Y’all, my herbs are going CRAZY this year.
Which is good, considering my garden is struggling a bit, thanks to the darn chickens who keep figuring out ways to bust through the fence and wreak havoc on my fragile seedlings.
Well, we might not have green beans or pumpkins, but we WILL have mint and basil. Lots and lots of it.
Since I’ve been blessed with this abundance of herbs, I’m bound and determined to put them to good use. Not only will I be adding them to every recipe I can think of, I’ll also be making homemade herb salt to preserve them, sticking them in my chicken nesting boxes, and these homemade fruit slushies are high on the list as well. These slashes take advantage of the summer-bounty of fresh fruit and give you a chance to creatively use some of your garden herbs as well.
There are two different ways to create the base of a fruit slushie:
- Using fresh fruit and ice
- Using frozen fruit and water
I chose to freeze my fruit for a few reasons. The first being that I often find/harvest large amounts at once and freeze some for later use, and the second being that this allows you to swap out the water if you so choose. If you are looking to boost your gut health you can swap the water for kombucha or water kefir, or if you would rather turn these into cocktails you can simply decrease the amount of water and add your liquor of choice. 🙂
Onto the slushies!
Homemade Fruit Slushies with Herbs
Yield: Each recipe makes 1 adult portion or 2 child-sized portions
The Basic Formula:
- 1 ½ to 2 cups frozen fruit, chopped
- ¾ cup water, water kefir or kombucha
- Fresh herbs (4 or 5 medium leaves)
Add all of the ingredients into your blender and blend well.
Pour into a chilled glass and serve immediately.
Note: Depending on the water content of your fruit, you may need to add a bit more water to reach your desired consistency. On the flip side, if you weren’t able to fully freeze your fruit ahead of time, you may need some ice cubes to thicken your slushie. If you go this route, cut back on the water so that you don’t water down your drink.
Favorite Homemade Fruit & Herb Slushie Combos:
Peach & Basil
- 2 cups frozen peach
- 4 fresh basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- ¾ cup water
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Mixed Berry & Mint
- 1 ¾ cups frozen mixed berries
- 3 fresh mint leaves
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- ¾ cup water
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Watermelon & Basil
- 2 ½ cups frozen watermelon
- ¾ cup water
- 4 fresh basil leaves
Other Flavor Pairings to Consider:
Basil: Blueberry, Peach, Watermelon
Mint: Melons, Citrus
Cilantro: Cantaloupe, Mango
Lemon Verbena: Lemon, Blueberries, Raspberries
Jess says
June 28, 2016 at 8:31 amYummy! Have you tried any slushies with Thai basil? I have a lot of it, and I’m always looking for new ways to use it up! 🙂
Jill Winger says
July 19, 2016 at 10:45 amI haven’t tried thai basil in particular, but I bet it’d work just fine!
Amelia says
June 28, 2016 at 10:02 amWow, our basil and mint went crazy this year, too! This is a great idea, and I will have to try it once my strawberries and blackberries/raspberries ripen!
Kristen says
June 29, 2016 at 10:24 amLooking forward to making some this weekend! Supposed to be a warm one and my mint is taking over! Thanks 🙂
Jessica Haller says
June 29, 2016 at 11:22 amMy kindergarteners will love this!! And we have tons of mint in our garden.
Thank you Jill ?
Anne says
June 29, 2016 at 1:02 pmFYI: A Kraft pop up keeps interrupting your newsletter trying to get me to go to cake recipes. It’s in the content. You might have no control over this but I just wanted to mention it because if this is one of your sponsors, I’m appalled. You live like I do and I won’t spend a penny on any product that Kraft produces. Anyway, Love your blog, just not the Kraft part.
Jill Winger says
July 19, 2016 at 10:44 amI will contact my ad folks and have them block that. I do NOT work with or support Kraft in particular, but sometimes I don’t know which ads this company will stick in the content. I do have some control to block certain companies or industries, and this will be one of them. Thanks for letting me know.
Kandy says
June 29, 2016 at 11:28 pmCan lemon balm be used in slushies? I have tons!
Love your blog and ideas!
Jill Winger says
July 19, 2016 at 10:43 amSure! Bet that’d be delish.
Mary R says
July 19, 2017 at 3:51 pmBe sure you also try peach basil jam and tomato basil jam. Spoon over a block of softened cream cheese and scoop with chips or crackers. It is amazing.
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Gerard says
July 4, 2018 at 3:49 pmYummy! I just made some with last seasons red raspberries, gingerberry kombucha, 1/4 c lemon and 7 Basil leaves, to die for!