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For those of you who are ready for Spring but the snow is still falling, here is your chance to add some sunny citrus to your world.  The markets are flooded with all kinds of oranges, lemons and limes right now.  If you have a stuffy nose the extra vitamin C is helpful.  Some of you might be trying to wean yourselves off of traditional, mass produced, industrial sodas.  I know some of my Ten in ’10 pals are trying to clean up  and shed the soda thing.
The thoughts of sunny citrus were provoked from a not so sunny realization:
I was stopped in my tracks by a blog post I read the other day at 5 Second Rule simply titled Soda. I really dig Cheryl’s blog. Â Her posts are well thought out, beautifully photographed and extremely informative. Â Being that I don’t watch TV or really listen to mass produced media, folks like Cheryl have become a great source of alerting me to current events. Â At least events regarding food! Â My daily news updates come in the form of reading my buddies blogs. Â Way more interesting!!
Reading her Soda post I became aware of the tax they are trying to impose on this sugar & chemical ridden, artificial beverage. Â From Cheryl’s post I clicked over to Mark Bittman’s article “A Sin we Sip Instead of Smoke?” Here he states:
“……Michelle Obama. And a growing number of public health advocates are pushing for even more aggressive actions, urging that soda be treated like tobacco: with taxes, warning labels and a massive public health marketing campaign, all to discourage consumption.”
Thats right folks. Â Perhaps one day we can decrease obesity in our children and help to prevent all the diabetes going on out there. Â No one is saying soda will go away. Â Can we just work together and start making some “right” choices? Â Let’s lead by example….for our children!
Fresh Benefits
Call it soda, call it fizzy. Â Whatever you call this Skinny Citrus Fizz “soda” it’ll make you smile. Â For a few reasons.
- No High Fructose Corn Syrup
- No Artificial Flavors or Ingredients
- No landfill “fillers.”
- No bone leaching Phosphoric acid. (there is enough reason right there to squeeze your own lemon!)
- No scary Artificial Sweeteners
- Yes, to using fresh produce (Citrus)
- Yes, it’s as skinny as you want to make it.  You can use pure Maple  syrup (calories but natural ones) to Stevia (no calories)
- Yes, it’ll quench your thirst.
- Yes, it’s inexpensive.
- Yes, it is way more tasty than your average canned or bottled soda.
- Oh, and did I mention all natural with the bonus that your kids can drink it too! Â Mine consider it a treat!
I would rather eat my calories than drink them. Â I get way more satisfaction out of chewing and swallowing whole foods than sipping sugar. Â If I Â want to satisfy a sweet craving in the form of a drinky I would rather have some stevia sweetened Hot Cocoa, my Frozen Coffee Granita or a piping hot cup of tea (again sweetened with stevia.) Or this soda.
My kids have never been to a vending machine. Â They have never seen me at one either. Â I hope to think they never will. Â Something about my food and drink coming out of an automated box makes me cringe.
Do yourself a flavor favor, if you are going to buy soda in a can or a bottle be mindful of ingredients.  Read them carefully.  Some ingredients to look for in a store bought “healthier” soda might include:
- Carbonated Water
- Citric Acid: to give that tart flavor
- Fruit Juice: to lightly sweeten and flavor=a few grams of carbs.  This is way better than 20-30 grams of carbs (refined sugars or High Fructose Corn Syrup) found in traditional soda.
- A natural sweetener like Stevia (Won’t spike your blood sugar and is 0 calories)
- Remember: Ingredients you can identify and pronounce are the ones you want to sip.
I am not going to promote any individual sodas in this post because again, I do not drink them. Â Feel free to share your favorites in the comment section. Â I would love to learn your “go-to” pop of choice.
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Skinny Citrus Fizz (Soda)
- Source Organic ingredients when available
- Shop for ingredients at the MarlaMeridith.com Amazon Store
- As always, use your own taste buds to determine how you want your fizzy drink to taste. Â My ingredient lists are wide open for interpretation! I would love to hear your version.
all you need:
- A tall glass, choose something kinda fancy if you wish!
- Chilled carbonated fizzy water.
- Sweetener of choice: I use my NuNaturals vanilla stevia drops, Agave and Pure Maple Syrup work too (remember they add some calories.
- Citrus of choice: Add a twist of Lemon, Lime or Orange to your fizz. Â Use ’em all if you wanna be crazy!
