light and lightly sweet {ginger ale}

i’ve gone over 10 years without drinking sodas on a regular basis, and i honestly haven’t missed them much. i don’t miss the immense sweetness, and i definitely don’t miss how i felt after drinking one. but i do sometimes crave the carbonation. it seems like most carbonated drink alternatives are either completely unsweetened, or have a HUGE dose of some alternative sweetener, such as stevia, or fruit juice and honey. so i decided to set out to create a lightly sweet version, and this was the result:

light, refreshing ginger ale! (serves 2)

{ingredients}

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 cup frozen pineapple chunks * see NOTE below

2″ chunk of ginger root, peeled and sliced

{directions}

bring all ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat. reduce to low simmer, and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until liquid reduces and fruit is soft. place contents into a fine-mesh strainer fitted over a glass bowl, and strain, mashing the pineapple pieces until you’re able to get as much juice from them as possible. toss remaining fruit/ginger. pour about 2-3 tablespoons of your syrup into the bottom of a drinking glass, and add sparkling mineral water. obviously, feel free to adjust the ratio of syrup to water according to your taste. drink up!

*NOTE: have fun trying this with other fruits! another i’ve tried: a combination of apples, cucumber, and rosemary – delicious!