A popular between-meal elixir in Germany, this vegan drink recipe features a lovely combination of dried herbs, seeds, and flowers which are readily available in the bulk herb or tea section of your local natural foods store. You can find this European-inspired recipe along with many other ethnic vegan recipes in Mark Reinfeld’s vegan cookbook The 30 Minute Vegan’s Taste of Europe (De Capo Lifelong Books, September 2012), featuring amazing plant-based makeovers of classic European fare.

Six-Herb Botanical Juice

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
• 2 tablespoons dried lemongrass
• 2 tablespoons dried rose hips
• 2 tablespoons dried hibiscus flowers
• 2 tablespoons dried chamomile flowers
• 2 teaspoons dried peppermint leaves
• 3 cups freshly juiced apple juice
• Sweetener of your choice

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil in a small pot over high heat. Remove from the heat.
2. Add the fennel, lemongrass, rose hips, hibiscus, chamomile, and peppermint. Stir well, and allow to steep for 20 minutes. Strain well.
3. Add the juice and mix well. Add the sweetener to taste and mix well.
4. Pour into 4 glasses with ice.

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