- Optional: Ice, a sprinkle of Spice (cinnamon, ginger, etc.), a twist of salt, a splash of another favorite juice, a few drops of vanilla, coconut or any extract.
METHOD
- Easy peasy, fill your glass with ice.
- Add your fizzy water.
- Squirt some Orange, Lemon or Lime in your glass.
- Sweeten to taste.
- Sip and enjoy!
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Fresh for the Kids
Little kids will have fun making their own fizzy drink. Â Cut up pieces of lemon, lime and orange and let them interact and create their own drink. Â Let them squeeze and taste as they go. Â Measure out maple or agave for them to pour in. Â Give ’em silly straws and swizzle sticks to stir with. Â Just make sure they don’t wipe their eyes with citrusy hands. Â Ouch!
Great post, I love all the pics–citrus fizzy great idea.
sweetlife
Hi! I wanted to say thanks for stopping by my blog and WOW to yours. I love the fun look of it and the cool ideas with food. 🙂
What a clever idea – i’m so with you on the “would rather eat my calories.” statement, too. Exception being a delicious glass of almondmilk, or almondmilk hot cocoa 🙂
Will have to try this once the warm weather comes back! All I want lately are hot drinks.
I don’t drink soda either but sometimes I am in the mood for something fizzy and go for a drink like this. I hope to teach my kids (when I have them 🙂 ) by doing that this option is better tasting and better for you!
Great post. I also love just adding wedges of citrus to plain ole’ water.
Your citrus pictures are gorgeous, Marla! They definitely bring a little sunshine to a snowy day! 🙂 I completely agree with you about eating vs. drinking calories…this drink is the perfect solution for that!
Nice citrusy colors! I received your packet of oats in the mail today! Thanks!
These photos are beautiful – so colorful! My son is going to LOVE it : ) I am the same way with him – I try to lead by example, I am much more aware of my own actions now that I have him.
I LOVE your blog!!! You are inspiring!
hey!
i just came across your blog and i can’t wait to read and follow it!
i would love it if you could check out mine and follow as well 🙂
jenna
Oh and I forgot! I mentioned you on my blog. There is a nice award for ya!
I just gave up diet soda two weeks ago. I’m participating in the Ten in 10 Challenge and just finally decided to eliminate soda. There are just too many harmful ingredients that can potentially cause dozens of health problems. I’ve just been drinking club soda or seltzer water instead. I’ll have to try with more citrus! Your photos are gorgeous! Check out my Ten in 1o update if you have time.
Ah! now i can see your comment section here. But somehow i couldn’t find it yesterday. Don’t know why. However, it works now! 🙂
Your blog is beautiful! You are a talented designer and the content is so beneficial! Your kids are so lucky to have you as their mother. Thanks for sharing so many healthy recipes and practices.
I love those pictures! It looks like summertime already on your blog and its fantastic! These drinks look perfect… I want one and I want to be sitting on the beach with it and getting a tan!
Calories drunk are calories WASTED!
Lovely photos, Marla
What a fun and bright post! I love all of the citrus fruits!
Oh Marla love the homemade soda! I have never tried this type of thing as I just grab for water. (or coffee! LOL) but this is nice!
Anyway, thank you as usual for all your lovely comments on my posts. Glad you’re reading along and have time to say hi 🙂 Later today I am plugging you and Coach’s Oats. Or tomorrow. Sorry, depends how much writing I get done..with that, I’m off to get started 🙂
xoxo
I love that we posted about the same thing! Deeelicious! I’ve been popping lemon and lime in my water all day!
Thanks for the lecture. How about a post without all the reprimanding?
I like your lecture!!!!! Well said, nicely worded and gives a little punch in the right direction! By the way your recipe for this soda is fabulous!
I love people who have the hootspa to say what needs to be said!
Cheers!
http://thekissablekitchen.blogspot.com/
Great news Glamour Magazine picked up on this one. Here is the link:
http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2010/02/afternoon-snack-slimming-citru.html
For some of us with incurable GI problems, drinking calories is about the only way to get them without being punished with excruciating abdominal pain. Often the beverages we use to get those calories are loaded with chemicals and high-fructose corn syrup that end up making the problem worse in the long run. Thank you so much for this recipe that will help me kiss the cola companies goodbye.