, with this exception… I added about ½ teaspoon vanilla to the berry mixture and ¼ teaspoon almond extract plus ½ teaspoon sea salt to the dough mixture.)

Dough:

2 cups (205 g) oats 

1 cup (120 g) almond flour* 

1 cup (90 g) oat flour 

1 small (80 g) banana, mashed* 

1/4 cup (80 g) maple syrup or agave syrup

1/4 cup (60 g) canned coconut milk*

2 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon almond extract

Strawberry Filling:

3 cups (450 g) diced strawberries

1/3 cup (105 g) maple syrup or agave syrup

2-3 teaspoon fresh lime or lemon juice

5 teaspoon chia seeds

3 teaspoon cornstarch or potato starch 

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

(I highly recommend using a kitchen scale for this recipe and measuring the ingredients in grams.) 

Preheat the oven to 360 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).

Put the ingredients for the strawberry filling in a saucepan, bring to a boil, let it simmer for 5-10 minutes, and stir occasionally.

Mix all ingredients for the dough in a bowl by either using your hands or a hand mixer.

Press 2/3 of the dough evenly into a greased or lined baking dish. The pan I used measured 7 x 11 inches (18 x 28 cm).

Pour the strawberry filling over the crust.  Crumble the remaining 1/3 dough on top.  Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. 

Notes:

*Banana: Use banana or applesauce for a low-fat version. If you prefer a flaky/buttery soft crust, I would recommend using 40 grams banana (or applesauce) and 40 grams vegan butter (margarine).

*Almond flour: You can use any ground nuts/seeds of choice (e.g. hazelnuts, shredded unsweetened coconut) instead of almond flour.

*Coconut milk: You could use oat cream or soy cream instead of canned coconut milk.

*Other reviewers said that the bars could be frozen for up to 3 months.  Other berries can be used.  Frozen strawberries/berries will work.

Nutrition Facts (1 of 10 servings)

Calories 273; Fat 9.5 g; 1.7 g Sat. Fat; Carbohydrates 36.2 g; Fiber 6 g; Sugars 15.4 g; Protein 7.1 g

Quinoa Bowl with Berry “Milk”

Recipe from Simply Quinoa

Adapted & Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 2 generous servings (Can be halved or doubled.)

If you are in a breakfast rut and you wish to try a little something different, give this yummy bowl a go. By preparing the quinoa in advance (it freezes beautifully) this breakfast is a snap to make.

¼ cup Hemp Seeds

¾ cup Water

1 cup Berries

1 Maple Syrup or Honey

2 cups Cooked Quinoa*

Add the water, maple syrup, hemp seeds, and berries to a high power blender.  Blend on high until smooth and the consistency of milk.  Set aside.  Portion out the quinoa between two bowls and sprinkle on toppings.

Topping Options:

¼ cup Seasonal Fruits/Berries

2 Tablespoons Nuts and/or Seeds or Homemade Coconut-Buckwheat Granola** or your favorite granola

*How-To Prepare Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah). Just 1 cup of uncooked quinoa will yield almost 4 cups cooked. Here's what you will need to cook the quinoa: 1 cup uncooked quinoa; 2 cups water for cooking; a sieve; water for rinsing; a saucepan with a cover and a kitchen timer.  Place 1 cup of uncooked quinoa in a sieve (strainer.) Quinoa has a bitter coating (called saponin) that must be rinsed off.  An effective method for rinsing off the bitter coating is to place the quinoa seeds in a fine-meshed strainer and run cold water over the quinoa while gently rubbing the seeds together in your hands. Place the rinsed quinoa in a saucepan and add the 2 cups water. Bring the cooking liquid to a rolling boil. Turn down the heat to a simmer. Place a tight-fitting lid on the saucepan. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. (Set a kitchen timer to 15 minutes so you won't forget to check for doneness.)  Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork.  Cooked quinoa can be frozen once cooled.

**Coconut-Buckwheat Granola

Serves 12 (serving size: about 1/3 cup)

Recipe from Cooking Light Magazine

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

1½ cups old-fashioned oats

½ cup unsweetened flaked dried coconut

½ cup almonds, coarsely chopped

½ cup unsalted pumpkin seeds

¼ cup uncooked buckwheat groats

2 Tablespoons canola oil or coconut oil

2 Tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl.  Combing the oil, honey, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Add the honey mixture to the oat mixture; stir well to coat.  Spread oat mixture in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 15-20 minutes** or until golden brown, stirring once after 10 minutes.  (If your oven bakes hot, check the granola at 15 minutes to make sure it’s not burning.) Cool completely before storing and serving.  The granola will crisp up as it cools.

Blueberry Crumb Bars

Makes 36 small cookies

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen & All Recipes

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

I made these absolutely yummy bars with the last of the season’s blueberries from our bushes.  We usually use our blueberries and other local blueberries we buy to freeze for our morning oatmeal and smoothies throughout the year.  But, it seemed a shame not to use the last four cups for something decadent.  We took these to a band gig we had at a winery along with a picnic basket of food to share.  These were a big hit and very easy to make.

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks)

1 large egg

¼ teaspoon salt

Zest and juice of one lemon

4 cups fresh blueberries

½ cup sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch

Preheat oven to 375F.  Grease a 9” X 13” baking pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and the baking powder.  Mix in the salt and lemon zest.  Using a fork or pastry cutter, blend in butter and egg. (I actually did this part in the food processor.) The dough will be crumbly.  Press half of the dough into the prepared pan.

In another bowl, stir together ½ cup sugar, the cornstarch and lemon juice.  Gently mix in the blueberries.  Pour the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust.  Crumble the remaining dough over the berry layer.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or so until the top is slightly brown.  Cool completely before cutting into squares.  Store in the refrigerator.

NOTE:  The recipe author made the great suggestion of using other berries such as cherries or cranberries.  (If using cranberries, use orange juice instead of lemon.)