Strawberry Slurp

The Strawberry Slurp is easy to make but requires a little bit of preparation. The combination of frozen grapes and crushed ice makes it very refreshing and provides an almost slushy consistency. This refreshing beverage is a healthy alternative to lemonade without any added sugar or sweetener. Ideal for birthdays, afternoon tea parties or special occasions

Serves: 4 (approx. 250ml)

Dietary: Suitable for vegan, vegetarian, lactose-free, coeliac, egg-free and nut-free

Preparation time: 10 minutes to prepare ingredients

Cooking time: 20 minutes for tea and 10 hours to freeze the grapes.

INGREDIENTS
120 g seedless red grapes, frozen (freeze at home or buy already frozen)
250 g strawberries
20 ice cubes, crushed for a ‘slushy’ consistency if preferred; otherwise, 5 cubes per glass
250 ml fruit tea not sweetened, cold
250 ml sparkling water, cold

Options for decoration: slices of unwaxed lime or lemon, slices of strawberries, raspberries or blueberries, fresh mint, cocktail decorations (age-appropriate)

METHOD

Freezing the grapes is the key to the ‘slushy’ consistency of this beverage.
Calculate at least 10 hours to freeze the grapes. This step can also be a day or more in advance.
Boil 250 ml water and add 2 tea bags of fruity tea of your choice and set aside.
After 20 minutes, remove the tea bags and leave the tea to cool.
Once cooled, put it into the fridge to chill. This step can be done on the day or a day before.
Now blend the frozen grapes until almost smooth.
Add the strawberries and blend again to get a smooth texture.
If wanted, use a blender to make crushed ice from at least 20 ice cubes. For best results, add a few at a time.
Transfer the crushed ice into a large jug.
Add the fruit mix to the crushed ice and mix with a spoon.
Fill the jug with the fruit tea and slowly add the sparkling water (the water creates a lot of foam if not careful and leads to overflow).
Carefully stir to combine the ingredients.
Divide into 4 or more glasses (depending on size).
Add some sliced strawberries, a slice of lime, a few raspberries and/or blueberries if you like.

This recipe has been donated by Nicole Duernhoefer.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Per serving (230ml):
Total calories: 55 kcal
Fat: less than 0.5 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrate: 10 g
Total sugar: 10 g
Fibre: 2.9 g
Protein: 0.6 g
Salt: 0 g

NUTRITION FACTS

With the sweetness of the whole fruit, the Strawberry Slurp does not require any added sugar or other sweeteners.
Compared to some big brand full-sugar carbonated soft drinks, the Strawberry Slurp contains 10 g -15 g less sugar per serving (250 ml).
A glass of Strawberry Slurp provides a good source of vitamin C.

VARIATIONS

Use a combination of teas (e.g., peppermint and fruit) or replace the fruit tea with herbal teas like peppermint tea.
Different fruits will provide different flavours but also different colours.
Make a ‘melonade’ with green grapes and honeydew or cantaloupe melon to please those who love the look of their lemonade. Sugar contents may increase due to different sugar levels in the fruit.