Skip the spooky green punch and go for something refreshing and elegant like this Halloween cocktail recipe with grapefruit juice and fresh blackberries. 

Since it IS practically Halloween, get into the spirit by adding fresh blackberry compote or “guts” into the flesh-colored mixture of grapefruit, gin and club soda. While your guests are consuming handfuls of Halloween candy this drink will offer a cooling respite.

The gin fizz is a classic cocktail usually made with carbonated water and lemon juice. An egg white is often added to make a silver fizz which I would highly recommend ordering the next time you find yourself in a classic cocktail bar. After years of feeling disgust at the thought of an egg in my drink I had a Pisco Sour that changed my life. Egg whites add a frothy layer to acidic cocktails so don’t be afraid of them…plus an egg white has protein to offset the alcohol.

The addition of muddled blackberries to a gin fizz makes for an interesting turn. I make this cocktail with fresh squeezed grapefruit juice to ensure that it isn’t too sweet. You can substitute the fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice for store-bought juice if necessary. The blackberry pulp has a beautiful dark purple color which looks creepy in the flesh-colored liquid of the grapefruit juice and liquor. Tell your guests they are drinking “guts” and they may roll their eyes but will be pleasantly surprised by this fizzy and not-too-sweet treat.

Grapefruit Gin Fizz with Blackberry “Guts”

Makes 6 cocktails (recipe is easily doubled)

Ingredients

6 ounces gin, such as Tanqueray or Beefeater
1 cup blackberries
1 teaspoon honey
3 ounces club soda
1 large grapefruit
12 large ice cubes

Directions

1. Slice the grapefruit in half and use a juicer to extract the juice.

2. In a small bowl use a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon to smash the blackberries into a pulp. Add the honey and mix thoroughly.

3. In each individual glass place two ice cubes and pour in 1 ounce each of grapefruit juice and gin and just a ½ oz or splash of club soda. Stir for a few seconds with a long spoon and then delicately add about a teaspoon of the blackberry mixture and serve.

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Photo credit: Ally Jane Grossan

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The benefits of mango with a recipe to add to the love.

Mango is a meaty fruit that holds its own quite well in more complex dishes. It is a nutrition powerhouse with some major benefits – it lowers cholesterol, regulates sex hormones, boosts sex drive, improves concentration and memory, treats acne, fights diabetes, and prevents cancer and heart disease. It it also helpful for women going through menopause or who are pregnant.

The parsley adds an earthy tone to the citrus from the grapefruit and sweetness from the mango, and the cayenne gives the salad an additional edge that will not only taste great but also boost your metabolism.

Spicy Mango Citrus Ceviche

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1 mango
• Juice of 1 grapefruit
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley or cilantro
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• Dash of sea salt

Directions:

Julienne the mango and place on a serving tray with the grapefruit juice. The longer the mango sits in the citrus, the more tender and infused with flavor it becomes.

Add the sea salt, cayenne and chopped parsley or cilantro.

Toss and serve.

Enjoy!

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post Recipe: Spicy Mango Citrus Ceviche appeared first on EcoSalon.

10 photos to inspire your citrus consumption this winter. 

Come the holiday season, I always have a box of satsumas. Yes, satsumas. Not mandarins or tangerines; satsumas. Because they’re easy to peel, seedless and perfect for holiday laziness. Plus the box they come in is perfect for eco-friendly wrapping of gifts.

Be it satsumas, oranges or grapefruits, we’re in high citrus season, and as we like to say, when life gives you lemons, take pictures.

Citrus Tart

Grapefruit Pie

Satsumas 

Orange Basil Popsicle

Grilled Grapefruit Tart

Orange Yogurt Smoothie

Bruleed Grapefruit

Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake

Satsuma Sorbet

Lemon Cream Tart 

Images: Mama’s Gotta Bake, LUNCH, sonyaka, menn, Emily, michelle tedjakusuma, Pinku Neko, Chase Aaron, 추영, melba castillo, VincenteSF

The post Foodspotting Friday: Crazy for Citrus appeared first on EcoSalon.