Antioxidant-Rich Pineapple-Passion Fruit Freshie for Winter Days

So much better than store-bought: learn how to make an antioxidant-rich pineapple-passion fruit refresher with cold-pressed juice.

A Frozen Treat for Gray Days

Winter can be cold, gray, and gloomy, and a frozen tropical drink is a fun way to brighten a chilly afternoon.

At PURE, we love fresh, colorful fruit, and there’s nothing like a good test kitchen to flex our creative muscles.

Our Frozen Pineapple-Passion Fruit Freshie

Thus, we bring you one of our absolute favorite recipes: the Frozen Pineapple-Passion Fruit Freshie.

You’re probably thinking: why would I choose to drink a frozen beverage in the winter? Great question. The answer lies in the antioxidant-rich fruit used in this recipe and in letting yourself use a little imagination.

What Are Antioxidants?

Antioxidants are substances found in many fruits and vegetables. Pineapple, passion fruit, lemons, strawberries, and raspberries are each quite high in antioxidants.

Tropical Vacation in a Glass

PURE’s headquarters is located in Seattle. While it doesn’t rain here as much as you may have heard, it is cold, gray, and gloomy much of the year, particularly in the winter months. It’s perhaps just as common to hear of long-anticipated tropical getaways in February.

Seattle is known for its gloom but also for its coffee shops, and some of us on the PURE team like to visit a certain well-known store (in all seasons, yes–even when there is arguably better-tasting coffee elsewhere). If there’s one thing Starbucks does well, it’s to create both stores and recipes that elicit an emotional response.

Their icy, antioxidant rich Pineapple Passionfruit Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers® Beverage is no exception: sipping one of these makes a girl feel like she’s reclining on a beach chair, relishing in a warm breeze coming in off the ocean. Gray skies, be gone–we’re going on vacation in our minds!

Yet as much as we appreciate the power of mind-body connectivity, the team at PURE wanted to come up with a recipe that would create a similar sensory experience without all the excess sugar (and money–those things are pricey). No point in treating yourself, only to end up with a sugar crash.

Antioxidant-Rich Pineapple Passion Fruit Freshie

In our test kitchen, we came up with a recipe that will tingle your taste buds while going easy on both the sugar and your wallet. Our Pineapple Passion Fruit Freshie is made with raw fruits (pineapple, passion fruit, lemons, strawberries, and raspberries – each of them quite high in antioxidants), filtered water, ice, and natural sweeteners (honey or maple syrup) to taste.

We’ve Got a Passion for Passion Fruit

Truth be told, we’re passionate about all the fruits included in this recipe, but this time passion fruit nudges past even pineapple for the top of the list. Passion fruit contains high levels of vitamin A and vitamin C, which is an important antioxidant.

Passion fruit is a great source of fiber, and is rich in the beneficial plant compounds carotenoids and polyphenols. One study found that passion fruit surpassed other tropical fruits–banana, lychee, mango, papaya, and pineapple–in the amount of polyphenols it contains.

Additionally, passion fruit offers a small amount of iron.

Antioxidant-Rich Pineapple Passion Fruit Freshie Recipe

Step One: Pineapple-Passionfruit Juice

Ingredients

• 1 pineapple
• 1 passion fruit

Directions

1. Cut pineapple into 4 pieces. Cut tic-tac-toe lines in the pineapple (don’t cut the whole way through).
2. Place a piece of pineapple on a cloth.
3. Cut the passion fruit in half.
4. Scoop the fruit out of the shell and place it on the sliced pineapple.
5. Wrap and press.

Step Two: PURE Lemonade

Ingredients

• 1-2 lemons
• 4 cups filtered water
• Honey or maple syrup to taste

Yield: 40 ounces of lemonade

Directions

1. Cut lemons into a fan shape.
2. Place 2 to 3 lemons in the center of your liner (no more than 1.5 cups).
3. Wrap liner in a cloth (or place inside a PURE bag).
4. Press.
5. Fold and press another one to two times to get all the juice out.
6. Mix one cup of lemon juice with 4 cups of filtered water.
7. Sweeten with honey or maple syrup to taste.

Try out our flavored lemonade recipes

Step Three: Strawberry Juice

Ingredients

• 3 cups strawberries

Yield: 17 ounces of strawberry juice

Directions

1. Place 1 cup of clean strawberries on a liner.
2. Place the liner in a cloth or inside a PURE bag.
3. Wrap and press slowly.

Note: you will have the best results if you press one cloth at a time (vs. 2-3 cloths).

Step 4: Raspberry Garnish

Ingredients

• 3 cups of raspberries

Yield: 14 oz of thick raspberry juice

Directions

1. Place 1 cup of clean raspberries on a liner.
2. Place the liner in a cloth or inside a PURE bag.
3. Wrap and press slowly.

Step 5: Blend it, Pour, and Garnish

1. In a blender, add pineapple-passion fruit juice, lemonade, and ice. Blend until smooth.
2. Line the rim of a glass with raspberry juice.
3. Pour blended ingredients into the glass.
4. Top the blended mixture with strawberry juice.
5. If you’re feeling extra fancy, top it all off with a little dollop of whipped cream!
6. Add a straw and a flower and your drink is served.

Pro Tip: Save your homemade juices in the freezer and make your next fancy drink in less time. Just drop them into a blender with extra ice and they will be ready.

Batching juice ahead of time? A wide-mouth mason jar sealed with the PURE MVP vacuum pump has 80–85% of the oxygen pulled out in about six seconds. Keep it refrigerated or frozen.

Nutrition Notes

pineapple: delicious and packed with antioxidants, pineapples are a rich source of Vitamin C, manganese, and the compound bromelain, a group of digestive enzymes.

passion fruit: rich in antioxidants and low on calories, passion fruit is also a great source of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, and beneficial plant compounds, including carotenoids and polyphenols.

lemon: high in vitamin C and citric acid, lemons add a bright, tart flavor to juice.

strawberries: made up of 90% water, strawberries are not only hydrating but also a great source of vitamin C, manganese, folate, and potassium. They’re rich in antioxidants and plant compounds.

raspberries: vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber – these little berries have it all. Raspberries are a rich source of potassium and contain omega-3 fatty acids.

honey: primarily composed of natural sugar, honey is rich in antioxidants, including phenolic acid and flavonoids, plant compounds known as polyphenols, and contains trace amounts of several important vitamins and minerals.

maple syrup: made from the sap of eastern maple trees, maple syrup (distinct from maple-flavored pancake toppings made with high-fructose corn syrup) contains antioxidants and minerals like zinc and manganese, though it is best enjoyed in moderation.

Sources

Passion Fruit 101 – Everything You Need to Know

Pineapple: 8 Impressive Health Benefits

6 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Lemons

Strawberries 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Health Benefits of Raspberries

7 Unique Health Benefits of Honey

Maple Syrup: Healthy or Unhealthy?

Looking for more ideas?

Head to our Instagram or YouTube channel for demos.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before changing your diet, especially if you have a health condition or take medication.