Our Top 3 Easy and Refreshingly Delicious "Mocktails"

So you visited Garden Valley and bought a TON of delicious produce… now what? Well, eating all of it is, of course, a very easy and obvious choice. BUT, may we also throw out the idea of drinking your produce? We’ve test-tasted 3 delicious “mocktail” recipes that will up your drink game, and can easily be made for entertaining your friends and family… or served as a refreshing afternoon drink for your kiddos without all of the added processed sugars.

3 Easy and Refreshingly Delicious “Mocktails”

Blueberry and Lime Mojito

Ingredients

1/2 oz lime juice (about a half lime)
3-4 tbsp pink lemonade
2 tbsp fresh blueberries
6-8 sprigs of fresh mint leaves
2 oz coconut water
3 oz club soda
Ice cubes

Directions

1. Muddle blueberries, mint, lime juice, and the pink lemonade at the bottom of your glass
2. Add a few ice cubes and top with 2 oz coconut water
3. Finish with club soda
4. Garnish

Strawberry and Honey Mint Smash

Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh strawberries
2 tbsp mint leaves
1 tbsp honey
1.5 oz club soda (or vodka)
Crushed ice
Sprite

Directions

1. Muddle strawberries, mint, and honey together
2. Add club soda or vodka
3. Add 1/2 cup crushed ice and top with Sprite
4. Garnish

Cucumber, Watermelon and Basil Lemonade

Ingredients

3 cups cubed watermelon
1 large cucumber
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup lemon juice
Club Soda

Directions

1. Pulse watermelon, cucumber, basil, and lemon until fully blended
2. Pour mixture over strainer, cheese cloth, or into french press. Strain
3. Pour strained liquid over ice and to with soda water
4. Garnish

FROM GARDEN VALLEY:

Enjoy these delicious and refreshing drinks this spring and summer, because we know we will! We also want to thank you for choosing to shop local with us, and we hope you continue to join our journey of planting better, eating better, and living better.

We would love to see you and your friends drinking these mocktails, so don’t forget to tag us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok! We can’t wait to see! @gardenvalleyfarmersmarket

Susan's Sicilian Pasta Sauce

Take a trip to your local farmers market, grab some farm fresh Roma tomatoes (or yellow tomatoes if you need a less acidic sauce), some fresh oregano, basil, and thyme plants, and let’s get to making Susan’s famous Sicilian Pasta Sauce.

Side note- Growing your own fresh herbs is so much more flavorful than buying them from the store! Garden Valley has a great selection of fresh herbs for you to choose from, as well as fresh, homegrown tomatoes that are juicy and make the perfect base for this flavorful pasta sauce.
Also, if you head to this Garden Valley location, you’ll meet Susan, the founder of this delicious recipe that leaves her grown children coming back home for supper with empty stomachs, and leaving with full hearts (and bellies).

how to make susan’s sicilian pasta sauce

Before starting, we recommend that you turn on some of your favorite Italian music.

Cut the tops of the tomatoes off and slice the tomato in half. Add your tomatoes to the pan, and begin to cook over medium heat with salt and pepper and a 1/3 cup water. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Turn off your stove but let them sit for a bit, which will make it easier to peel the skins off.

Add your peeled tomatoes into the food processor or blender and pulse so that tomatoes are blended well but still have a thicker consistency. (If you’re wanting a smoother consistency, you can always choose the blend button instead of pulse.)

In a large pot, add 4 tablespoons of butter and whatever seasonings you’re wanting. We like to add Garlic, chopped Onion, Thyme, Oregano, Basil, Salt, and Pepper. You can also add red pepper flakes if you’re wanting a little bit of heat in your sauce. Let simmer, for 5 minutes, deglaze with a splash of red wine, and add your blended tomatoes.

If you’re wanting to add meat to your sauce, cook only three-fourth’s of the way through, and then add to sauce. This allows the meat to absorb the flavor of the tomato sauce, and will allow the meat to finish cooking without becoming dry.
A few meat suggestions:
+ Italian Sausage, Pork Ribs, or this Homemade Meatball recipe from Our Balanced Bowl

Bring ingredients to a boil, simmer throughout the day, and enjoy the fresh aroma of homemade pasta sauce filling up your home.

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Susan’s Sicilian Pasta sauce

INGREDIENTS

10-12 Roma (or Yellow) Tomatoes
1/3 C Water
4 T of butter
1 Medium Vidalia Onion
3 Garlic Cloves
2 T Oregano
2 T Thyme
3 T Basil
2 T Parsley
Splash of Red Wine

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut off the tops of the tomatoes.
2. Slice the tomatoes in half. Add halved tomatoes, water, and salt/pepper (to taste) into your pot and cover with lid. Let simmer on medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
3. Once finished, let tomatoes sit for 5-10 minutes to cool off. Peel skins of tomatoes off, add to blender, and pulse until a smooth texture is achieved.
4. Add butter, onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, basil and parsley to a large pot. Simmer over medium-high flame for approximately 5 minutes. Deglaze with a splash of red wine. Add blended tomatoes and stir together.
5. Bring ingredients to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer at least 4 hours.

S I D E N O T E
If you are adding meat to your pasta sauce, cook only three-fourths of the way through so that your meat is not dried out and is able to absorb the flavor of the sauce. Here is a great meatball recipe.

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When you try this delicious sauce, we would love to see your photos, so tag @gardenvalleyfarmersmarket in your posts, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #gardenvalleyfarmersmarket and show us your pasta night!

Lastly, if you find this information helpful, we’d love it if you would support us
by sharing with your friends.

Happy Pasta Night!

Thank you so much for joining us here. For more information on what Garden Valley Farmers Market is about, you can visit us here. If you’re wanting to visit with us, come by any of our five North Carolina locations. If you’re wanting to follow along with us, you can do so either on our Facebook, Youtube, or our Instagram. If you’re wanting to earn rewards and be easily connected with us, download our new App. And if you’re wanting to check out our other recipes and blog posts, or are needing more inspiration, follow us on our Pinterest. We’d love to have you join us in our journey of planting better, eating better, and living better.
Much love,
Your Garden Valley Farmers Market Team