Non-Alcoholic Freshly Juiced Sangria

Welcome back from a nice long weekend! If you didn’t max out your Labor Day holiday as much as you’d have liked, things are now looking up.

When Williams-Sonoma contacted us about sharing a sangria recipe, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Williams-Sonoma is taking on a juicing challenge – they want to spread the word about the amazing health benefits of juicing and they are doing it with healthy sangria recipes! They’ve requested fun and fruity drinks from all over the blogsphere to inspire more juicing. We’ve shared our love of fresh juices before so we couldn’t wait to be involved. Drinks like sangrias utilize the health benefits of fresh juice in a super delicious way. With the heat of summer cooling, it’s the season for fall entertaining – let’s start with freshly juiced sangrias!

Williams-Sonoma asked us to create a homemade sangria recipe with our own twist but also keeping the fresh juice requirement. Sangrias are sweet juice wines that happen to be one of the most popular adult beverages of all time.  Sangrias originated from Spain but recipes come in all forms. You can find any flavored sangria recipe under the sun so anything goes!

Of course the first thing on our list was to make this sangria sugar-free! Real fresh fruit makes this drink just as sweet as the sugar-filled cocktails but much healthier for you. Besides just making a sugar-free sangria recipe, we decided to make it available to everyone by omitting the alcohol. Young kids to the elderly, expecting mothers to single ladies, Sunday brunches to evening parties can all enjoy this sangria!

Williams-Sonoma wanted recipes that use fresh ingredients (mainly fresh juices and fruit) for maximum health benefits and fresh flavor! Mocktails are easy to make with fresh, pure produce. If you are on the lookout for great juicers, Williams-Sonoma has lots of options. But no worries if you are without a juicer because this drink recipe uses fresh juice… but there is no need for a juicer!  Freshly squeezed orange juice creates the base for this sweet drink for ease. Splashes of fresh coconut water and lime finish it off with a taste of the tropics. If you want a punch of flavor but don’t need the alcohol, turn to this beverage. The slightly sour notes from the lemon and club soda balance out the sweetness perfectly for all of your late summer entertaining.  Enjoy!

Healthy Non-Alcoholic Freshly Juiced Sangria (vegan, sugar-free. gluten-free)

1 1/2 cups Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
1 cup Fresh Coconut Water (about 1-2 Young Coconuts)
Juice 1 Large Lemon
1 1/2 cups large chopped Pineapple (about 3/4″ cubes)
3 Kiwis, peeled and chopped
5 Large Strawberries, sliced
1 1/2 cups Club Soda (or Sparkling Water for a sweeter drink)
1/4 cup Xylitol for coated glass rim, optional

Juice the oranges, cut into the coconut, drain the coconut water and juice the lemon. Pour liquids into a large pitcher. Add the chopped pineapple, chopped kiwi and sliced strawberries. Pour 1 cup soda over the mixture. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Remove from refrigerator and add an additional 1/2 cup club soda for fresh carbonation. Pour xylitol in a shallow dish. Take a slice of orange and wet the rims of all glasses. Dip the wet glass edge in the xylitol to coat. Pour juice into glasses over ice. Enjoy!

Serves 4