Chefs in Joliet Junior College’s Culinary Arts Department are so experienced that they could whip up just about anything. From fancy holiday meals to easy drinks you can enjoy poolside, there isn’t a bad thing on the menu. And these days, you owe it to yourself for a fun activity and a little relaxation. Besides, there are plenty of warm days still ahead of us.  

Here are some of our chef’s favorite non-alcoholic drink recipes that will allow you to practice your culinary skills at home. We’ve also included a couple favorite recipes from other blogs. Whether you’re hanging out with friends or working from home, these tasty drinks are sure to help beat the heat this summer! Take a look! 

1. Melon No-Jito 

Recipe provided by JJC Chef Mike McGreal. 

The melon no-jito is a non-alcoholic take on a fresh melon mojito.  

Ingredients: 

• 4-5 cups of cubed fresh or frozen melon such as watermelon, honeydew or cantaloupe 
• ½ cup of fresh mint leaves 
• 2 limes, squeezed to remove juice 
• 1 cup of lemon-lime soft drink (like 7UP or Sprite) 
• 4 sprigs of fresh mint for garnish 

 Instructions: 

2. Add melon, mint and lime juice to blender and puree until smooth. 
3. Add lemon-lime soft drink to blender and pulse on and off rapidly, two to three quick times to mix. Do not let mix continuously as soft drink will foam up excessively. 
4. Pour mixture into serving glasses over ice and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint. 

Yield: 4 drinks 

2. Virgin Cranberry Basil Sangria 

Recipe from delish. 

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups of cranberry juice 
• juice of one orange 
• 12 ounce can of seltzer 
• 1 orange, sliced 
• 1/3 cup of frozen cranberries 
• ¼ cup of packed basil leaves 
• Ice 

 Instructions: 

1. In a large pitcher, combine cranberry juice, orange juice, and seltzer.  
2. Add fruit and basil and stir to combine.  
3. Pour over ice to serve. 

Yield: 4 drinks 

 3. Pineapple Whip 

Recipe provided by JJC Chef Mark Muszynski. 

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups of frozen pineapple 
• 1/3 cup of coconut milk 
• 1 tsp of lemon juice 
• 1 tsp of lime juice
• pinch of salt
• ice 

 Instructions: 

1. Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Serve over ice. 

Yield: 2 drinks 

4. Orange Iced Tea 

Recipe from bon appetit. 

Ingredients: 

• 4 Earl Grey tea bags
• 7 cups of boiling water
• ¼ cup of sugar
• 2 tsp of orange-flower water
• 2 large oranges, sliced into rounds, divided
• 4 mint sprigs, plus more for serving
• ice 

 Instructions: 

1. Place tea bags and sugar in a large heatproof pitcher and pour boiling water over; stir to dissolve sugar. Let steep 15 minutes. 
2. Remove tea bags and stir in orange-flower water, half of orange slices, and 4 mint sprigs. Chill 4–8 hours. 
3. Strain tea into ice-filled glasses and garnish drinks with remaining orange slices and more mint sprigs. 

Yield: 8 drinks 

If you enjoyed these recipes you can try other delectable foods prepared by our student chefs at our City Center restaurants, Thrive and Saveur in Downtown Joliet. Both Thrive and Saveur will be open with a limited capacity this fall. Visit the culinary arts program’s website for more information. 

Related Posts
6 Mouthwatering Holiday Recipes From JJC's Culinary Team
JJC Chefs Share Mouthwatering Cinco De Mayo Recipes

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